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Alfonsina's

John M - 10-20-2020 at 08:20 AM

A bit of a change since our last visit. Not used to seeing folks here wearing wristbands. A new look.

We found the food here was consistently good.

John M

honda tom - 10-20-2020 at 08:30 AM

when the asphalt comes......

Cliffy - 10-20-2020 at 09:10 AM

"when the asphalt comes......"

Perfect! :-)

JZ - 10-20-2020 at 09:19 AM

They have been trying to become a "resort" for the last 5-7 years.

Have a resort setting in the corner of the bay. And the lobby.

I haven't seen the rooms in a few years. But they were not resort grade last time I checked.

Tying a required meal plan to the room has kept us from visiting more often.

[Edited on 10-21-2020 by JZ]

Even more on the way...

John M - 10-20-2020 at 09:22 AM

There is now a grading project underway just south of the runway - sort of outlined in brown on the image below. Several pieces of heavy equipment parked there. I'd guess more than 1/4 mile on a side - it's all smooth and flat - something is coming!

Furthermore, to access the Rancho Grande palapas there is now a fellow stationed just off the highway checking your camping permit ($15.00 & purchased from the store), otherwise the route in to the palapas is blocked with a cable.

John M

David K - 10-20-2020 at 10:58 AM

I am so glad I knew Baja before all of this happened!

del mar - 10-20-2020 at 11:00 AM

Don Rafa starting work on his golf course?

chippy - 10-20-2020 at 11:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

I am so glad I knew Baja before all of this happened!

Tioloco - 10-20-2020 at 01:05 PM

Still plenty of rustic camping away from the resort.

David K - 10-20-2020 at 01:22 PM

It is the paving of roads that can't be avoided anymore... Bad roads brought good people and that was a simpler time.

I know progress is unavoidable and increasing population needs better roads, services, medical facilities, etc.

My memories of Baja before asphalt are some of the best treasures.
It was a 10-day drive to Cabo in the 60s (100 miles per day average). Sure, you could do it in 5, if nothing broke and that invitation to a town fiesta serving turtle stew was passed!

I remember when the town of L.A. Bay would go black at 10 pm with the shutting down of the town generator, and all the stars would burst out above... those were the amazing times.

StuckSucks - 10-20-2020 at 05:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco

Still plenty of rustic camping away from the resort.

Clearly, the right answer. Gonzaga is moving into the Los Cabos category: something to avoid.

del mar - 10-20-2020 at 11:06 PM

:lol:

JZ - 10-20-2020 at 11:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by del mar

This is your 3rd post itt.

You deleted the other two.

How many ppl post on this handle you weirdo.

del mar - 10-21-2020 at 12:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by del mar

This is your 3rd post itt.

You deleted the other two.

How many ppl post on this handle you weirdo.

well I hope you saved them all, feel free to bust em all out here for all to see, they all simply suggested that comparing gonzaga bay to los cabos is ludicrous yet without any childish schoolyard name calling you idiots love to engage in......go ahead!

and there's only one me here!

Skipjack Joe - 10-21-2020 at 04:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

I am so glad I knew Baja before all of this happened!

You were promoting this back then. What did you expect when the road got paved?

David K - 10-21-2020 at 06:47 AM

This is exactly what I expected: development. I was reporting, not promoting.

steekers - 10-21-2020 at 08:23 AM

Since the roads are now relatively good, perhaps Joaquin doesn't care as much now about the pilot traffic filling his hotel. His nice sandy airstrip has not been renewed by the feds so pilots are forced to land on rough gravel at Rancho Grande OR a little farther south at Punta Final.

wilderone - 10-21-2020 at 10:16 AM

Pavement or no, that area is fished out, and there's nothing else there for tourists. Looks great as an eco-hotel as seen in first photo. Stop-over out of Felipe for a change of pace, but I can't see it as a go-to destination. What would be the elements for a hoped-for "resort"? Swimming pool, golf course, spa with massage? A lot of maintenance for the occasional tourist. I'm with David - my dad had a trailer/palapa shared with a couple guys from LA - flew in. That's my idea of Baja. Lots could be done to attract more patrons who live in the general proximity - live music, fish dinner specials, fishing specials - heck, sign me up for that - I'd take a detour off Mex 1. No need to go "whole hog" without seeing what the pavement will bring. Necessity would be key.

mtgoat666 - 10-21-2020 at 10:50 AM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

Pavement or no, that area is fished out, and there's nothing else there for tourists.

so if no fishing, there is nothings else to do? seems a bit narrow-minded to think every tourist is solely focused on fishing, eh?

looks like a good place to kayak, paddle board or day sail.

i have also heard that some people go to baja to offroad... maybe i heard wrong?

Stewwalker - 10-21-2020 at 01:02 PM

Some Ikea furniture and a little paint and tile work and yall think the gringos will come running? Just put Joyce Smith at the front gate, she'll send the hipsters packing. Ask Coco what he thinks about Alfonsinas.

Last I checked, Alfonsinas ran on generator power. Eco Hotel?

Remember, everything in Baja was new at one point in time...

David K - 10-21-2020 at 02:31 PM

I would expect a full-on solar power system by now? When have stayed near there (1999-2003) a wind generator hummed all night making power for lights. Ah, the days of Captain Doug Bowles, and Cantina de Floyd! Missing Brandi's happy face... why do we die?

wilderone - 10-21-2020 at 03:07 PM

Sure, you can kayak, paddle board, day sail and offroad around there - and about 2,000 miles of Baja coastline too. However, nothing that makes Alfonsinas unique or a hotbed for that or expect that pavement would change things much.

Cliffy - 10-21-2020 at 04:57 PM

Lets see- BOLA did have the generator shut off at 10PM. Remember it well.
BOLA also had a desalinization plant for fresh water at one time that they just let go to hell and gone.
You could land and taxi right up to your room at Casa Diaz
If you got there too late Mama said "La cocina es cerado"
Fishing pangas were cheap.
Jim B built his big octagonal 2 story house on the bay.

Papa's in Gonzaga did have an airstrip that I landed on along with Alfonsinas except no tide problems at Paps's
Papa's served turtle quite often when I was there.
Rancho Santa Inez was operating and had AVgas.
Papa (for anyone who actually knew him always said the road was going to be paved "soon".
Puertecitos was a haven for gringos from up north.

As far as the "good ol' days" go- are we to deny the locals the chance to improve their position in life just because we want to return to our youth?
The new road can be good and bad per your position in your life or theirs.
If things get better for them at the sacrifice of my memories so be it and I wish them well as they move up in life.

Does anyone really feel that either place will be another Cabo? They have languished in poverty for 300 years. I don't see much happening but small changes in my lifetime.

Nothing killed Baja more than the war on drugs!

wilderone - 10-21-2020 at 05:51 PM

No, not Cabo, and I wish them well too - not at all saying I want them to remain in the static good ole' days - but how many big plans have been announced - so-and-so bought up all of [ ] to build a _____; and never came to fruition. That's just objective truth. I'm just saying he's got a good thing going, could be improved upon to draw more customers. But "build it and they will come" is too risky for that spot. Tourist travel has been restricted, and likely won't come all the way back for at least another year.

Skipjack Joe - 10-22-2020 at 02:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

This is exactly what I expected: development. I was reporting, not promoting.

Not true. You can go back through the archives and see your posts on the benefits of development and paving of this area and throughout baja. And now that it's happened you lament the past? Your views were shortsighted back then. It's too late to cry about it now after the fact.

David K - 10-22-2020 at 08:10 AM

I am not crying, lol.
While the benefits of paving are obvious, I don't recall where I made any deal over it, beyond reporting road conditions. I certainly never promoted a paved road since I am one who agrees with Mama Espinoza's famous quote, "Bad Roads Bring Good People... Good Roads Bring ALL Kinds of People".

Storytelling about how it was in the past is what history is. While those of us who experienced non-paved roads are dying off, isn't it nice to hear how it was from people who lived it?
In writing my book about the missions of Baja, I used the writings of those alive at the time whenever possible to tell the history of a mission's founding, construction, location, etc.

mtgoat666 - 10-23-2020 at 06:24 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

...why do we die?

Quote: Originally posted by David K

While those of us who experienced non-paved roads are dying off,....

Sounds like you are getting into the spirit of Halloween

RobR77 - 4-11-2021 at 09:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

Pavement or no, that area is fished out, and there's nothing else there for tourists. Looks great as an eco-hotel as seen in first photo. Stop-over out of Felipe for a change of pace, but I can't see it as a go-to destination. What would be the elements for a hoped-for "resort"? Swimming pool, golf course, spa with massage? A lot of maintenance for the occasional tourist. I'm with David - my dad had a trailer/palapa shared with a couple guys from LA - flew in. That's my idea of Baja. Lots could be done to attract more patrons who live in the general proximity - live music, fish dinner specials, fishing specials - heck, sign me up for that - I'd take a detour off Mex 1. No need to go "whole hog" without seeing what the pavement will bring. Necessity would be key.

Agreed, and there are many ideas elsewhere that you can create.

[Edited on 4-12-2021 by RobR77]

RFClark - 4-12-2021 at 11:00 AM

There have been several different articles about studies done of the potential wind generating power available off shore between Puertecitos and Gonzoga. Prior to COVID a friend had his house rented to an engineer who was to work on large wind generators south of Puertecitos.

The plan discussed was similar to what has happened over at Tecate where the wind farm is tied into the US grid and the size is being doubled. Apparently the amount of power available is quite large.

Such a project(s) would electrify a very large area along the coast and provide opportunities for employment outside of fishing and drug transport.

Perhaps someone at Alfonsina’s thinks they know something! “Get your bucket Joe says it’s going to rain money for green power”!

del mar - 4-12-2021 at 02:41 PM

lol...anyone else remember being kept awake by that single wind generator with shot bearings above the kitchen at Alfies?

John Harper - 4-12-2021 at 03:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy

You could land and taxi right up to your room at Casa Diaz

Fishing pangas were cheap.

Puertecitos was a haven for gringos from up north.

If things get better for them at the sacrifice of my memories so be it and I wish them well as they move up in life.

Nothing killed Baja more than the war on drugs!

+1

John

John Harper - 4-12-2021 at 03:11 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by RFClark

Such a project(s) would electrify a very large area along the coast and provide opportunities for employment outside of fishing and drug transport.

Along the coast, if you have power, you also (can) have fresh water. :light:

+1

John