Bahia de Los Angeles,, must see's, etc?

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

Get out to Animas Bay; look for the indigenous stone walls west there (lots of info on this forum). I kayaked and camped on Isla La Ventana and Isla Coronado - no fish for snorkeling. A little hiking on Isla Coronado. Are you camping? I did not like Daggetts for camping - too many cars and quads coming past kicking up the dust; gringos with their dogs running loose on the beach. La Gringa might be more peaceful. Hang out at the old "Docs" south of town, and ask if the whale sharks have been spotted. Camped there once, and feeding dolphins came every morning about10 yards off shore. ......Take the back road to San Borja mission - ask the caretaker family as a guide. Ask if they will allow you to use the warm springs (it's private property). Interesting hiking around there. ...... En route to San Borja on that road there are some geoglyphs - keep an eye out for them (they cross the road, or rather, the road goes right through).

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Suggestions: - day trip or camp at Ensenada Alcatraz. 29.161269° -113.613994°. Go out towards MX1 about 20 miles then up the dry lake bed, then West to the coast. Beautiful beach up there. I'll post a track later. Easy drive with a truck. - day trip or camping at Bahia las Animas. Or stop there for a day/night on the way to San Fransquito - rent a super panga and spend a night or two in the bay at the top of Isla Ángel de la Guarda at Puerto Refugio. The most beautiful bay in the Sea of Cortez. Watch this video to see it: https://youtu.be/g3ThXCm3XSA - rent a panga (2500 pesos) and go explore the islands in the bay and go over to Rincon. Rincon is the best beach in Bahia de los Angeles by a very wide margin. Beautiful white sand. 28.913807° -113.471214°. - La Gringa has some rocky beaches. We've found better beaches just before the pavement ends on the way out to La Gringa. Just after all the sprawl on the beach stops. I think you could camp there. We go there to hang out at night for a few hours sometimes. You can drive the entire length of the beach once you get down to the water. We always make a fire on the beach. The market on the West side of the main drag has tons of firewood. A whole pile out back.

Everything you seek is here on Nomad...

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Diaz has pretty cheap pangas. Great for running around in the bay. For the big super panga with a tower go to Guillermos. You can hike some of the islands. Especially this one: 28.999439° -113.513450°. At the top you can see the entire bay. Both panga shops are right by the launch ramps near the Southwest side of town. Bahia de Las Animas is here: 28.822618° -113.364675°. I have tracks for all the various places.

hummm, how to use the geo-co-ordinates? I tried google maps.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

My trip reports from researching for the road guide are from 2017 and 2018, but still can give you lot's a details: In fact, I have shared my Road guide Part 3 which covers L.A. Bay and San Borja, here on Nomad: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=91898 These trip reports cover L.A. Bay, San Borja, the road down and out via El Arco (Hwy. 18)... Trip Report 1: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85374 Trip Report 2: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85756 Trip Report 5: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86781 All my maps are here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=88771 [Edited on 1-16-2020 by David K]

It is a 2WD graded highway from L.A. Bay south to Punta San Francisquito and then west to El Arco and Hwy. 1.

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

[/rquote] hummm, how to use the geo-co-ordinates? I tried google maps.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

It is a 2WD graded highway from L.A. Bay south to Punta San Francisquito and then west to El Arco and Hwy. 1.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Pro tips: 1. Install a GPS app on our phone. Back Country Navigator is my favorite, but Android only. Gaia is great and works with all phones. This is a must have. When ppl give you tracks, you can down load them right to your phone or tablet. It's like Google Maps for dirt roads. This works w/o having cell coverage as long as you download the maps ahead of time. Topo or Satellite views. Top requires MUCH less data and downloads very fast. Satellite view is awesome though. Put it this way, I have what David just posted above on my phone in either Topo or Satellite versions. When we are driving it shows us on the map. Seem for when out on the water. We can see what bays to hit. 2. Download Google Maps for offline use in Baja. This allows you to use it w/o cell coverage. Great for the paved roads. [Edited on 1-16-2020 by JZ]

...but Google Pro and GPS Navigator are 2 different app you're suggesting,,yes?

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

No.

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

ahh, so the markings of '4WD' are outdated? Quote: Originally posted by David K   It is a 2WD graded highway from L.A. Bay south to Punta San Francisquito and then west to El Arco and Hwy. 1.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by micah202   ahh, so the markings of '4WD' are outdated? Quote: Originally posted by David K   It is a 2WD graded highway from L.A. Bay south to Punta San Francisquito and then west to El Arco and Hwy. 1. No, the first 4WD notation is for the side road to the terminal platform below the San Juan Mine tramline end at the Las Flores Railroad line. See my trip report. The second 4WD notation is for the old road along the sierra. The graded dirt highway goes via San Rafael. [Edited on 1-16-2020 by David K]

San Borja is a must see... Palapa camping there with flush toilets and showers. José and his family are excellent hosts. He will light a fire under the water heater so it will be hot showers for you!

The north road is very good with only a few rough miles. The west road (out to Nuevo Rosarito) is less maintained so a bit slower. José can be hired (or his son) to take you to Las Tinajitas or perhaps another rock art site? Plan to spend a day or more to get in the mission and the other attractions. Yes, the warm spring can be bathed in... I haven't, as the sulfur smell is a bit foul sometimes.



Las Tinajitas

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

Nice suggestions folks, keep 'em coming! The title will long serve as a useful search for others. I camp from my Sienna, bring kayak and small sailboat on the roof. I'm immediately drawn to la Gringa for the excellent wave protection from the Norte winds. ...that'd be way cool to spend time on the islands, we'll see.

Market level is definitely a good step above Gonzaga. There are 3 markets. Never bought steak in BoLA, but they have pretty much everything you could need. Saving a few bones in Ensenada isn't worth having to cart all that stuff down.

Anyway, it's fun going to the local markets and meeting the folks.



Pic from the beach just before the pavement ends on the way to La Gringa:





[Edited on 1-17-2020 by JZ]

Thanks All, good details to note in general.
As for myself, I have a long background in both Olympic sailing and visiting Baja in this way.
If you see a small sailboat out in 30+ knots of breeze, that'll likely be me!

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

... Never bought steak in BoLA, ... [Edited on 1-17-2020 by JZ]

Who needs a steak when you can chew on a stinky running shoe

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

About steak etc - I would not carry perishables from Ensenada or Tijuana to BOLA without adequate refrigeration arrangements in the vehicle. But I would bring everything else and also long-lasting food items from the States like cooking oil, nuts, your favorite herbal teas, good quality rice and beans etc. In BOLA it will cost double, if at all available. Rice will be sh-tty, beans - with small rocks. There is also this 3-rd world habit in small villages - no price tags on anything, makes you suspect the worst (and it usually is). [Edited on 1-18-2020 by Alm]

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

About steak etc - I would not carry perishables from Ensenada or Tijuana to BOLA without adequate refrigeration arrangements in the vehicle. But I would bring everything else and also long-lasting food items from the States like cooking oil, nuts, your favorite herbal teas, good quality rice and beans etc. In BOLA it will cost double, if at all available. Rice will be sh-tty, beans - with small rocks. There is also this 3-rd world habit in small villages - no price tags on anything, makes you suspect the worst (and it usually is). [Edited on 1-18-2020 by Alm]

oh good lord.......

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Disagree strongly with all this.

If you disagree that BOLA prices are much higher than Tijuana or Ensenada and don't see anything wrong with BOLA products, then you can't count and have sense of taste strongly diminished. No offense

I tried beans in unmarked bags from the Isla, - small rocks in there. Some light-brown beans, forget red kidney beans, they don't know what that is. Tried another kind in a sealed branded bag from Mike's store - same rocks. OTH, olive oil was nice, imported Spanish, cost 2 times of what you pay in Safeway. And so on, etcetera, etcetera.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Seriously though, instead of steak, why not fresh, local seafood instead?

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

Rice will be sh-tty, beans - with small rocks.

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

En route to San Borja on that road there are some geoglyphs - keep an eye out for them (they cross the road, or rather, the road goes right through).

Here you go OP. A bunch of waypoints and tracks around BoLA. The file will load directly into Google Earth.







Attachment: Area Around BoLA.kmz (38kB)
This file has been downloaded 275 times

[Edited on 1-19-2020 by JZ]

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Here you go OP. A bunch of waypoints and tracks around BoLA. The file will load directly into Google Earth. [Edited on 1-19-2020 by JZ]

I'm the first toadmit I'm a simpleton with computers,, but I can't for the life of me get your map link to open anywhere,,, GoogleEarthPro is installed.

Attachment: Area Around BoLA.kmz (38kB).... shows some gibberish of Nomad when I cut paste it,, and clicky is no better.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Here you go OP. A bunch of waypoints and tracks around BoLA. The file will load directly into Google Earth.

Dang,, I'm finding google earth really bogs down my data. The tablet just doesnt have enough gigs,, have to delete almost everything else, and the desktop freezes.
So far, I've been finding 'Open street view, shows up back country roads the best, plus there's commentary added. IOverlander is similar.
For satelite view, I jump over to Google maps.
Google earth just stops ....everything.

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

download the kmz file you may want to create a dedicated folder for this, because you might get a lot of trip/location recommendations for Baja open GoogleEarth from the file menu select "Open..." and chose the downloaded kmz file done

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

Re Geoglyphs on the San Borja backroad. I don't know location exactly. If you've been on that road, you know it goes through a lot of rocky stuff, goes up and down and curves through some canyons. When you get to a mesa, or flatter terrain - maybe about 11-15 mi. from San Borja, is where they would logically be. You'll at first think they're cattle tracks, but there aren't cattle tracks elsewhere like that. Also, they're too narrow for cattle tracks and no hoofprints around, and not deep enough as would indicate continued use with cattle. PS: Takes a LOT of fuel, and soak overnight to make some bland beans on a camping trip. Who does that. Can of refried black beans will do it for me. Dehydrated split pea and black bean soup from Whole Foods. Great with a quesadilla.

Do you think you are seeing a section of El Camino Real, rather than a geoglyph?

The Jesuits built their road in straight sections where ever the terrain permitted. Since they were removed less than 6 years after founding that mission and only had begun the next mission at Calamajué a year before their removal, we generally don't see typical Jesuit roads north of San Borja, just smaller trails, like cattle trails.

This map shows the road (blue) and El Camino Real (yellow) from the L.A. Bay highway south to Mission San Borja:

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

Dang,, I'm finding google earth really bogs down my data. The tablet just doesnt have enough gigs,, have to delete almost everything else, and the desktop freezes. So far, I've been finding 'Open street view, shows up back country roads the best, plus there's commentary added. IOverlander is similar. For satelite view, I jump over to Google maps. Google earth just stops ....everything.

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

Re Geoglyphs on the San Borja backroad. I don't know location exactly. If you've been on that road, you know it goes through a lot of rocky stuff, goes up and down and curves through some canyons. When you get to a mesa, or flatter terrain - maybe about 11-15 mi. from San Borja, is where they would logically be. You'll at first think they're cattle tracks, but there aren't cattle tracks elsewhere like that. Also, they're too narrow for cattle tracks and no hoofprints around, and not deep enough as would indicate continued use with cattle. PS: Takes a LOT of fuel, and soak overnight to make some bland beans on a camping trip. Who does that. Can of refried black beans will do it for me. Dehydrated split pea and black bean soup from Whole Foods. Great with a quesadilla.

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

Quote: Originally posted by micah202   Dang,, I'm finding google earth really bogs down my data. The tablet just doesnt have enough gigs,, have to delete almost everything else, and the desktop freezes. So far, I've been finding 'Open street view, shows up back country roads the best, plus there's commentary added. IOverlander is similar. For satelite view, I jump over to Google maps. Google earth just stops ....everything. are you using the web version of Google Earth or the standalone app?

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

A traditional step in cooking Mexican beans is cleaning them before they go into the pot; nothing particular to L.A. Bay. I think this may be a result of sourcing closer to the fields than in the U.S...

Washed, rocks picked out, beans soaked overnight. Some rocks are still there when you eat it. A Mexican sitting and sorting it a few times would've resolved the problem .

Sourcing closer to the fields... This would be the case with unmarked bags, but they were not too clean in sealed branded bags either. it's a generally low standard of the industry. Haven't had that much dirt in the US-packed beans.

Ah, yes - rice - don't buy the one in unmarked bags either. Clear grocery bags tied in a knot, not sealed. Low grade rice with lot of fine particulate matter, you rinse it several times and it's still foaming when cooking. Buy rice in branded bags - more expensive, but better. Or bring from the US the brand that you trust. High pesticides load in non-organic rice is a concern too, I would imagine this situation being worse than North of the border.

Groceries in this little town are delivered once a week. 2 days later and until the next delivery you get beef with brown stains of decay after being kept in store fridge above 50F, rotten bananas and tomatoes (or none at all), and other pleasantries. Locals are traveling to Enesanda and GN often, and bring everything they can from there.

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

Hmmm,, sounds like they could use a coupla family farms in there. Or even more regular deliveries. Think of all the fuel burnt if each family is doing regular veg runs to ensenada. We -have- to start thinking of these things. <;~l

Quote: Originally posted by Paulina

One might think that some of the posters to this thread haven't shopped in Bahia since the 80s. Most of the markets in town have Ensenada Costco products available. There is good beef and chicken available. Sometimes you have to ask if you don't see what you want. Fresh produce comes in on Friday. You can expect the stores to have it out for sale on Saturday mornings. Fresh baked goods are available too. Tortillas show up twice a week, no need to stop in Ensenada for them. If you want tri-tip or Prime cuts of beef, bring it with you. I'm not a picky eater but I have yet to find the stores lacking. Shop local and support the economy. You won't go hungry. P>*)))>{

so its not a steakless outpost where they put rocks in your beans and try to kill you with their rice?

Ah perfect,, thanks Paulina

Nothing like the voice of the one who actually shops, rather than a buncha (has)bean cooking prognosticators.

Sorting rocks and beans is a baja pastime that some of us don't mind doing ourselves. It's part of the package deal of living the good life.

P>*)))>{

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Can you L.A. Bay homeowners name the markets you guys use and which market for what, now? I recall there was one prefered for produce and another for meat, etc. Is Xitlali, at the end of the pavement, still the biggest market?

Quote: Originally posted by Alm

Quote: Originally posted by lencho   A traditional step in cooking Mexican beans is cleaning them before they go into the pot; nothing particular to L.A. Bay. I think this may be a result of sourcing closer to the fields than in the U.S... Washed, rocks picked out, beans soaked overnight. Some rocks are still there when you eat it. A Mexican sitting and sorting it a few times would've resolved the problem Sourcing closer to the fields... This would be the case with unmarked bags, but they were not too clean in sealed branded bags either. it's a generally low standard of the industry. Haven't had that much dirt in the US-packed beans.

No one in bola has any teeth. They all lost their teeth eating beans with rocks

Alm, why are you so focused on beans?

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by David K   Can you L.A. Bay homeowners name the markets you guys use and which market for what, now? I recall there was one prefered for produce and another for meat, etc. Is Xitlali, at the end of the pavement, still the biggest market? Dk, you don’t need names of markets. The town is Very small. So small that You or anyone else can figure it out on your own when you get there, it’s not rocket science...

The request for names of grocery stores made me smile.

Recently, in another small town on the Pacific coast, a friend of mine asked if there was a place to buy fishing tackle. The universal answer was "la tienda azul." When asked for the name of the store no one knew - neither expats nor locals. It had apparently always been known simply as the blue store.

Imagine the confusion if that store is ever painted another color. Would it become "La tienda que antes era azul?"

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Can you L.A. Bay homeowners name the markets you guys use and which market for what, now? I recall there was one prefered for produce and another for meat, etc. Is Xitlali, at the end of the pavement, still the biggest market?

Time to take it elsewhere.

Any boondocker far prefers the adventure of finding the treats of a town, rather than drooling over Cosco or some other mark of hell encroaching.

And really, I'm totally happy with the wide variety of tinned beans in any small town.

Quote: Originally posted by Mr. Bills

The request for names of grocery stores made me smile. Recently, in another small town on the Pacific coast, a friend of mine asked if there was a place to buy fishing tackle. The universal answer was "la tienda azul." When asked for the name of the store no one knew - neither expats nor locals. It had apparently always been known simply as the blue store. Imagine the confusion if that store is ever painted another color. Would it become "La tienda que antes era azul?"

Quote: Originally posted by David K

From u2u (so far), I read that the Isla and Montezuma stores are preferred and Dos Pinos and Xitlali stores are not so much. Please u2u me if you are a regular shopper in L.A. Bay with a store opinion and want to remain anonymous.

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

Any boondocker far prefers the adventure of finding the treats of a town, rather than drooling over Cosco or some other mark of hell encroaching. And really, I'm totally happy with the wide variety of tinned beans in any small town.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by David K   From u2u (so far), I read that the Isla and Montezuma stores are preferred and Dos Pinos and Xitlali stores are not so much. Please u2u me if you are a regular shopper in L.A. Bay with a store opinion and want to remain anonymous. Don't like this approach to info. If someone has something to say, they need to get on the forum and present it and defend it. I disagree with what you posted, and there is no one to discuss it with. Xitlati is very good.

....ohh, mannn,, why not take this discussion to a 'Shopping Nomad' thread, eh?

Local shopping is it's own good adventure.
The original question was answered ~3 pages ago.

You can also load them on Gaia or Back Country Navigator on your phone.

GE doesn't take much space though. You can run it on almost any PC that has a halfway decent internet connection. Doesn't take much space at all. So, something else must be amiss.

Here is a 1.5 day exclusion (1 day if you get up early), that I would highly recommend from BoLA. A world class adventure. About 65 miles in the dirt. 30 of it is very easy. 35 of it is medium. Only a couple miles might require 4x4.






[Edited on 1-21-2020 by JZ]

Yah, sure Dave.

Like the 'hotspring thread' and it's obvious searchable title. that's been building up useful information for years., much help from you,,, I was hoping the same for this one,, collect useful information in one place.

A number of sidebar topics can dilute the intent.
ah, well,, far be it for me to be a thread police.

[Edited on 1-21-2020 by micah202]

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Good thread op. Hope we helped you a little.

...Definitely! All questions answered, and more!

I'm looking forward to my visit,, nevermore will I pass BOLA without at least a night or two stop over

Everything seems to work out in Baja California and on Baja Nomad!Travel safe!

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Everything seems to work out in Baja California and on Baja Nomad!Travel safe!