BajaNomad

To Loreto and Back

WideAngleWandering - 4-1-2021 at 12:51 AM

    We're planning a trip down to Baja for ~3 weeks, leaving as early as Tuesday. Here's what I'm thinking so far:



I'm falling back on a bunch of old favorites, and while there's nothing wrong with that, I'm open to any suggestions on new spots to check out. Interests are finding cool rocks/fossils, camping in beautiful spots, photographing cacti, and huevos rancheros.

I'll be driving the old land cruiser so I try to keep my driving days to under 300 miles or so. I don't have A/C and I'm a bit wary of some of the temperatures I'm seeing - I usually go much earlier in the season. Copious application of Tecate Light should help with that.

A few questions:
  1. I'm expecting standard covid precautions. Anything I should be especially aware of? Will be fully vaccinated.
  2. It's been a long time since I crossed in Mexicali. Tips on how to park and get my FMM at the border? Last time I got really turned around.
  3. We'll be in San Felipe right around the race. Is accommodation impossible? I like to boondock out in Laguna Diablo but I don't imagine I'll be able to get out there with all the race activity. Ideas?


Edit: I'll be in San Felipe area around 4/7 and again around 4/22. Looks like I'll miss the race itself.

[Edited on 2021-4-3 by WideAngleWandering]

[Edited on 2021-4-3 by WideAngleWandering]

Howard - 4-1-2021 at 09:54 AM

I just sent you a U2U

BajaBlanca - 4-1-2021 at 12:08 PM

Howdy! I love that you plan on cruising thru our village! Be forewarned that there have been many changes!

See you soon.

WideAngleWandering - 4-1-2021 at 02:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
Howdy! I love that you plan on cruising thru our village! Be forewarned that there have been many changes!

See you soon.

Oh? Now I'm very curious. Do tell!

We definitely plan to stop by and see how things are going with the students and their scholarships.

BajaBlanca - 4-1-2021 at 05:03 PM

So many new homes and more going up by the minute. The pandemic made folks change priorities perhaps?

Bocanita has 2 very cute rentals on airbnb.

We have a really nice beach house for sale.

The students have almost all graduated and I am thrilled. I have 7 students currently enrolled, doing well and in August I will be down to the last 3 with another 2 doing internships. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I don't quite remember exactly, but I do not think we had the beach restaurant when you were here? It is an incredible addition to our village.

We also have the massive supermarket, was that here?

Our friend Ray is building a 3,000 square foot home, right on Bocanita and it will be positively stunning beyond belief once it is finished.


It is safe to say that we are actually getting a real ex pat community here. It has been my dream for 15 years!

See what I mean about changes?

HeyMulegeScott - 4-2-2021 at 10:14 AM

There's a recent thread on crossing through Mexicali East and getting an FMM. I think it's easier to buy online and get it stamped at the border vs. filling out the forms and having to pay. Some will disagree. YMMV.

Crossing back through Tecate is a good call as Mexicali is awfully hot.

David K - 4-2-2021 at 11:01 AM

The same person who stamps the prepaid FMM also issues them. No advantage to prepaid, since you still have to stop and walk into the building. Maybe saves you 5 minutes time to fill them out and pay (bring a pen, small bills, and your passport).
The best reason to not use prepaid FMMs is that if you don't cross on the day you picked or at the border crossing you planned, it is void!

WideAngleWandering - 4-2-2021 at 10:10 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  

See what I mean about changes?

Sounds like it. I did try out the restaurant when we were last there ... 2019 I think? But a supermarket? And neighbors? I'll have to see for myself!

For the crossing south, I just read all the threads on Mexicali (geez, make me use the search function!?). I'm pretty undecided now on whether I should aim for Mexicali East or West.

East closes at 2PM, has less traffic, but is more likely to do secondary inspections. And perhaps ask for a justification for the essentialness of the travel? Would they accept beer deliveries to Coco as an essential reason?

West is busier and more chaotic, especially after 2PM, but is maybe too busy for inspection hassles. But then I'd have to navigate our two-vehicle convoy back to hwy 5.

Whaddya recommend?

WideAngleWandering - 4-2-2021 at 10:46 PM

If it matters, I plan to overnight on Tuesday somewhere between Joshua Tree and Calexico, and tackle the crossing on Wed.

[Edited on 2021-4-3 by WideAngleWandering]

BajaBlanca - 4-3-2021 at 07:29 AM

No one ever asks why you are going south at the border. Their concern is what you are taking south in case you have to pay the duty tax.

So, you can take either route south. I would base my choice on where it is easiest to park in order to get your FMM.

wilderone - 4-3-2021 at 07:42 AM

Re: "BOLA to Ojo de Liebre via San Francisquito and Pozo Aleman.
Ojo de Liebre to Asuncion."
Did you intend to see whales? Be sure that road is still open - closes after whale watch season - not sure of the exact date.
And you might want to check out the pictograph site near Pozo Aleman at Mesa del Carmen. And maybe Mision San Gertrudis? For whales, it's possible Puerto Lopez Mateos may still be going out in April.
Maybe Anza Borrego for overnight - off 86, onto SR22?

WideAngleWandering - 4-3-2021 at 10:04 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
I would base my choice on where it is easiest to park in order to get your FMM.

Hmmm, well now I'm in trouble. This seems to be a matter of hot debate - I don't think I'll be able to get the nomads to agree on this!

So flipping a coin ... and we're going to take Mexicali West.

That seems to give me two opportunities to park and get the FMM. AKGringo advocates parking before "entry". I assume he means entry into the "declare/no declare" lanes as opposed to before entering Mexico as walking back over the border seems nuts.
Quote:
If you use the new (west) crossing, keep to the left, park and get your FMM before you enter the actual entry lanes. It saves finding a place to park after entry and walking back to the desk and bank.


David K says:
Quote:
As you approach the Mexico entrance, keep left and park in the area provided, before the building, inside which is the INM desk where you get the FMM. A bank teller is inside that building... but if not open, the INM officer has a cash box. If for some reason there is no parking open before the electronic gates, just park as soon as possible on the other side, even along the street, and walk across and back to the building.


Is this the right spot?



https://imgur.com/a/FUmKt99

I'm confuzzled by all the park on the left talk, as this map makes it look like I'd need to go right.

[Edited on 2021-4-3 by WideAngleWandering]

[Edited on 2021-4-3 by WideAngleWandering]

David K - 4-3-2021 at 11:40 AM

Quote: Originally posted by WideAngleWandering  


David K says:
Quote:
As you approach the Mexico entrance, keep left and park in the area provided, before the building, inside which is the INM desk where you get the FMM. A bank teller is inside that building... but if not open, the INM officer has a cash box. If for some reason there is no parking open before the electronic gates, just park as soon as possible on the other side, even along the street, and walk across and back to the building.


Is this the right spot?



https://imgur.com/a/FUmKt99

I'm confuzzled by all the park on the left talk, as this map makes it look like I'd need to go right.



NO, not that image as that is the old (pre-2019) WEST border crossing, next to the train tracks.

The new crossing is a bit further west and may not appear on many satellite image programs, yet.

As you cross the line into Mexico (invisible line) there is a large building on the left with a parking area before it, on the left. Past that parking area, parallel to the building are the electric/ automatic gates with their red/ green lights. As I said, you can go past the gates and park (as you would do if getting a red light) and walk over to or back to the building.

AKgringo - 4-3-2021 at 12:32 PM

Thanks David, that image had me scratching my head wondering why it was so different than I remembered.

WideAngleWandering - 4-3-2021 at 05:41 PM

Quote:
Got it - that makes sense. I can see the route on googley maps but the satellite images are not updated.

I will keep to the left and follow my normal routine from there.

[quote=1209336&tid=95863&author=wilderone]
Did you intend to see whales? Be sure that road is still open - closes after whale watch season - not sure of the exact date.

I usually time it to see the whales in Feb/March. This year we're coming in hot. If there are any whales left in the lagoon I'd love to see them but we'll have to see. Shari tells me the road to ojo de liebre will shut down on 4/15 so we'll aim to arrive before. Even without the whales we like camping at the far end of the ejido campground.
Quote:
And you might want to check out the pictograph site near Pozo Aleman at Mesa del Carmen. And maybe Mision San Gertrudis?

I'll have to dig up my notes. We had Zahul from Guerrero Negro take us out to some pictographs in that area. Amazing stuff.

I'd also like to see the Mision site. I'll have to look into this one. Is it intact? A dusty old foundation like the one near Calamajue?

[Edited on 2021-4-4 by WideAngleWandering]

HeyMulegeScott - 4-4-2021 at 08:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
The same person who stamps the prepaid FMM also issues them. No advantage to prepaid, since you still have to stop and walk into the building. Maybe saves you 5 minutes time to fill them out and pay (bring a pen, small bills, and your passport).
The best reason to not use prepaid FMMs is that if you don't cross on the day you picked or at the border crossing you planned, it is void!


Probably more like 10 minutes based on the guy who had me blocked in at secondary inspection coming down that I had to wait for get his FMM. It might be void but I was able to get ours stamped a couple years ago with the wrong day and crossing. YMMV. Give the online a try next time and let us know your experience.

David K - 4-4-2021 at 09:00 AM

Quote:
Quote: Originally posted by WideAngleWandering  
Got it - that makes sense. I can see the route on googley maps but the satellite images are not updated.

I will keep to the left and follow my normal routine from there.

[quote=1209336&tid=95863&author=wilderone]
Did you intend to see whales? Be sure that road is still open - closes after whale watch season - not sure of the exact date.

I usually time it to see the whales in Feb/March. This year we're coming in hot. If there are any whales left in the lagoon I'd love to see them but we'll have to see. Shari tells me the road to ojo de liebre will shut down on 4/15 so we'll aim to arrive before. Even without the whales we like camping at the far end of the ejido campground.
Quote:
And you might want to check out the pictograph site near Pozo Aleman at Mesa del Carmen. And maybe Mision San Gertrudis?

I'll have to dig up my notes. We had Zahul from Guerrero Negro take us out to some pictographs in that area. Amazing stuff.

I'd also like to see the Mision site. I'll have to look into this one. Is it intact? A dusty old foundation like the one near Calamajue?

[Edited on 2021-4-4 by WideAngleWandering]


Mesa de Carmen is the giant painted site... Zihul takes people to it... just a km. off the road to Punta San Francisquito from El Arco and a steep trail up. https://www.facebook.com/zihul.martinez

Mission Santa Gertrudis is one of the 8 intact mission churches on the peninsula... It was modified into a modern church in 1998 so it lost some of the original patina.

You can see all the missions on my website, on my Facebook group, or here on Baja Nomad.















WideAngleWandering - 4-4-2021 at 10:45 PM

Looks fantastic. I just read the writeup on vivabaja.com - we'll check it out and report back.

David K - 4-4-2021 at 10:55 PM

It is a small mission, but super important... the bells, the oasis, the remote location also make it an interesting site.

WideAngleWandering - 4-6-2021 at 05:53 PM

We are officially on the road, and the baja mindset is starting to take over.

New plan though - we are crossing at TJ and taking mx3 over to san felipe.

It'll slow us down a bit but it's a nicer drive, we can avoid the heat in mexicali, and I'm now linking up with another all mechanical landcruiser and a tacoma. We will see how well modern toyota engineering stacks up.

[Edited on 2021-4-7 by WideAngleWandering]

[Edited on 2021-4-7 by WideAngleWandering]

AKgringo - 4-6-2021 at 07:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by WideAngleWandering  
We are officially on the road, and the baja mindset is starting to take over.

New plan though - we are crossing at TJ and taking mx3 over to san felipe.


Have a great trip, and may all of your surprises put a smile on your face! :spingrin: