BajaNomad - Drivetime from San Quintin to BOLA

Drivetime from San Quintin to BOLA

villafontana - 6-14-2014 at 07:19 PM

Hey guys im planning a trip to BOLA on july 4th. Whats the driving time from San Quintin to BOLA? Or from El Rosario to BOLA. Thanks in advance.

[Edited on 6-15-2014 by villafontana]

Pacifico - 6-14-2014 at 07:31 PM

SQ to BOLA is around 4 hours or so. It is around 225 miles....

villafontana - 6-14-2014 at 07:33 PM

Thanx amigo.

mikeymarlin - 6-14-2014 at 07:36 PM

at least 4 hours--- plan a little more time----leave your flannel pajamas at home--

have a safe trip !!!!

villafontana - 6-14-2014 at 07:39 PM

Hahaha, thanx for the pajamas advice. Lol. But i thought id do 4hrs from El Rosario to BOLA. Whats the time travel to El Rosario from SQ?

villafontana - 6-14-2014 at 07:48 PM

Soulpatch, im planning to leave Tijuana around 6pm on friday, get to Ensenada to pick up my brother around 8pm, reach Col. Vicente Guerrero ( near San Quintin) around 11pm and stay the night there at the Mission Inn hotel. Thats why i need to know the driving time from Vicente Guerrero to BOLA in order to leave at the earliest possible time.

bajabuddha - 6-15-2014 at 12:15 AM

VF, if you're not that familiar with driving Baja in the first place, you're taking a big risk driving after dark, period. Be slow, be careful.

Leave the SQ area at first light, but you'll have sun in your eyes all the way for at least an hour or more. From El Rosario it's an ESE climb for an hour, uphill and into the early sun. From El Rosario to the Bahia LA turn-off is about 3 hours, and an hour into BLA. I'd plan 5 hours, and please, be safe. Baja is no place for pushing limits on the highway, especially in the dark, with cows, donkeys, buses, trucks, and bad luck. It shows NO MERCY.

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 09:10 AM

Hi Bajabuddha, thank u for your concern for our safety. We appreciate very much. Indeed i don't have a lot of experience driving in Baja, except on the main cities. We went to San Felipe last year and i drove 4hours in the night time with out any problems. We got there around midnight. A couple of years ago i went with my wife all the way down to Cabo San Lucas, but our entire drive was on daylight. I will be driving a rented car so no mechanical problems there. Its gonna be a weekend trip to BOLA, thats why i need to know the approximate driving times so i can enjoy most of the time in Bahia. Soulpatch recommends leaving Vicente Guerrero at 6 am to get to BOLA at noon, but i rather leave at 3am to get there at the earliest so i can enjoy more time at the beach. But i dunno about the night driving. I have to think about it due to your recommendations Bajabuddha.

BajaRun - 6-15-2014 at 09:12 AM

50 mph average speed = 4.5-5 hours

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 10:12 AM

the only bad thing about driving at night is that u cant see the beautiful scenery alongside the road. But we have to buy time on this short trip. Do u know hows the the weather in July overthere soulpatch, guys??

[Edited on 6-15-2014 by villafontana]

Alm - 6-15-2014 at 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by villafontana
the only bad thing about driving at night is that u cant see the beautiful scenery alongside the road. But we have to buy time on this short trip.

Like it goes in the Bible, "those who have ears let them hear"... You can't make them hear of course...

As it's been said, there is a lot of bad things about night driving in Baja. Road quality with dips and topez, cows, oncoming trucks taking half of your lane. 50 miles an hour average, yes.
Ensenada traffic is crazy too, like in any big Mexican city, everybody is running and cutting off and backing out from the sidewalk cantina into the main road without any warning.

Quote:

Originally posted by villafontanaDo u know hows the the weather in July overthere soulpatch, guys??

Probably won't be able to stay inside, unless the place has really good A/C.

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 01:42 PM

Thanx ALM for your traffic insight. Soulpatch, ur telling me that is a two and a half hour drive from Vicente Guerero to El Rosario? In that case i need to get up earlier than 3am to save more time in order to get to BOLA at 8am.

woody with a view - 6-15-2014 at 02:08 PM

from Catavina to the turn off to BoLA there are patches of mini cooper swallowing holes in the road. not too bad but still..... the southern crossing at Catavina will ruin your life if you hit it traveling over 6mph.

marv sherrill - 6-15-2014 at 02:31 PM

The most dangerous word while driving or boating in Baja is "havta". - As in - " I havta get there by 8Am, - we havta go fishing because we only have 2 days here, we havta get back home by Monday morning. Unfortunately we have all succumbed to the horrible "havta" sometime. Never mind the traffic delays due to road construction, or the 4' high whitecaps and your 12' aluminum boat, we "havta" do it now. This mentality has resulted in many fatalities on the highways and in BOLA and other places- from families of kayakers who thought their schedules were more important than ocean conditions, to UC Davis scientists who "hadta" leave at this hour no matter what. If you can't go down with an open mind, and accept delays, winds, and other negative conditions, then don't go down at all. Speeding, driving at night, going out in questionable conditions is a recipe for disaster. You really don't "hafta" do anything except enjoy what Baja gives you on any particular day. You might just "havta" spend the day reading under the umbrella.

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 02:35 PM

Damn, ill be driving a chevrolet Aveo, a little bit bigger than a mini cooper. Should i be worried?? How the heck am i gonna identified that souther crossing at Cataviña traveling at 50 mph?

mikeymarlin - 6-15-2014 at 02:43 PM

hey MARV----very well said------- take notice---- HAVTA---not a good decision - maker !!!!!!

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikeymarlin
hey MARV----very well said------- take notice---- HAVTA---not a good decision - maker !!!!!!

I guess i havta to follow Marv's advice! Thanks buddy. I really appreciate it!

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by marv sherrill
The most dangerous word while driving or boating in Baja is "havta". - As in - " I havta get there by 8Am, - we havta go fishing because we only have 2 days here, we havta get back home by Monday morning. Unfortunately we have all succumbed to the horrible "havta" sometime. Never mind the traffic delays due to road construction, or the 4' high whitecaps and your 12' aluminum boat, we "havta" do it now. This mentality has resulted in many fatalities on the highways and in BOLA and other places- from families of kayakers who thought their schedules were more important than ocean conditions, to UC Davis scientists who "hadta" leave at this hour no matter what. If you can't go down with an open mind, and accept delays, winds, and other negative conditions, then don't go down at all. Speeding, driving at night, going out in questionable conditions is a recipe for disaster. You really don't "hafta" do anything except enjoy what Baja gives you on any particular day. You might just "havta" spend the day reading under the umbrella.

Thanx for ur very important comment Marv! We all baja nomads have to take it in consideration!!

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 03:35 PM

Im thinking that option too, leaving Tijuana and head all the way to El Rosario, thats why i need to know the driving time from Guerrero to El Rosario to make the calculation from Tijuana. Aproximate times that is; although Marvs havta topic made me think twice about the driving times. Hehe.

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 05:46 PM

If its well traveled to El Rosario then im much more confident about driving all the way up there. Any suggestions of hotels in Rosario?? Something cheap and clean? :tumble:

woody with a view - 6-15-2014 at 05:47 PM

it took us about 9.5 SOLID hours from the border to the beach, dragging a small trailer. TJ-El Ros = 5 hours.

your mileage ma vary as we drive like my arse is on fire, but i've been doing it forever and know the road...... i HAVTA go!

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 05:56 PM

:lol:

so if u hadn't had the small trailer, u would have done it in 4.5 hours all the way to the beach? Hahahaha...damn, i need fire on my arse too!!! :lol:

woody with a view - 6-15-2014 at 05:59 PM

maybe, but i try not to destroy my boat and trailer along the road. my truck can handle the road.

jbcoug - 6-15-2014 at 06:45 PM

The best thing that I'm looking forward to on my first Baja trip after retiring is that I won't need to havta do anything. I won't care if I only travel fifty miles before being distracted by something interesting. I also won't care if I don't feel like moving at all. I won't be in a hurry and I will have time to stop and smell the cacti. I can hardly wait. It's been a long time since I have had that kind of freedom.

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
maybe, but i try not to destroy my boat and trailer along the road. my truck can handle the road.

But the question is....can the driver handke the truck?? :lol:

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jbcoug
The best thing that I'm looking forward to on my first Baja trip after retiring is that I won't need to havta do anything. I won't care if I only travel fifty miles before being distracted by something interesting. I also won't care if I don't feel like moving at all. I won't be in a hurry and I will have time to stop and smell the cacti. I can hardly wait. It's been a long time since I have had that kind of freedom.

We'll said Jbcoug!! I wanna retire also to do all the travel stress-free!! Unfortunately that wont happen for another (god willing) 25 years!!

villafontana - 6-15-2014 at 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
Do another post on hotels in El Rosario.... baja cactus in back is great but they don't like late check ins... Ed's Baja's Best might work there is another one right across the street almost that is, supposedly, fine.

Soul, you know if they accept credit cards?? Any near ATM if not?

David K - 6-16-2014 at 07:33 AM

Yes on cards at Baja Cactus. No on ATMs in El Rosario. Tijuana to Bahia de L.A. is an 8-9 hr. drive depending on detours and checkpoints. Add for stops. Have fun only!

Bob53 - 6-16-2014 at 12:50 PM

From the south end of SQ, it usually takes me about 4.5 to 5 hours. But that is driving my RV.

villafontana - 6-16-2014 at 01:16 PM

Thank u for all the info, guys. MUCH OBLIGED!!

Martyman - 6-16-2014 at 02:20 PM

I'm glad I don't havta stay in El Rosario. Go to the beach in San Quintin. Multiple places. Why would anyone stay in El Rosario?

David K - 6-16-2014 at 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyman
I'm glad I don't havta stay in El Rosario. Go to the beach in San Quintin. Multiple places. Why would anyone stay in El Rosario?

To enjoy the about the nicest motel in Baja (and most anywhere else, for under $45 a night)!

El Rosario is an excellent location to begin a second day's drive in Baja or the start the last day's drive north in Baja (it is 225 miles/ 5 hours from the border).

El Rosario is also central to many sites, beaches, surf points, geology and history...

The Baja Cactus Motel (Km. 57, next to Pemex station):

For photos of the two Spanish missions there, museums, beaches, petrified forest, La Lobera sea lion cave, and more in or near El Rosario: click the links in the El Rosario group of sites here: http://vivabaja.com/tours

[Edited on 6-17-2014 by David K]

rts551 - 6-16-2014 at 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyman
I'm glad I don't havta stay in El Rosario. Go to the beach in San Quintin. Multiple places. Why would anyone stay in El Rosario?

while I stay there sometimes, Baja Cactus is far from the nicest hotel in Baja. Those that think so need to expand there horizons a little.

Agree with others, del Valle San Quintin has some very nice hotels now.

Alm - 6-17-2014 at 02:33 PM

I didn't stop in El Rosario, but this is a small town and their hotels are close to highway. To me it doesn't matter how stylish it looks if I can't sleep well. $45 is also not incentive enough, though there are more expensive hotels in Baja for sure. And there are twice cheaper as well. Consider that local workers are getting paid $45 a week.

David K - 6-17-2014 at 07:51 PM

Ralph, you either don't read or change words on purpose... Motel and Hotel are two different types of businesses. My horizons are just fine.

Alm, it isl under $45, specially for a single bed (king)... but it is easily worth $90 for the amenities, staff, 24 front desk, phone in room to call anywhere from if needed, etc. Plus, you are helping Antonio continue to offer emergency assistance with his ambulance service, and other help, and his gas station is 100% honest.

His assistance to Baja Nomads warrants our patronage to help him remain in business.

villafontana - 6-19-2014 at 02:48 PM

David, whats the name of Antonios gas station?? is it the only one there?? if not, how do i identify it?? I want to fill gas there and help him with his ambulance service. We never know when we may use it. Thanx.

woody with a view - 6-19-2014 at 02:59 PM

after you pass the military checkpoint south of san quintin it is the next (and last) Pemex before LA Bay.

villafontana - 6-19-2014 at 03:07 PM

copy loud and clear señor Woody!!!

David K - 6-20-2014 at 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by villafontana
David, whats the name of Antonios gas station?? is it the only one there?? if not, how do i identify it?? I want to fill gas there and help him with his ambulance service. We never know when we may use it. Thanx.

'Baja Cactus' in El Rosario... one of the first businesses you see upon entering El Rosario as you are coming down from the mesa, near the bottom. It is the Pemex station on your left... and the only Pemex in El Rosario. The Baja Cactus Motel is next door. If Antonio is not upstairs at the gas station office (ask cashier), he may be at the motel...

Here is the post on his ambulance service 'Desert Hawks': http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=71485

villafontana - 6-20-2014 at 12:20 PM

Thank u for the info David. Hope i can meet Antonio on my trip to BOLA.
Have a nice day.