RICHARDH
Junior Nomad
Posts: 84
Registered: 11-15-2006
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Dancing with Mex 1: sight-seeing, stopping, hiking, & picture taking
Travel guides seem to emphasize how narrow Mex 1 is and the fact that the highway has no shoulders. What I'm wondering is: South of El Rosario,
generally how much opportunity is there to safely pull off the highway (especially if pulling a small trailer) to do some hiking, to look around, and
maybe to take some pictures? How often are there side roads that might be taken from Mex 1 -- perhaps, say, to use as turn-around opportunities or to
follow for a ways to then stop and do some hiking? Is there some general rule of thumb for frequency of such side roads for various segments of Mex
1? Are those side roads typically wide enough for two-way traffic near their intersections with Mex 1? Are they generally level and easy to
negotiate?
I'm planning a Baja visit for six months beginning in January or February.
And while we're on the subject of Mex 1 safety: I've read some about the roadside shrines, which seem to suggest that some parts of Mex 1 are
especially dangerous. Has Baja's highway departments done much of significance to make such segments of Mex 1 safer? What are some of the problems
to watch out for (say, when driving in daylight)? Is there a highway guidebook that gives a mile-by-mile/km-by-km description of the hazards to watch
out for?
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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the biggest problems with safety is people going to fast. the highway was not built for high speed driving. if every one would drive the posted limit
there would be few problems.
usually there is a pull of every mile or so but there are some stretches that are a lot longer than that.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The highway is very narrow and elevated or carved into mountainsides over most of its run. However, there are many ranchos (food cafes) and turnoffs
where you can safely pull off.
I have made web pages of many interesting sidetrips in the area from El Rosario to L.A. Bay... Click on my links below. The most helpful to find sites
and side trips would be http://community-2.webtv.net/vivabaja/tours
Also, the Trip Reports forum here on Nomad has many trip reports for you to study.
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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The biggest difference in Baja is that the lanes are generally 1-2 feet norrower than in the states. We often less than 6 inches on each side of our
camper. There are almost no paved or graded shoulders. Many roads drop off a few inches to a foot or more, right at the edge of the pavement. Some
areas will have many potholes or eroded road edges.
There ARE places to pull off but you need to pick them carefully so as to avoid some with big drop-offs from the pavement. Many times the problem is
traffic behind you making slowing to pull over a little dicey. Use common sense and signals and you will be fine in your mid-size rig.
Has anyone mentioned the "left turn signal" pasing sign to you ??
When you get south of San Quinton, many people will use their left turn signal as a sign to those behind that they can pass. They appreciate the same
signals from us gringos.
.
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jerry
Super Nomad
Posts: 1354
Registered: 10-10-2003
Location: loreto
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that (left turn signal) is allso used for a left turn by many so be carfull
jerry and judi
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oxxo
Banned
Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
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Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jerry
that (left turn signal) is allso used for a left turn by many so be carfull |
It almost happened yesterday just north of San Felipe. We were following a Mexican plated car at a safe distance when he started to slow. He turned
on his left turn signal. We couldn't figure out what his intentions were. We know about the ambiguous nature of the left turn signal in Mexico.
A jacked up, 4x4 pickup behind us with American plates and filled with ATV toys got impatient and started to pass both of us at round 60 mph. As Mr.
Jacked Up passed us, the car in front started to make a left turn. Fortunately, the car that was turning saw Mr. Jacked Up coming in his side mirror
and quickly corrected back into his lane. Mr. Jacked Up flew by both of us. He is obviously an important person and had important business
somewhere.. After the pass, the guy in front completed his left turn onto a side road and everyone proceded in safety.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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RICHARDH,
Your upcoming trip sounds exciting. Six months of exploration. You are a lucky man. I envy you.
The best thing you can do at this time is to purchase a copy of the Baja Almanac. It will show you all of the dirt roads leaving the highway and you
may make your plans accordingly.
You won't have any problems pulling off the highway to take pictures. It looks as though pullouts were created everywhere as the highway was being
built and everyone uses them. They're not like ours in the sense that they are not part of the highway and are not paved.
There are many split roads along the highway that leave the highway and come back to it. Those are also a way of getting off the highway. There are
graded roads that lead to remote villages that open up the backcountry for you. There are roads leading to missions, mines, even ranchos that can be
taken.
I personally like the part of the peninsula south of El Rosario. It's beautiful, photogenic, and largely unfenced. There are numerous canyons, buttes,
and arroyos throughout. There is a great variety of cacti in the area. The ridges and slopes of the landscape come to life in the morning and evening
light.
There have been a lot of posts recently about the danger of camping in isolated areas. I think it would be wise to heed their advice. Perhaps it's
better to explore during daylight areas but camp overnight in RV parks. That would be the prudent thing to do.
This is a small image I took years ago of that area.
[Edited on 11-27-2006 by Skipjack Joe]
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