bajabob
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 1-7-2005
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San Felipe, Gonzaga, BOLA, and more
Hi Bajanomads&
Corky,
We were a total of 5 riders (2 XR400s, 2 KTM 450, and a DRZ400) and 2 chase vehicles (old baja slugbug and a jeep, an unlikely pair) on a trip from
San Felipe south to San Ignacio and back. Our first day was good; we got a late start from S.F. (around noon after meeting with BajaLou, BTW a great
guy) to Gonzaga. After 20 miles of the whoops and the heat, we were dying. The heat really affected me badly this year. My DRZ (2-Ton Tony) felt
like an 600lb Gold Wing in the sand, I?m really out of shape!  We routed to the
highway and into Puertocitos. The road to Gonzaga was really bad, a lot worse than last year in regards to washboard. My brains were actually
rattling around in my head, I backed way off the tire pressure, softened the dampening on my shocks to no avail. Ric?s dad, Bob W. broke a shock
mount on his Jeep (and subsequently broke the shock) after hitting a big hole at speed. Bob W. was going fast, too fast for a relatively stock CJ5 as he tried to keep up with the Baja Bug. Newbie Todd ran out of gas twice on
his KTM which we discovered had only a 75 mile range. I don?t know how many emails we sent out to the crew about minimum fuel requirements but this
joker was just along for the ride... We were all beat by the time we got to Gonzaga. Same ole B.S. with Antonio, no vacancies despite a confirmatory
letter faxed to Ric by Joaquin Card##as. Knowing that we were going to expect this made our situation much more tolerable. We laughed, ordered a beer
and chips and salsa and waited Antonio out. Magically, 4 rooms opened up. 
Antonio was an awesome host after that. It was then that I discovered that my gear (clothes, toothbrush, etc) weren't in the chase vehicle. I only
had what was on my back for the rest of the trip (fortunately I borrowed some shorts and a pair of undies from Elden, from now on I?ll always carry
everything I need on my back or on my bike). It was way too hot that night, no breeze, not much sleep. Newbie Todd slept on the beach. The next
morning Jimmie Roberts and 2 friends were there, I talked for a little to them. Jimmy seemed like a very nice guy. The bill at Gonzaga worked out to
be about $50.00/person, included dinner, room and breakfast. We were double charged for 16 beers which were put on a tab but the guys paid cash for
but we didn?t stink about it because the rest of it seemed o.k.
Coco was his usual self, seemed in good health. The ride to BOLA was nice but newbie John got a flat at Calajume Wash. He had the tools and tube to
fix it and we were on our way. John was a KTM guy who had a great time, did all of his homework and brought the tools and patience necessary for a
good trip. While fixing the flat we met some laborers who were mining the dark green slate for use in the hotels down in Cabo. Beautiful slabs of
rock. Angel (most outgoing of the bunch who spoke very good English) showed us a rabbit he killed for dinner with a slingshot. He and his group had
been out there for a week mining the slate and were waiting for a big 18wheeler to load the stuff on to. We said goodbye and rode a while; the 18
wheeler was off on the side of the trail as the driver made some repairs. I couldn?t believe he got his truck down the trail without getting stuck.
We got some rain on the way to BOLA, which hurt like heck at 60mph and got a room at Casa Diaz. $25/night, toilets didn?t flush but what can you
expect? The place was run down but had its own little charm and the price was right. Met 2 more guys named Bob from SoCal (Fallbrook and OC) who
made the trip to Casa Diaz once a year for fishing; great older guys who had some great stories to tell about the years coming down to Baja. Bob1
heard about my lack of clothes and donated a set of bright blue board shorts to my wardrobe. Bob W blew the other shock getting to BOLA but found a
shop around the corner from Casa Diaz with a welder and some PROCOMP shocks that fit perfectly. How lucky can you get? I had dinner at Guillermos (3
great fish tacos, rice and beans for $4.99), a nice lady named Lizette who was Guillermo?s daughter (?) was serving dinner and drinks. (I hope you
don?t think I?m money fixated because of the prices I quote and such, I?m just doing it to give you a relative idea of the costs we incurred on our
trip). I talked to Todd about riding near the campgrounds and hotels and not doing wheelies in town, said it wasn?t a good thing to do. Todd
basically said to mind my own business; my perception of his belligerence enhanced by the 2 margaritas from Lizette combined to the point where I was
really peeed off and I ended up going home early. Due to the heat, we all took our cots out and slept on the beach that evening. Ric and Jim N.
stayed at Guillermos, ran up a big bar tab (>$100 is big for me) and met up with Jimmy Roberts again who said Mouse McCoy was on his way down south
from the Pacific side, they were all going to meet in Loreto and head on to La Paz. Way cool to have friends that can ride! Next morning, woke up
with a new attitude and outlook on life; forget the bad stuff and get on with the good stuff. We had breakfast at Guillermos. Got a late start from
BOLA (big mistake) and checked out Camp Gecko. Nice place, I?ll go there next time. Headed out for the Green Door ride, nice riding until we noticed
that it was getting way too hot. I was getting heat exhaustion (way over 100 degrees with humidity) and poking around in the riverbed looking for the
way out was overheating my bike and my body. I?m running Engine Ice, this really made a difference cf to regular anti-freeze. My bike would have
been dead if it weren?t for the ICE. Ric found the way out of the riverbed (BajaGpsGuide instructions were bad here) and we were on our way out of
the valley. We met some more guys (Ed and another Bob) from the Dust to Glory ride who were adamant that we did NOT take the beach route from San
Francisquito to San Ignacio as outlined in BAJAGPSGUIDE.com. They said that it was way too hot to do that ride and the one guy whose name is also Bob
(grizzled vet, sorta like you but twenty-thirty years or so younger, just as grumpy as you though) said no @#%^#^*& way would he even do that ride
in good conditions. His emphasis on the cuss words let Elden and I know that he was very serious about the warning. He said that you could drop down
onto a beach or soft spot and never be able to get back out. Needless to say, I took his advice and rerouted our trip for the next morning. That
night was spent in San Francisquito at the beachside resort there. Nice beachfront open faced rooms. We were the only ones there and the atmosphere
was great. Jimmy N. had broken a weld on the gear reduction adapter on his Baja Bug and found a welder (Antonio) down the road who would do the work
the next morning. A bunk at the place in San Francisquito is $20/night, dinner is $13, breakfast $7 and gas is $4/gallon. Dinner looked really good,
(tacos, flautas and rice and beans) but the food tasted bad and everyone was disappointed.  John caught a barracuda that night on a rented pole and a lure and was stoked.
More later.
Bob
Photos at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bshims@sbcglobal.net
[Edited on 10-18-2005 by bajabob]
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Bajagato
Nomad
Posts: 129
Registered: 4-19-2004
Location: Laguna Hills
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I am not a motorcycle person, but I am a Baja junkie, and I loved your story and loved your pictures too! The last place you stayed looked really
nice, San Fransquito? I have never been there but looks like the next place I want to go!!! thanks for the report!
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bajabob
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 1-7-2005
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thanks gato
we actually had a good time, we were just burned out from the driving time there (15-17 hours one way from Sacramento) and back. San Francisquito was
nice, the water was a lot cooler than the water at Gonzaga and BOLA. Very nice beach for sunbathing or whatever. Antonio owns a welding shop and a
private beach on the other side of the point and rents out campsites for a reasonable price. Very nice place.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64945
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Great story... That deep sand near La Bocana (on Kacey's route south of L.A. Bay) even trapped Neal Johns briefly in a 4X4, I bet on bikes it is
really difficult, and with the heat too!
Keep on posting! Thanks.
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soulpatch
Nomad
Posts: 404
Registered: 7-30-2005
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Very cool.
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bajabob
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 1-7-2005
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Deep sand
David,
Deep sand is o.k. on a bike if you know where you're going; you can pin the throttle and point the bike to the general direction you want to go to.
But if you don't know where you're going it gets tough. Stopping and starting in the deep sand on a hot nasty day can really cook the ole brain
cells. Really tough for an old guy like myself. And I'm on vacation!
p.s. Thanks for the stickers.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Great story Bajabob - thanks for posting it. Glad you had a good time - getting thru problems is what makes some of our trips really memorable.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64945
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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De nada amigo!
I know where you were in the sand... The main used track leads right into the canyon (Arroyo San Pedro) to Rancho La Bocana (but mis named on the
Almanac as Rancho San Pedro)... To continue south, you turn sharp EAST passed the big mesquite tree at the base of the hill and keep heading east into
the cardon forest.
Here are some photos of the old road between L.A. Bay and San Francisquito... these taken in Valle la Bocana and the final one in Valle San Rafael
(Baja Almanac Map 23)
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Here is my truck at the cardonal:
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Along the plain, heading east:
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And some fun road crossing the Sierra el Alambrado:
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Finally, where the old road meets the new, south of San Rafael (photo looking north):
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eetdrt88
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Az/Ca/Baja
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killer trip report,Bob
i am looking forward to some of that kind of action in the not to far away future...your link for the photos didnt seem to work.bummer,i'd love to see
those pics
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bajabob
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 1-7-2005
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Photo link
eetdrt88
Sorry about that link, I couldn't figure out how to fix the hyperlink on it. If you copy and paste the url address:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bshims@sbcglobal.net
into your browser you will be redirected to a yahoo photos site. Let me know if this doesn't work. thanks, bob
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Corky1
Nomad
Posts: 416
Registered: 11-22-2003
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Bob,
When do we get the rest of the story????
Corky 
 
\"Keep The Rubberside Down\" |
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bajabob
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 1-7-2005
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Bajanomads &
Corky,
Here is the rest of the story?
After dinner that night we pulled our cots out of the huts and onto the sand and had a nice evening under the stars. We decided to take Ed and Bob?s
advice and take the road into El Arco and hop on the racecourse and head into San Ignacio. We checked out (no breakfast) and headed across the point
to Antonio?s Welding Shop to get the gear reduction adapters welded up on the Baja bug. Jimmy pulled the rear wheel off the bug and Antonio did a
great job welding the adapter back into place. I was really impressed with the nice welds and quality of work. I took a tour of Antonio?s place and
he showed me the beach where his campground is situated. I?ll pass his email address along later on if anyone is interested.
Well, before I go any further, I want to let everybody know what Corky?s 3 Golden Rules of Baja Riding are:
1. Never pass Gas(oline)...
2. Drink your water?
3. Take the deepest rut?
These rules were put into place for a reason. And my failure (and the failure of a couple of the other guys) in neglecting rule number one became a
costly issue for everybody involved. I decided that I didn?t need to get gas in San Francisquito; I have an IMS 4.2 gallon tank on my DRZ which is
good for about 200 miles in ideal conditions. And since I only had logged 125 miles since I last filled up, I figured that I could get away with not
filling up in SF at $4/gallon and wait to fill up in El Arco 40 miles away. Jimmy (Baja bug) and Bob W (jeep) felt the same way. Big mistake! We
headed out of SF onto the road which went to El Arco. The rough trail after the main crossing at the highway turned into a high-speed wide open run
through the mountain range over to the Pacific. The pace and uphill terrain with occasional sandy washes was unknowingly sucking gas at a pretty fast
clip. BTW, Ric almost hit a cow, freaked us all out. I got to El Arco and not a PEMEX station to be found anywhere. As a matter of fact, the whole
town looked deserted (found out later that everyone was out in the fields working or something like that) we made a left at the church and headed out
onto the racecourse. After a mile, my bike sputtered and I had to go to reserve. Bummer. I stopped a borrowed a gallon of gas from Bob in the jeep.
He said he had 6 gallons left which would give him a range of 65-70 miles. Jim?s bug was out of gas also, he borrowed a gallon of gas from Bob?s
nearly empty jerry can and naturally Todd?s KTM was out of gas again. We were about 25 miles from Viscaino, the nearest town where a Pemex station was
on the map. I knew I had enough gas to get to town but if anybody got lost or if we had to backtrack it would be very close. I cursed myself for not
filling up when I could and my other riding buddies started were mocking me, doing their best imitation of Corky (omnipresent) admonishing me for my
stupidity.
The race course was sweet, fast, sandy and fun. Ric, Todd and John rode off in the lead; Elden and I went next followed by Jim?s bug and Bob in the
jeep. I was heading down a fast sand wash (4th gear) and saw the washout ahead (trail dropped off into a 2 foot wash with a near vertical incline on
the other side) I hit the brakes (going way too fast), dropped in and held on. I hit the incline, came flying out of the other side of the wash
hanging onto the bars, my feet off the pegs and (lamely) in the air (aka Superman) and finally got back under control and pulled off. Elden was
riding a bit more conservatively and came through o.k.
We kept riding for what seemed a good long time and pulled up to a ranch where a gent was kicking back under an awning. We chatted and I asked him if
he had any gas to sell. ?Yes?, he did. ?How much for a gallon?? I figured I would now gladly pay $4 for a gallon. He replied ?Diez?. Ten bucks a
gallon! All 3 of us started laughing. He said something which we translated to ?I have it but if you don?t need it that bad I?m sure you can get it
elsewhere?. Out in the middle of nowhere...this guy was a true capitalist! We laughed together and said our good-byes. What a memory.
We rode up a couple of miles up the road and decided to wait for the chase vehicles. We ended up waiting for almost an hour and there was nobody in
sight. We couldn?t backtrack due to my wretched gas situation. We fired up the bikes and headed into Viscaino. Ric, Todd and John were eating tacos
at the roadside stand by the PEMEX station and Todd was drinking the sweet water from the pitcher on the table (big big mistake!). We sent Ric and
John to look for the bug and the jeep. They found the jeep disabled (Bob was flying and hit the ditch). The front axle was pushed back and the leaf
spring and shackle were ripped off the frame. Jim?s bug had run out of gas also. John siphoned some gas from his KTM into the bug, a first I?m sure.
After we mistakenly summoned a tow truck (don?t ask, cost us $150) to come out and tow the jeep, Jimmy and Ric (after much wrenching and pulling with
a come-along) chained the leaf spring to the frame, wrapped it in place with some chain and Bob crawled into town at a very slow pace. Our plans of
hitting San Ignacio and all the cool places there were dashed on the spot. NEVER PASS GAS!
We got the jeep welded and ate and crashed at the motel across the street from the PEMEX station. $22/night for a room with a/c and tv. It seemed
like a lot of prostitutes were out at the truck stop. Very sad. BTW, we got some very hard looks in that town, not a place I?d want to go back and
visit. Chuck (Baja bug co-driver) was feeling poorly that night and Jim decided to head home early, at 4 a.m. they headed back for San Felipe. (Got on
bug on the trailer around 4p.m via El Crucero)Todd got diarrhea, big-time. We decided that we wouldn?t try to head south and instead headed north.
At the Guerrero Negro immigration checkpoint, we were asked to produce our Tourist Visas. Gulp!! None of us had bothered to pick those up in San
Felipe as we left on a Sunday morning. The officer in charge was nice and sent us into the admin building and got us our visas, free of charge. The
senior officer told us he was a desert racer, had an XR650 and was eyeing Johns KTM. John said ?take it for a spin? and he was off. We saw him
flying down the back road away from the immigration checkpoint, easily pushing 100mph across the desert. He came back with a smile on his face. We
said our good-byes and once again we were on our way.
Blazed up the highway up to El Rosario, out of gas and very tired. Met Antonio (a nice young man with very high standards of quality) at the Baja
Cactus and he hooked us up with four of the best rooms we have ever had on our trips in Mexico. I was in room 208 (if you go there ask for room 208),
a huge room with a killer loft, 4 queen sized beds in all. Nice stonework, very much attention to detail. Awesome room, new comfy beds with a killer
TV. Mama?s lobster was awesome. Got to talk with Mama?s daughter, very nice lady with great stories. Bought her autobiography, best book I?ve read
in a long time. (gave it to my daughter who read it non-stop until done, she wants to meet the great Mama in person now).
Next day, Todd was still suffering and itching (literally) to hit the road. We took off, the plan being that the bikes would turn off at Camulu, do
the beach run to Colonet and hook up with the Jeep at the turnoff on the highway to Valle de Trinidad. Todd somehow missed the Camalu Pemex and kept
going. Todd had no maps, no clue of where we were going but was always out riding out front. We stopped, gassed and waited for about 45 minutes.
Nobody wanted to chase him down, we were hoping that the jeep would catch him on the highway so the bikes took off down to the shipwreck and all of
the cool surfing spots on the coast and eventually headed inland to Colonet. We turned up the road heading toward Valle de Trinidad and caught the
jeep about halfway to Trinidad. No Todd?we were beginning to get worried. A few moments later, we heard a bike in the distance coming our way. Much
to our surprise, it turned out to be Todd. He pulled up to us, instead of stopping, he jumped off the bike and let it ghost ride to a stop. We were
cracking up! He told us that he kept going and was about 50km from Ensenada when he ran out of gas. He siphoned some gas from some bikers headed
south and filled up. He saw the ribbons we left at the Trinidad turnoff and headed up the hill where he caught us. He must have been flying. We
said our prayers of thanks, hit Valle de Trinidad and then made our way back to San Felipe. Long trip, lots of excitement, good and bad. I can?t
wait to go again. bob
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64945
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Wonderful report... great stuff... good and bad experiences both make Baja great and memorable!
Antonio works his butt off day and night to have a great place to stay or just overnight on your Baja vacation... Room 208 is for big families or
groups of fisherman... killer showers in all the new rooms, too!
El Arco began to die when the gold ran out, then had hopes of a big copper discovery returning life to this once important town on the original main
highway down Baja. The copper still waits to be mined and Mexico 1 completely bypassed El Arco, in favor of Guerrero Negro in 1973... and that was it
for El Arco. The new El Arco access highway (Mex. 18) had such thin asphalt, it was mostly dirt and pot holes a few years later.
Thanks again Bob!
[Edited on 10-20-2005 by David K]
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Great post Bob
You write a good story! John M
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Great Bob - what a trip
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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bajabob
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 1-7-2005
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Thanks!
It's a pleasure to be able to share our trip with you, looking forward to meeting more of you on our next trip to Baja. bob
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