KurtG - 1-10-2005 at 03:57 PM
These trips were done by motorcycle between 12/18 and 1/05. Loreto to San Javier very good condition, lots of regular sedans and vans. San Javier to
Comondu was better than last year but some rough spots near the top of the highest mesa, I would say 4wd needed for some very short areas. Comondu to
San Isidro was rough on the south half with loose rock, the northern half which last year was almost impassible showed signs of a lot of work and
while a little rough was not that bad. San Isidro/La Purisma to San Juanico had lots of washboard, local told me it was great before the 1000 went
through. La Ballena to Mulege by Arroyo San Raymundo was in good shape with short rough spots and the usual water crossings and loose rock. The
Mulege/ San Jose de Magdalena loop was in good condition, still needs 4wd and low gearing IMHO but better than last year and still one of the most
beautiful rides in Baja. The road from Hwy 1 to San Isidro/La Purisima was in very good shape with the usual short rocky stretches but I saw a 2wd
van conversion make it with no problem. Hwy 1 to San Sebastian (just south of Bahia Concepcion) was in very good condition, met a VW van coming out
of there with no problem. San Sebastian south to San Nicholas also in pretty good shape and a lovely ride. San Nicholas to Hwy 1 good condition. I
didn't ride the low road north from San Juanico to San Ignacio but talked with other riders who did with no problems. For degree of difficulty
reference these rides were done by a 60 year old on a well used KLR 650.
David K - 1-10-2005 at 04:03 PM
Excellent Report Kurt!
Boy, you got a lot of rides in!
Arroyo San Raimundo road?
senor pumpwire - 2-10-2005 at 08:49 PM
Hi Kurt, it is good to see someone else has taken the Arroyo San Raimundo road. Since I have only driven it once about 5 years ago, I am far from an
authority on it. Yet I have never met anyone else who has used it. It was little more than a set of wheel tracks at that time, and much worse than
the Sn Javier-Los Comondu road. Barely passable in 2wd 6 cyl van-with lots of careful wheel placement required. Couple of nice Ranchos in the middle
of it. Props on the rides, thanks for the info. Dave.
KurtG - 2-11-2005 at 09:31 AM
I first rode through there in fall '94 and the middle section wasn't really a road for 20 miles or so. I was on a 350 dirt bike but my companion had
a BMW 1100GS and Miguel Quintana from Mulege was on his KLR650. Miguel and I spent much of the ride helping pick up that monster BMW since it was
just too big and heavy for that "road". The route is now much improved and still a great ride.
cristobal - 2-11-2005 at 12:58 PM
KURT .... any problems with your tank running a little bit low on these long trips you take ...???
KurtG - 2-11-2005 at 02:09 PM
No fuel problems, my old 350 had a 4 gallon tank and my current ride the KLR650 is used by the USMC and IMS products makes a 7 gallon tank for that
bike. They started selling the tank to civilians 3 or so years ago and I got my hands on one to review it for a bike magazine. I don't fill it all
the way unless its an expecially long route but the comfort of having a 300 mile range is pretty nice. So if in your travels you see a large slightly
older guy on a beat up old bike with a monster white tank and a sleeping bag strapped on the back that is probably me.
Kurt, your adventures
capt. mike - 2-12-2005 at 07:29 AM
are always a great read, hope we can ride together some time, maybe after I position a moto full time in mulege my eventual home. haven't been on a
bike since i totaled one last nov and am still in recovery from that!
KurtG - 2-12-2005 at 09:46 AM
Mike,
I'm only a year and a half from retirement in the Mulege area so I'm sure we'll get some riding in when we're both there full time!