BajaNomad - Trip report - Tecate to Los Cabos

Trip report - Tecate to Los Cabos

oxxo - 10-16-2014 at 04:49 PM

Drove from Tecate to Los Cabos last Saturday and Sunday. Crossing at Tecate at 8am took all of 5 mins for customs to take a quick look see and waved us on. No issues to Guerrero Negro, plenty of gas and no lines. Filled up before crossing the border, refilled at Baja Cactus and then pulled in to GN in early evening. There were two or three places between El Rosario and GN selling gas in 55 gal drums but they weren't getting any business.

Stayed at Terra Sal Hotel at the entrance to GN. Brand spanking new hotel and worth every centavo of the 550p for huge room with two queen beds. Swan towel sculptures on the bed. Luxurious for Baja. Huge shower with instant hot water. Extra cost, order in breakfast menu at reasonable cost, just call front desk and tell them what time to deliver. My ONLY complaints are no hangers in the closet and no hooks in the bathroom to hang your clothes, but they are still working the kinks out.

I asked about their pet policy. They said they had a limited number of rooms set aside for pet owners, but since they are limited, better to make an advance reservation. No additional cost for pets. I asked how to make reservations. They said go to their Facebook page. I told them I don't do Facebook. Nice (pretty) bi-lingual senorita at front desk said no problem, just shoot us an email at: hotelterrasal@hotmail.com. She said she would take care of us. This hotel is going to turn GN accommodations on their ear! About time!

Filled up in GN. Only a couple of minor rough spots in the road to Loreto. Filled up in Loreto (only car in the gas station - woman pumper said she was bored and looked it) and had Scallop Tacos at Pangalapa, one of my favorites. About 20 clics south of Loreto there is a huge landslide into the sea. Figure to wait 30 to 45 minutes to let cars through one way at a time. Then smooth sailing to San Lucas via Todos Santos. Just north of San Lucas, Hwy 19 narrows to two lanes for about a kilometer while they repair the road.

That's it! Easy drive and one of our most enjoyable every. Desert is bright green. Although we were in a pickup, absolutely no problem for a passenger car, even towing a trailer.

Once in San Lucas and San Jose, utter devastation, but that's another story. On the bright side, the place is rebounding rapidly!

viaje bien

bajalorena - 10-16-2014 at 04:56 PM

Good to know ! Thanks for the report.

bajagrouper - 10-16-2014 at 04:58 PM

How long did it take to get your FMM at Tecate? Was the immigration easy to find?

David K - 10-16-2014 at 05:19 PM

It's the first and only building on your right as you enter Mexico. Look for INM on the door, or ask anyone there.

David K - 10-16-2014 at 05:20 PM

Hi oxxo, thanks for the report!

FYI, anyone can look at a Facebook page, you don't need to join anything... it's just a link. We have one for our book... test it out and see it is painless: http://facebook.com/oldmissions

vandenberg - 10-16-2014 at 06:37 PM

The hold up south of Loreto is not a landslide but an effort to make the highway into 4 lanes. They have to dynamite and bulldoze the rock into the ocean and stop traffic every hour or so to be able to progress.
If you're lucky a few minute wait, if not, sometimes an hour.

monoloco - 10-16-2014 at 06:44 PM

What about the detour north of La Paz? When we drove up 2 weeks ago, it was about 10 miles of hell, no water trucks to keep the dust down, couldn't see much past the hood of the truck and lot's of idiots trying to pass. Very dangerous!

oxxo - 10-16-2014 at 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco
What about the detour north of La Paz? When we drove up 2 weeks ago, it was about 10 miles of hell, no water trucks to keep the dust down, couldn't see much past the hood of the truck and lot's of idiots trying to pass. Very dangerous!

We didn't see anything like that. We took the Libramiento bypass to Cabo, just pass the airport. Maybe the detour was closer to town?

[Edited on 10-17-2014 by oxxo]

oxxo - 10-16-2014 at 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajagrouper
How long did it take to get your FMM at Tecate? Was the immigration easy to find?

Immigration? We don't need no stinkin' immigration and FMM. We are Residente Permanentes. :yes:

For you others, it usually takes about 10 minutes to get your FMM.

monoloco - 10-16-2014 at 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo

Quote:

We didn't see anything like that. We took the Libramiento bypass to Cabo, just pass the airport. Maybe the detour was closer to town?

[Edited on 10-17-2014 by oxxo]

No, they were redoing a long section of highway 1 north of La Paz and had a dirt desviation next to the highway for miles and there was no avoiding it. I guess we'll find out in a couple of days, we're on our way back down now.

Maron - 10-16-2014 at 09:16 PM

to all

thanks for info

Bajahowodd - 10-17-2014 at 05:06 PM

The photos that have been posted of Terra Sal look amazing.

Just wonder if anyone knows exactly who is behind this project. Because, over the years, we have stayed in a couple of the new hotels (Caracoles, Cowboy) only to see them deteriorate for lack of maintenance.

Did you perchance notice if they had any advertisements for whale watching?

oxxo - 10-17-2014 at 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
The photos that have been posted of Terra Sal look amazing.

Just wonder if anyone knows exactly who is behind this project. Because, over the years, we have stayed in a couple of the new hotels (Caracoles, Cowboy) only to see them deteriorate for lack of maintenance.

Did you perchance notice if they had any advertisements for whale watching?

I don't want to oversell the place, but it is amazing for central Baja. The place was pretty full the night we stayed and they have another wing under construction right now. I am afraid that these are teaser rates to drum up business and then rates will rise during the high season. But I would be willing to pay double to stay there if it comes to that (I hope they aren't reading this!). The old La Pinta Inn out by the military base (now called the Halfway Inn, ji,ji,ji) has a big sign out in front advertising rates for 499p per night. I paid 1000p to stay there once about 5 years ago. Terra Sal must be killing the local hotels.

I know what you are saying about starting out with a bang and then maintenance slides. One can only hope for the best.

As far as whale watching, didn't notice anything but I wasn't looking either. My impression is that they will fix you up with whatever you want, well almost anything. Send them an email and ask. Did I mention the pretty senorita at the front desk?

She said she answers all emails.

Bajahowodd - 10-19-2014 at 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo

Quote:

She said she answers all emails.

Hey, my friend, as far as I could tell, they don't have a web site, and if you can give me an e-mail address, it would be great.

We're planning on a whale trip somewhere around the first of March. Taking along some folks who have never done that sort of thing. That's why when I saw the photos, I felt that Terra Sal is where they should stay.

We have stayed in recent years at both Caracoles and Cowboy. But, that's us. Our friends are what one might consider Gringo tenderfoots.

A month later, we're headed to Cabo. The last trip down, we skipped GN in favor of Santa Rosalia. But if this place is as nice as it appears, it will shorten my drive that day.

oxxo - 10-19-2014 at 08:53 PM

hotelterrasal@hotmail.com (no website yet)

My wife started to loath both Cowboy and Caracoles because of their rising prices, poor maintenance, and indifferent attitudes and so we started passing by GN too, staying at other locations. Caracoles was much better long ago when our Nomad Serenita worked there. But Terra Sal is a game changer. You and your guests will like it. We are driving back down in about a month and we will make reservations in advance in order to avoid disappointment, something we never did at Cowboy or Caracoles.

TMW - 10-20-2014 at 09:14 AM

Thanks for the report and the hotel info.

Bajahowodd - 10-20-2014 at 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo
hotelterrasal@hotmail.com (no website yet)

My wife started to loath both Cowboy and Caracoles because of their rising prices, poor maintenance, and indifferent attitudes and so we started passing by GN too, staying at other locations. Caracoles was much better long ago when our Nomad Serenita worked there. But Terra Sal is a game changer. You and your guests will like it. We are driving back down in about a month and we will make reservations in advance in order to avoid disappointment, something we never did at Cowboy or Caracoles.

Gotcha. Thanks for the e-mail address.

Glad to see that I wasn't the only one to have observed the deterioration of Caracoles and Cowboy. It is a very punishing climate there, what with the wind, damp weather, and the salt. But, no matter how bad the outside is, lacking paint and broken furniture is unacceptable.

When Caracoles first opened, it was Raul, the owner who drove us to the whales. He has an exquisite home right across the street from the hotel.

Maybe a place like Terra Sal will be a wake up call to him. Sadly, we have become fond of some of the folks who work for him. Especially a young man named Oswaldo(call me Waldo).

tiotomasbcs - 10-21-2014 at 09:39 AM

Mono, road work north of La Paz is still going on I believe. Baja Road race conditions with blinding dust and road racers! Nos vemos, pronto. Tio