BajaNomad - question about November travel

question about November travel

ADVseeker - 5-12-2020 at 09:05 AM

First of all let me say thank you for having me on the forum and the wealth of knowledge this forum provides, ive been lurking and reading many times before but just finally joined because i have a few questions.

Also let me add that i have been through baja once before, 2 years ago a buddy and i did 3 weeks on offroad bikes, with camping and hotels and fell in love with baja. But i am now married and looking to show my wife the beauty of the peninsula.

We are planning a trip for 2 weeks in my little off-road built ford ranger with a rooftop tent and plan to camp 60% of the time and hotel 40% of the time. We were originally coming in April until i found out about santa semana and the crowds, so we rescheduled until the end of may but obviously the corona virus stopped that.

So now i am looking at coming down in November, either just before or just after the Baja 1000, i would love to see the race but really want to avoid crowds and have some nice quiet beach time with my wife. The weather seems like it'll be great then but my biggest worry is how will bad are the bugs, especially no-seeums, mosquitoes and flies, i know how the bugs can really kill a camping trip, is November an okay time with reduced bugs, or should i just try to postpone the trip until spring when hopefully there are even less?

thanks for any help and i will have more questions im sure.

David K - 5-12-2020 at 09:26 AM

Welcome to Nomad!

During the few days around the race, you can avoid Ensenada, most other areas won't be an issue other than on race day(s) and a look at the coarse map will show you where the race is running.

Bugs should not be an issue and really only have for us been a problem in the summer down at Bahia Concepcion (near Mulege) and then only around sundown (mosquitos). Stick a Bounce sheet in your hat!

As I tell others who ask, let us know what you want to see or do since Baja has about every possibility for outdoor activity, and a few indoor ones, too!

Then, we can suggest places to check out. I can help you with historical sites (missions, visitas, cave art, mines) as well as roads (kilometer markers, mileages) as I traveled most of the popular Baja routes researching a future guide in 2017-2019.

On the Nomad Road Conditions forum you can see the maps I made for the guide as well as two pre-publication sections of the 6 section guide. San Quintin to Guerrero Negro and Guerrero Negro to San Ignacio. Both sections include side roads so the width of the peninsula as well as the length is covered.

I think most of us here will be happy to help!

motoged - 5-12-2020 at 09:37 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ADVseeker

..... my biggest worry is how will bad are the bugs, especially no-seeums, mosquitoes and flies, i know how the bugs can really kill a camping trip, is November an okay time with reduced bugs, or should i just try to postpone the trip until spring when hopefully there are even less?

thanks for any help and i will have more questions im sure.

ADV,
Welcome to BN....you will likely get tons of suggestions reflecting what others liked about Baja.... some good tips will surface (and one guy will flood you with maps and a litany of his favourites).

Bugs???? I am one who believes the Corona 19 bug is the only one to worry about at this time.... Off takes care of the bugs that you refer to.... not really a Baja deterrent.

Your hope that November might be a trip possibility makes sense, however, a lot of us are wondering when such travel is possible, responsible, and enjoyable.

Don't rely on BN forum as your primary Baja research tool... it is a good one, but says more about the individual members than Baja itself....

honda tom - 5-12-2020 at 09:51 AM

Nov. around race time will be great. Plan on getting a race map and work in some of the smoother track sections. during prerunning you will find friendly and helpful people along the way, make sure to go the direction of prerunning traffic, course markers every 5 miles, and your ranger will be fine. This year is a loop race, so you wont find much race stuff south of cocos corner on the cortez side/ el rosario on the pacific.
South of Bahia Los angeles along the sea of cortez is some great stuff. San Francisquito is a must.... the water will be cooler in nov. you can get in the ocean but probably not for long periods of time.
2 weeks is plenty of time for exploring... may be pick a southern point such as Loreto for a couple of hotel days. across the peninsula a beautiful run across to san juanico on the pacific. keep itenarary loose.... have fun.

Lee - 5-12-2020 at 10:35 AM

Too many variables down South. I'm speaking for Pescadero, BCS. Bugs may or may not be around in November. Usually they've thinned out but no guarantees. Last November, the bugs (noseeums) drove me crazy. Constant, unrelenting, in my nose, eyes, ears. No way around it but to deal with it. Some years are buggy, most not, in November.

I wouldn't change travel plans around whether bugs might be around or not. Get what you get down South.

Pacific waters from Todos Santos South in November high 70s - low 80s. Coolest has been low 70s. That's down right warm to me. Air averages 75.

My experiences with the race has been avoid Ensenada.

paranewbi - 5-12-2020 at 01:13 PM

Loved to be camping at Papa Fernandez's (papa's) in November and watch the race at the entrance to Papa's. Not sure if the race is going nearby this year though.

Your vehicle will be fine to get over the rise to the camping beach at Papa's (in the Gonzaga Bay area). Bring a rain tarp for your tent as we have been rained on really hard there that time of year. Bugs were not present.

Get down to Conception Bay, your lady will love that area and the camp sites have some services. Most of the members on this site will recommend which areas to stay at as their preferences.

Get ready to be educated! copy and past into a word page the suggestions!

Pacifico - 5-12-2020 at 01:46 PM

Welcome ADVseeker!

November can be nice, but be aware that sometimes the north winds start blowing around that time. End of Oct/start of Nov is usually great weather...

Bugs can be bad depending on location. The worst I've ever been attacked was at Coyote Beach in Bay of Conception. No see ums were thick! As suggested earlier, just be prepared and don't let the possibility change your plans. Take 100% deet and the Bounce dryer sheets may help as well.

Good luck and safe travels!

wilderone - 5-13-2020 at 10:56 AM

Bugs are hit or miss. My experience is that dusk is the worst. So just before dusk, I put socks on to wear with my sandals, put on long pants, long sleeve shirt. I like to use mosquito wipes (no aerosol product waste), and then I tie the leftover wipe after using to my hat and my sandals. There is clothing with insect repellant, and within that idea, you could prepare an outfit that is pre-sprayed with repellant. Use the insect repellant candles, build a little fire. You could also bring a screen tent instead of a regular tent so you could escape inside if necessary without being too cooped up. Camping in Sierra Nevada - had to wear a head net - there were swarms around your head all day - the head net worked. And of course, bring plenty of Sting Eez, Benydryl cream, Tea Tree Oil, Cortizone to treat. One treatment that works (personal experience): bring some Q-tips. Boil a little water, then dip the Q-tip in it, and apply right on the bite. It will take the sting away and heal faster.

Alm - 5-13-2020 at 05:02 PM

Better go either before or after the race. My friends traveling to Sta Rosalia couldn't get a hotel room anywhere after Ensenada and had to make a detour to BOLA. A few days earlier (or later) the crowds could've been in BOLA. Plus, police blocking the road and making you wait or go through some sh-tty side streets.

David K - 5-13-2020 at 05:35 PM

The Score Baja 1000 race only goes into Baja Sur every second or third year +/-.
I think I heard that due to this year's uncertainty and to keep costs for racers and pit crews down, it will be a loop race in Northern Baja?

Now, the NORRA Mexican 1000 rally is a different story as all the racers stop each night so hotels are booked at key checkpoints or the end of each stage of the rally.

ADVseeker - 5-13-2020 at 09:19 PM

Thanks everyone for the replies, and we will continue on with planning, i have most of my route planned already, i spent 6-8 months planning my motorcycle trip and pouring over google maps and collecting GPX route from adventure riders so we will be using a lot of those but mixing in more pavement to save time and to make it a bit more enjoyable, that deep sand and washboards were no fun on a bike but we could make it through the rough stuff much faster at least. I hope the bugs are low during the first 2 weeks of November this year and ill keep an eye out to see if its a long wet year or fairly dry, i imagine the bugs are less after a drier year?

As much as i would love to catch a glimpse of the race i think we will forgo it and aim for the first 2 weeks of november.

We plan on crossing at tecate, from my good experience last time.

A few of the big points i plan on hitting are canon de guadauple for a night or maybe one night on each end, definitely loreto for a few days ( it was my favorite little town last time, the drive over the mountains to san Evaristo (that day from loreto, past mission san louis Gonzaga, to san Evaristo was by far my favorite day riding, such beauty and coming over the hill to look down on the ocean and san Evaristo to an amazing lunch and beer at maggie and lupes was just a magical day, plus we camped on the ocean just south or there, i plan on repeating that) we will camp at a beach by la paz and turn around from there. Also agua verde, bay of conception, mission san javier, melling ranch again and hoping the observatory is open this time.

i was hoping to whale watch but we wont be there at the right time so we will try to seek out some whale sharks!!

My wife would love to find a great horse back tour along the beach if anyone has any recommendations?

id love to do some reasonably prices fishing for day.

i know 2 weeks isnt all that long, i really wish we had 3 weeks, but with work we cant swing that, and ill be moving soon ( in the coast guard) so this is really the only opportunity well have to do a baja trip before we transfer.

and just for fun here is my little lifted ranger, on 33's with a full size spare front locker, rear limited slip and ill also have a good air pump and recovery boards with my, along with all the other basic recovery gear.

i actually decided to built up a ranger becasue of baja, i saw soooo many ranger and explorers down there and realized that pretty much anywhere i go i could find parts for it.

sorry its so long winded but thank you for all the info so far.

Maderita - 5-14-2020 at 01:18 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ADVseeker

...My wife would love to find a great horse back tour along the beach if anyone has any recommendations?...

Check out Baja By Horse / Rancho La Pila in La Misión (between Rosarito and Ensenada). Marty leads horseback trips along the river and estuary to the beach. She has excellent, strong horses and a wealth of experience. Be sure to check out her amazing photos on her web pages.
https://bajabyhorse.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bajabyhorse/

mtgoat666 - 5-14-2020 at 03:57 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ADVseeker

I hope the bugs are low during the first 2 weeks of November this year and ill keep an eye out to see if its a long wet year or fairly dry, i imagine the bugs are less after a drier year?

Bugs... depends on location, weather. The summer and early fall moisture is from hurricanes and other rains. Hurricanes may predict how buggy things are.
I recall a few years ago a big hurricane came up the peninsula, and then there was an epidemic of dengue fever (Disease transmitted by mosquitoes)
Which would you rather have, dengue or covid-19?

[Edited on 5-14-2020 by mtgoat666]

John Harper - 5-14-2020 at 04:07 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ADVseeker

and just for fun here is my little lifted ranger, on 33's with a full size spare front locker, rear limited slip and ill also have a good air pump and recovery boards with my, along with all the other basic recovery gear.

i actually decided to built up a ranger becasue of baja, i saw soooo many ranger and explorers down there and realized that pretty much anywhere i go i could find parts for it.

Nice truck! I'm on my second Ranger, a 2000, and love it. Never let me down and economical to maintain. Last year in Wyoming, I fixed three separate flat tires on other travelers vehicles I encountered. Having a good air pump and tire repair kit aboard really came in handy. A lithium charger/starter is another vital item to have on board as well. I've started two fellow teacher's cars in the parking lot at school this year alone.

John

[Edited on 5-14-2020 by John Harper]

wilderone - 5-14-2020 at 08:13 AM

Your Ranger will get you to some great offroad sites - like La Trinidad pictograph cave. You can fish in Mulege too, as well as Bahia Asuncion. IMO going as far as La Paz in two weeks is a little ambitious.

honda tom - 5-14-2020 at 08:26 AM

youve got a great trip planned.... check out the road to/from san ignacio - san juanico via the salt flats. maybe on way down you do Santa Rosalia, mulege,Loreto..... on way north Loreto ,La Purisma, san Juanico, San Ignacio.

Good choice on the Ranger... (fords with beams)

Pacifico - 5-14-2020 at 08:41 AM

Nice looking Ranger! That's your tent on the back? Any pics of it set up?

motoged - 5-14-2020 at 11:56 AM

A lot of travelling encouragement at a time like this?????

What makes you think the races will be happening? And as Mexico is out of control with the plague. November's second wave there won't be a pretty travel destination.

But we can talk trucks, I guess.

[Edited on 5-15-2020 by motoged]

TMW - 5-14-2020 at 01:13 PM

Just a note to think about. If you take the pacific route along the 7 sisters from the turn off north of Catavina at KM168 to the ocean and down to Santa Rosalillita you'll find beautiful beaches and some good surf fishing. Best fishing is early morning and just before dark in the evening. You'll mostly catch yellow fin croaker, corbina and surf perch. Also be aware of the puffer fish, if not familiar look em up, they are poison. To me nothing taste better than fresh fish right out of the ocean.

David K - 5-14-2020 at 04:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Just a note to think about. If you take the pacific route along the 7 sisters from the turn off north of Catavina at KM168 to the ocean and down to Santa Rosalillita you'll find beautiful beaches and some good surf fishing. Best fishing is early morning and just before dark in the evening. You'll mostly catch yellow fin croaker, corbina and surf perch. Also be aware of the puffer fish, if not familiar look em up, they are poison. To me nothing taste better than fresh fish right out of the ocean.

Agree with you... The corbina (and related croaker)were our favorite surf fish to catch (and eat)! We lived on the beach in Del Mar (San Diego area) and my dad was out front with a pole in his hand as often as possible.

When we went south of San Felipe, in the mid-60s, my dad said this sure looks like corbina territory (even though it was nearly 3,000 coastal miles from Del Mar)! We did a test... and sure enough corbina hook up on our baited lines!

We knew the corvina was famous around San Felipe and had caught them casting with lures. The name is almost exactly the same (especially in Spanish as the v is almost a soft b, in sound) but a totally different fish.

I think you all have seen the photo of my mom with a double hook up of corbina from a trip in 1967? That was on the bay they now call Bahia Santa Maria... we just called it 'The Lagoon' before any campo was there.

ADVseeker - 5-14-2020 at 06:04 PM

Maderita thanks for the link i will check her out and the web site looks really nice, i know this would be a highlight for her, shes been wanting to go ride somewhere and what better place and a beach in baja!

Mtgoat666 I'd choose covid-19 over dengue but im in a fairly low risk demographic for covid plus maybe i would be one of those fortunate A-sympomatic people. ill keep an eye out on the weather over the summer and rolling into fall.

john harper- Thanks man ive been really be happy with it, and bang for buck vs tacoma prices, it cant be beat, plus like Honda tom said, its got those bad ass beams which i believe are a great off road set up, stronger than IFS ( not as strong as SAS) but more nimble and smoother at speed than SAS. i was actually seeking out a 96-97 for the TTB and wanted the 4.0L. Im really excited to push this little truck and i actually started carrying a jump pack a few years ago and it has saved me a time or 2 and makes jumping other people so much easier. i love mine.

Wilderone- you are probably correct on La Paz, it is very ambitious for a 15 day trip, but if we make it, great and if we don't and decide to stay somewhere for a few days we will. As much as i would love to make that last leg to La Paz if we don't it wont diminish the trip at all. but i do want to try to spent more time in SUR than Norte.

Pacifico- I do have a couple pictures, for the past 2 years ive had it on my avalanche and it did great especially when the annex was attached, you can see it attached on the avalanche below and i have one picture of it on the ranger but with no annex. Since this trip i actually flipped the tent so it opens on the driver side that way if i have the annex in use, the exhaust wont be blowing on it.

Motoged- I am holding optimistic that the covid-19 will be at as manageable state by OCT/NOV, plus i dont think mexico or the US's economy can take another shut down like this and feel the goverment will be a bit more reluctant if it comes to that again, and who knows by them there may be a vaccine or better treatment.

TMW I think we may have taken that route on our motorcycle trip, we stopped in Catavina for jug fuel and drinks then headed back north maybe 1-3 miles and took a dirt road towards the pacific, where i got a flat tire, must have hit the only nail in miles on that dirt road. A big caravan over overlanders passed us and asked if we needed help, but we were fine, anyways by the time we changed the tires and road to a spot we planned to camp it was well past sunset, but it happend to be the exact spot thoe overlanders were camping, they gave us beers and had a fire, we chatted for awhile and when we woke up we were the most beautiful cliff right on the ocean, it was such a great surprise to wake up to!

Thank you all for the fishing tips, i have a 10ft surf rod i plan to bring and i am for sure buying a good solid inflatable kayak (probably a lower end sea eagle), i had a buddy tell me it was a game changer for their trip down there, made fishing and exploring much more fun.

please keep the tips coming!

IMG_0475.jpg - 167kB

mtgoat666 - 5-14-2020 at 06:25 PM

You got a roof rack, so take real kayaks or SUPs — much better than inflatable kayaks.

Pacifico - 5-14-2020 at 06:45 PM

Nice! That tent looks great... very roomy!

Welcome to the forum, and what a great first post!

AKgringo - 5-14-2020 at 07:46 PM

Only two weeks, and you probably won't be back for a while? I would travel light, and cover as much ground as possible!

Unless you really love cooking at your campsite, consider living out of an Ice chest and a tote full of edibles, and look forward to the next restaurant or taco stand you come across. No cooking = no cleaning, and a heck of a lot less clutter in the truck.

November is a good time to be there, and at least on the Sea of Cortez side, I have found the water to be warmer than it is in May. Bugs could be a problem, but probably not. If you do get into an area with "no-seeums", don't forget to spray your lower legs and feet, some of them stay very close to the ground!

By the way, where is your next port of call?

ADVseeker - 5-15-2020 at 09:02 AM

Mtgoat666- I could but i would have to strap it down to my tent since that entire rack is used for it, also if a rigid one is sitting on the tent it may wear through the tent cover, especially off-road, plus its one more big item to strap down and worry about, but next time i get the tent on ill take a look and maybe i can make a hitch extension to hold the back end up over the tent and get a front cross bar that goes in the door jam to hold the front, because i would prefer to have a hard plastic kayak over inflatable, less to worry about. But those sea eagles have pretty good reviews!

Pacifico- Yea with the annex the tent has TONS of room, you can even fit another queen sized air mattress in the bottom of the annex and sleep 3 people up top of you wanted. and the annex has screens on 4 sides so we can hide out if any bugs are around.

AKgringo- yea so far only 2 weeks, but im trying to see if my wife can swing a few extra days off, its not an issue for me, but her work is a bit more difficult. I do plan on trying to get down south fairly quickly, on my motor cycle trip we zig zagged down the peninsula, but that was a mistake this time we will spend most of the time on the cortex side with a couple stops on the pacific side, zig zagging just ate up a ton of time, plus we were off road pretty much the entire way down. you make a good point about cooking and cleaning and that something we will consider and only cook when necessary.

so im in aviation for the coast guard and fly fixed wing, not our helos, which means my unit selection is pretty small, but im shooting for Washington state (helo unit and unlikely) which is home for me, but if not then back up by you! Im hoping to get back up to kodiak! thats where i was before here (Sacramento) and had a blast so we will see next February where they are sending me, it could be neither of those! i just don't want to go back out east.

mtgoat666 - 5-15-2020 at 09:29 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ADVseeker

Mtgoat666- I could but i would have to strap it down to my tent since that entire rack is used for it, also if a rigid one is sitting on the tent it may wear through the tent cover, especially off-road, plus its one more big item to strap down and worry about, but next time i get the tent on ill take a look and maybe i can make a hitch extension to hold the back end up over the tent and get a front cross bar that goes in the door jam to hold the front, because i would prefer to have a hard plastic kayak over inflatable, less to worry about. But those sea eagles have pretty good reviews!

if the roof-top tent prevents taking toys (mtn bikes, SUPs, kayaks), then ditch the roof-top tent and make room for toys. Tents are easy to pitch on the ground (never have seen the attraction of climbing a ladder to get into a tent)

Maderita - 5-15-2020 at 12:05 PM

Nice truck for Baja. Very wise to get an ubiquitous vehicle/drivetrain for parts availability and suitable to local mechanic's skills/knowledge.

If you have some extra coin in the budget, a rear locking differential would be a strong upgrade for gnarly offroad conditions. I find the OEM limited slip is rather weak in terms of the toque bias sent to the other wheel. Better than an open diff, but not even close to having a locking diff. I'm assuming that you have a Ford 8.8" rear diff? I've had outstanding results and 100% reliability with the Eaton E-Locker, electronically engaged selectable locker. I swapped an 8.8 Explorer axle into a Jeep Wrangler and an E-Locker. Ran it hard, including sand duning with a 280 HP stroked engine.
https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/catalog/differentials/eaton-e...

ADVseeker - 5-15-2020 at 11:14 PM

Mtgoat666-I will figure out what to do about the kayak, and ill for sure go the kayak route to make fishing easier, plus 2 up on a SUP isnt that much fun and slloooww, and i really dont want to haul 2 of them around, so a tandem kayak is what ill be going for As for the RTT, they have pros and cons, sometimes i wish i had a nice ground tent, but its nice being up on the truck when you dont have any decent ground around, lets you camp where other people cant, plus electricity at the tent already is nice, and the biggest pro is sleeping on memory foam, its a game changer ( especially with 2 people sharing a mattress. I know i could pack memory foam but ive been happy with it so far, biggest negative is having to pack up any time you want to go anywhere or go offroad, i am working on a carrier for my TW200 but that will be when were not hitting any hard trails and not driving thousands of miles lol

Maderita- Yea it has the 8.8 out back, believe me i wanted to do a selectable locker but i couldn't justify it, if i was to do it right and put the rear locker in, i would pay someone, and then i might as well re-gear and get rid of my 3.73's it has now, but then if im going that far i might as well up grade to the explorer 31 spine 8.8 with disk brakes, and then of course id have to re-gear the front as well.... so i went cheap and kept the 3.73 since finding a 4.10 dana35 TTB is damn near impossible. Then just dropped in an aussie locker myself (200$ or so) and nice manual hubs and called it a day, but if i ever blow up a diff or destroy the rear axle ill do it all and add a front and rear selectable lockers and re-gear..... and i have enough room for 35's so i would definitely step up to those with proper gearing... but this is just my play truck for camping and i think the front locker i added will help significantly.

ive heard good things about the eaton E-lockers and i would probably go E-lock, as much as i would love an OX locker and be all mechanical linkage i cant drop that kind of money.

Maderita - 5-16-2020 at 03:25 PM

ADVseeker - It's difficult to draw the line on the wish-list vs. the budget! A lot of money to step up to 35" tires with the necessary gear ratio changes. I was happy with 33's and 4.10 gears. Never thought that the additional expense was worth it to gain 1" underneath the diff. It's cheaper to pay attention to tire placement and driving skills.

A word of caution, you probably already know, about those "lunchbox lockers". The durability is poor. When they grenade, it will destroy internals and may require an expensive, complete axle rebuild. Don't ask how I know

It will *probably* be okay if you go easy on the throttle when rock crawling, and keep the 33's. (35's increase the strain on the drivetrain parts).

You're the first I've heard mention on this forum about a Yamaha TW200. I'm curious to hear your impressions. Folks here might like to know more. Perhaps starting a thread with photos and your product review would be of interest. I have a BW200 and a BW350, strictly offroad. The BW350 is fun with a paddle tire for duning.