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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3894
Registered: 2-9-2004
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"... with the vehicle you are driving you need to stay on the paved roads"
Au contraire! A VW bus is perfect for Baja - my first adventures in Baja were in a '66 pop-top. It has some clearance - but be sure to get superior
tires - wide, good tread - with spare that matches. Take the back way from Bahia de los Angeles to Mision San Borja - camp en route. Of course,
your interests will dictate your destinations. You say you have plenty of time, so you can hit all the "first timer" spots: camping at Los Olivos
campground at San Quintin - walk down the street for a meal at Jardin's - happy hour 1/2 price Margaritas; stop at El Rosario grocery stores for ice,
beer, tortillas, salsa; go out to Punta Baja for a look-see and camping - a restaruant there maybe a fine fish dinner; on to San Fernando mission, El
Marmol, Santa Inez, Santa Rosalillita, Bahia de los Angeles, Laguna Manuela, San Ignacio, Bahia San Ignacio (even without whales it's a great place to
camp - a couple miles past the air strip on the coast). Get a version of the Baja Adventure Book (Walt Peterson) - try Alibris.com and have a
wonderful time.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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Ruben's Camp, in San Felipe is considerably quieter than Pepe's Camp (no dune riders) and they serve a killer "COCO LOCO" a must drink when in San
Felipe.
Additionally, I traveled the entire peninsula, dirt roads and all, (including the road to Bahia Tortugas before it was graded) in my 1989 Wesfalia 2WD
camper van. This was the most fun camping and surfing in Baja that I've ever had! Air down the tires and when you see a soft area...get a good run at
it and power through it. I purchased the 8 gallon sun showers and kept them on top of the rack for immediate hot water. Chunk ice is not that readily
available for your ice box. If you have the room, buy a 12 volt refrigerator and plug it in directly to the battery. Get a spare if you haven't done
so already.
Get a Baja Almanac at Discover Baja.
| Quote: | Originally posted by CortezBlue
2nd, with the vehicle you are driving you need to stay on the paved roads. So if you want to go to San Felipe, you should probably drive from
Ensenada to San Felipe and then back to Ensenada
If you are going to camp in San Felipe, Pete's camp is a great camp spot. Good food, Great Cantina and a great vista from the beach
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Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3894
Registered: 2-9-2004
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Ah - good times
- en route to Punta Final:
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
Ah - good times
- en route to Punta Final:
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Awesome... photo in Calamajue Canyon on the older route for Mexico #5 (~1960-1983)!
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
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Mood: Easy Does It
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
Ah - good times
- en route to Punta Final:
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Ah how we forget. all the people giving advice is wonderful but I wonder if any of them actually explored Baja in a flip top box. Me thinks thats how
all those not so seceret camping and surfing spots were originaly found. those things are known for going places where a tacoma couldnt go.
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7433
Registered: 8-5-2011
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Important Info for a Newbie
Make sure you have a cold cup big enough to keep a Pacifico Ballena cold and remember candy bar wrappers are hard to remove because the chocolate has
melted and hardened several times in the store. Drives me crazy when I need a Snickers fix. 
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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Another little tip. Washboard is HELL! Invest in a set of Bilstein or KYB shocks before ya go.
Keep your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Lowering your tire air pressure about 1/3 will help with the washboard. (to 20 psi typical)
If you ever get into sand, or on the beach... lowering about 1/2 or more of the air will allow you to drive it. (10-15 psi typical)... Have a good
electric air pump to refill... the kind that clips onto the battery, not the cigarette lighter type (unless you are in no hurry).
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Oddjob
| Quote: | Originally posted by mcfez
Hola!
There is TWO ways to get south! The Sea of Cortez side and there's the Pacific side. Which are you planning....it'll help vastly on the return info
you get from here.
[Edited on 8-26-2011 by mcfez] |
Mcfez, Baja is like Canada, there is only one road. |
One can enter thru Mexicali.......great stops are San Felipe, South San Felipe, Puertecitos, Gonzaga Bay, Punta Final...and many other destinations
that offer a great vacation get away.
Once pass Punta Final.....the road leads up to Mex 1 where BoLA is a short distance. Yes....there are two ways to reach southern Baja.
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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BajaDanD
Senior Nomad
Posts: 745
Registered: 8-30-2003
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Yeah there are 2 ways but one only goes a little ways before you have to get onto Mex 1 anyway, if you are going south, why waste all that time going
from San Felipe to gonzaga then out to Hwy 1 Just take Hwy 1 in the first place. If your only destination is San Felipe or Gonzaga then by all means
go that way.
"Yes....there are two ways to reach southern Baja. "
NO there is only one way, Hwy 1 sooner or later you have to get on it while you are still in Baja Norte. unless you are racing the Baja 1000 
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
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Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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Hi again Kris...
YES..."THE LIST" is invaluable as are all the other things we'll recommend
you take along.
But remember...it ALL adds weight to your vehicle and can cause problems if you're not careful about how much you bring. Create your own list and then
double check and pare it down to only what you feel is necessary.
As I wrote in my previous post, some items will depend on where you decide to travel. If your going to be going off-road to the boonies it will
obviously be necessary to have certain things. If you stick mostly to Hwy. 1
then you'll need much less.
Again, we await your trip report and pictures...take LOTS of pictures!!!
- When you get back and are ready to post pictures, do a 'post' about posting them and you'll get plenty of help!
Miguelamo   
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaDanD
Yeah there are 2 ways but one only goes a little ways before you have to get onto Mex 1 anyway, if you are going south, why waste all that time going
from San Felipe to gonzaga then out to Hwy 1 Just take Hwy 1 in the first place. If your only destination is San Felipe or Gonzaga then by all means
go that way.
"Yes....there are two ways to reach southern Baja. "
NO there is only one way, Hwy 1 sooner or later you have to get on it while you are still in Baja Norte. unless you are racing the Baja 1000 |
"if you are going south, why waste all that time going from San Felipe"
That's like saying why waste your time driving thru vast cities like TJ, Ensenada, and southward. Traffic, tolls, and a billion folks. Just depends
on what the traveler wants. Let's not be so thick here.
Scenic routes are nice too....................................
Mex 5 used to be the main route to the south 
[Edited on 8-27-2011 by mcfez]
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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BajaDanD
Senior Nomad
Posts: 745
Registered: 8-30-2003
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| Quote: | Ive gone both ways in both directions many times If Im going south to Baja Sur Im gonna take Hwy 1
I dont waste any time driving through TJ and Ensenada I get through that part as fast as I can.
Going Mex 5 will eat up a couple days and my car/truck/trailer. Although its a scenic drive. The fishing is mediocre(sp) at best. If Gonzaga is my
destination then I'll go that way.
"if you are going south, why waste all that time going from San Felipe"
That's like saying why waste your time driving thru vast cities like TJ, Ensenada, and southward. Traffic, tolls, and a billion folks. Just depends
on what the traveler wants. Let's not be so thick here.
Scenic routes are nice too....................................
Mex 5 used to be the main route to the south
Comming from the border there are hundreds of routes south
[Edited on 8-27-2011 by mcfez] |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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While true that the gulf coast road was a shorter route to the south from the border, the grades south of Puertecitos prevented it from ever being the
'main road south'... 4WD only from Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay up to 1987, whenn the new road was built. With exceptions from El Rosarito to Rancho Los
Angeles via Guerrero Negro and Bahia Concepcion to Insurgentes via Loreto, the Baja Highway in 1973 followed the original 'main peninsular road'.
My dad said those Gonzaga road grades were sure a lot better to drive over than another trip through Laguna Chapala where the silt/ moon dust would
swallow our Wagoneer! In '67 for our trip to L.A. Bay, we went south from San Felipe (having driven the 'main road' to La Paz the year before).
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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we will have plenty of time......
be heading south in September and crossing over mid November. we will be Rollin in 'bad danger' 1978 vw bus, we will have plenty of time, so if anyone
has any thoughts, advice, camping spots, etc
Sounds to me they were asking for ideas....heading southward but not exclusively to the cape)......thoughts, advice, camping spots
That's what I gave. Why is that a few here seem to want to make their statement absolute?
There's plenty to do with the route I proposed.....why not? On the return trip home...go the other way...one can see both sides of Baja.
Mex 5 does has some rough miles....30 or so, maybe forty. I seen all sorts of cars on the road...not just 4w drives. The topic is clear here....what
the poster is asking for.
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
Ah - good times
- en route to Punta Final:
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Awesome... photo in Calamajue Canyon on the older route for Mexico #5 (~1960-1983)! |
This looks like the salt flat right next to Pt Final. The one that gets wet during only the highest tides.
[Edited on 8-28-2011 by Skipjack Joe]
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3894
Registered: 2-9-2004
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"looks like the salt flat right next to Pt Final"
I couldn't tell you exactly - there was only one suggested route on my AAA map in 1975, and I got a bee in my bonnet and went. I was with my two
children, ages 7 and 8. One time the VDub was on three wheels - one spinning in the air - while traversing some boulders. Saw some horizontal bushes
about 40 feet high against a canyon cliff where a water surge had come through. Powered through a lot of sand. I know now the "adventure angels" must
have been with us. Ignorance was bliss.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
"looks like the salt flat right next to Pt Final"
I couldn't tell you exactly - there was only one suggested route on my AAA map in 1975, and I got a bee in my bonnet and went. I was with my two
children, ages 7 and 8. One time the VDub was on three wheels - one spinning in the air - while traversing some boulders. Saw some horizontal bushes
about 40 feet high against a canyon cliff where a water surge had come through. Powered through a lot of sand. I know now the "adventure angels" must
have been with us. Ignorance was bliss. |
Photo of my 4WD Subaru in Nov. 1979... in Calamajue Canyon... You actually drive in the stream for several miles. I was pre-running the Baja 1000
here:
I have been in Calamajue Canyon in 1967, 1974, 1975, 1979 (when it was the route of 'Hwy. 5') and in 2002.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
Saw some horizontal bushes about 40 feet high against a canyon cliff where a water surge had come through.
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Canyon ... Water Surge ....
It does sound like Calamajue Canyon.
There is a salt flat next to cliffs near Pt Final that looks much like the picture. We camped there 2 years ago. Coyotes came by in the evening. The
area is easily reached with a VW bus. There is a $5 or $10 charge, can't remember any more. 'Snoopy' is close by, where decent shore fishing can be
had at certain times.
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honda tom
Nomad
Posts: 493
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: middle calif
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khargis... were all excited for u to see all of our favorite things. I would cross at TJ and plan on not stoping til san quintin for great street
tacos at lunch, but do watch your stuff and be somewhat guarded here. San Quintin is a large ag comunity and a large methamphedimine problem. IMHO
once past San Quintin the "relaxing" Baja begins. anything after that you cant go wrong. with your kind of time make it to la paz. Concepcion bay in
october will be hard to leave. Get a panga out of loreto and spend a few hours on isla coronados, you will think your in the carribean. Oct water
temps are perfect for swimming, bring a mask and snorkel for the cortez side! Get a AAA travel guide of Baja (I know kind of lame but it will give you
info about places) take lots of pictures and take your time. We all envy you right now.
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