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NinoPerdido
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Never know of coyotes being any kind of a problem, but yes, they are bold, but we love them. Nights out in the wilds are always great--------no
problems ever. Coyotes (and many other creatures) will raid your camp if you leave stuff out for them. Have to use common sense.
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I was surprised too. This was a professional, middle aged Mexican man from Ensenada. I can say that he seemed to regard our stopping to pick him up
to be a half-notch under saving his life. I believe it was nearly a new moon, so maybe this was just an instance of someone being overly imaginative
at being suddenly thrust into a situation where he was out of his element, but dark is very dark in Baja during a new moon. Also, of course, what I
call a warm night, the locals may have a different opinion of. I have been down to plenty of places in Baja where the temperatures are 80 degrees and
children are wearing layers of sweaters. Hard to say. Just passing it along for what it's worth.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Seaweed did not used to be a problem in the Gulf, and I am surprised at your report here-----wonder what is causing this?
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Don't know for sure. It was piled about the size of a curb along the high tide line along almost every beach with slow currents. We visited the
tortuga sanctuary in Bahia de Los Angeles and saw them loading up a flat-bed semi with huge bundles of dried see grasses I can only imagine were
scooped up along the beaches. The sanctuary apparently pumps sea water into their turtle tanks, probably at high tide, and the water in the tanks was
similarly just filled with rotting seaweed. The woman who was at the sanctuary seemed quite humiliated by the poor quality of the water in the tanks
and kept suggesting that we come back around noon, because I guess that's when she was expecting to be able to start the pump and perhaps pull better
water into the tanks. Along the beach in El Barril, there were places where you would sink six inches into a layer of seaweed on the beach with every
step, and the top layer was crusty and dry and just under that, it was slimy and very gross. I was in work boots that went up to my mid-shin, but one
of my colleagues had volunteered to retrieve sea water we needed for our work and had to muck through it. It definitely detracted from the desire to
engage in a lot of beach/ocean activities.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido]
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NinoPerdido
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Also, added to the list of lessons learned, we bypassed the opportunity to purchase our turista cards at Tijuana, because I judged the nature of the
appearance of our convoy to be overly garish. I thought we could purchase them in a more discreet manner at the immigration office in Ensenada.
However the immigration office in Ensenada only offers tourist visas for marine travel, so we were unable to obtain the necessary visas for our trip.
This did not turn out to be a problem, as we were never pulled over, we avoided crossing the state border, and the military checkpoints were more
directed at finding contraband. I suppose this piece of information about the availability of tourist visas is probably well-known to most here, but
it was news to me. A shining example of typical Mexico weirdness, that you have a fully equipped immigration office that does not offer a full range
of what one might imagine it does. How they can have a building for their immigration services in Ensenada and not have little stack of blank forms
in a drawer in the place is beyond my imagination, but there it is.
We ran into this a few years back when we had a vehicle stolen in Rosarito. Turns out, the police station in town doesn't have the forms to report a
stolen vehicle. We had to go almost a click south of town, to El Ministerio Publico, on foot and in the dark (and of course without our flashlights),
to fill out the form, then return with it to the police station in town. By that time, of course, any chance of recovering the vehicle was shot, we
didn't have enough for a room in Rosarito on a Saturday night, and the buses had stopped running. A taxing situation to say the least. It was only
due to a few impressive acts of selflessness and kindness by the local population that the situation wasn't a complete disaster.
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Hook
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Very interesting and valuable information. Thank you for taking the time to commit it into words here.
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NinoPerdido
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Least I could do.
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cpg
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Great report! Did you guys make it to San Francisquito? Did the road seem freshly graded all the way to the Y of El Barrill and San Francisquito?
Thanks
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NinoPerdido
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cpg
Great report! Did you guys make it to San Francisquito? Did the road seem freshly graded all the way to the Y of El Barrill and San Francisquito?
Thanks |
We had very little time for touring around, unfortunately. Our business was in and around the town of El Barril. The combination of time constraints
and distance to the site really minimized sightseeing. The road was in what I would call very good condition pretty much all the way to El Barril. I
was told this was freshly graded the whole way quite recently (i.e. this calendar year). I am not too familiar with dirt road maintenance practices
generally, so I can't say whether this was done in the last few weeks or how long a road stays good for after they do whatever they do, but it was
quite nice. It was hardly washboarded at all, and only then in a handful of places. There were no major washouts. The closest thing to a problem
with the road was a large cactus that had fallen over and almost reached the road. I don't think we would have been too prepared to find the road
blocked by a fallen cactus. We had at least two pairs of leather work gloves along and a shovel, but clearing a large cactus would have definitely
put the iron to us. Not exactly sure what we would do even to prepare to handle such a situation, but it was not required on this trip, thankfully.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido]
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Sharksbaja
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Ya dun good. Only two flats out of twp cars? I was glad to hear you weren't escorting some large contingency of Baja turistas.
That road can change dramatically after a storm as you can see from Google. Thanks for the update.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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cpg
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Thanks. Last time I was there in November the grader was almost to San Rafael. Best shape I have ever seen the road.
Are you guys looking at buying some land?
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NinoPerdido
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cpg
Thanks. Last time I was there in November the grader was almost to San Rafael. Best shape I have ever seen the road.
Are you guys looking at buying some land? |
Nope. The big storm I mentioned before caused radical changes in the water supply in the area. The well that had previously been used for drinking
water has become prone to both salt water and fecal matter incursions and is no longer safe to drink. The Mexican government has offered to bring a
drill rig out to drill one and only one well, so we went down to help try to determine, using relatively unsophisticated and cheap techniques, the
layout of available groundwater resources. We collected a bit less data than we thought we'd be able to, as I alluded to before, but we did get some
data we believe may be useful, and now we are analyzing the data to see if we can come up with some recommendations for placement of the new well.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido]
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cpg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by NinoPerdido
| Quote: | Originally posted by cpg
Thanks. Last time I was there in November the grader was almost to San Rafael. Best shape I have ever seen the road.
Are you guys looking at buying some land? |
Nope. The big storm I mentioned before caused radical changes in the water supply in the area. The well that had previously been used for drinking
water has become prone to both salt water and fecal matter incursions and is no longer safe to drink. The Mexican government has offered to bring a
drill rig out to drill one and only one well, so we went down to help try to determine, using relatively unsophisticated and cheap techniques, the
layout of available groundwater resources. We collected a bit less data than we thought we'd be able to, as I alluded to before, but we did get some
data we believe may be useful, and now we are analyzing the data to see if we can come up with some recommendations for placement of the new well.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido] |
Wow. Good luck on the placement of that well.
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Gadget
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Location: Point Loma CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by NinoPerdido
| Quote: | Originally posted by cpg
Great report! Did you guys make it to San Francisquito? Did the road seem freshly graded all the way to the Y of El Barrill and San Francisquito?
Thanks |
We had very little time for touring around, unfortunately. Our business was in and around the town of El Barril. The combination of time constraints
and distance to the site really minimized sightseeing. The road was in what I would call very good condition pretty much all the way to El Barril. I
was told this was freshly graded the whole way quite recently (i.e. this calendar year). I am not too familiar with dirt road maintenance practices
generally, so I can't say whether this was done in the last few weeks or how long a road stays good for after they do whatever they do, but it was
quite nice. It was hardly washboarded at all, and only then in a handful of places. There were no major washouts. The closest thing to a problem
with the road was a large cactus that had fallen over and almost reached the road. I don't think we would have been too prepared to find the road
blocked by a fallen cactus. We had at least two pairs of leather work gloves along and a shovel, but clearing a large cactus would have definitely
put the iron to us. Not exactly sure what we would do even to prepare to handle such a situation, but it was not required on this trip, thankfully.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido] |
For future info regarding the cactus, if there isn't a clear way around it.
Drive up close to it so you can measure where your tires will meet it.
Use what ever you have to either scrape of smash the neddles in those 2 areas so you won't get a puncture.
Back up, get a little run and drive over it.
If it is multi branched in the road or too big to clear with your vehicle then you are kinda SOL.
We have also hooked up a tow strap before and pulled it off the road. Gotta wear gloves though.
They really smash pretty easy since they are mostly a big sponge with some ribs for structure.
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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NinoPerdido
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I should probably also make clear that we were not there to help the Mexican government scope out the area. The Mexican government has not offered
any assistance to these people in characterizing their water resources or identifying better or worse potential well locations. We were there as
volunteers sponsored by an individual benefactor that has chosen to assist these people with this project. On the one hand, it's probably impertinent
to look a gift horse in the mouth. On the other, the Mexican government would certainly be in a position to conduct a far more thorough investigation
than we were and furthermore, the offer to come all the way out there to only drill one hole then turn around and go home seems awfully penny-wise and
pound-foolish to me. My two pesos.
And again, credit where credit is due, the community here definitely helped in the success of this trip. The information I received here bolstered my
decision to attend. We had some last minute convulsions that threatened to nix the trip, but in part because of the quality of the information you
all provided, we decided to push forward over the obstacles. Now we're waiting to see if we actually got anything the townspeople can use out of it,
but that's on us. Thanks again for all the help. In any case, we fixed one person's camera and identified a bad capacitor in someone else's air
conditioner, so it can't be a complete bust.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido]
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by NinoPerdido
Other information...
... And Tijuana is down TWO critical street signs for navigating the border area. Heading south crossing on I-5 or I-805, you can follow signs for
the Ensenada cuota right up until the last offramp (the one that goes off to the left and curves around onto the road along the north end of town out
to the Playas de Tijuana and from there, Ensenada cuota. The second is on the return coming north. You hang the left at the first light after coming
back along the road on the north end of town, then stay to the right for the San Diego ramp. This turn off to the right is now also unmarked.
If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido] |
Hi Nino,
That you are taking time to go into detail on your El Barril trip is really great... and appreciated!
I am wondering if (by your report) El Barril is much more than the private ranch owned by the tallish Villavicencio family and adjoining gringo homes
by the airstrip... are the Mexicans who live there made up of more than the Villavicencio family?
As for your comment above about the Tijuana to Ensenada route, just after entering Mexico and going up the overpass:
The left turn to circle down and around and head for the border fence road west to Playas was CHANGED quite a while ago to a RIGHT turn that drops you
right down to that road...
See the photo direction page in this link (note the third photo): http://www.rosaritobeachhotel.com/directions_to_rosarito.php
(this link has been in my Baja News and Notebook page for a while).
The Ensenada Migra office has been giving motorists a very hard time as well, for over a year now... He doesn't want to be bothered. This is really
unfair for people who change their plans and decide to stay in Ensenada longer than 72 hours or decide after they are there, to travel south of
Ensenada.
Thanks again for the report... I am glad the L.A. Bay route worked out well for you... saved you much of a day's driving, as well as not having to get
hassled at the Eagle Monument near Guerrero Negro, where they do check for tourist cards.
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mtgoat666
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Posts: 18415
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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| Quote: | Originally posted by NinoPerdido
I should probably also make clear that we were not there to help the Mexican government scope out the area. The Mexican government has not offered
any assistance to these people in characterizing their water resources or identifying better or worse potential well locations. We were there as
volunteers sponsored by an individual benefactor that has chosen to assist these people with this project. On the one hand, it's probably impertinent
to look a gift horse in the mouth. On the other, the Mexican government would certainly be in a position to conduct a far more thorough investigation
than we were and furthermore, the offer to come all the way out there to only drill one hole then turn around and go home seems awfully penny-wise and
pound-foolish to me. My two pesos.
And again, credit where credit is due, the community here definitely helped in the success of this trip. The information I received here bolstered my
decision to attend. We had some last minute convulsions that threatened to nix the trip, but in part because of the quality of the information you
all provided, we decided to push forward over the obstacles. Now we're waiting to see if we actually got anything the townspeople can use out of it,
but that's on us. Thanks again for all the help. In any case, we fixed one person's camera and identified a bad capacitor in someone else's air
conditioner, so it can't be a complete bust.
[Edited on 5-7-2008 by NinoPerdido] |
Who is behind the push to obtain a well? Is it an ejido? Or a fish-camp cooperative?
Some of local land there seems to be occupied by wealthy gringos (I'm guessing a gringo owns the mansion(s?) by the air strip) -- suggest you hit them
up for water development money.
Kind of a dry area, there. You'll have to drill the inland alluvial channel deposits to find fresh water, and even then I wouldn't expect very good
quality water or appreciable sustainable yield.
Good luck.
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NinoPerdido
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
I am wondering if (by your report) El Barril is much more than the private ranch owned by the tallish Villavicencio family and adjoining gringo homes
by the airstrip... are the Mexicans who live there made up of more than the Villavicencio family? |
I didn't inquire about last names, but I'm fairly sure I met with a group of them. Our primary contact down there was a notably tall local man by
rural Baja standards. I understand that a fair number of the people that live in El Barril are of the same family, though I did not get into a lot of
detail on that with the locals. In any case, there is a community of locals that appear to primarily subsist on small scale commercial fishing. I'm
pretty sure that none of them are property owners. The town is basically a fish camp, near as I can tell.
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
As for your comment above about the Tijuana to Ensenada route, just after entering Mexico and going up the overpass:
... |
Thanks.
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
The Ensenada Migra office has been giving motorists a very hard time as well, for over a year now... He doesn't want to be bothered. This is really
unfair for people who change their plans and decide to stay in Ensenada longer than 72 hours or decide after they are there, to travel south of
Ensenada. |
Boy, I'll say. Seems like a tip generator for entrepreneurial policemen to me. The guy wasn't there at the time we swung by, but once I saw the sign
that said they didn't offer them there, I hustled the crew out of the place.
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NinoPerdido
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
Who is behind the push to obtain a well? Is it an ejido? Or a fish-camp cooperative? |
Maybe not even anything as official as a co-op, probably just locals coming together, although there are charitiable organizations that do work in the
area. A local woman told me that the water had "gusanitos" in it. Thank god I've visited a bar or two in my trips around Mexico, so I understood
what that meant! In any case, the water is salty and periodically contaminated. Water is a pretty basic need, so I reckon everyone wants to solve
that problem.
| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
Some of local land there seems to be occupied by wealthy gringos (I'm guessing a gringo owns the mansion(s?) by the air strip) -- suggest you hit them
up for water development money. |
Well, a thorough, professional investigation is a fairly major undertaking. Hopefully, our investigation will yield usable results. If not, maybe
we'll *have* to go back down there.
| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
Kind of a dry area, there. You'll have to drill the inland alluvial channel deposits to find fresh water, and even then I wouldn't expect very good
quality water or appreciable sustainable yield.
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Yes, dry. And trapped right in close between the nearby hills and mountains and the sea. We ran into a lot of trouble running our investigation in
the arroyo and (against my better dowsing instincts) ended up running our investigation primarily along the major dirt roads. How that may end up
remains to be seen at this point. We are analyzing our data.
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by NinoPerdido
Yes, dry. And trapped right in close between the nearby hills and mountains and the sea. We ran into a lot of trouble running our investigation in
the arroyo and (against my better dowsing instincts) ended up running our investigation primarily along the major dirt roads. How that may end up
remains to be seen at this point. We are analyzing our data. |
are you dowsing? or are you using a scientific method? (sorry, I don't consider dowsing science, but i do find it to be an amusing topic of
conversation for c-cktail parties)  
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NinoPerdido
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
are you dowsing? or are you using a scientific method? (sorry, I don't consider dowsing science, but i do find it to be an amusing topic of
conversation for c-cktail parties) |
Ha! No, we weren't dowsing. We were setting up electrode arrays and pushing direct current to measure surface resistivity variations.
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Steve&Debby
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"against my better dowsing instints"
Sure sounds like a witch to me
What is you tool of choice?
A forked stick or bent welding rods 
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