BajaNomad - San Ignacio to San Juanico

San Ignacio to San Juanico

timoteo - 3-4-2015 at 04:48 PM

looking for any recent updates on the roads to Scorpion Bay from SI. Bunch of guys riding large dual spot bikes. Thanks in advance.

baja Steve - 3-4-2015 at 05:29 PM

No problem

basautter - 3-4-2015 at 06:30 PM

Enjoy! Getting back to highway one via Rosarito makes a nice loop. but I am not sure of the condition of that route. Last time I rode it it was no problem.

StuckSucks - 3-4-2015 at 06:32 PM

Are you thinking about going along the coast or inland? I know there can be some killer silt beds along the coast; inland is more traditional desert driving with dirt and rocks and sand, in varying proportions.

Tomas Tierra - 3-5-2015 at 09:20 AM

I'd say it's the opposite traditionally... Major silt beds along the mesa(inland) road, smooth sailing by the coast on the salitralis (salt flats)...

TT

KurtG - 3-5-2015 at 09:29 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Tomas Tierra

I'd say it's the opposite traditionally... Major silt beds along the mesa(inland) road, smooth sailing by the coast on the salitralis (salt flats)...

TT

That's my experience as well. It has been a few years but I have motorcycled the salt flats several times and it is a memorable ride. Friends who took the high road have reported struggling more than a little.

dtbushpilot - 3-5-2015 at 09:34 AM

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG

Quote: Originally posted by Tomas Tierra

I'd say it's the opposite traditionally... Major silt beds along the mesa(inland) road, smooth sailing by the coast on the salitralis (salt flats)...

TT

X3, motoged should be along any minute now with pictures of his broken leg :lol:

StuckSucks - 3-5-2015 at 11:41 AM

Yes, meant at the bottom of the mesas with silt. By inland, I was referring to going via (I think) Tres Palmas. Once you leave San Ignacion, leave the road to the lagoon and head more south.

David K - 3-5-2015 at 12:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by StuckSucks

Yes, meant at the bottom of the mesas with silt. By inland, I was referring to going via (I think) Tres Palmas. Once you leave San Ignacio, leave the road to the lagoon and head more south.

The road continues south from Tres Palmas, even though the AAA mapers didn't push on. There is also a cross over road to Rancho Cuarenta, not shown on AAA map. Cuarenta is near where the arroyo crosses the middle road just past the mile 30.7 on the map.

The 2010 Baja 1000 went via Cuarenta from the high road, see RM 610...

[Edited on 3-5-2015 by David K]

motoged - 3-5-2015 at 12:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by dtbushpilot

X3, motoged should be along any minute now with pictures of his broken leg :lol:

David, my friend, ....you have psychic powers beyond the normal range.....

Not the staples pic.....just the pussy that comforted me ....at least the cat was caring....

StuckSucks - 3-5-2015 at 12:23 PM

Thanks David, that's what I was trying to say.

dtbushpilot - 3-5-2015 at 03:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Quote: Originally posted by dtbushpilot

X3, motoged should be along any minute now with pictures of his broken leg :lol:

David, my friend, ....you have psychic powers beyond the normal range.....

Not the staples pic.....just the pussy that comforted me ....at least the cat was caring....

Hey, I was caring....I got you back on the bike didn't I? Sometimes tough love is the best approach.. :yes:

timoteo - 3-5-2015 at 05:02 PM

Awesome !! Thanks for all the replies everyone

Zola - 4-3-2015 at 08:36 AM

We just came through. Everything has dried out, and we had no problems driving from San Ignacio to SJ. It is a beautiful, fun drive.

Sweetwater - 4-3-2015 at 09:48 AM

I've done the mesa road/silt beds/Baja 1000 route on an XR650R and the salt flats road on a 990 Adventure. I will tell you that having offroad tires (knobs) on your bikes is needed for that stretch. I would also add that when you get back to pavement, wash your bikes down or you will face some pretty aggressive corrosion from the salt flats. Very much fun and challenging on the big dual sports. Last tip is to bring some stickers/treats for the kids in El Datil, they will be super excited to see motos coming through their campo.....

[Edited on 4-3-2015 by Sweetwater]

[Edited on 8-19-2015 by BajaNomad]

Zola - 4-4-2015 at 12:43 PM

I learned the hard way about the aggressive corrosion. The first thing we do upon arriving in SJ is to go to the beach. The second is to wash the bottom of the truck with a hose and then a pressure washer. Then we eat.

woody with a view - 4-4-2015 at 03:58 PM

Life is too short to worry about corrosion! Get on with your life and let the pieces fall off when they're ready etc. etc. etc.

basautter - 4-4-2015 at 04:55 PM

Great info. Thanks for sharing!

Sweetwater - 4-5-2015 at 12:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view

Life is too short to worry about corrosion! Get on with your life and let the pieces fall off when they're ready etc. etc. etc.

ROFLMAO......maybe on one of those Toyota rust buckets....but my motos need to be intact and corrosion free for reliabilities sake.....

I was looking for some photos of the silt beds but nothing will explain that the ruts are 3-4' deep and the silt is so powdery that it reminds me of fresh snowfall at 11,000 feet at Alta.....

Desertbull - 4-7-2015 at 09:58 AM

don't take the high road...you will regret it

take the sand highway or the tidal salt flats...

I was through a couple days ago and the tidal salt flats are passable...one of the locals put up a red shirt and red plastic ribbons every so often so just follow the ribbons on the tidal salt flats...if you don't you will get buried in the muck...cuz I saw vehicles who were buried. :?:

Zola - 7-25-2015 at 05:55 PM

Any word on the condition of the north roads right now?

skibum - 7-26-2015 at 08:53 PM

Road is good shape. A few people have had trouble in the salt flats with mud. Real problem is that arroyos been flowing heavy off and on. Not always good to cross, depending on the rain falling in the mountains in 6 to 24 hours prior. Strange weather. Rain in San Juanico in July, lots of rain in the mountains. If you're crossing arroyos on the south road there is a lot of traffic and you can see if people are making it. If something goes wrong, you are likely to get some help. North road... crickets.

Bump for Marisad

AKgringo - 8-4-2015 at 05:47 PM

Zola - 8-8-2015 at 11:12 AM

We made the trek from San Juanico to San Diego by the north road last weekend.

There is some water at the arroyo in la Ballena. This arroyo proved pretty easy to traverse, but it had a current, and so I got out of the car and walked alongside it to have a good look before we made the attempt. There was also water on the sand/mud trails south of Campo Datil, which looked forbidding. We were on the verge of turning back for San Juanico.

Then out of nowhere came a local with his family. He too didn't want to attempt it but said that there was another way in. So we followed them, but then they said that the other way was impassible. They said that they would attempt to cross the water-laden mud/sand trail, since the water didn't look that deep. I followed him like a chickie duck follows the mama duck. Both of us made it through without any problem. (BTW, I speak Spanish, or I would not have been able to have this conversation.)

When we reached Datil, he knew a bunch of shortcuts through the camp that kept us off some of the soggier trails. Then he and his family continued up the beach trail, and we took the middle road out of the camp town, never to see them again.

From there to San Ignacio the road was in great shape.

The rest of the ride was fine, except that my dogs have developed the dangerous habit of bounding out of the car at the military inspections, which is hugely stressful for me. I have to figure out a strategy, such as tying long leashes to them so that they cannot go anywhere if they make the attempt, and I have to have gentle leaders. They have led the free life for so long in southern Baja, and I have given them such free rein, that we have some adjustments to make to city living.

Now that we have been back in San Diego (Point Loma) for a week, they seem to recall the rules of urban living and are well-enough behaved here, but for whatever reason they love to go bounding out of the car anytime we are on the road in Baja, which is an issue I need to resolve!

Even so, I wish the military inspections were more discriminating: They should interview each driver, and then conduct a thorough search only of vehicles that they find suspicious, rather than a perfunctory search of every vehicle on successive occasions every 100 miles!

For me the last time was outright stressful at San Ignacio and again at San Felipe, where both times my dogs ended up on the highway, with me running after them. But nothing happened, thank God.

[Edited on 8-8-2015 by Zola]

marisad - 8-20-2015 at 08:45 AM

Heading to Scorpion Bay this Saturday 8/22. Any new reports on the north road?

Zola - 10-14-2015 at 03:33 AM

Does anyone have any information on the roads/trails from San Ignacio to San Juanico? Much obliged for any response. Thanks.

motoged - 10-14-2015 at 01:30 PM

The silt beds are very deceiving for novice riders/drivers....for the first 100 feet....and then one realizes they are navigating deep ruts which go every-which-way....complicated by rocks and chupacabras....

Take the low road....it's easier to wash off your rig than wait a week for surgery (part of which is following the kind and caring encouragement of riding buddy for two full days of riding and limping around Asuncion for a few days on a broken leg...although it is a good place to get some good nursing.....)

RIP Stan.....

[Edited on 10-14-2015 by motoged]

Zola - 10-14-2015 at 04:02 PM

Thanks for the response.

We seek to take the paved road from San Ignacio towards the Laguna, then take the middle road to El Datil and from there proceed to San Iganacio.

Does anyone know whether the roads have been washed out or if there is any unpassable arroyo along this route?

We are thinking of going more or less immediately. Any news will be greatly welcome!

Fairbanks47 - 10-14-2015 at 04:21 PM

There was a post on Scorpion Bay FB page from someone who just returned going the north rd. Took them 8 hours, many washouts,flooded arroyos, etc. Was not recommended to travel that route. Have info from a couple reliable sources with same info.
We are leaving in the am going via Gonzaga route and will be taking south rd.

Zola - 10-14-2015 at 04:34 PM

Thanks Fairbanks47. Have a great trip down and a great stay while you are there!

Zola - 11-9-2015 at 11:00 PM

Here's on update on the middle road from San Ignacio to San Juanico: The road is fine and easy to drive all the way to Campo Datil. South of Datil there is some water, but just keep to the left (if you are driving to San Juanico) or the right (if you are driving to San Ignacio). Much of the sand has been stripped from the trails between Campo Datil and la Ballena. There are a surprising number of boulders, rocks and holes along this stretch, but it is manageable for a sturdy 4-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance. There is also manageable water to cross at La Ballena. It is smooth sailing from that point onward. I hosed down the underside of my vehicle before eating after we arrived in SJ.

Because of the boulders and holes south of Campo Datil and water at la Ballena, I would not attempt this drive right now except in a very reliable vehicle equpped for offroad riding (4x4, high clearance).

Otherwise the entire trip from SD was easy riding.

[Edited on 11-10-2015 by Zola]