BajaNomad

Hwy 5 @ KM60 past Puertocitos Construction

bajamary1952 - 9-26-2018 at 03:06 PM

Attempted today to drive from San Felipe to La Costilla and Hwy 5 going out of San Felipe is in terrible condition. At KM 60 Puertecitos Hwy 5 is entirely torn up with a washboard detour. Someone told me construction was for 30 kilometers. I only have FWD so turned around @ Puertecitos. Doubt it will be finished by end of this year.

JZ - 9-26-2018 at 03:20 PM

Drove it a couple weeks back at the beginning of September. It's not that bad. FWD can do it very easily.


[Edited on 9-30-2018 by JZ]

bajamary1952 - 9-26-2018 at 03:38 PM

Took me almost twice as long as I'm not willing to ruin tires because of road. I've driven in many places in Baja and this is one of the worst. Not worth the risk of damaging my car. I'm housesitting between San Felipe & La Costilla so have to drive several times between both houses so not worth it.

[Edited on 9-26-2018 by bajamary1952]

JZ - 9-26-2018 at 04:07 PM

What's Baja w/o a little dirt. You aren't going to "ruin the tires" or the car. Just air down a little and go slower.

No big deal at all.

David K - 9-26-2018 at 05:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajamary1952  
Attempted today to drive from San Felipe to La Costilla and Hwy 5 going out of San Felipe is in terrible condition. At KM 60 Puertecitos Hwy 5 is entirely torn up with a washboard detour. Someone told me construction was for 30 kilometers. I only have FWD so turned around @ Puertecitos. Doubt it will be finished by end of this year.


Mary, I was just down that way last month and gave the details in my trip report. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=91029

The detour began at Km. 61 and ended just before Km. 73 (Cow Patty's Cantina)... 12 kms. (7.4 miles) of nice graded detour road. It is not as nice as a paved highway but detours of this length are quite common in Baja while the highway is upgraded.

Who told you it was for 30 kms? I asked you a similar question when you said someone told you there were no gas stations south of San Felipe. Please stop listening to people who don't know... Especially when you have Baja Nomads traveling these roads all year long to ask. If you turned around at Puertecitos then you were back on pavement and the good 110 kph new highway south past Gonzaga Bay was sadly missed by you!

Here are photos I posted of the 7+ mile detour, last month:





Northbound Friday:









Basically, this will end the multiple short steep dips across Arroyo Matomi that have been there since about 1990.

norte - 9-26-2018 at 07:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Quote: Originally posted by bajamary1952  
Attempted today to drive from San Felipe to La Costilla and Hwy 5 going out of San Felipe is in terrible condition. At KM 60 Puertecitos Hwy 5 is entirely torn up with a washboard detour. Someone told me construction was for 30 kilometers. I only have FWD so turned around @ Puertecitos. Doubt it will be finished by end of this year.


Mary, I was just down that way last month and gave the details in my trip report. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=91029

The detour began at Km. 61 and ended just before Km. 73 (Cow Patty's Cantina)... 12 kms. (7.4 miles) of nice graded detour road. It is not as nice as a paved highway but detours of this length are quite common in Baja while the highway is upgraded.

Who told you it was for 30 kms? I asked you a similar question when you said someone told you there were no gas stations south of San Felipe. Please stop listening to people who don't know... Especially when you have Baja Nomads traveling these roads all year long to ask. If you turned around at Puertecitos then you were back on pavement and the good 110 kph new highway south past Gonzaga Bay was sadly missed by you!

Here are photos I posted of the 7+ mile detour, last month:





Northbound Friday:









Basically, this will end the multiple short steep dips across Arroyo Matomi that have been there since about 1990.


More recent reports on other forums/web sites have it as longer now...From just North of the Puertecitos turn-off North for 12 miles...But what do they know- they probably are not NOMADS.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/400767196648940/


[Edited on 9-27-2018 by norte]

PaulW - 9-26-2018 at 08:41 PM

From the link
PUERTECITOS HAPPENINGS
We need a nomad to give us a fresh report.


Road constuction.jpg - 37kB

norte - 9-26-2018 at 08:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
From the link
PUERTECITOS HAPPENINGS
We need a nomad to give us a fresh report.




Nah....David says "Please stop listening to people who don't know."


We have to wait for him to make another trip before it will be so.

PaulW - 9-26-2018 at 09:01 PM

I will drive down there in October when we get settled for the winter. I will report.

willardguy - 9-26-2018 at 09:07 PM

I was happy with Mary's report! :coolup:

MMc - 9-26-2018 at 09:49 PM

I think is funny you are calling out somebody's report because it doesn't fit the Nomad group think. I thought that road sucks most of the time.

David K - 9-26-2018 at 10:12 PM

norte, I said ask Nomads, not me. I can only provide accurate data from my trip there, which was in August. I won't be going south again for quite a while... too much to do here now.

Please, traveling Nomads, take a moment to note what kilometer marker changes are at or from where to where to share the news.

norte - 9-27-2018 at 12:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
norte, I said ask Nomads, not me. I can only provide accurate data from my trip there, which was in August. I won't be going south again for quite a while... too much to do here now.

Please, traveling Nomads, take a moment to note what kilometer marker changes are at or from where to where to share the news.


Please David.. I just ask the you acknowledge that you told her it was 7.5 miles and do not believe any one who said it was 30 KM...implying that only NOMADS know. You want to be right all the time..I understand that...but sometimes...especially if you travel infrequently its just not going to be so. I encourage people to visit websites from the area in question if the want the straight poop instead of BS.

willardguy - 9-27-2018 at 12:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by norte  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
norte, I said ask Nomads, not me. I can only provide accurate data from my trip there, which was in August. I won't be going south again for quite a while... too much to do here now.

Please, traveling Nomads, take a moment to note what kilometer marker changes are at or from where to where to share the news.


Please David.. I just ask the you acknowledge that you told her it was 7.5 miles and do not believe any one who said it was 30 KM...implying that only NOMADS know. You want to be right all the time..I understand that...but sometimes...especially if you travel infrequently its just not going to be so. I encourage people to visit websites from the area in question if the want the straight poop instead of BS.


fact is.....does anybody really care if its seven miles or 18 miles? Its just david alienating another member who simply wanted to share a little information....:no:

David K - 9-27-2018 at 12:43 PM

No, it's David doing his best to provid accurate information. The source of the wrong data seems to be Facebook. There, wild figures were thrown at by people who (like you) don't care about facts. In the case of Baja Mary, this wrong info prevented her from going to where she wanted. That is the sad thing.

[Edited on 9-28-2018 by David K]

JZ - 9-27-2018 at 01:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  


fact is.....does anybody really care if its seven miles or 18 miles? Its just david alienating another member who simply wanted to share a little information....:no:


I'm the last one to stick up for him, but I didn't like the op. Came off as someone exaggerating the road conditions. I just drove it. It's not all "wash boarded."

It's not going to "ruin your tires" to drive on it.

Those statements would scare others off from a good adventure.


[Edited on 9-28-2018 by JZ]

norte - 9-27-2018 at 04:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
No, it's David doing his best to provid accurate information. The source of the wrong data seems to be Facebook. There, wild figures were thrown at by people who (like you) don't care about facts. In the case of Baja Mama, this wrong info prevented her from going to where she wanted. That is the sad thing.


From all other sources...it seems it was you giving wrong information. Guess we need a NOMAD to drive it soon....Facebook users throw out wild figures.

freediverbrian - 9-27-2018 at 07:46 PM

For the last 15 years the construction contracts have been for 10 km or 6 miles . What saw a few months ago it is the 10 km length. I will been going south this month and will report. The side roads during construction are rough but doable in a 2wd vehicle.

David K - 9-27-2018 at 08:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by norte  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
No, it's David doing his best to provid accurate information. The source of the wrong data seems to be Facebook. There, wild figures were thrown at by people who (like you) don't care about facts. In the case of Baja Mary, this wrong info prevented her from going to where she wanted. That is the sad thing.


From all other sources...it seems it was you giving wrong information. Guess we need a NOMAD to drive it soon....Facebook users throw out wild figures.


Show me the wrong info so I can correct it.
Until I see that something I posted is wrong, I will stand by my observations from last month.

I, more than anyone, want my data to be 100% accurate... it is what motivates me... to provide good details. I want my mistakes corrected and I have always posted my road logs and maps here so that you all can scrutinize them and enjoy them. It doesn't hurt me in one bit to have a mistake corrected. I am human and I do type with two fingers so typos do happen!
Thank you.

[Edited on 9-28-2018 by David K]

larryC - 9-28-2018 at 08:51 AM

So much ado over nothing. Rough roads are in the eyes of the beholder. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with type of vehicle the beholder is traveling in. A small sedan with small wheels and tires will make a rough road seem much worse than some one traveling in a pickup with oversize wheels and aired down tires. If you are afraid of rough roads and your vehicle being damaged then Baja may not be for you. I'm going to drive that road next week but I probably won't send in a report because road conditions are just part of the fun of exploring Baja.

PaulW - 9-28-2018 at 09:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by larryC  
So much ado over nothing. Rough roads are in the eyes of the beholder. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with type of vehicle the beholder is traveling in. A small sedan with small wheels and tires will make a rough road seem much worse than some one traveling in a pickup with oversize wheels and aired down tires. If you are afraid of rough roads and your vehicle being damaged then Baja may not be for you. I'm going to drive that road next week but I probably won't send in a report because road conditions are just part of the fun of exploring Baja.
are pretty bad as well
=======
How true. Some pot holes on the paved part north of KM60 are as bad as the dirt section south of Coco's.

Marc - 9-29-2018 at 11:34 AM

As a veteran of "that road" before 2007 what could be worse? Hey it's Messico…...go slow and air down, or just go slow. I'll be heading south from S Felipe Nov 2 ready for whatever.

[Edited on 9-29-2018 by Marc]

mojo_norte - 9-30-2018 at 07:59 AM

From today's BPE

Road conditions as of 9/18/2018 My wife and I just traveled from San Felipe down Mexico 5 towards Coco’s corner over to Hwy 1 North. Lots of road construction starting just south of South Beach all the way to Puertecitos. There is a detour as the road is being completely replaced with culverts under the road eliminating all the dips for water runoff. You will travel right next to the construction but it is very bumpy and dusty. The road south is nice once you pass Puertecitos and then is really bad again as you cross from Coco’s to Hwy 1. Seems like they just stopped the construction of the new bridges. Driving south of San Felipe in a Motor-home or car is not recommended

weebray - 9-30-2018 at 08:15 AM

Quote: Originally posted by larryC  
So much ado over nothing. Rough roads are in the eyes of the beholder. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with type of vehicle the beholder is traveling in. A small sedan with small wheels and tires will make a rough road seem much worse than some one traveling in a pickup with oversize wheels and aired down tires. If you are afraid of rough roads and your vehicle being damaged then Baja may not be for you. I'm going to drive that road next week but I probably won't send in a report because road conditions are just part of the fun of exploring Baja.

Thank you for bringing some reasonable perspective and advise regarding this post. I think this covers it.

David K - 9-30-2018 at 09:25 AM

Quote: Originally posted by weebray  
Quote: Originally posted by larryC  
So much ado over nothing. Rough roads are in the eyes of the beholder. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with type of vehicle the beholder is traveling in. A small sedan with small wheels and tires will make a rough road seem much worse than some one traveling in a pickup with oversize wheels and aired down tires. If you are afraid of rough roads and your vehicle being damaged then Baja may not be for you. I'm going to drive that road next week but I probably won't send in a report because road conditions are just part of the fun of exploring Baja.

Thank you for bringing some reasonable perspective and advise regarding this post. I think this covers it.


DITTO!

mtgoat666 - 9-30-2018 at 09:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mojo_norte  
From today's BPE

Road conditions as of 9/18/2018 My wife and I just traveled from San Felipe down Mexico 5 towards Coco’s corner over to Hwy 1 North. Lots of road construction starting just south of South Beach all the way to Puertecitos. There is a detour as the road is being completely replaced with culverts under the road eliminating all the dips for water runoff. You will travel right next to the construction but it is very bumpy and dusty. The road south is nice once you pass Puertecitos and then is really bad again as you cross from Coco’s to Hwy 1. Seems like they just stopped the construction of the new bridges. Driving south of San Felipe in a Motor-home or car is not recommended


Thank you for the CURRENT road report. I am hopeful that the people that drove it several months ago will not dispute your observations based on their EXPIRED observations

David K - 9-30-2018 at 09:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Marc  
As a veteran of "that road" before 2007 what could be worse? Hey it's Messico…...go slow and air down, or just go slow. I'll be heading south from S Felipe Nov 2 ready for whatever.

[Edited on 9-29-2018 by Marc]


That road before 1986-7 was the really the deal... 4WD only and low range, too! In 1986-7, they made it a graded dirt highway and that was when 2WD cars could first "easily" drive to Gonzaga. They stopped maintaining the road and the 2005 storms and Baja 1000 really chewed it up.