BajaNomad
Not logged in [Login - Register]

Go To Bottom
Printable Version  
Author: Subject: Trip report: Tecate to Cabo via Cd. Constitucion
oxxo
Banned





Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline

Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!

[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 11:30 AM
Trip report: Tecate to Cabo via Cd. Constitucion


Made the 1200 mile trip from SoCal to Cabo on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Crossed at Tecate. We parked on the street on the Mexican side near Immigracion. No problems. What's new is that you no longer pay at the bank across the street from Immigracion. They send you 3 blocks toward town to pay at Bancomer across the the street from the downtown plaza. 180 day tourist visas were 262 pesos each. Immigracion has you fill out a paper and then take it to the bank to pay and get the paper stamped. You take this back to Immigracion and he issues the visa. Be aware that Bancomer doesn't open til 8:30 am. We had to wait around 30 minutes for the bank to open. I don't know what they have you do if the bank is closed.

Road work. The roads in Baja Sur are in much better condition than the roads in Baja Norte. There was a lot of road construction in Baja Norte, more than in Baja Sur. In Norte, the detours are primarily rough graded dirt. In Baja Sur, the detours are primarily paved. The significant construction is south of Tecate for about 20 miles. We were driving an Escape Hybrid and the detour south of Tecate was no problem. However, I would take another route if it has been raining. Also, I would not recommend taking this detour if you are towing a trailer or driving an RV. The only other significant construction is for about 20 miles south of Todos Santos. The 4 lane is complete from La Paz to Todos Santos and they are now working south from TS to complete the 4 lane to Cabo.

Guerrero Negro. We were going to stay at Caracoles but they were full! I never expected that in August! So we stayed across the street at Cowboys for 500p. Cowboy has added in room WIFI that was very fast. Very convenient. Had a wonderful meal at Malarrimo.

Cd. Constitucion. We drove right down the middle two lanes around 12:30pm. We kept the speed at the posted 40kph. We came to a full stop at each stop sign. We were very polite to pedestrians. We saw numerous local police and Federales. No one bothered us (we have California plates). We found a great taco stand at the north entrance to town run by a mother and her daughter. It is the first taco stand on the right as you enter from the north. What is unusual is that she makes the tortillas fresh for you right before your eyes! YUM, YUM, YUM! 12 pesos each for either fish or carne asada.

Traffic was very light south of San Quintin. We had to stop at each checkpoint along the way, first time ever. They wanted to know where we were coming from, where we were going, and the purpose of our trip. We were waved on each time without an inspection.

As always, a very enjoyable trip. The Boojums were in bloom. It's good to be back home.

[Edited on 8-21-2010 by oxxo]
View user's profile
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 01:00 PM


While I have done it, I haven't made that trip with a single overnight stop in several years. Just wondering how many hours you spent on the road each day.
View user's profile
oxxo
Banned





Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Wherever I am, I'm there
Member Is Offline

Mood: If I was feeling any better, I'd be twins!

[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 03:33 PM


It is about 10 hours from Tecate to GN and about 12 hours from GN to Cabo. We usually spend the night in La Paz, but didn't this time because of the longer daylight hours. We share the driving. It is two long days of hard driving. I don't recommend this to others, but it works for us.
View user's profile
willyAirstream
Super Nomad
****


Avatar


Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 04:21 PM


I'm coming down in 2 weeks from Colorado, pulling a 24' TT. Do you recommend crossing at Tecate and if so, which road from there? I'd like to avoid construction and bumpy roads :)
ThX




View user's profile
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
******




Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 04:25 PM


I really think oxxo already told us. I'm sure there will be other opinions, but the road between Tecate and Ensenada is not fun right now. Consider crossing at Otay and heading down Blvd 2000 to the toll road.
View user's profile
willyAirstream
Super Nomad
****


Avatar


Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 04:30 PM


This is my first time, so i needed details, which you provided. Thanks!



View user's profile
Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
******


Avatar


Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline

Mood: Full Time Residents

[*] posted on 8-20-2010 at 05:01 PM


willy
take 70 to the 15
then straight south

cross at tj
avoid otay mesa
too complicated with a trailer

road is good




our website is:
http://www.mulege.org
View user's profile Visit user's homepage
TMW
Select Nomad
*******




Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 8-21-2010 at 09:02 AM


Thanks for the excellent report. I was wondering about Constitucion since I'll be doing three trips down in Oct and Nov. Thanks for the tip on the taco stand too.
View user's profile

  Go To Top

 






All Content Copyright 1997- Q87 International; All Rights Reserved.
Powered by XMB; XMB Forum Software © 2001-2014 The XMB Group






"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen. The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez

 

"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt

 

"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes

 

"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn

 

"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law







Thank you to Baja Bound Mexico Insurance Services for your long-term support of the BajaNomad.com Forums site.







Emergency Baja Contacts Include:

Desert Hawks; El Rosario-based ambulance transport; Emergency #: (616) 103-0262