BajaNomad

GPS San Juanico Salt Flats

ed26 - 6-23-2016 at 09:45 AM

Any chance anyone has made a Garmin GPS Tack for the salt flats?

ncampion - 6-23-2016 at 10:48 AM

Try searching on this site, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a track there.

http://gpsxchange.com/

TMW - 6-23-2016 at 01:47 PM

I assume you are asking about the salt/mud flats around El Datil north of San Juanico. If so you can go to Murdoc Nav. they have several of the SCORE 1000 races and the NORRA races. You can down load both the Google Earth KML track and the USR and GPX GPS tracks that would include the salt flats.

Several of the NORRA races went that way including this years race.

SCORE went that way in 2014.

http://www.murdocknav.com/mapsmex1.php

TMW - 6-23-2016 at 01:57 PM

The road is not hard to follow. Just stay away from any water and mud. Take the most used road as there are several. We went thru there in April this year.

willardguy - 6-23-2016 at 02:39 PM

no no no.....you gotta upload a digital file to the space station who will in turn download it to David K's own server that will convert it to a google overlay with a bunch of yellow pins stuck in it that will easily be connected via bluetooth to your smartphone via your garmin nav sat. backed up by your SPOT emergency locator!
or...use the look out the window method ;)

AKgringo - 6-23-2016 at 03:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW  
The road is not hard to follow. Just stay away from any water and mud. Take the most used road as there are several. We went thru there in April this year.


There is at least one water crossing north of Datile that is not avoidable if you are on the low road. I was following the SCORE markers shortly before the 2014 Baja 1k, and took a very wrong turn!

There was a stiff onshore wind, and the 'main' track was getting drifted over with sand. At least one or two pre-runners crossed too soon, and soon discovered it was a dead end mud flat, and came back out the same track.

That was the crossing I followed, and it wasn't just me! I managed to just barely get turned around and back to the crossing, where a local produce vendor had followed the same track.

I spent the next couple of hours helping him unload and re load his truck after pulling him out. Be cautious if the wind is blowing hard!

Edit; A GPS track probably would not have helped me avoid that trap, and once the two wheel drive produce truck got back on the correct track, I could not keep up with him!

[Edited on 6-23-2016 by AKgringo]

4x4abc - 6-23-2016 at 04:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
no no no.....you gotta upload a digital file to the space station who will in turn download it to David K's own server that will convert it to a google overlay with a bunch of yellow pins stuck in it that will easily be connected via bluetooth to your smartphone via your garmin nav sat. backed up by your SPOT emergency locator!
or...use the look out the window method ;)

you don't like peace - do you?

willardguy - 6-23-2016 at 05:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
no no no.....you gotta upload a digital file to the space station who will in turn download it to David K's own server that will convert it to a google overlay with a bunch of yellow pins stuck in it that will easily be connected via bluetooth to your smartphone via your garmin nav sat. backed up by your SPOT emergency locator!
or...use the look out the window method ;)

you don't like peace - do you?


david may be nuttier than a squirrel poop but he still has a sense of humor!:lol:

David K - 6-23-2016 at 05:31 PM

I am not crazy... my mother had me tested! :lol:

Seriously, that is one region of Baja that I have not traveled (San Ignacio to La Purisima via the Pacific side of the sierra)... so no GPS track from me...

HOWEVER: You can simply go onto Google Earth, and move the mouse controlled cursor to various points along the road you want to use and write down the longitude & latitude for the points you need to stay on course!

TMW - 6-23-2016 at 07:11 PM

AK I think the 2014 SCORE GPS track had some problems as a couple of Checkers got stuck in the mud pretty bad following the GPS route. When we went thru in April we didn't have any problems. We did not use a GPS track just followed the most used road and never came close to any water or mud.

PaulW - 6-23-2016 at 07:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by ed26  
Any chance anyone has made a Garmin GPS Tack for the salt flats?

===
Track varies depending on the water level. We usually trash our tracks because they change each time. Some times we have to drive close to the bushes, other we are on the sand flats. Every time it was obvious where to drive by following the tracks of those that went before you.
Caution is required so do not drive if you see deep tracks. Mud is a problem in that case.

TMW - 6-23-2016 at 07:19 PM

I took Nomad Tunaeater down to pre-run sections of the 2014 SCORE 1000 course. His CRF-450 died at El Datel so we loaded it on the back of my GMC Z71 on one of those MC ramp things. Well we are going along just fine until a strap comes loose and the handlebar breaks my rear window on the camper shell. We re-strap the MC and take off. A few miles later the straps came loose again and the MC fell backwards and punched a hole in the side case of the engine. While it was too late we did manage to put several tie downs on the bike and it stayed upright for the rest of the trip home.

Sorry for the hi-jack but it was in the area.

willardguy - 6-23-2016 at 07:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW  
AK I think the 2014 SCORE GPS track had some problems as a couple of Checkers got stuck in the mud pretty bad following the GPS route. When we went thru in April we didn't have any problems. We did not use a GPS track just followed the most used road and never came close to any water or mud.


Checkers! they obviously were scouting a, uh, shortcut?

TMW - 6-23-2016 at 07:21 PM

Probably but they didn't like that one.

AKgringo - 6-23-2016 at 07:28 PM

TMW, I found my way back onto the course, and followed the SCORE markers, and there was water. It was probably a factor of high tides more than anything flowing in the arroyo.

Two trophy trucks pre-running the course blew right by me in my little Kia trying to get that produce truck out of the silt. good to know that it dries out!

PaulW - 6-24-2016 at 05:30 AM

In the days gone by we marked the SCORE course two ways at certain places near Datil. One track was thru the sand flats and the other one was for high tide thru the bushes. Of course which track was used by the racers was dependent on the time. The TTs used the water route. Less capable rigs of course came thru at high tide and followed the bushes route.
If one is just touring do not follow any marked route that goes below the high tide line. And sure enough on our last trip we did not follow that advice and sure enough the lead rig got stuck in the mud. A strap solved the mistake.

ed26 - 6-28-2016 at 10:54 AM

Thanks to everyone for the posts. I'll search some of those sites. If I can't find anything, I think i'll go with the 'ol "path with the most tire marks method" and will pull a track from my own Garmin and post later.

David K - 6-28-2016 at 11:14 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ed26  
Thanks to everyone for the posts. I'll search some of those sites. If I can't find anything, I think i'll go with the 'ol "path with the most tire marks method" and will pull a track from my own Garmin and post later.


A trip report would be great... with maps and photos even more so!

Tomas Tierra - 6-30-2016 at 07:09 PM

Was through there in April as well.. Done it maybe 25 times in the past 25 years

This year it was as different as I've ever seen it. Still very doable..

I ended up on the middle road (4x4) almost all the way to El Datil.. From there it was very normal. Take no chances out there as far as " I think we can make it" ...the stuck out there is one of the worst

Anybody that does provide gps coords that are more than 6 month old will be likely telling you to go where you don't want to go

Get out there in the Mud DK! Can't believe you've never done that

TT

ed26 - 6-30-2016 at 07:11 PM

Tomas, thanks for the note. Had another buddy just get back and essentially say the exact same thing. I'll look for tracks and see how it goes! What the hell's the truck for anyway..........?

AKgringo - 6-30-2016 at 07:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by ed26  

What the hell's the truck for anyway..........?


Exactly right......and the jack, and the shovels, and tow straps and........

David K - 7-1-2016 at 07:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Tomas Tierra  
Was through there in April as well.. Done it maybe 25 times in the past 25 years

This year it was as different as I've ever seen it. Still very doable..

I ended up on the middle road (4x4) almost all the way to El Datil.. From there it was very normal. Take no chances out there as far as " I think we can make it" ...the stuck out there is one of the worst

Anybody that does provide gps coords that are more than 6 month old will be likely telling you to go where you don't want to go

Get out there in the Mud DK! Can't believe you've never done that

TT


Was going to, in the '79 Baja 1000... we broke too soon! Then, there was a choice of the high road or the flats.

TMW - 7-1-2016 at 08:19 AM

In April of last year I took the high road that passes Rancho El Cuarenta. The son Martin told me the regular road north to the Laguna had been damaged by the heavy rains and I should take the road west. It joins the road from El Datil. It had a couple of deep sand spots and is narrow in some areas but otherwise OK.