BajaNomad - Chapala-Gonzaga after action report

Chapala-Gonzaga after action report

chuckie - 3-13-2014 at 06:41 AM

Drove this yesterday...Hate to pour water on the lamentors fires but found it your average fairly good Baja bad road. My Dodge was overloaded so I aired down to 30F/40R and took my time. 2 hours 45 minutes to the blacktop. No rooms at Alphonsinas so had to drive to SF...Long day I suspect the folks who think this is a bad Baja bad road have never been on one....Like the road to San Sebastian, or to Abrejo before the pavement or even that mean evil Hijo De La Playa from San Ignacio to the lagoon back in the day...Speaking for myself, I would NOT pull any kind of a trailer over this road at this time. I dont think I am going to save any time to the border (no a) ..But the stress level was way lower. Sadly crossing into the USofA later today...

woody with a view - 3-13-2014 at 06:48 AM

i agree. it's always a sad day crossing into the USA.....

good luck Chuckie!

David K - 3-13-2014 at 08:32 AM

Thanks for the report... Looks like there is room for some motel business competition at Gonzaga? I am sure the Rodriguez (Los Pinos) Brothers are thinking about it? They have had a resort planned for Rancho Grande for a dozen years or more. In a pinch for rooms, El Sacrificio (between Alfonsina's and Punta Final) has cabins for rent. I would prefer to sleep outside.

Pescador - 3-13-2014 at 08:34 AM

Well, we are sure going to miss Pizza night and all the rest in Mulege. You make sure to hurry back.

freediverbrian - 3-13-2014 at 10:01 PM

I hope the Rancho Grande brain trust plans better. The last time they planed a resort they scraped the top soil off a couple hunderd acres and created a dust bowl

redhilltown - 3-13-2014 at 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Thanks for the report... Looks like there is room for some motel business competition at Gonzaga? I am sure the Rodriguez (Los Pinos) Brothers are thinking about it? They have had a resort planned for Rancho Grande for a dozen years or more. In a pinch for rooms, El Sacrificio (between Alfonsina's and Punta Final) has cabins for rent. I would prefer to sleep outside.

Thanks for the update and I don't wanna hijack this thread but never knew that Los Pinos was the money behind Rancho Grande...finally, finally FINALLY that new road and all the money behind it makes sense!!!

David K - 3-14-2014 at 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by redhilltown

Quote:

Yah, the first time I walked into Rancho Grande market was in 1999 and saw the resort drawing on the wall. Not sure when it was built, but it wan't there a dozen years earlier when I previously drove to Gonzaga.

Los Pinos bought the two La Pinta/Desert Inn hotels (San Quintin/Santa Maria and Cataviña) so they have some experience in that business now. I would expect ground breaking on the Rancho Grande Resort Hotel very soon. They scraped the desert behind the beach and made a heck of a dust bowl, already. :?:

Cliffy - 3-14-2014 at 08:20 AM

Ah yes, civilization comes to Gonzaga! crap! What's next, a Cabo Corridor to SF?

Thanks for the trailer read on the dirt road. M3 to Ensenada for now I guess.

chuckie - 3-14-2014 at 06:26 PM

Stopped by snow, at Springerville Az....Dang

Cliffy - 3-14-2014 at 07:39 PM

I got a friend who lives 13 miles east of Springerville on a cattle ranch.

gringorio - 3-18-2014 at 12:56 PM

Thanks for posting this... How do you think a Subaru XV with 9" of clearance would do on this stretch?

~ Greg

Quote:

Originally posted by chuckie
Drove this yesterday...Hate to pour water on the lamentors fires but found it your average fairly good Baja bad road. My Dodge was overloaded so I aired down to 30F/40R and took my time. 2 hours 45 minutes to the blacktop. No rooms at Alphonsinas so had to drive to SF...Long day I suspect the folks who think this is a bad Baja bad road have never been on one....Like the road to San Sebastian, or to Abrejo before the pavement or even that mean evil Hijo De La Playa from San Ignacio to the lagoon back in the day...Speaking for myself, I would NOT pull any kind of a trailer over this road at this time. I dont think I am going to save any time to the border (no a) ..But the stress level was way lower. Sadly crossing into the USofA later today...

Udo - 3-18-2014 at 12:58 PM

I would not attempt it, gringorio!

willardguy - 3-18-2014 at 01:27 PM

9" of ground clearance? heck, udo's FJ only has 9 1/2" :lol:

go for it!

gringorio - 3-18-2014 at 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
I would not attempt it, gringorio!

Thanks Udo! I've driven the road several times before in an older Subaru, but I've not been there in several years.

Is it a clearance issue? The need for 4by4? Road washed out?

Thanks for any details! I really want to avoid Ensenada... :yes:

Greg

willardguy - 3-18-2014 at 03:10 PM

the road is more annoying than it is treacherous, how does this subaru stack up against your older ones??? love, its what makes it a subaru. :coolup:

gringorio - 3-18-2014 at 03:24 PM

love my subaru! sold the last one and it had 275,000 miles on it. The new one is the XV, or crossover vehicle built and meant to handle rough dirt roads (not true 4-wheeling). has higher clearance, better suspension than the outback or forester.

that's how I remember the road last time we drove it - had to go slow and enjoy the scenery. thanks willardguy!

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
the road is more annoying than it is treacherous, how does this subaru stack up against your older ones??? love, its what makes it a subaru. :coolup:

David K - 3-18-2014 at 04:10 PM

Greg, it's all about speed... don't go faster than your car can handle it. A Subaru with ground clearance nearly as much as a Toyota truck is impressive.

I took my 4WD Subaru to amazing places back in its day. No low range, 13" tires, you had to place your tires carefully... but I drove it to Gonzaga on the oldest road, up to Rancho Matomi, and of course over bottomless sand of Shell Island!

Calamajué Canyon, 1979

Shell Island, 1978

[Edited on 3-18-2014 by David K]

gringorio - 3-18-2014 at 06:53 PM

Great photos David! Calamajue Canyon must have been interesting...

tripledigitken - 3-18-2014 at 07:57 PM

gringorio,

Go for it, we did it in our 2010 Outback last year with no problems. We have 8.7" ground clearance and never touched bottom. We do take it slow in the rocky sections, no "getting on top at speed tactics".

The only problem you'll encounter are the slow Mexican plated Civics driving through the rocky section. ;-)

Ken

Quote:

Originally posted by gringorio
love my subaru! sold the last one and it had 275,000 miles on it. The new one is the XV, or crossover vehicle built and meant to handle rough dirt roads (not true 4-wheeling). has higher clearance, better suspension than the outback or forester.

that's how I remember the road last time we drove it - had to go slow and enjoy the scenery. thanks willardguy!

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
the road is more annoying than it is treacherous, how does this subaru stack up against your older ones??? love, its what makes it a subaru. :coolup:

gringorio - 3-18-2014 at 08:10 PM

Cool! Thanks Ken! That makes me feel better... There always seems to be someone pushing the limits of realistic in terms of Baja travel. Much better a Civic than a Subaru. :spingrin:

Phil S - 3-18-2014 at 08:59 PM

Shucks. We did it last Dec. in our '13 Toyota Sienna . Just got to take it easy in the uphill & downhill parts. The sand parts just off the main road can get you up to 40 mph should you feel like it. We did it down & back last Nov/Dec. We'll go that way again, because we DON'T LIKE THE DRIVE ANYMORE FROM ENS. SOUTH!!! So there. That's the whole story.

redhilltown - 3-18-2014 at 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phil S
Shucks. We did it last Dec. in our '13 Toyota Sienna . Just got to take it easy in the uphill & downhill parts. The sand parts just off the main road can get you up to 40 mph should you feel like it. We did it down & back last Nov/Dec. We'll go that way again, because we DON'T LIKE THE DRIVE ANYMORE FROM ENS. SOUTH!!! So there. That's the whole story.

This really seems to be the attitude now of taking "the road" vs going south thru San Quintin and all the speed bumps and buses and lights (of which I am one)...will be interesting to see what happens when it is fully paved and very busy from the trucks heading south out of Mexicali.

jasperhbc - 3-23-2014 at 03:13 PM

Thanks for the heads up !!

mulegemichael - 3-23-2014 at 03:21 PM

once you take the "east road" you'll never go back to the san quintin/ensenada chaos!...just air down, tuck a cold one between your legs and creep on outta here.

Cliffy - 3-23-2014 at 04:16 PM

I've heard for 30 years that this road paving was going to Gonzaga but I have never heard if it is proposed to go all the way to Mex 1. Is it?
Here's the better question- WHEN! :-) :-)
Anyone have a crystal ball?

willardguy - 3-23-2014 at 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cliffy
I've heard for 30 years that this road paving was going to Gonzaga but I have never heard if it is proposed to go all the way to Mex 1. Is it?
Here's the better question- WHEN! :-) :-)
Anyone have a crystal ball?

well yeah, thats the purpose, they're not building it just to get people to gonzaga bay! :yes:

chuckie - 3-23-2014 at 04:55 PM

I stopped and talked to a guy in a uniform, spoke excellent english....asked when the last 31 miles would be graded...He kinda laughed.....

Sweetwater - 3-23-2014 at 05:31 PM

Quote:

The word we got from Coco was that the route will now follow the existing dirt road. He didn't sound happy that he will have a 80 kph freeway at his doorstep. The route change is due to the amount of resources that are being used up, broken machinery and man hours. If I understood him correctly, they might finish by the end of 2015....or in 2019.....so anywhere from 2-5 years....I look forward to seeing the bicyclists finally have another route south....... :biggrin:

freediverbrian - 3-23-2014 at 05:48 PM

What coco should do is make a reason for the traffic to stop . Make lemonade

Cliffy - 3-23-2014 at 06:14 PM

OH come on, I thought Gonzaga would make another BOLA with the pavement ending right there! :-)

Pescador - 3-24-2014 at 07:29 AM

Everyone thinks the 40 miles is the road from hell but this winter I had some good friends from Colorado who winter in La Ventana stop by. They just happen to be 86 and 84 years old and pull a 34 foot, triple axle Airstream Trailer. We checked his lug nuts and checked all the equipment on the trailer when they stopped in on their way home and he said he was going to pull the trailer up that road. I let him read all the comments but he said he was getting older and might not get a chance to experience that road again so he was going to do it. He aired down all the tires at Lake Chapala and took his time. Spent an entire day at Coco's and said, all in all, the trip was not too bad. He went slow (of course he went slow with a 34 foot trailer behind his Dodge Pickup) and then aired up again at Alfonsina's. He did indicate that there is a lot of truck traffic using that road now.

David K - 3-24-2014 at 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sweetwater

Quote:

I also heard from a Nomad lurker who visited Coco a couple days ago that said the highway will be just east of him (ie. like the dirt road is now) and isn't real happy about losing his view.