TMW - 1-8-2005 at 12:47 PM
New Years Trip Report
Shirley and I departed Bakersfield Thursday afternoon Dec. 30th. Stayed overnight in Brawley. Friday morning went to Calexico for pesos, gas and
breakfast and met up with tunaeater and his wife, children and mother in law. We all then drove to San Felipe, road and weather good. Stopped by
Tony?s house at Petes Camp and he and Lori joined us for the turkey roast at Bajalou?s place in El Dorado ranch. Great time, great food (six turkeys)
and great conversation by all. Must have been a hundred people there of all ages. Many Baja Nomads. Went into town and later walked over to Rice and
Beans for dinner. While there I purchased a videotape of the 04 Baja 1000 (they were showing it on the TVs) that was done by ART TV for Rice and
Beans. Later the fireworks began. Some like cannons, all night, into morning day light.
Saturday morning we packed and at 7am we head to the restaurant at our hotel, El Capitan, sign says it?s open 6am to 10pm. Clerk says nobody up due to
party night before. We walk down to Georges and they were still closed at 7:15. We decide to head south. Stop at AM/PM for those great hamburgers.
They have great hot dogs too. Get ice in Puertecitos. At Gonzaga Bay we stop at Alfonsina?s for lunch but there too no one available. Must have been a
great party for new years. Further south we stop and chat with Coco. Says he still has some test to be done on leg. We leave him some can goods and
travel on to LA Bay. After dinner at the motel we drive down to Gecko camp and find David K and his lady (I agree, she is a keeper as they say) and we
joined them and several others around a camp fire. Good drink and good stories fill the air. Around 10pm we head back to the motel. Sunday morning
after breakfast we tour the museum.
Up till now I did not bring a camera and kept forgetting to buy one. This time I did get a throw away one. We hit the road and take the turn off to
mission San Borja. Went through the stone mission and looked over the adobe mission. I made a donation to the church. Jose took me over to the hot
springs and explained that one was for the house, one for the farm animals, one for bathing and one for the crops. We then hiked up to the stone wall
which he said the mission Indians built. We were on the road/path the padres came on. After the mission we continued to Jesus Maria on hwy 1. Gassed
up and got chicken tamales from the tamale lady in the van. She didn?t have beef. The chicken was ok, but not as good as beef in my opinion. Out to
the bay and light house. Setup camp near seal cove. Fished for a couple of hours without one bite. Very early Monday morning it started to sprinkle.
After day light we packed and started north. The wind was blowing hard from the south and the clouds were moving east. Seemed odd.
It rained, sometimes very hard and sometimes very little all the way to San Quintin. We stayed at the Cielito Lindo hotel. After a hot shower we went
to the restaurant. Shirley had the jumbo scrimp stuffed with crab and wrapped in bacon and I had the garlic grilled white fish. We sat by the
fireplace, with candle light it was warm and romantic. It rained all night.
Tuesday morning the sun was trying to come out but sprinkles were still in the air. Breakfast at Santa Isabel in San Quintin. At the mountains just
before Santo Tomas we?re stopped due to a big bolder in the road. A police truck tried to push it off the road but couldn?t due to his two wheel
drive, lack of limited slip and wet conditions. So I get a tow strap out and with it wrapped around the rock about a dozen of us pull it off to the
side. Of all things Shirley didn?t take a picture of our work.
We continue north the Ensenada and turn onto hwy 3 for Tecate. About KM90 I see a cop come over the hill toward me. I look down at my speed and I?m
doing almost 60. I let off but as the cop gets closer he turns on the lights. And turns around, I pull over. He comes up and says ?do you know why I
pulled you over? I said no sir. He says I have radar and I had you doing 58mph. He was very nice and tells me the road conditions are bad and because
I have a motorcycle in my truck I?m very heavy and should be going slower that the posted speed. He says the ticket will be $35 but because of the bad
conditions it is double to $70. He asked where I want to pay my ticket, TJ, Mexicali or Ensenada. I say Ensenada. He says I can pay it at 9am or 1pm
tomorrow. He will keep my license and give me a pick slip so I will be legal to drive in Baja. After more talk he then says I can pay him but only if
I am comfortable with doing so. He stresses that a couple of times. Well I weight my options and say OK I?ll pay him. I figure if I go back to
Ensenada a hotel will cost me and I?m not real sure what the fine will be but even at $35 I?m out probably $70 to $100. Plus will I really get my
license back the next day, it may get lost in the paper work. Anyway I pay him $70 (no receipt) and go on my way. If I had a couple of extra days off
I most likely would have went back to Ensenada to pay it and that may have bluffed him and he may have let me go, but who knows. We cross the border
after a 30 minute wait and go to San Diego for dinner and then head back to Bakersfield.
Overall we had a great time, even talking to the cop. I just wish it had not rained so I could have fished more. I wanted to travel up the west coast
and stop and fish every so often. But that?ll have to be another trip. Soon I hope.
Tom
bajalou - 1-8-2005 at 01:10 PM
Great report Tom
Glad you and Shirly joined our party - and you're expected next year.
