BajaNomad - Driving situation with landslide?

Driving situation with landslide?

BonzoBaja - 3-13-2014 at 10:16 AM

I am planning on doing a short trip to Scammon's Lagoon March 23rd-26th. What is the situation regarding driving the highway? If I take the toll road, do I get detoured easily enough to the free road? Is it a traffic nightmare that would be best avoided altogether by taking the Tecate route? What about heading back North?
Thanks ahead of time for any advice!

willardguy - 3-13-2014 at 10:20 AM

fortunately there were major improvements to the free road just before the slide, its an excellent road, really a non issue.

bajaguy - 3-13-2014 at 10:22 AM

Easy-Squeezy.....take the toll road. A 15-20 minute longer route by taking the detour. It is well marked at La Mision, and you end up on the Ensenada highway, just south of the toll booth at San Miguel.

Go home the same way or try Tecate for a change of pace

willardguy - 3-13-2014 at 10:56 AM

and for nostalgia, stop in for a cold one at joe and brads newly opened OLD bar and restaurant at la fonda!

BooJumMan - 3-13-2014 at 02:13 PM

Definitely a non issue, been through a few times and its fine.

Udo - 3-13-2014 at 02:16 PM

My only issue is the hilly area of the free road detour. No opportunity for passing slow trucks or busses.

David K - 3-13-2014 at 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
My only issue is the hilly area of the free road detour. No opportunity for passing slow trucks or busses.

No worse, and I think better than south to Santo Tomás and San Vicente, maybe?

bajaguy - 3-13-2014 at 03:10 PM

Hey, Udo.........slow down and enjoy the scenery and the ride.....you are in Bajaland

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
My only issue is the hilly area of the free road detour. No opportunity for passing slow trucks or busses.

BajaGeoff - 3-13-2014 at 03:24 PM

Hello Bonzo,

If you have never driven the free road before, here is a video we put together. Detour is well marked and it is a nice drive and only slightly longer than the toll road in my experience over the last few months. Same with heading north...

DENNIS - 3-13-2014 at 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
and for nostalgia, stop in for a cold one at joe and brads newly opened OLD bar and restaurant at la fonda!

Joe and Brad? Really?

Anyway, back to the detour.......if I had the choice between the toll road/old road, and the Tecate road, I'd take Tecate. Everything is beautiful and green after the rain and it's a nice drive. It's the best time of the year out there .

.

[Edited on 3-13-2014 by DENNIS]

willardguy - 3-13-2014 at 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
and for nostalgia, stop in for a cold one at joe and brads newly opened OLD bar and restaurant at la fonda!

yup! I spoke with dmytriw this morning and got the tour, exactly like it was decades ago, all he needs are the hanging bunches of banana's and macphereson at the bar :lol:

its great to have him back and the place looks GREAT.

elgatoloco - 3-13-2014 at 06:25 PM

Drove to Ensenada today. Detour is no big deal as mentioned by many. Going south this AM we made good time as traffic was relatively light and moving. It made for a nice change of pace and scenery. Coming north at 4:00 PM there was more traffic but it was moving well. We did see a long string of cars going south up El Tigre hill out of La Mision behind a BIG SLOW truck, but whats a few more minutes when you are in paradise? We also got diverted at the La Mision bridge onto the south side of the river dirt road due to what appeared to be some kind of accident on the north side. Back to toll road and northbound to a 5 minute border wait.

I can report first hand that the mariscos at La Guerrerense, the margaritas at Los Panchos at La Bufadora, the adobada and carne asada tacos at El Trailero are still good. :saint: