David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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May 2026 Trip (14th to 18th): Trip: Gonzaga Bay sites, Calamajué sites, L.A. Bay sites, San Borja +
Hey Nomads,
It is so great to get back to my beloved Baja... Especially since we got old and between finances and health issues for us (me: spinal fusion this
year)!
I will be riding with my friend Dave W. in the Baja Bound sponsored Toyota Tundra... This will be very much like last year, but for two additional;
days, as we are traveling further south... San Borja mission and L.A. Bay/ Las Flores.
Again, we will be hitting up historic locations and other points of interest I have been to, but some over 25 year ago! It is great fun to compare old
with current photos. Back on Monday (hopefully!)
See last year's (multi-part) trip report here on Nomad or the condensed photo album: www.vivabaja.com/baja-525
I hope to create another detailed trip report for the sites we are going to try and checkout, between Puertecitos and Las Flores.
If you see the big, white Tundra with big Baja Bound and now a Toyotas in Baja stickers on the side, give us a wave or stop to say hi.
OK... Trip is in the bag and here are the photos: https://vivabaja.com/baja-526
[Edited on 5-29-2026 by David K]
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pauldavidmena
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Location: Centerville, MA, USA
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I hope you have a great time visiting Baja! Have you already had your spinal surgery? I had spinal fusion of my L5/S1 disc (IYKYK) back in 2015, and
it made quite the difference. During the last few years, I couldn't sit in a chair for more than an hour at a time, which made driving - something I
love to do - quite challenging. Post-surgery, I still need to listen to my body when it tells me to take a break and stretch or at least move around.
And I found that even though I am 99% pain-free, I have to think twice before lifting something heavy.
In any case, ¡Buen viaje!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena  | I hope you have a great time visiting Baja! Have you already had your spinal surgery? I had spinal fusion of my L5/S1 disc (IYKYK) back in 2015, and
it made quite the difference. During the last few years, I couldn't sit in a chair for more than an hour at a time, which made driving - something I
love to do - quite challenging. Post-surgery, I still need to listen to my body when it tells me to take a break and stretch or at least move around.
And I found that even though I am 99% pain-free, I have to think twice before lifting something heavy.
In any case, ¡Buen viaje! |
Exactly correct!
Yes, my spinal fusion (L4-L5) was last February so just over 3 months ago. Still have some back pain around the surgery area but the sciatica (right
leg) pain is gone 100%!
Thank you!
I am all packed and ready to go... around noon Dave will pick me up.
He has Starlink in the Tundra, so I will be able to answer questions or give reports, from the road.
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cupcake
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Have a great time, David, and please post some photos.
Glad your surgery was so successful and you are headed to Baja so soon afterwards!
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K |
I am all packed and ready to go... around noon Dave will pick me up.
He has Starlink in the Tundra, so I will be able to answer questions or give reports, from the road. |
Dk,
Enjoy the trip. Unplugging from tech distractions is the best way to experience vacation. Turn off your phone, and leave it off for duration of the
trip!
Woke!
Hands off!
“Por el bien de todos, primero los pobres.”
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Pronoun: the royal we
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Don Jorge
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Have a great trip DK. Best action plan post fusion is walking, stretching and resistance training. Baja is a a great place for all of that.
Every town in Baja now has a gym or several and of course walking and stretching in Bajas natural beauty is good for the body and the soul too.
Are you going to post pictures of the trip? Jaja..
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"Until a person learns to respect nature and talk to the animal world, he will never know his true role on Earth." Enzo Mallorca
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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wilderone
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Via con dios, David - I hope all goes well - WIWT
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks 😊
In Calamajué wash now!
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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Road to L.A. Bay is great with just one short detour at a new bridge near town.
Had dinner with Graham at Restaurant Liz, almost across from the Train engine display in the town plaza.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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I will have a nice trip report for you all. Of course it will have too many details and too many photos, lol!
Had dinner with Graham and slept at Daggett's. Saw Las Flores and the cemetery there and at L.A. Bay. Paulina works at the museum and gave us a great
tour.
Thank you Paulina!
Went to Montevideo painted cliff and Mission San Borja. Overnighted there. Ana Licia gave us the mission tour and had the palapa rooms ready.
Saw the sand-filled harbor of Santa Rosalillita and had breakfast at the. El Parador Cafe and Motel, at the L. A. Bay junction. It was great!
Last night was at Dave's house near Nuevo Mazatlan and back across the border at Mexicali East. It was great being a passenger in Dave's Baja Bound/
Toyotas in Baja Tundra.
[Edited on 5-18-2026 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Start of the day from San Felipe South Campos, Friday
As I organize and edit the hundreds of photos from both my Canon camera and Samsung phone, I can begin to put them in more of an order rather than
random.
Same as last year's May trip www.vivabaja.com/525 I am a passenger in Dave W's Toyota Tundra, sponsored by Baja Bound Insurance. Dave stated a new Facebook group, Toyotas in
Baja and it's logo is on the side, as well: www.facebook.com/groups/toyotasinbaja
The Day Begins
We have a passenger who is a popular fixture in the South Campos and Punta Banda communities, LaMoine Fulton. He lives just a couple of kilometers
south of Dave's place.
Km. 99 Viewpoint
More to come... also see more on my VivaBaja Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja
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Tioloco
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Logistics in 1770 were very impressive considering the remoteness.
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Pablito1
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Many thanks David for sharing.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Glad you are enjoying it.
Sorry, the updates are slow in coming.
Besides the photo organizing, other events are keeping me busy!
There are more photos posted on my Facebook groups (it is just easier and instant). A webpage for the trip is also under construction.
Coming up:
After seeing the Calamajué mission, we examined the white mineral bench just inside the canyon. That was my first time as I always drove past.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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The next part posted, Calamajué: https://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=103534
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I am about done building the trip album... Rather than post most of the photos here, I will post the album link.
Here are a few samples, south of Coco's Corner where I last posted photos.
In L.A. Bay, we saw two Nomads... Graham and Paulina:
Too see them all: https://vivabaja.com/baja-526 still editing it, but it is almost ready!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Album is done... I removed many photos from this thread as they are in the new album.
SEE: https://vivabaja.com/baja-526 (May 2026)
San Felipe gas was 23.99/ liter
Propane bottle 279 exchange
Left San Felipe at 8:40 am
Long wait at military check with complete search of our truck.
At Mexicali East border 11:20 am to 11:50 am (We were in the Ready Lane than switched to Sentri, I walked across).
[Edited on 5-29-2026 by David K]
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Biznaga
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David,
thanks a bunch for posting your latest Baja travel adventures. The photo comparisons from decades ago to now are a great reminder of how quickly
things can change. Rock walls crumble, adobe walls melt and wooden structures eventually disappear. Sometimes photos are the only thing left to remind
us of what was once there.
I have fond memories of camping back in 2015 in a palapa at Campo Archelon. The next morning I went over to the house, to pay our fee. Antonio "Tony"
Resendiz actually came out of the house to greet me. We sat on his front porch, and talked about his work in sea turtle conservation. It was such a
memorable experience, and he was such a kind man. I was looking forward to seeing him again, but as you know, he unexpectedly passed away in March of
2016. I truly regret not taking a few photos of our time together. At least I have those memories.
thank you for sharing your dedication, commitment and passion with all of us Nomads, in preserving the history of our Magnificent Peninsula!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Very kind words, thank you.
I met Antonio in 2001 and when I brought my future wife to his turtle station, he placed a baby in her hands. I will add the photo. Great guy!
We went to Archelon for a room (2 weeks ago) but they were full. Had breakfast there the next day and it was excellent. The restaurant name escapes
me... ah, yes... it's Siete Filas!
[Edited on 5-30-2026 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65565
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by Biznaga | David,
thanks a bunch for posting your latest Baja travel adventures. The photo comparisons from decades ago to now are a great reminder of how quickly
things can change. Rock walls crumble, adobe walls melt and wooden structures eventually disappear. Sometimes photos are the only thing left to remind
us of what was once there.
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You are not the only one (on the Internet) who commented on the past vs present photo comparisons.
I am now thinking of making a web page of just that.
One of the most talked about is my 1966 Desert Magazine to 2009 comparison at the mystery walls of Las Animas:
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