nobaddays
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Driving to Cabo suggestions
We are driving to Cabo San Lucas in late October. We planned on leaving Los Angeles at b 4:00am on a Tuesday, driving straight through to Santa
Rosalia. Then 6:00am the next day to Cabo. We now may have to leave on a Sunday. What are you experienced Baja drivers thoughts on this? I know there
is more traffic on a Sunday but less trucks right? Also maybe we would just go to San Ignacio. What are your thoughts??? Thanks
[Edited on 9-3-2012 by nobaddays]
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RnR
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Three days!
Good Luck.
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DavidE
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Let's see, if you put someone looking to the rear with binoculars and go 90 miles an hour, you'll get to the border in an hour and something. Somehow
you'll have to convince immigration to open their office and in a big rush to boot. Get your tourist cards, go like a mad hatter around Tijuana and 75
miles later end up in Ensenada. Another two hours with absolute pure luck. Count on a full half hour to forty minutes getting through Ensenada down to
Maneadero. An hour forty five minutes to San Quintín at Warp 10. Yell at the marinas at the puesto de control just north of El Rosario to "hurry up".
Otherwise you'll lose 15 minutes without moving. Gas up in El Rosario. Oh jeez, you'll have to make up lost time and go almost twice the speed limit
and average 88 miles an hour until you run into the traffic barriers on La Cuesta del Diablo.
All the above was penned with an intent of good humor to let you know you face huge obstacles on your 2-days to get to Cabo San Lucas quest.
Oh Jeez, I forgot about the inspection, spraying and then the tourist papers guy at the 28th parallel. Oh well.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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oxxo
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I suggest leaving LA around 5am on Sunday (no traffic on 405 and much less traffic in north Baja on Sunday) Arrive in Guererro Negro about 6
or 7pm. Leave GN at 6am and arrive in CSL around 6pm. We do it all the time, 2 or 3 times a year.
We average 55 mph including stops for fuel and food. We drive 25 mph through the pueblos and around 70 mph out in the middle of nowhere. In 7 years
of driving this route (about 20 round trips), I have never been asked for papers at the 28th parallel. Miltary stops going south are cursory at best.
Usually it is "where are you going and are you on vacation." No sweat.
[Edited on 9-3-2012 by oxxo]
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willardguy
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amnesia will still be open a day later!
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Wally
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Quote: | Originally posted by oxxo
I suggest leaving LA around 5am on Sunday (no traffic on 405 and much less traffic in north Baja on Sunday) Arrive in Guererro Negro about 6
or 7pm. Leave GN at 6am and arrive in CSL around 6pm. We do it all the time, 2 or 3 times a year.
We average 55 mph including stops for fuel and food. We drive 25 mph through the pueblos and around 70 mph out in the middle of nowhere. In 7 years
of driving this route (about 20 round trips), I have never been asked for papers at the 28th parallel. Miltary stops going south are cursory at best.
Usually it is "where are you going and are you on vacation." No sweat.
[Edited on 9-3-2012 by oxxo] |
x2
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Ateo
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I think Santa Rosalia is impossible from LA unless you drive at night.
I leave Encinitas around 5AM and usually get into San Ignacio as the sun is setting. October days are shorter.....
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shari
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You can make it perhaps in daylight to San Ignacio but that stretch from Ignacio to Sta.Rosalia is a very treacherous, desolate stretch of
road...particularly around Bonfil where there is alot of cattle on the road and big rigs on the mountain pass....not real smart to drive it at dusk or
dark so my vote is to stay in San Ignacio the first night.
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nobaddays
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OXXO your post is very helpful. I drove 4 years ago in March before daylight savings. We left Manhattan Beach at 4:00am arrived in Manaedero about
8:30 am, San Ignacio at dusk and drove between two busses for an hour or so into Santa Rosalia. We were not speeding, driving a 4 cylinder jeep. We
only stopped for gas never to eat. Arrived in Cabo after a night at EL Morro hotel around 4:00pm. It is very doable. This time we will be in a
Cadillac Escalde EXT.
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maspacifico
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San Ysidro at 6AM on Sunday is the best....especially if you are carrying things. Get through Ensenada before it's a mess and San Quentin isn't quite
up yet. I push to San Ignacio and treat myself to the Desert Inn or whatever they are calling themselves now. Dawn from San Ignacio to Cabo San Lucas
is easy. For me, trying for Santa Rosalia is pushing it and not worth the 1 1/2 hour you save....and the hotels aren't as good. New highway between La
Paz and Cabo San Lucas is sweet.
Of course my wife wants to stop at all the places I've seen 40 years before!
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acadist
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I used to like to cross in the middle of the night and hit San Tomas by daybreak and have made it to Mulege and even Loreto in one day. That has
changed now that the immigration office to get your visa does not open until 7 am. Guerrero Negro is a good day 1 stop. I only go to La Paz and can do
this on day 2, then have an easy day 3 and roll into Cabo early. 3 days is very do-able.
Dave
I moved to CO and they made me buy a little rod to make it feel like a real fish
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maspacifico
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Didn't know the immigration office in San Ysidro doesn't open til 7....is that for sure? Used to be you had to knock on the door but someone would
answer! The main one behind the inspection stations? I'm on an FM2 and don't sign "out" unless I fly out, then I need that stamp to return. Might be
confusing the original question!!
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DavidE
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The INM guy was there this morning at 0945 chatting with the sprayers. I got asked in March and showed them my inmigrado card only to get a 15 second
lecture about the illegality of an inmigrado driving a foreign plated car.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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nobaddays
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Very good advice and Shari we will stop at San Ignacio.
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captkw
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ARE YOU NUT'S ??
HOLA..THIS ONLY MY THOUGHTS ON TRYING TO MAKE SUCH A FOOLISH PLAN AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE ROAD AWHILE (77) WHY ARE YOU IN SUCH A HURRY ??????
BIKES AND CRAZY DRIVERS DONT LAST LONG ON THIS ROAD !!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT A COKE CURVE IS??...BUT THIS IS MY OWN THOUGHTS AND PLEASE DO WHAT EVER YOU
WANT..TO HELL WITH ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD K&T
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vivaloha
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Cruise daytime only - mo Bettah - the journey Is the destination
Baja California can be a heaven or hell experience - often the determining factor is your AWARENESS in the moment.
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Marc
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Quote: | Originally posted by vivaloha
Cruise daytime only - mo Bettah - the journey Is the destination |
X2
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Alm
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Quote: | Originally posted by nobaddays
I drove 4 years ago in March before daylight savings. We left Manhattan Beach at 4:00am arrived in Manaedero about 8:30 am |
Confusion indeed. What will be your status in this next planned trip? Do you have to get FMT and pay for it, or stamp whatever you have? INM doesn't
issue visas 24/7, they only "process" it 24/7, meaning - let you through if your papers are OK. If they are not - and you have to either obtain it or
pay for - I am not sure about dashing through the border at 4 am. Driving before/after dark is a crazy idea anyway, 90% of time.
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Bob and Susan
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i drive from the border home to mulege all the time...one day...cross at 7am
leaving LA at 4am puts you crossing the border at 7am easily
you'll be in santa rosalia in 13 hours
with a stop at mcdonalds in ensenada
you WILL slow down after dark and
remember you lose an hour when you pass Guerrero Negro
add one hour if women on board 
figure 9- 10 hours to cabo the next day
edit: to avoid the spelling police
[Edited on 9-8-2012 by Bob and Susan]
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bigmike58
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I may need to see a doctor as I find myself agreeing with Bob on this one!!LOL  
We leave the Hemet area at 4:30am hit Border at 6am (imigration had just opened) pulled into Mulege at 7:30pm... no night driving in Baja this way.
The above times included 2 girls (+1.5 hrs) and imigration (+ 15 min.) I have made the trip without women/imigration/food only fuel and donuts and
arrived by 5:30pm... (only speeding in the wide open areas between El Rosario and Vizcano?sp).. This does include the time and money well spent
getting my truck sprayed at the BCS border, (note to Cortez Blue- border-not boarder)
Shouldn\'t one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check or Sec.8 housing?
........... I had to pass one to earn it for them!
\"I\'ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go?\"
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