BajaNomad

Random bloviating

weebray - 11-25-2019 at 08:23 AM

Fresh back from the otro lado. My random observations: After a self-imposed interdiction of several years Mama Espinosas lobster burritos are back on my A+ list of exceptional road meals. The accommodations at Baja Cactus are a peculiarly good deal. The road between Santo Tomas and Los Pinos is the most dangerous part of the 1000 mile journey. Driving at night is not as dangerous as it is portended to be. In a wind driven rain storm, you do not want to be driving a 50y/o VW bus. It has all the qualities of a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood. There is not a great place on the whole drive to eat but they're all pretty good. If you are lucky enough to make the drive right after a major rain event you will be rewarded with an extraordinary diorama.


BajaBlanca - 11-25-2019 at 08:30 AM

I beg to differ about driving at night. Quite recently a whole family was held up near Vizcaino and the dad shot. Stay home or at a hotel at night, it just ain't worth it.

Besides the drunks.

Besides the truck drivers who take drugs to keep awake.

Besides the cows that want the warmth of the road.

So glad you made it home weebray but it is a risk.

Lee - 11-25-2019 at 10:14 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
I beg to differ about driving at night. Quite recently a whole family was held up near Vizcaino and the dad shot. Stay home or at a hotel at night, it just ain't worth it.

Besides the drunks.

Besides the truck drivers who take drugs to keep awake.

Besides the cows that want the warmth of the road.

So glad you made it home weebray but it is a risk.


You really nailed this Blanca. Before the Cabo/Todos/LP autobahn, I regularly encountered cows/goats and occasional dogs on or near the asphalt road.

My mama use to say a familiar phrase. Nothing good happens after midnight. Broadly written that means be careful out there. Shlt happens.

shari - 11-25-2019 at 11:04 AM

I concur with Blanca on the night driving and we live here!!! Way too many things can go wrong...why tempt disaster?

BajaTed - 11-25-2019 at 11:27 AM

When you drive straight thru from Ensenada, early evening is when you start the 12% Santa Rosalia grade descent.
I actually prefer the night descent, less traffic allows use of the whole road and you can see and hear whose coming. Careful cruise to Burro Beach from then on. Arrive before midnight, bad things happen after that for sure. Everyone on the road after midnight has reasons for doing so and they aint always good things.

bajarich - 11-25-2019 at 02:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
I beg to differ about driving at night. Quite recently a whole family was held up near Vizcaino and the dad shot. Stay home or at a hotel at night, it just ain't worth it.

Besides the drunks.

Besides the truck drivers who take drugs to keep awake.

Besides the cows that want the warmth of the road.

So glad you made it home weebray but it is a risk.


You forgot the horses and burros!

David K - 11-25-2019 at 02:27 PM

Yes on the burros in the dark!
While not planning to drive in the dark, in 2016 on our Baja Extreme tour, the 4Runner had to replace an alternator in Vizcaino and we wanted to sleep at the La Huerta in San Ignacio.
Between the two towns, on a moonless evening, burros were along the highway and they don't care about stepping in front of you! Ham got a bit of this on his GoPro and it is in the video he made.
See it at Minute 1:32>>>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAWGzW4bR9Q

weebray - 11-25-2019 at 05:12 PM

To each his own. I prefer nite driving at a moderate speed. Easier to see traffic and less traffic. I have not seen the related dangers but I'm sure they are there. Animals are always present, day or night. BTW the only place you will see me after 10 is in bed.

bajabuddha - 11-25-2019 at 05:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by weebray  
To each his own. I prefer nite driving at a moderate speed. Easier to see traffic and less traffic. I have not seen the related dangers but I'm sure they are there. Animals are always present, day or night. BTW the only place you will see me after 10 is in bed.


Drive on, muh-fuh.... I just wouldn't brag about it. Kinda indisputable evidence on the issue, so do your thing. Just don't take anybody out with you.

'Nuff said. :smug:

mtgoat666 - 11-25-2019 at 05:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by weebray  
To each his own. I prefer nite driving at a moderate speed. Easier to see traffic and less traffic. I have not seen the related dangers


I encourage the foolish to drive at night, it will improve the gene pool for my species :light:

weebray - 11-26-2019 at 07:55 AM

When all is said and done.... More will be said and done. Can we agree that newbies should be warned that the stretch of road between Colonet and Los Pinos is to be approached with extreme caution?

BajaBlanca - 11-26-2019 at 08:30 PM

A friend who became intimately acquainted with a cow when night driving, said he never thought it would move so fast and into traffic like it did.

That was all I needed to hear.

weebray, a family was recently murdered between G Negro and Vizcaino. Please don't tempt fate.

weebray - 11-27-2019 at 08:52 AM

I hear you about cows Blanca, day or night they can move much quicker than you think. Heads up = full alert - heads down = pass slowly. What is the background story here, that stretch is desolate day or night.

thebajarunner - 11-27-2019 at 07:33 PM

At the risk of getting kicked around like an orphanage soccer ball.....

I drive at night in Baja, when necessary.
No motorhomes, trailers or campers.
You can see lights approaching for early warning.
Great headlights on high beam pretty much light my way.

Back in the day (oh no, here he goes again with another racing memory) we loved driving fast off road. Your big lights gave much better definition to the changes in road surface than trying to read the bumps under an overhead sun.

And, a trucker topped off on beans at night is going to be just as topped off during the day, sad to say.

Pay attention, and the night drive is no worse than the daylight trip.

mtgoat666 - 11-27-2019 at 08:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  
At the risk of getting kicked around like an orphanage soccer ball.....

I drive at night in Baja, when necessary.
No motorhomes, trailers or campers.
You can see lights approaching for early warning.
Great headlights on high beam pretty much light my way.

Back in the day (oh no, here he goes again with another racing memory) we loved driving fast off road. Your big lights gave much better definition to the changes in road surface than trying to read the bumps under an overhead sun.

And, a trucker topped off on beans at night is going to be just as topped off during the day, sad to say.

Pay attention, and the night drive is no worse than the daylight trip.


When I was young and dumb, I drove inebriated. Now that I know better, surviving is not my excuse for past bad deeds, nor is it my excuse for perpetuating bad deeds.

I suspect you have bad vision and peculiar misunderstanding of vision, if you think headlights are superior to natural light of daytime.

I encourage ye foolish numbnuts to drive at night, it will improve the gene pool for my species :light:

And now that you are old and dumb....

thebajarunner - 11-27-2019 at 09:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  
At the risk of getting kicked around like an orphanage soccer ball.....

I drive at night in Baja, when necessary.
No motorhomes, trailers or campers.
You can see lights approaching for early warning.
Great headlights on high beam pretty much light my way.

Back in the day (oh no, here he goes again with another racing memory) we loved driving fast off road. Your big lights gave much better definition to the changes in road surface than trying to read the bumps under an overhead sun.

And, a trucker topped off on beans at night is going to be just as topped off during the day, sad to say.

Pay attention, and the night drive is no worse than the daylight trip.


When I was young and dumb, I drove inebriated. Now that I know better, surviving is not my excuse for past bad deeds, nor is it my excuse for perpetuating bad deeds.

I suspect you have bad vision and peculiar misunderstanding of vision, if you think headlights are superior to natural light of daytime.

I encourage ye foolish numbnuts to drive at night, it will improve the gene pool for my species :light:


Your reading comprehension skills are about on a par with your inept writing talents.

And clearly you have never raced off-road, just your creaky little keyboard. Or you would understand precisely what I wrote. I suspect every real racer read my comment and nodded.

weebray - 11-28-2019 at 08:12 AM

bajarunner. Thanks for making my point. Disregard the blather that will go on and on an ==0- -==//

bajatrailrider - 11-29-2019 at 09:34 AM

Driving at night each is own it's a tourest thing. You can see someone coming cause you can see there lights. Sorry on that as half don't have lights.:)

Fernweh - 11-29-2019 at 02:41 PM

Quote: Originally posted by weebray  
bajarunner. Thanks for making my point. Disregard the blather that will go on and on an ==0- -==//

Ditto Weebray,

I feel more content driving at night, especially not having my drivers license made in the US or purchased it at Sears........let it hear :-)