David K
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Road Report Feb. 2017: Mexicali to Loreto + many side roads!
Just back last night from a 10-day trip to check both roads and points of interest.
HWY. 5: Mexicali to San Felipe: Excellent
HWY. 5: San Felipe to Puertecitos: Fair, some new potholes, and the many steep dips. Keep it under 55, or 45 in an RV or towing.
Hwy. 5: Puertecitos to End of Pavement: Excellent
Paved driving still ends at the same place since winter 2013/14, 20 kms (12+ miles) south of the Gonzaga Pemex. The final Km. marker is wrong, being
Km. 170, as it should be Km. 167 (being one kilometer south of Km. 166).
Unpaved section to Hwy. 1, Laguna Chapala: Better than previous trips perhaps due to construction activity back on? The 10 miles to Coco's Corner
mostly good. The remaining 12+ miles to Laguna Chapala begin as very rough just beyond Coco's but only for 2 miles. The new highway route is reached
about 4-5 miles from Coco's and the road is not too bad. I still thing bug RVs should avoid unless they know that the nearly 23 unpaved miles must be
taken very slowly.
HWY. 1: Laguna Chapala to Paralelo 28 (State Border/ Eagle Monument): VERY POTHOLED, almost like the road was in the 80's.
HWY. 1: State Border (near Guerrero Negro) to Loreto and south to Ligüí: Very Good! The washouts from last September's flash floods are mostly
repaired. They are widening the highway to 4 lanes just south of Loreto for about 2 miles.
SIDE ROADS:
Flash floods from last summer and perhaps previous chubascos have done a number on many of the dirt roads of central and southern Baja.
Mission San Borja: both roads (west road from Nuevo Rosarito and north road from L.A. Bay highway have rough conditions in parts. The west road is by
far the worst, with most of it rocky. The north road is rocky on the half closest to the mission and fast on the half closest to L.A. Bay road. RVs
should probably avoid, but if you just have to go (and it is great to go), use the north road both directions... at least until we hear the west road
get graded again.
Punta Chivato road (Km. 155.5): Rough for about 4 miles, then smooth.
San Nicolas road (Km. 62), south of Bahia Concepcion: pretty good graded road, maintained, has kilometer markers along it, too. 10+ miles in.
San Isidro/ La Purisima road (Km. 59+): Great for the first few of the 32 miles, then it just goes to hell. 2 hrs. 45 min. in my Tacoma. All big rigs
and RVs should avoid, IMO.
San Juanico/ San Basilio road (Km. 48.5): 13.4 miles of average Baja road... small campers probably okay, 4WD best. The unsigned fork for San Juanico
fishing village (left) or San Basilio camping beach (right) is 10.3 mi. from Hwy. 1.
Mission San Javier road: All good paved with a dirt detour around a new roadbed on the mountainside about halfway in. No problem for any vehicle.
4 miles north of San Javier is the unsigned road to the Comondu's (between Km. marker 27 & 28): Fair Baja road for 9 miles, then a steep climb up
and a steeper drop down, 6 miles best driven in a 4WD truck or SUV. Rough!
The final 10 miles is a pretty fair dirt road. Almost 2 hours to drive 25 miles.
Comondu to La Purisima: Begins rough with a long climb out of the palm canyon and across lava hills and picks up speed the closer you get to San
Isidro/ La Purisima. The paved road begins in San Isidro, 21 miles from Comondu. 1-hour drive.
Look for photos and the full trip report, coming soon!
[Edited on 2-10-2017 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Forgot to mention HWY. 2-D: Mexicali to Tecate:
Good to fair, actually for a high-speed toll road, the section west of La Rumorosa (up on top) has a need for repair in the slow lane, as rough or
missing asphalt has semis using both to avoid the holes.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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Wow...great detailed road report, GK!
The road from Chapala to Parallel 28 Was VERYpotholed when we went through 6 weeks ago.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Frank
Senior Nomad
Posts: 861
Registered: 6-5-2005
Location: San Diego
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Thanks David! Can you tell me the approximate drive time from Mexicali to Gonzaga? I was thinking of staying at Alfonsina, but it looks like they
don't allow pets, any other suggestions?
Your trip report comes at a great time, Ive been wanting to go south along this route for a long time. 2 years without a Baja fix!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: Originally posted by Frank  | Thanks David! Can you tell me the approximate drive time from Mexicali to Gonzaga? I was thinking of staying at Alfonsina, but it looks like they
don't allow pets, any other suggestions?
Your trip report comes at a great time, Ive been wanting to go south along this route for a long time. 2 years without a Baja fix!
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Frank, you NEED to be back in Baja!
Here are the times I recorded:
Southbound: Border Mexicali downtown/ west at 10:22 am (I already had a valid FMM and after a quick look at my truck, the border guard sent me on).
San Felipe 12:24pm, stop only for gasoline.
Puertecitos Jcn. (Km. 74.5) 1:23pm, no stop.
Km. 99 island view paved vista pulloff 1:37pm, brief stop.
Km. 147 Gonzaga Bay Pemex/ Alfonsina's road/ Rancho Grande store 2:06pm.
So, just under 4 hours for the 210 mile drive south.
Two days ago, northbound:
Gonzaga Bay Pemex at 11:22am
San Felipe at 1:47pm (includes a half hour lunch stop near Puertecitos)
and I went west on 2-D to Tecate for a much easier border crossing. Getting there at 5:15pm, and 0 cars in line!
The three tolls going to Tecate: 73 pesos, 23 pesos, 67 pesos. At 20:1, in dollars: $3.65, $1.15, $3.35.
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Frank
Senior Nomad
Posts: 861
Registered: 6-5-2005
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Is it time to leave yet?
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I just found your driving times. Thanks, but still need hotel in Gonzaga.
David K drive times.....
Did San Felipe to Guerrero Negro 3 days ago. Hwy. 1 has lots of pot holes.
Not towing, but here are my times:
San Felipe ... 12:24pm
Puertecitos ... 1:23
Gonzaga Bay ... 2:06
Hwy. 1/Chapala ... 3:15
L.A. Bay jcn. .. 3:41
El Tomatal checkpoint ... 4:22
Jesus Maria ... 4:40
Gasoline and taco stop (Kassandra's) to 5:07
State border, 20 peso spray fee:5:29/6:29 MST. Guerrero Negro is 2 miles further.
So, 5 hours with taco stop.
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