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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
Member Is Offline
Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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A 9 Day Baja Adventure
Last month we loaded up the dogs and our trailer and headed down to Baja for 9 days of fun. Our goal was to see the whales, check out rock art and
cave paintings and just plain relax for a bit. Here is how it all went down:
Day One - San Diego to Erendira - 148.6 miles
We got on the road later than anticipated, but had a pretty short drive on the first day. We were headed to Erendira to meet up with our good friends
Greg and Michelle who have a house there. It was a beautiful day for a drive and we got down there just as it was getting dark.

Getting the rig all loaded up...

The big Jesus south of Rosarito Beach...

The coastline near La Fonda. Baja was so green!

Salsipuedes...

Getting some snacks in Ensenada...

We met up with Justin and Bryan from the What Is West Baja walk in Camalu and gave them some toffee ice cream bars, Snickers and peanut butter.

They dug in immediately!

Fletch and Pepita snuggled up in the trailer.
Day Two - Erendira to San Ignacio - 429.6 miles
We got up pretty early and it was an absolutely beautiful day in Erendira. Our friends Greg and Michelle have had a house in Erendira for about six
years and we visit every summer for their baseball game/fundraiser they do for local kids. After breakfast we got on the road and kept heading south.
Our plan was to meet up with my parents at Rice and Beans in San Ignacio...

Greg and Michelle's house aka Casa de Califone

The Casa de Califone patio sculpture

Our rig parked with a really nice ocean view

Fletch and Pepita enjoying breakfast

A herd of goats grazing near the coast

Peeps and Fletch enjoying the outdoors

Our amigos Greg, Michelle, Waits and pooch Kincaid

How do I stop this thing?

The rig about to depart Erendira

Heading south!

Not a cloud in the sky....Baja was beautiful!

This semi was hauling (very slowly) a huge section of pipe and taking up both lanes. Thankfully they turned out and let traffic go through.

Cataviña

Lots of Baja racing history on the walls of Rice and Beans!

Margaritas at Rice and Beans are excellent after a long day of driving!
Days three and four coming up next...
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David K
Honored Nomad
       
Posts: 65261
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Most excellent Geoff...
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
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Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Day Three - San Ignacio to Bahia Asuncion - 120.1 miles
We stayed the night at Rice and Beans and had breakfast there before heading in to town. Morgan had never been to San Ignacio and I really wanted her
to see it in person. Today we had a relatively short drive north to Bahia Asuncion where we would meet up with Shari and stay at her place.

Rice and Beans...always a good option for an overnight in San Ignacio

Fletch and Pepita checking out the town square

The mission at San Ignacio

Morgan and I on the steps of the mission

San Ignacio looking very lush

The road into Bahia Asuncion

Arriving in Asuncion
Day Four - Bahia Asuncion to Guerrero Negro - 146.6 miles
Initially we had planned on staying in Asuncion for two nights, but we got word that bad weather was heading our way, which was going to disrupt our
whale watching plans. We decided to leave in the morning, so unfortunately we didn't really get to spend much time exploring Bahia Asuncion. We
hustled towards Guerrero Negro to get in an afternoon of whale watching.

Heading out to see the whales

The Ojo de Liebre visitors center

A very large whale skeleton

The tide was so low we had to walk out to the panga!

Our panga crew on the way out to see the whales

Woohoo!

Pangas

The dock
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
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Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Day Five - Guerrero Negro to El Carmen to Bahia de los Angeles - 242.6 miles
Today we had to backtrack to go see the cave paintings at el Carmen. We were going to go see the cave paintings on the way out of Asuncion, but we
were pressed for time to get to the whales. As it turned out, we awoke to wind and rain in Guerrero Negro and were very glad we had seen the whales
the day before. After seeing the cave paintings, we drove to Bahia de los Angeles and checked in at Villa Bahia.

We ended up staying at Don Gus in Guerrero Negro and having two meals there. My chilaquiles were excellent!

The road out to the el Carmen cave paintings

The desert was really pretty

Our rig parked at the base of the el Carmen mesa

My folks hiking up to the cave

It was awesome finally seeing these in person!



Yours truly enjoying the cave paintings

The view from the cave

Morgan showing where we had just hiked to

Boojum trees
Day Six - No Driving - Relax in Bahia de los Angeles
We woke up to a perfectly calm morning and Bahia de los Angeles was gorgeous. I took my paddleboard out for a few hours and got in before the wind
picked up. We spent the day playing with the dogs on the beach and relaxing.

The view from our room at Villa Bahia

The dogs playing ball and enjoying the Sea of Cortez

The dogs were pooped after playing on the beach all day

Villa Bahia...dogs are always welcome

Loncheria Gayro...we did Morgan's birthday dinner here the night we arrived since all the other restaurants were closed!

Baja roofdogs
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David K
Honored Nomad
       
Posts: 65261
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Great... keep it coming!
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
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Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Day 7 - Bahia de los Angeles - Cave Paintings and Rock Art
We ate most of our meals at Alejandrina and it was consistently good. Today we were heading out to see the cave paintings and rock art outside of
town. It was an easy drive, but the sand was pretty soft in some spots. We managed to get the 4Runner stuck once, but aired down the tires and dug out
the wheels and we were good to go.

On our way

The rock art was really interesting



Me shooting video of the rock art

More video work


After we got back to town we visited the BolA museum, which I highly recommend. They have a really comprehensive history about the area and a lot of
great artifacts.
Day Eight - Bahia de los Angeles to El Rosario - 204.2 miles
After saying our goodbyes to Villa Bahia owner and Baja author Roger Silliman, we had breakfast at Alejandrina's before leaving town. We had a nice
drive north up to El Rosario where we checked in and dropped off our trailer. That afternoon we were going to try and find Justin and Bryan from the
What Is West Baja walk, as they had just started heading south of El Rosario.

The view from the upstairs deck at Villa Bahia

Roger and I with a copy of the book "Baja's Hidden Gold" that he helped write

The family at Villa Bahia with Bandito...the resident dingo

Roger at Villa Bahia

The road out of Bahia de los Angeles

We found Justin and Bryan on a dirt road south of El Rosario!

El Rosario valley

Mission ruins at El Rosario
Day 9 - El Rosario to San Diego - 244.8 miles
We got on the road and really wanted to go out to La Lobera, but the road was pretty beat up from the rains and we would not have made it with the
trailer. We had an uneventful drive back to the border, and arrived at home happy but tired from our 9 day journey! Until next time.....

¡Viva Baja!
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David K
Honored Nomad
       
Posts: 65261
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks for the reminder that Roger is the one who wrote down what Herman told him! Herman is a character, living off the hidden gold and dancing at
the Diaz compound every New Year's Eve.
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BornFisher
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 2117
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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Yippppeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!! That was great, thanks!
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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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Great trip report Geoff. We plan on making it to most of the same places this June. El Carmen and La Shari are definitely at the top of the northern
section list.
Is your 4runner 4wd?
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
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Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Thanks BornFisher and Frank! My 4Runner is not 4WD...I manage OK with 2WD but sometimes it just isn't enough...
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Wiles
Nomad

Posts: 337
Registered: 10-1-2006
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Thanks so much, what a great report.
We are leaving for BOLA April 1.
Vamos a Ver,
Wiles
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
     
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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great trip.
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jbcoug
Senior Nomad
 
Posts: 709
Registered: 9-24-2006
Location: Vancouver, WA
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Mood: Needing Baja!
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Really enjoyed this, thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!
John
\"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.\" Andy Rooney
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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 BajaGeoff

A very large whale skeleton
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Here we see their direct lineage from birds. Sheerwaters to be exact.
[Edited on 3-27-2013 by Skipjack Joe]
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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Geoff, it was a pleasure to meet you at Shari's. I'm sorry it was so short. We all got 'owned' by the wind and weather for most of Feb. and March!
I'm glad to see that many of your plans went as you wished!
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Ateo
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Registered: 7-18-2011
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Great trip Geoff. Imagine chilling in that cave thousands of years ago with that view!! Good call on the Lobera turnaround. That road sucked when I
went in there in January.
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watizname
Senior Nomad
 
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Registered: 8-7-2009
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That's what it's all about.
Thanks
I yam what I yam and that\'s all what I yam.
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TMW
Select Nomad
     
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Excllent report and beautiful pictures, thanks. A great time for sure.
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BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
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Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
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Thanks everyone!
Nice meeting you as well Vgabndo! I was bummed our stay in Asuncion got cut short. Nine days in Baja and my surfboard never came out of the bag once.

Next time...
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Geoff, I finally took the time to go through your trip report. I can't tell you how much fun it was going through all of your photos and comments.
Love your dogs !! Looks like you experienced mostly great weather days...
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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