saritayjoaquin
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 2-14-2011
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mexicali to guerrero negro
East coast verses west coast: which is quicker in hours in driving time? On bad roads what is recommended tire pressure? Thanks Joaquin
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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My Dos Centavos
What are you driving? If a motor home, towing a trailer, or a sports car then the 35 miles of dirt road remaining in Hwy. 5 could be a real issue for
you... go the long way around via Tecate to Ensenada.
If in an SUV, truck, van... and some dirt road isn't going to freak you out, then reduce air pressure about 1/3 of normal street pressure... ie. if 33
psi is normal, then drop to 22 psi.
Re-inflate before any high speed pavement driving. There is tire repair shops at each end of the dirt section (Rancho Grande on the north, and Rancho
Chapala on the south... about a km. to the south of the end of Hwy. 5 oin Hwy. 1).
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saritayjoaquin
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 2-14-2011
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We are driving a full size ford van not rv style. We have driven both ways before but never calculated the time difference between Mexcali and
Guerrero Negero. East coast vs. route 1 West coast.Can anyone help?
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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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Just yesterday I decided to do the homework and calculate the distances to Vizcaino from the border crossings.
The assumption here is, as is in my case, Vizcaino being one of my destinations heading south.
I will cede to DK, since he is the cartographer on this board, however (he has all the exact mileages calculated down to the 10th of a mile.
San Diego to El Centro: 110 Miles
Tustin (where I live) to San Diego: 110 miles
Mexicali to San Felipe: 137 miles
San Felipe to Chapala: 127 miles
Chapala to Vizcaino: 175 miles
Total miles from El Centro to Chapala: 264
Total miles from Tijuana to Chapala: 360
Tijuana to Vizcaino: 539 miles
Conclusion; It is about 100 miles farther to Lake Chapala from Tijuana than from El Centro.
Is either side worth the drive?
YOU must decide.
The drive time from La Mision to Ensenada has been lengthened by 40+ minutes because of the slide. South of Ensenada, you have a few road construction
detours costing about 15 minutes.
The Santo Thomás mountains adds 1/2 hour (trucks, buses, trailers, etc.).
The El Rosario to Lake Chapala adds another hour (+-) because of mountains.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
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It all depends on where you are coming from. From the East of Kalifornia it is 200 miles shorter to go through Chapala. Before the road was paved
time was about the same....now it is shorter depending on how fast you drive on the dirt section.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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The west coast road:
*All paved (except for construction detours)
*Cities you must drive through: Tijuana, Ensenada, San Quintin, lots of farm towns with slow speeds or speed bumps.
*Long sections where passing slow trucks not possible.
*Mountain ' curved sections north and south of Ensenada and south of El Rosario.
The east coast road:
*35 unpaved miles
*Cities you must drive through: Mexicali and San Felipe.
*50 miles of old style highway to Puertecitos with many sudden, steep dips.
*Some rock to dodge south of Puertecitos where the new highway cuts through the volcanos.
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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One issue I think about is the easy and safe ability to CAMP on the east route. Out of sight of the brecha. Pretty tough to find safe free camping the
other way.
The slog through the Lazaro Card##as area and the Ensenada area gets old fast.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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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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Mil gracias, DK!
I knew you would have a better explanation than my boring mileage calculations.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2400
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
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DK is the man when it comes to these questions
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65100
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Awww you guys are too nice... It is raining, so I am home today and besides figuring out my taxes for the government to waste, I can add some data to
the forums here, Talk Baja and Tacoma World. 
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