Ok, so i have nine days off, i have traveled alot but not to baja. My plan is day one San Francisco to Ensenada and then spend the night. The next day
up early and get to mulege, spend the night camping on Bahia concepcion (any sugggestions on where to camp with a tent). spend day three exploring and
try to check out the rock paintings (any suggestions on guides?) spend the night in the same camping spot, day four slowly make my way back up stoping
in San Ignacio (maybe more rock paintings, suggestions?) day five try to see some whales, do you think Guerrero negro is best place for that? any good
guides? Day six work my way up and try to see a cool mission, some in my guide book, lonely planet, but any suggestions? also just check out small
towns, stop where i want. day seven make it up to tijuana(any reputable places to by cuban cigars?) spend the night, hang out in tijuana day eight,
day nine make it back to san francisco.
Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions.
i also have one more question, i am in to photography alot and wondering about any advice on taking picture of people, is that ok? how should i ask
them?
thanks alot, i have been reading this forum for a month and it has been really helpfull, this is my first post. bajalou - 1-23-2005 at 10:27 PM
Welcome to the board.
Altho it's not widely known, even people from San Francisco Calif. USA are allowed to register on the forum with their true name. (or their best alias).
I now am registered
briangriffen - 1-23-2005 at 11:09 PM
hey bajalou, thanks for the heads up, i went ahead and registered, i hope the cia dosent try to hunt me down, i know they dont like us guys from san
fran with our "opinions" j/k. oh, and people who watch the family guy should understand my scrren name
[Edited on 1-24-2005 by briangriffen]Packoderm - 1-23-2005 at 11:32 PM
That seems awfully ambitious for a 9 day trip. At that rate, you are flirting to get saddle sores, get mighty familar with your dashboard, and know
what it is to be a time warp pilot. Maybe you can describe what you really need to do and what you are driving. briangriffen - 1-23-2005 at 11:39 PM
Sure, i am drive a mid size suv (isuzu rodeo). I would really like to see some rock paintings and local culture(these two most important), and whales
would be nice too. eveything else would just be extra. thanks for any advice/suggestions
If whales and cave paintings
Ken Bondy - 1-24-2005 at 08:32 AM
are your main goals, you don't need to go farther than San Ignacio. San Ignacio Lagoon is, IMHO, the best of the lagoons for playing with the whales,
and the closest to the best cave paintings (Sierra San Francisco). Plus its a delightful little town. All can be arranged, if you like, through
Kuyima which is based in San Ignacio. http://www.kuyima.com
Buena suerte,
++Ken++
great site
fishinrich - 1-25-2005 at 06:28 AM
Ken---thanks for the web site. I knew nothing about it. The 10 day trip to the caves and paintings out in the wilds sounds like something I would
really like to do. It takes a minimum of 10 people, guess I need to find 9 other adventurous souls. fishin richKen Bondy - 1-25-2005 at 08:53 AM
Rich
I think their multiday burro trips to the cave paintings are for a MAXIMUM of 10 people, not a minimum. I have seen small groups leaving from their
base camp several times. You can do an easy day trip by van to one of the caves (Cueva de la Raton) from San Ignacio. I thought that cave was really
interesting, but I understand the burro trips to the more remote caves are awesome.
++Ken++
hang out in tijuana
yankeeirishman - 1-25-2005 at 09:02 AM
Are you nutz?! I try to just stay away from this area because of the nutso crowds, traffic, and lack of Fish Taco shacks! Seriously, bypass the larger
cities of Tijuana and south of that area. Purchase a Moon's Handbook "Baja" for great area description of camps, settlements and noted hideaways, for
a great map.... for the "Baja California Almanac" order no. isbn o-9658663-2-7. I personally eat at the roadside vendors. Never
had a bad meal. Faster service than a McDonalds. For a personal guild, kidnap a David K from this forum. This guy is the travel GURU of Baja! And do
bring me back Fish Tacos for this useful information!wilderone - 1-25-2005 at 10:45 AM
You don't have to hook up with any group to go to the great cave murals of Sierra San Francisco. You don't even have to do it by burro. Just get
your permit at the small office in San Ignacio, and you will be assigned at guide at one of the ranchos in the Sierra San Francisco. Then drive to
San Francisco and check in. Your guide will pack all your stuff on a burro and you can either walk or ride. It's a great hike (about 4 hours -
downhill), and frankly, the burros will give you a real sore rearend in about 2 hours. The guide will take you to about 4 or 5 cave sites over 2
days, and you come back out. It's not expensive and depends on if you provide food for the guides or not. Three years ago when I went, it cost $10/da
for a burro and the guides were $20/da; $7 for a camera permit and I think $12 for the INAH permit. Could be a little more now, but as you can see,
very reasonable, even if you're paying for everything yourself.
SF to Ensenada; then to Guerrero Negro - see whales at Scammons; then to San Ignacio for cave paintings and whales. On to Mulege - overnight in motel
there; on to Conception Bay - camp and see rock art there - head home in one long day.
caves
fishinrich - 1-25-2005 at 12:43 PM
Ken---You are right, actually the 6 day trip takes a max of 8 people. I have been roughing it in baja for over 30 years so the idea of riding a mule
for six days and letting someone else set up the camp and do the cooking is starting to sound real fine with me. The only thing I will have to worry
about is running out of tequila. I hope they let dogs come along. fishin rich
My new Plan
briangriffen - 1-25-2005 at 10:03 PM
Thanks for all the great advice! with my new found knowledge this is my plan,
Day one travel from san francisco to ensenada
Day two, travel to guerrero negro, camp at Laguna Ojo de Liebre campground, on the beach.
Day three hire a panga to see whales closer up
Day three night/four morning travel to san ignacio, maybe stay in hotel. see rock paitings day four
day five more rock paitings if time needed, or if want to(is it possible to see them in just one day, or should i spend two days?)
Day six camp at bahia concepcion (snorkle, swim this day), i have it down between playa el requeson, playa escondida (is this a dirty campsite? i
have read good things, but say its dirty), playa los cocos, or playa el coyote, any suggestions for a tent camper, and very experienced backpacker so
roughing it is no problem.
day seven maybe see more rock paintings if i can find them/ or a guide
day eight travel back up, maybe see the mission san bojra or san fernando
day nine, gun it for san fran.
so as you can see, i have excluded tijuana, i live in a big city, i guess i dont really need to see another
almost perfect
yankeeirishman - 1-25-2005 at 10:08 PM
Now...you really do need to take the Dish satellite, and Presto Logs for the campfire! You?ll be glad that you got T.J. (Tijuana) off the visitors
list!David K - 1-25-2005 at 10:49 PM
"For a personal guild, kidnap a David K from this forum. This guy is the travel GURU of Baja!"
PLEASE... PLEASE KIDNAP ME!!! I carry a sign: 'Will Work for Pitayas'
full suit
fishinrich - 1-26-2005 at 06:55 AM
Since you are planning on getting in the water you had better bring a full wet suit. Including hood, booties and gloves. The water temp will be in
the very low 60's. Another thing to consider is if the north winds are blowing it might not be worth it to go to conception bay. Especially since
you are in a tent. fishin richDavid K - 1-26-2005 at 07:54 AM
Mision San Borja is far more interesting than San Fernando... However, you can walk from San Fernando to some petroglyphs... http://community-2.webtv.net/boojum1/105
Coming up from the south, get to San Borja from the town of Rosarito (between Guerrero Negro and Punta Prieta), and exit north to the L.A. Bay
highway... a short jog into L.A. Bay for a meal and see the place might be possible... the museum there is really great...wilderone - 1-26-2005 at 09:33 AM
The pictographs at Conception Bay are right across the highway and scattered on boulders in an open area - most along a natural drainage channel.
It's down the highway just a bit from Playa Coyote - ask around. (But it doesn't take a big part of the day to include this.) Also, unless you need
food or something, the turnoff to Scammons Lagoon is 5 miles past Guerrero Negro - no need to go into town.David K - 1-26-2005 at 11:12 AM
Provided by Mexray, El Coyote Petroglyphs: 26?42.49'/ 111?54.34'
Brian, to be clear on Wilderone's message, the 'town' of Guerrero Negro is 2 miles west of Mex. 1 on a side road, from an intersection 2 miles south
of the state border (eagle monument).briangriffen - 1-26-2005 at 11:06 PM
Hopefully i'll be alright in the water a little while, i do plenty of swimming at stinsion beach and other beaches in the san fran bay area, which are
much colder.
Also, i am thinking of staying at playa el coyote, is that a crowded place? what is the best beach camping in bahia concepcion for a tent camper who
would like to see the least amount of rvs as possible, or none.
thanks for any info, only four more days till i get to go!!
[Edited on 1-27-2005 by briangriffen]
El Requeson, Bahia Concepcion
David K - 1-27-2005 at 01:09 AM
Brian, if Coyote is not appealing, go a few more miles south to El Requeson... Palapas right ON the water! This is the sand isthmus that connects to
an island at low tide (like Alfonsina's at Gonzaga Bay does)
David K - 1-27-2005 at 01:12 AM
Here's a shot facing south... This was in June, 1985... That was my 4WD Subaru!
Mr. 9 day trip
Sharksbaja - 1-27-2005 at 01:46 AM
Hey 9 day
Everyone has given you fabulous advice on where to go. I made the trip from here in Oregon to Mulege 5 times in my truck last year and the hardest
part of the drive is thru the LA basin, no not Bay of LA . If you hit the traffic it could tweak your fine-tuned plans. My advice is to take the 210
fwy(the Foothill Fwy) south around I-5 and then west on the 15 , use the 805 south which leads into the TJ Border . I have done this a number of times
and its less stressful and faster. A lot depends on what time o day you travel. Once you get across the border, take the toll-road if you are not
familiar with the libre (free) road which runs alongside. I would advise not driving at night for many good reasons so make sure you get up EARLY so
you can reach you destination.. But if u make it as far as Ensenada its a good 12-14 hour drive from the Bay area. Bring 5 gals of gas in case
Catavina Pemex is closed. Muchas Suerto. David K - 1-27-2005 at 08:28 AM
The Catavina Pemex will be closed, but Alfredo will be selling gas across the street... However, if he fills up in El Rosario there is no need for
Catavina, and he can make the Eagle Monument station easily.
Stinson Beach?
yankeeirishman - 1-27-2005 at 08:42 AM
Now that little hamburger shack across from the park doesn?t sell Fish Tacos! Stinson Beach in a nice place to swim. We make the Olema Camp our base
settlement when we are on the peninsula.
Alfonsina's at Gonzaga Bay is a real nice spot too (as David K says), but you need to go over to Punta Final a few miles south. A settlement there,
great for Kayak, close shore fishing, swimming. They have a camp there with toilets.
I don?t know what days you are going to Baja, but we will be on ?bout? the same road as you on Feb 5th. If you see a Safari looking white Land Rover,
stop us and have a Fish Taco n Pepsi. Fair Travels Amigo! briangriffen - 1-27-2005 at 12:33 PM
i bet those beaches where alot less crowded in 1985, i wish i was there then
[Edited on 1-27-2005 by briangriffen]bajalera - 1-27-2005 at 12:41 PM
Unless you get a charge out of rounded lumps of adobe, I wouldn't bother with San Fernando. Have a great trip!
bajalera
Playa Coyote
Natalie Ann - 1-27-2005 at 10:04 PM
We spent some time last February at Playa Conception. Most beautiful spot. Pompano - 1-28-2005 at 07:08 AM
Couldn't agree more, Natalie Ann....walk by and say hello.
hey Pompano...
yankeeirishman - 1-28-2005 at 08:31 AM
From Gonzaga Bay to Playa Coyote....how many hours is it (we have a 4w)? Got a route you advise?David K - 1-28-2005 at 08:41 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajalera
Unless you get a charge out of rounded lumps of adobe, I wouldn't bother with San Fernando. Have a great trip!
bajalera
Now, now Lera... be nice! It is a historic location and was the FIRST California mission founded by the Franciscan Padre Junipero Serra (not San Diego
as so many history books site)! Then there is the petroglyphs a mile west of the mission that makes a nice walk. Also, it is only 3 miles from Hwy. 1.David K - 1-28-2005 at 08:45 AM
San Fernando about 80 years ago...
Natalie Ann - 1-28-2005 at 10:07 AM
Pompano - That's a beautiful image of Playa Coyote - do you remember approximately when it was taken? I know exactly where you were standing but my
photo like that seems different, moe crowded..... I'll post it if I can find it.
