1971 AAA Baja Map (July 1971) for historical interest
Before 1975 and sometime after the late 1960s, the AAA map (actually was the Auto Club of Southern California) had a large scale map of northern Baja
and the smaller scale of the rest of Baja on the other side. That smaller scale was the same style map they had for all of Baja in the early 1960s and
before.
I have 9 scans of this 1971 map provided by TW (TMW on Nomad).
The new (then) highway is not accurate south of Santiago nor was there a paved 6 mile road to Agua Caliente... just a couple quick observations.
If I missed an area you want to see or if you want me to zoom in on any area to see better... just ask!
I will scan the Sept. 1973 edition of the Baja map next...
I think so, too! Like looking back in time.
Soon, I will put up the 1973 map that TW sent me. The Olympics have been distracting me! The '73 map shows the proposed or under construction route of
the new highway.
Does anyone have the 1972 AAA Baja map?
(This new format has me totally confused. See another post below)
I never was on any of the unpaved sections of the transpeninsular hwy (though I was going down to Ensenada from '69 on), but I did drive the
hwy between Ensenada and San Felipe in '73, before it was completely paved. Seemed like it was only the section across Laguna Diablo that was still
dirt.
My gal and I had lunch at Arnold's Cafe and drove all the way back to Ensenada in the same day!! We were blown away at the temp change (especially the
water) between Ensenada and San Felipe.
I never was on any of the unpaved sections of the transpeninsular hwy (though I was going down to Ensenada from '69 on), but I did drive the
hwy between Ensenada and San Felipe in '73, before it was completely paved. Seemed like it was only the section across Laguna Diablo that was still
dirt.
My gal and I had lunch at Arnold's Cafe and drove all the way back to Ensenada in the same day!! We were blown away at the temp change (especially the
water) between Ensenada and San Felipe.
Indeed! Night and day difference.
The pavement out of Ensenada in November of 1973 ended just a few miles east of Ojos Negros. We camped there to watch the Baja 1000. In my Super 8
movie you can see the highway under construction as the racers were on the parallel dirt road. It wasn't until late 1977 or '78 did they reach Hwy. 5.
It was first BC #16 before the Feds took over and gave it the same name as the Tecate to Ensenada highway, Mexico #3.
Wow that is amazing. I would love to do the Baja 1000 someday. A bucketlist item.
Just get involved in someway. That Super 8 movie I filmed at 16. I began going to see the races many times after. In 1978 I was asked if I would hold
a fire extinguisher at a pit during the Baja 500 and pretty soon I was a pit captain at various races. In 1979, I was invited to co-drive in the first
Baja 1000 that Score ran to La Paz. Just be where you want to be in life, and it can happen!
South of San Felipe there are two roads. The old Puerticitos road (OPR) and the current road closer to the Sea. What was the time period when the
transition from OPR to the present road path?
Any old maps showing both?
A friend and resident for 40 years remembers driving south using OPR. I wonder if his memory is good?
South of San Felipe there are two roads. The old Puerticitos road (OPR) and the current road closer to the Sea. What was the time period when the
transition from OPR to the present road path?
Any old maps showing both?
A friend and resident for 40 years remembers driving south using OPR. I wonder if his memory is good?
The new graded roadbed (future paved road) south from Punta Estrella was built in 1982 and could be driven just a ways beyond La Roca, about to La
Perlita/ Agua Azul de Acapulco and bulldozer clearing was progressing south.
Paving came several years later, around 1990... and was so thin that by 1999 it was well deteriorated.
My map in 1980, before the new road:
Here is my 1982 map showing both:
Jan. 1988:
Pavement progressed from the Hotel Fiesta to just beyond Punta Estrella (about where the Valle de los Gigantes is now)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AAA Before and after:
1978:
1987:
(my notes on the progress south of Puertecitos on the new graded road)
1989:
(The incorrectly showed paving to Percebu)
1990:
(They corrected the mistake from 1989 map paving to Percebu)
The pavement to Puertecitos was completed in 1988. We ran the 1987 Baja 1000 which came out of Matomi wash onto the graded road. We ran the 1988 Baja
1000, same course, and when it came out of Matomi wash it was on new pavement. What a difference a year made but it was not to last since the pavement
was so thin potholes soon developed.
The pavement to Puertecitos was completed in 1988. We ran the 1987 Baja 1000 which came out of Matomi wash onto the graded road. We ran the 1988 Baja
1000, same course, and when it came out of Matomi wash it was on new pavement. What a difference a year made but it was not to last since the pavement
was so thin potholes soon developed.
It must have been really thin, indeed... because in January of 1988 it was dirt just past Punta Estrella, 40 miles from Puertecitos.
As I recall, the (lazy) government person who issued the check to the paving contractor simply flew over it to see if it was done and never took any
core samples to see if the correct amount of asphalt was used. He obviously also didn't see how the road vados were not regraded for pavement speed
(Oh Sh!@ Dips)! I heard that contractor was jailed. Not sure what happened to the lazy government person??
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
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