BajaNomad

July run to La paz

honda tom - 7-28-2022 at 09:51 AM

Great 9 day trip with focus on area between Loreto and La Paz. Left Cen Cal about 2 am towing the pre-runner. Crossed border at Mexicali, 5 minutes to check registration ( I carry copies of Titles... guy said he wants to see registrations.. which I also had) arrived San Felipe around 1pm, parked truck at buddies house and unloaded the pre-runner.

a couple of tacos later were off to Guerrero Negro. arrived at tonys taco truck at 7pm... dang.. he closes at 5, no sweat garlic butter shrimp dinner at Malarrimo was great, so was the 60 dollar room. A long day, but the focus of this trip was south of Loreto.

Day 2 to Buenaventura for lunch.. ordered the carne asada and was treated to thick juicy tri-tip meal dropped off to the bar from the guys at Baja Jerky. On to Loreto and a room at the Oasis. Had dinner at the Oasis with my longtime friend Cap. Alejandro.

Day 3 was the day I had come for, after breakfast at the Oasis were off to Constitucion for fuel and a left turn off hwy 1 to Mission san luis gonzaga. Quick stop there with a look at the Hacienda... huge building, once the home of the De La Toba family. Continued East through canyons, arroyo, and dozens of ranches. This took hours, and lead us through what I would have to refer to "the grand canyon of baja". There were some climbs and decendts not for the faint of heart. The dirt reached the Gulf of Ca. overlooking Isle San Jose and San Francisco (where I slept last year on my boat). to a drive to San Evaristito then turned south to La Paz.

Day 4 spent on the beaches at Tecolote, Ballandara, and dirt roads around the point north of La Paz. Stayed 2 nights at the Marina Hotel. Town was packed! Hotel was booked except for suites, so we paid about 150 per night. Good dinner on the Malecon, and TV's to watch the Dodgers spank the Giants.

Day 5 cruised up the Hwy 1 for about an hour... had a federalie (sp) follow me for 20 minutes before lighting me up. Approached very friendly and talked... turns out he just wanted to see the suspension on my truck... he was a desert racing fan and accepted a couple King shocks stickers I bring down to give to kids. We left the Hwy and headed out to the Pacific. Temps dropped from 102 at the Hwy to 79 at the coast. We headed north on last years Baja 1000 course. Fast road a little narrow at times (my rig is 8 foot wide at the front tires) headed back to hwy south of constitucion for fuel, the continued to the Agua Verde/ san cosme turnoff.

Went out to Agua Verde. Passed by the resort at San Cosme owned by Robert Ross, went to a small cantina on the beach at Puerto Agua Verde. Had some beers with a family there... they showed us some great photos of Tuna and a decent Marlin the took the previous day. On to Loreto.

Day 6 did some runs north of town with Alejandro. Out to San Bruno, and out to the restaurant at El Bajo. Here we had Shrimp and sea bass, food was great, service great, will return. (its at the end of the road north of town looking right at Isle Coronado.
Back to town for beers at Augies, night tacos at El Pablano (absolutely the best up and down Baja at every decent sized town).
Alejandro inquires about what time we are leaving the next day... and tells us hes preparing Birria for us... so it looks like Birria for breakfast!
Deep pit, homemade tortillias, with lime and onion, and a beer!

Oasis was full! so we stayed at my other go to Hacienda Suites for 2 nights. Like the hotel a lot, but not really excited about the parking area for the pre-runner. I made arrangements with Tim at wanttostore for secure parking for 2 nights, 3 min walk from Hacienda. Tim is a go to for everything Loreto!

Day 7 cruised up to the beaches of concepcion ... 3 stops. north to San Bruno (just south of Santa Rosalia) very cool small community, then on to Tonys taco truck in Guerreo Negro for the best shrimp tacos ever! It was Sunday and tony closes at 5... we got there at 4... and 1 of tonys helpers told us it was slow so tony closed at 4!
DAMN YOU TONY! JK! Next time.
soooo tacos El Pablano it is.... Great again.
On to BOLA... took some dirt east from Punta Prieta towards the BOLA Hwy.. picked up a pencil sized hard sharp ass stick through my sidewall. DAMN!

arrived in Bay of LA around 7 and thought we would stay at Los Vientos... Full! 150 per room. Got a room(the last 1) at Villa Bahia. A/C, wifi 100 bucs.

day 8 Chilliaquilles in town and some 1000 course backwards up to El Crucero.... stop and chat with Coco. on to Percebu.

OK so for those of you that dont want to go too far south.... Lynn Chenowth, (off road racer/fabricator/hall of fame kind of guy) has built something amazing at Percebu over the last 10 years. An off road museum a beautiful upstairs bar, 11 rooms on the beach, a giant swimming pool, and now under construction bunk rooms for racing teams. this is a must see!
on to San Felipe, for seafood on the Malecon. Load the pre-runner and get some sleep.

day 9 sleep in and roll out of town around 8. to a very disappointing 3 hour wait at Mexicali East. this was the worst crossing I have experienced in the last 10 years. I almost believe it was by design to get people to purchase sentri or ready lane... heres why... 2 sentri booths.. 4 or 5 ready booths.. 2 closed booths... and ONE booth for everyone else! multiple guard swaps in our lane with an orange cone and a 5 minute (log in ?) period. Oh well... get the app for crossing.

Great time... lots of beaches... 4 bucs for fuel. the road from Constitucion to San Evaristito is passable with 2 wheel drive truck. Saw lots of cowboys, ranches, goats... it is worth doing. I wont do it again because I prefer to drive faster, but the views are amazing. Weather was all over the place and much of the desert was green... got some rain.

Ill try and get some pictures up,

David K - 7-28-2022 at 10:24 AM

Wow Tom, how awesome!! Lots of driving and crisscrossing the peninsula, too!

If you need photo help, let me know! Viva Baja!

Because he was closed both times... for you:








[Edited on 7-28-2022 by David K]

bill erhardt - 7-28-2022 at 10:42 AM

Tom....That is a great trip report! It felt like I was riding along with you as the story unfolded. The terrific restaurant on the beach a couple of miles north of Loreto is La Picazon and Tim the go to guy for everything from storing your rig to fresh fruit and vegetables to chartering a fishing boat or a trip on a glass bottom boat to aluminum fabrication and myriad other talents is Tim Yarbrough.

chippy - 7-28-2022 at 11:20 AM

Great trip report! I´m curious what prerunner you have that is 8 feet wide? You must get some crazy pinstriping ?

advrider - 7-28-2022 at 02:54 PM

Chippy, probable the tires stick out several feet past the body for stability. So the Chenowth Museaum is South of SF? For some reason I thought it was North. Loved the report. You have AC in that prerunner?

David K - 7-28-2022 at 03:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by advrider  
Chippy, probable the tires stick out several feet past the body for stability. So the Chenowth Museaum is South of SF? For some reason I thought it was North. Loved the report. You have AC in that prerunner?


It is north from Rancho (Laguna) Percebu camp. Just north of Km. 21, south of San Felipe.

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 05:01 AM



photo test

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 05:04 AM

[img]https:/[url=https://postimages.org/]/i.postimg.cc/52GpwLxD/20220720-143548.jpg[/img][/url][img]https://i.[url=https://postimages.org/]postimg.cc/kG1W7PGL/20220721-114039.jpg[/img][/url]

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 05:08 AM

A/C , 5 points, full cage and XM radio....drove the whole trip wearing flip flops! gone are my days of eating dust. I do lose a door mirror here and there, when I forget to fold them in.

Trunkrack - 7-29-2022 at 06:11 AM

Tom, thanks for the great trip report, as well as the photos! Was wondering about the hacienda you mentioned from day 3. Is that at the mission itself? and also, are the De La Toba's from there the same or related to the De La Toba's from Tembabichi?

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 06:59 AM



This is the hacienda across the street from the mission.... good chance on the temiabichi relationship as its about 30 miles away.... although Ive heard about 6 hours by car car.

[Edited on 7-29-2022 by honda tom]

[Edited on 7-29-2022 by honda tom]

BajaBlanca - 7-29-2022 at 11:01 AM

That was a GREAT trip report and the photos are the icing on the cake!

David K - 7-29-2022 at 11:35 AM

Thanks Tom....

The de la Toba clan traces back to the short-term governor, around the time when Baja California pledged allegiance with new Mexican Empire, in 1822... later becoming a republic.

Our very own Jack Swords photographed the grave of Governor de la Toba, about 20 years ago (at Rancho La Presa):



Ciudad Insurgentes was originally called Colonia de la Toba, as well.

1967 wall map: https://octopup.org/img/media/maps/baja/1967--Baja-Californi...

More: https://www.fatherofthecalifornias.com/

[Edited on 7-29-2022 by David K]

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 02:29 PM

Cool info David. I do recall driving through an area signed La Presa... lots of water there.

This De La Toba was a mans man.... look at the size of the bar he built in his house!

chippy - 7-29-2022 at 03:47 PM

The town of Tembabichi is located on the bay of the same name, on the east coast of the peninsula of Baja California, in the municipality of Comondú, in the state of Baja California Sur, and has the following coordinates: 25 15' 34" northern latitude, 110 57' 05" western longitude, with respect to the Greenwich meridian.

It was founded in 1901 with the arrival of the adventurer Donaciano de la Toba, his wife, Germana Mesa, and their two daughters, one three years old and the other one six years old. They gave life to this place that would later make history. Its growth was due to the discovery of a four karat pearl, green in color, found in the estuary nearby, now known as Estero de Cochi.

One day, in the month of April, 1906, a Spanish merchant ship passed by and took Donaciano to La Paz where he sold the pearl for $40,000 pesos, which he used to buy a small boat so he could continue his search for more pearls.

In the month of May, another pearl was found, this time a 5 karat, with a value of $50,000 pesos, which he spent on materials and masons to begin construction on what is now only ruins. The house and surrounding area, the barns, the kitchen, and all the gardens, gave it a very special touch. They grew grapes for wine, figs, wheat, and a variety of vegetables, turning it into a center of attraction and work, especially when the beaches in front of them were loaded with pearls. After a few years, the area was rededicated as a large scale cattle raising operation, transporting the cattle by ship.

Donaciano and his wife had a total of 12 daughters and three sons, the youngest of which married Señora Epifanía Amador de la Toba. Her husband passed away, but she is alive and still lives in this area.

A road to the town of Tembabichi doesn't exist. It has maritime access (small boats) or by air (small planes or helicopters), now that there is a landing strip in good condition, with a length of 600 meters

4th of December, 1995
Isabel de la Toba Lara

This was translated by my wife. We met Rudolfo de la Toba at Timbabiche last feb. This was written by his sister and kept in his mothers house next to the ruinas there. They are really great peeps.

[url=https://postimages.org/es/]

After that we started noticing how many businesses in CC were De la Toba.





[Edited on 7-29-2022 by chippy]

[Edited on 7-29-2022 by chippy]

chippy - 7-29-2022 at 03:58 PM

The road went in in 1996:o

chippy - 7-29-2022 at 04:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Thanks Tom....

The de la Toba clan traces back to the short-term governor, around the time when Baja California pledged allegiance with new Mexican Empire, in 1822... later becoming a republic.

Our very own Jack Swords photographed the grave of Governor de la Toba, about 20 years ago (at Rancho La Presa):



Ciudad Insurgentes was originally called Colonia de la Toba, as well.

1967 wall map: https://octopup.org/img/media/maps/baja/1967--Baja-Californi...

More: https://www.fatherofthecalifornias.com/

[Edited on 7-29-2022 by David K]


Thanks David. This gives more depth to the De la Toba history.

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 06:32 PM

visited tembabichi by boat several years ago and got the story just as you described.

honda tom - 7-29-2022 at 06:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bill erhardt  
Tom....That is a great trip report! It felt like I was riding along with you as the story unfolded. The terrific restaurant on the beach a couple of miles north of Loreto is La Picazon and Tim the go to guy for everything from storing your rig to fresh fruit and vegetables to chartering a fishing boat or a trip on a glass bottom boat to aluminum fabrication and myriad other talents is Tim Yarbrough.



Tim walked us around the property and showed us his boats... absolutely AMAZING stainless work all done in house.... I know some great fabricators ... Tim is one of the best!