BajaNomad

Summer Update - Which Way South?

joel - 6-30-2014 at 10:15 PM

From previous posts it sounds like a much of the road construction south of Ensenada is completed.

When I last did the trip in November and there was tons of construction, it was faster/more reliable to go via Gonzaga Bay.

Is Highway 1 now the faster/more reliable route south to Baja Sur?

elgatoloco - 6-30-2014 at 10:46 PM

Leaving from where?

joel - 6-30-2014 at 10:54 PM

Los Angeles

elgatoloco - 7-1-2014 at 06:37 AM

IMHO - The only reason I would go from Los Angeles all the way over to Gonzaga would be for the 'scenic' value. While HWY 1 has some continuing construction in places the road has never been better and unless one was coming from east of Tecate somewhere there seems no way that going via SF/GB would be quicker if the goal is to get to Baja Sur.

woody with a view - 7-1-2014 at 06:38 AM

2 weeks ago the delays were minimal, if at all. watch for bad road from LA Bay junction to north of Catavina. the southern arroyo crossing will ruin your life if you hit it over 10 mph......

MMc - 7-1-2014 at 07:46 AM

Three weeks ago I left San Gabriel Vally at 4:00 am and got a session in that afternoon. I was a few hours south in Baja Sur for the session.
For me the Gonzaga Bay takes to long, for a quick hit. If I'm wandering and fishing it's OK.

redhilltown - 7-3-2014 at 12:03 AM

All the gruesome topas through San Quintin and all the buses and farm workers...

I'll take the dirt road and the Cortez any day of the week!

Desertbull - 7-3-2014 at 08:15 AM

Dropped off adventurers at Loreto Airport at 1pm for a flight to the US and we drove north thru Gonzaga with two trucks to the border in 10 hours 20 minutes :cool: ... We didn't stop except for diesel fuel for one of the trucks...the other truck rolls with 70 gallons and can run the length of the peninsula without getting fuel...this route has less traffic, straighter and faster roads etc less towns .... Normal drive time from Catavina to the border is 10 hours eh?

woody with a view - 7-3-2014 at 09:00 AM

Catavina to the border is +/- 7 hours. 10 hours to G Negro.

YMMV

vgabndo - 7-3-2014 at 12:09 PM

Just drove from Bahia Asuncion to Ensenada in 12 hours with someone else's baby in the truck. The detours are minimal now, and the congestion (to me) was preferred over 30 miles of rocky road. I exited at Tecate in an hour and 20 minutes Sunday at noon. Woody's call on the road surface is right on. Just as a matter of curiosity, it is exactly 500 miles from Sirenita and Izaak's house to Grandma Sheri's house. :coolup:

I chose HW 99 for the run through southern California, next time I'll go back to I-5. Lots of construction on 99.

David K - 7-3-2014 at 12:22 PM

Flying over Hwy. 1 last week in Jim McCoy's helicopter, there was road widening and bridge construction work going on between Santo Tomas and San Vicente. These two shots taken Tuesday June 24, just a few miles north of San Vicente:



MMc - 7-3-2014 at 02:36 PM

For me it's faster to go through Ensenada and if I want to stop and get a session in I can. It depends on where in LA you live. Jumping out to I15 can be a bit out of the way. It's total driving not just driving in mexico

David K - 7-4-2014 at 11:11 AM

Hwy. 1 south of Ensenada you have countless towns with traffic, street lights, speed bumps to deal with...

Hwy. 5 south of Mexicali you have one, San Felipe.

So, do you want less stops and 33 miles of graded dirt road, or all paved (except for construction detours) with dozens of stops and slow driving?

jkchaffee - 7-4-2014 at 09:04 PM

Drove from Tecate to El Roasrio today. Except for the construction around San Tomas, the drive was great. Just over 5 1/2 hours. Planning the big drive south early in the morning. Hopefully as good as today. Great dinner at Mama Espinoza tonight

David K - 7-5-2014 at 09:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jkchaffee
Drove from Tecate to El Roasrio today. Except for the construction around San Tomas, the drive was great. Just over 5 1/2 hours. Planning the big drive south early in the morning. Hopefully as good as today. Great dinner at Mama Espinoza tonight


Thanks for the report... 5.5 hours to El Rosario (225+ miles) is great time for Baja driving. Santo Tomas to San Vicente seems to be where the only construction is in the region. What did you have a Mama Espinoza's? Many here have also had good meals there, but a few have not and make a big deal about it, so be prepared for an attack by the 'Dark Side'. LOL :lol:

redhilltown - 7-5-2014 at 11:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by jkchaffee
Drove from Tecate to El Roasrio today. Except for the construction around San Tomas, the drive was great. Just over 5 1/2 hours. Planning the big drive south early in the morning. Hopefully as good as today. Great dinner at Mama Espinoza tonight


Thanks for the report... 5.5 hours to El Rosario (225+ miles) is great time for Baja driving. Santo Tomas to San Vicente seems to be where the only construction is in the region. What did you have a Mama Espinoza's? Many here have also had good meals there, but a few have not and make a big deal about it, so be prepared for an attack by the 'Dark Side'. LOL :lol:



The best part about even a lousy meal in Baja is that by definition, you are in Baja!!!!!