David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hwy. 1, Bahía Tortugas, + more, to June 7, 2017 Road Conditions
I am taking time here to share some 'on the road' personal observations for those who are interested. Posting from my phone where there is
wifi, on the road in Baja. My trip report will have more details an photos. I have a full days of driving today to gather as much map data as
possible. For those who want to read my personal road conditions observations, stay tuned.
Just a few notes to pass along, midway in my Trip #5 expedition.
June 2, 3, 4
Shallow potholes primarily from San Agustin to Guerrero Negro. Deep pot holes between Laguna Chapala and L.A. Bay junction, especially just north of
the junction.
Hwy. 1 to El Arco and on to El Barril is very good to excellent graded dirt. 45 mph+ most of it.
Piedra Blanca and El Barril have gasoline. Rancho Escondido remains closed as it was last January 1.
The 11 mile road to Mission Santa Gertrudis was 7 miles fast and 4 miles rocky. New museum added since my last visit.
The Guillermo Prieto shortcut is mostly very good as well except for sandy arroyo and rocky hill on the northernmost part.
Tried to get to San Pablo visita, but locked gate 3.5 mi south of Prosperidad stopped me.
Magna Gas is about US$3.50/gal. 16.40/liter. Pesos at border were 17.80: dollar.
More to come!
June 5 Monday:
Today I drove from San Ignacio to Punta Abreojos via Campo Rene. The north half of the Abreojos highway was in shambles with numerous pot holes and
missing pavement, so watch out. It was about as bad when I srove it last, 9 months ago. The south half is fine.
Campo Rene is an easy 2.5 mile drive. Some are driving on the 4,000'+ runway, parallel to the road, as it is not signed or blocked off anymore. There
is a rope across the restaurant parking entrance. Saw no people outside, no campers, no cabin guests either.
The Abreojos to La Bocana salt flat road was nice. Still no sea level rise onto it, at least daily.
La Bocana has new motel at entrance to town, was empty, maybe not open for business, yet?
La Bocana to San Hipolito starts out very rough and slow. As soon as you see a branch towards the coast and away from the power poles, take it. The
coastal road eventually returns to the pole line, but again stay on the parallel road closer to the ocean. More salt flats allow fast speed before
town.
San Hipolito to Punta Prieta, fast and easy along the coast. None of the ''coast roads' are close enough to see the beach or waves except fo a few
spots.
Punta Prieta to Bahía Asuncion was fast dirt and the final couple of miles are on pavement.
I will have mileages and driving times in my trip report.
More to come!
Scroll down for June 6 & 7
[Edited on 6-7-2017 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Forgot to mention...
Yesterday afternoon, I drove up to San Francisco de la Sierra (Rancho San Francisco), made famous in the 1960s Baja travel adventure books by Erle
Stanley Gardner and more recently in the film, Bajo California, the limit of time.
The paved road takes you to over 3,600 feet above sea level in under 18 miles, where they decided that was close enough! It is just over 4 more miles
of rough road to the village.
This is a spetacular drive. I hope the photos relate that.
A 'hotel' is located a kilometer before the village. See the trip report for photos and details, in about a week.
As I have Internet, I will provide road conditions until then.
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BigBearRider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 4-30-2015
Location: Big Bear, Punta Chivato, and Cabo
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Mood: 
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Thanks for the report, DK.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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You are welcome. I also want to thank those who emailed me. I won't let 'them' silence me, as those who appreciate my taking time to give my
observations while on the road, do override 'them'.
June 6, 2017, Tue
Bahía Asuncion to Bahía Tortugas, Punta Eugenia, and back:
The direct dirt road follows the power lines mostly and begins at Km. 38.5, at the curve by the propane tank, 0 3 mi east of Pemex station. It is
unsigned.
The graded road is rough for a few miles but smoothes out for most of the distance to the Tortugas paved highway.
Rancho San José de Castro and oasis is at mile 33.0 and the highway is reached at mile 34.0 (Km. 117.5 on that highway). The original Malarrimo Beach
road is just 0.3 mi to the east and the pavement to Vizcano ends 0.5 mi east. It is unpaved for 9.2 mi. The Asuncion paved junction is 15.7 more miles
east.
Going west from the San José de Castro road, it is all paved to Tortugas, 33 miles.
Tortugas to Punta Eugenia is 16 miles and all excellent dirt after a rough start at Tortugas for less than a mile.
Beyond Eugenia, a fair graded road goes 1.8 miles to Punta Falsa where an abandoned palapa camping area is on a rocky point. You can see the salt hill
on Cedros Island where salt is loaded onto ships following it being barged to Cedros from the Guerrero Negro port on Scammon's Lagoon. Isla Navidad is
just 5 miles offshore from Eugenia and boats cross the channel between the two places.
I began to drive north to Malarrimo Beach, on the original road, but it was already after 3 pm and after just a mile of slow, brush scratching road, I
abandoned the quest. I did note the pipeline newer road for Malarrimo about 20 miles east, at Km. 83, as mentioned on Nomad.
Just a couple of non-road notes:
So, back to Shari's for one more pleasant night of waves crashing on the rocks at La Bufadora Inn.
By the way, I had my first rabbit meal and it was excellent. Shari slow cooks it all day and that folks was an awesome meal.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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why thank you David....bunny rabbit in mole is one of my all time favorite dishes to make and share...especially with someone who has never had rabbit
before!
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Thanks for posting what you are seeing. I hope you get over to San Roque before you leave Shari's neighborhood.
Looking forward to the trip report.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thank you. I have been to San Roque a few times before. Most recent was 9 months ago with the Baja Extreme. I am trying to see as many new to me
places as well as update data on popular or important roads. San Roque is great, indeed. See Pat's video of Ham and Jerri learning how to boggie board
there!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Wed. June 7, 2017. . .
Drove from Bahía Asuncion to El Rosario.
Did a side trip to the pronghorn reserve, now just north of the Eagle Monument. Got an excellent tour and photos.
Did another sidetrip to historic spring on El Camino Real, Agua Dulce. Details and photos will be in trip report.
Asuncion to Vizcaino all excellent, no holes.
Vizcaino to Eagle Monument all excellent, no holes.
Eagle (state border) Monument to Villa Jesus María, lots of holes!
Jesus María to Nuevo Rosarito, no holes I recall.
N. Rosarito to L.A. Bay Jcn., some holes, mostly on tall hill section.
L.A. Bay Jcn. to Mission San Fernando Jcn. (Km. 121.5), lots of holes especially bad and deep holes just north of the L.A. Bay Jcn.
Mission San Fernando Jcn. to El Rosario, a few holes, not too bad.
Always expect the unexpected! Many holes have been patched near Cataviña, but it is still rough section.
If I missed any area or you have other road condition questions, just ask.
The trip report will have more details and photos.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Fuel prices just dropped at Baja Cactus Pemex to 15.99/liter for Magna.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Drive from El Rosario to Tecate was same old stuff, with Ensenada traffic and signals really bad.
Got to Tecate border line about 3:30 and in 5 minutes I was across!
I will get to work on the trip report and photo downloading. Link will be added.
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gueribo
Nomad
Posts: 458
Registered: 10-16-2014
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Looking forward to the photos. Thanks for bringing us along on the journey.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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My pleasure!
The photos and trip report postings have begun! Day 1 of 7: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86781
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