BajaNomad

Highway 5 comments

thebajarunner - 3-5-2017 at 05:53 PM

Drove it Thursday headed north.
As noted in the other updates there is some serious work being done in the mid sections.
The mystery to me is why they don't finish paving and open up the completed sections on the north end.
They have it well prepped for paving, it has road base graded in, fresh compaction appears complete, and yet it sits.
Also at least two miles of paved sections still off limits for driving.
(The best way to preserve A/C roads is to drive on them)
Maybe a lack of A/C materials, we noted one oil tanker truck headed south but that was it.
Also they could easily pave the southerly section from Chapala at Hwy 1 in bound for at least five miles with just some basic base, compaction and A/C.
Looked to me like they could reduce the dirt section to about 10 miles with a focus on those segments. Could be done quite quickly.
What is very encouraging is the two large rock crushers working full time to crank out some pretty serious and quality road base.
Now if they will just put in a sufficient amount, and more than the usual inch or two of A/C it will be all good.
Amazing how smooth and sweet the drive is headed north from Gonzaga.
Those of us that raced that road in the 70's over the infamous "Sisters" can only shake our heads in wonder.

David K - 3-5-2017 at 07:37 PM

10-4 that.

I drove it a few hours ago. They are stuck reducing the mountain so the highway has few curves.

On the northermost construction: There is a granite chunk still blocking the next 10 kms from opening. They were blasting it last month.

The rough 4 miles just south of Coco's has been graded. The rougest part now is the 4 miles of old road across the Chapala valley.
That mountain will take years to reduce at the rate they are going.

MICK - 3-5-2017 at 10:04 PM

Drove it Thursday also. I disagree with David. The worst part is from Puertocitos to San Felipe. The potholes are getting worst everyday. At least on the dirt road you know what's coming. I can't figure out why they don't fix that portion of the road.
Mick

David K - 3-5-2017 at 10:32 PM

I was agreeing with thebajarunner about the unpaved parts.
Yes, the paved section north of Puertecitos is bad and I said so in my Hwy. Road post.
Did we pass by each other today?


[Edited on 3-6-2017 by David K]

MICK - 3-5-2017 at 10:50 PM

No today I was home all day

David K - 3-5-2017 at 11:19 PM

You see whales? I had a look at Campo Mosqueda on Thursday, quite impressive.

MICK - 3-6-2017 at 07:43 AM

We had a great time with Shari saw lots of whales. Then went down to asunción and went fishing with Juan. A little slow but had a good day.

David K - 3-6-2017 at 09:34 AM

Nice!!!

BajaWaverunner - 3-6-2017 at 11:50 PM

A/C ??

American Concrete?
Air Conditioning?
Alternating Current?
Air Canada?
Arterial Catheter?
Atlantic City?
Al Cowlings?



BajaWarrior - 3-7-2017 at 05:07 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaWaverunner  
A/C ??

American Concrete?
Air Conditioning?
Alternating Current?
Air Canada?
Arterial Catheter?
Atlantic City?
Al Cowlings?





Asphalt Concrete is the correct term for Asphalt.

Thanks Warrior

thebajarunner - 3-7-2017 at 07:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaWarrior  
Quote: Originally posted by BajaWaverunner  
A/C ??

American Concrete?
Air Conditioning?
Alternating Current?
Air Canada?
Arterial Catheter?
Atlantic City?
Al Cowlings?





Asphalt Concrete is the correct term for Asphalt.


I guess sometimes you presume too much
On any paving spec sheet it spells out two numbers such as

3/6
which translates to 3" A/C over 6" of base rock
and, as you stated, A/C stands for Asphaltic Concrete
which we usually call "asphalt"

sirvydas - 3-20-2017 at 06:52 AM

Hi guys,

What's the length of the unpaved part on Highway 5? We plan to cycle the whole length of it until it hits Hwy 1. From your comments, I see that it's only a short stretch of dirt road remaining, right? Is there a lot of traffic? I assume not.

TMW - 3-20-2017 at 07:23 AM

It's about 23 miles of unpaved roadway from south of Gonzaga to Hwy 1.

pacificobob - 3-20-2017 at 09:11 AM

Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  
Quote: Originally posted by BajaWarrior  
Quote: Originally posted by BajaWaverunner  
A/C ??

American Concrete?
Air Conditioning?
Alternating Current?
Air Canada?
Arterial Catheter?
Atlantic City?
Al Cowlings?





Asphalt Concrete is the correct term for Asphalt.


I guess sometimes you presume too much
On any paving spec sheet it spells out two numbers such as

3/6
which translates to 3" A/C over 6" of base rock
and, as you stated, A/C stands for Asphaltic Concrete
which we usually call "asphalt"


or we could go "full esoteric" and call it bitumen macadam. but, lets, not.

David K - 3-20-2017 at 09:33 AM

When I lived in Australia, one of those "English" words you don't hear often in America was "b-tchman" for asphalt... along with windscreen for windshield, boot for car truck, bonnet for car hood, fortnight for two weeks, torch for flashlight, etc. Very interesting... there was a split between American and English terms, too. Some people would say Santa Claus and others would call him Father Christmas. Some things were in cans and some were in tins (a can of Coke, but a tin of peas, for example).

Travel if you can... most interesting!

John Harper - 3-20-2017 at 09:35 AM

They also call asphalt and concrete roads "metalled" roads, at least in England. Took me a while to figure out what they were talking about.

John

John McAdam

AKgringo - 3-20-2017 at 10:08 AM

He was a Scottish engineer that developed the process resulting in macadam!

David K - 3-20-2017 at 10:21 AM

Very cool history!

mtgoat666 - 3-20-2017 at 11:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
When I lived in Australia, one of those "English" words you don't hear often in America was "b-tchman" for asphalt...!


I think you heard the word "bitumen"

David K - 3-20-2017 at 12:02 PM

I spelled it as it sounded, bi tch man. The reference to bitumen is what reminded me of 1970 Australia.