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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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DAY 15: to San Felipe, Tecate, Home!
Saturday, July 28, 2012 (Day 15 of 15 days in Baja)
The night was perfect, we had our last campfire and slept like babies. The next morning we had a high cloud cover which made it ideal for packing up,
out of direct sunlight. Packing up the final time was a breeze and I cannot say enough good things about our new Coleman Easy-Up Tent… It is now ‘Baja
Proven’!
Once the truck was loaded, I drove down close to the water so we could take one last swim in the Sea of Cortez. We were on the move at 8:47am.
Once off of Shell Island, I re-inflated the tires using the Tsunami fast pump and we were back to Highway #5 at 9:18am.
Arrived at the San Felipe South Pemex, 208 miles since filling up at Bahia de los Angeles. The price was 10.05 pesos/liter and the exchange rate
offered at that Pemex was 13 pesos per dollar, so the price per gallon in dollars was $2.93.
The next order of business was getting the truck washed. U.S. customs can turn you back if you arrive at the border with obvious mud and dirt on or
under your vehicle. The car wash place is the same we have used before, along the street we come into San Felipe on, on the right. The whole process
takes about an hour, so we have some carnitas tacos at the restaurant next door and sodas while we wait. The car wash was $13 dollars, including tip,
and we were northbound at 11:15am.
There is a major military inspection checkpoint, 30 miles north of town, but there is very little wait and hardly any time for the boys to look around
before we are going again. Soon we are at the detour as they are widening Highway #5 for the next 21 miles… but it is fast and easy. Remember, I am in
a Tacoma, made for Baja (and made in Baja, too), so bigger rigs, motor homes or lesser vehicles will find the detours less ‘fun’ than did I!
We took the Highway #2-D toll road from south of Mexicali to Tecate and avoided all city traffic going to the border at Tecate (192 miles from San
Felipe). We got to the end of the line at 3:39pm Saturday afternoon. We were cleared into the U.S. at 4:26pm (47 min.) after just a couple of
questions and no search.
When we got back to our home town, I topped the gas tank. We had traveled 312 miles today from Shell Island, 287 from the gas station in San Felipe.
My gas mileage on this tank was 18.42 mpg (including the 47 minutes idling in line at the border). However, with gasoline at $3.69/ gallon… I think I
like being in Baja more!
This was a most fantastic trip… we wish give big thanks to our hosts in La Paz (The Bajatripper family) and our hosts in Bahia Asuncion (Shari and
Juan)… their hospitality and the friendliness of Mexican people all over the Baja California peninsula really make the vacation in Mexico a fun time.
Our nights camping at Shell Island, Playa La Perla, and Bahia San Rafael were perfect… sure we had to deal with mosquitos at sundown at La Perla, but
the weather was ideal at 95º and perfect warm sea water day or night. The sea temperature of near 85º is why we prefer going to Baja in the summer.
Day 15 Photos:
Shell Island and my tracks from last night.
Notice one of my HID lights is missing? The vibration was too much for the plastic housing, it was fixed once before with fiberglass. The all metal
Hella lamps just eat up the bumps in Baja. I have the broken lamp, and maybe fix it again?
For beach sand, on the Cortez side, these tires work great at 18psi. Remember, even 2WD, sand is the easiest thing to drive over if you let enough air
out of the tires! Sometimes as low as 8-10 psi... whatever it takes to float on top.
Fresh out of the sea and dressed for the drive!
This little blow sand at the edge of the tidal mud flats, made a great/ clean place to air up the tires for the trip home.
Looking towards the island/ beach. This mud flat goes underwater during the highest lunar or storm tides. I call it an 'island' for a good reason!
Close ups of Shell Island on the National Geographic Baja map and satellite image.
Looking inland towards Highway #5 (2 miles), at Km. 26.
Detour along Highway #5, 45 miles north of San Felipe.
Man in the mountain… the volcanic hills take on many shapes, just let your imagination run wild!
I posted something last night on forums where I have been sharing this trip report, and I think I will place it here, at the end of this 15 Days in
Baja 2012 Photo Report:
This has been fun for me to relive the trip, and through this report it 'cements' the details better than (my) memory! I am glad some of you are
enjoying it and if it sparks the desire to see these places (again, or the first time) then that is fantastic.
Baja California (Old California) is truly a land of wonder and adventure. On the 14th day, we passed places I have been to one or more times in the
past, thus the links to those older photos were added should you wish to 'see' what I saw there. When or if you go in person, you WILL see more! These
photos are just a sample, a tiny sample of what is down there. The ocean, the beaches, plants, animals, mines, missions, painted caves... all in one
skinny, long peninsula. Baja has been attracting man to go there for centuries! It must be magic... The magic of Baja...
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Thank you and Happy Trails!
David K
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Curt63
Super Nomad
Posts: 1171
Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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Excellent work David. Very detailed, lots of pics, maps, some lore and history. I appreciate your attention to detail. Im looking forward to many more
of your excellent reports!
No worries
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El Vergel
Nomad
Posts: 197
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: San Felipe - Puertecitos Rd., Km. 35 and Santa Mon
Member Is Offline
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Bravo!
Way to go David (and Baja Angel)! What a treat it is to read, over and over again, this trip report. It is the best! Thank you so very much for the
share, the pics and the verbiage. This kind and generous post gives true credence to the magic of this special place, and you do it so well, so sweet
and very well !!!!
[Edited on 8-15-2012 by El Vergel]
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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Excellent report, thanks
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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De nada... I hope it helps put you there, in spirit!
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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David I don't know how you can have fun and still have time to make a detail trip report..thanks for all the info and pix..
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jbcoug
Senior Nomad
Posts: 709
Registered: 9-24-2006
Location: Vancouver, WA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Needing Baja!
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David,
I, and I'm sure there are others, can't thank you enough for sharing this experience. My dream trip is the entire loop with many out of the way stops
such as yours. I have followed your trip on my Baja Almanac enjoyed every word of your report. You give the rest of us so many ideas for expanding our
own experiences in our Baja travels. Thanks again, I hope to soon enjoy my own trip.
John
\"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.\" Andy Rooney
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Awesome... then my efforts are of value! Have a great time or better, as we did! This was about the best Baja trip Elizabeth and I have had... Heck,
they are all good, it's just that we had two weeks off and the friends who made spending time in La Paz and Bahia Asuncion possible to enjoy so much.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
David I don't know how you can have fun and still have time to make a detail trip report..thanks for all the info and pix.. |
Well José, first we have fun in Baja... then I come home and take two weeks to share our two weeks of fun with you!
It's like having 4 weeks of Baja fun!! 
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I forgot to finish up with the total distance in the Tacoma on this Baja trip: 2,622 miles.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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I just read your entire report, David--------incredibly well done, and sure brought back some great memories!! Of interest, about 1/2 of your pics
say they are "out of service" or something like that, and not available. Wierd!!! Still, a truly great report!!!
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hi Barry, the photos are all hosted on Photobucket.com, so there could be an issue with their site. Please come back later and look again, as the
photos really tell the story better than do I!!!
Edit: Just went to my album on Photobucket and got this:
Photobucket Site Maintenance
Images and videos may continue to serve during this short maintenance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
or not! Anyway, come back tomorrow Barry... This is the first time I have not seen my photos appear in this trip report.
[Edited on 8-16-2012 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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OK, Barry... I stayed up late to see it fixed... as of now (12:49 am) all the photobucket links are working!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I got a u2u question asking about what I take and pack into the Tacoma for my Baja trip(s)...
I have developed camping boxes, the plastic storage boxes with the snap on lid (I add a bungee to it, as well) like you get in the big home depots or
wall marts. The heavy rubbermade type.
3 boxes are the standard size and one is bigger.
The 3 boxes are:
1) Kitchen Box... cooking pot, fry pan, coffee pot, and in smaller containers silverware, cooking utensils, camp soap, scrub sponge, paper plates,
bowls, cups, lighter, etc.
2) Food Box: cereals, breads, freeze dried meals, canned foods, etc.
3) Camp Miscl. Box: Lanterns, Bug spray, sun block, candles, rake, Frisbee, etc.
The bigger box hold our air mattress and bedding and beach towels.
In the back of my truck (5 ft. bed) goes the camp table, then the above boxes on top.
One or two ice chests go in back (usually 2), as well as a 7 gallon square water bottle.
On top of them I have a big canvass bag that holds a tarp, camp stove, propane bottles, matt for the front of our tent, potty seat, newspaper and camp
fire logs.
One ice chest is all ice (blocks and crushed) and is sealed until we need to add ice to the other. The other is 50% ice (block and crushed) and some
drinks and any food items that need to be on ice. [This last trip we brought no perishable food so running out of ice wouldn't be a problem].
We like cold water and beer, and sometime a drink at night like rum and coke (me) and vodka and cranberry or grapefruit (her) and ice is important for
those drinks on a warm Baja night. We never were without ice the entire 15 days. Buying block ice in Mulege, in La Paz, and a bag in Vizcaino. We have
those 5 Day chests and in 95º weather, we got 5 days out of them!
To the sides of the above, but still in the bed of my truck goes our tent, pop up sun shade, and camp chairs.
Inside the cab, on the back seat (if there are no others with us) goes our clothes bags. If someone is in the back, then clothes bags go in the bed.
I use about 4 to 6 bungees to keep things in place on the bumpy roads and it has worked out well for me this way since my first Tacoma in 2000.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: In love!
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Well, Twinky Right Wing Radical, you outdid yourself this time.
This is by far the best photo trip report I have seen published on Nomad. Congratulations! Too bad you hardly had any fun at all.
When are you guys coming up to see us again? The dogs miss you and you have my current wife fooled.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hi Neal, it would be a pleasure to come see the huskies (and humans) again at your creekside paradise. I might even be able to deliver an autographed
copy of the newest book on Spanish California to add to your collection!
Thank you... and you and the family can visit here anytime, as well!!
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TacoFeliz
Nomad
Posts: 266
Registered: 7-22-2005
Location: Here
Member Is Offline
Mood: Exploratory
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Enjoyed your trip report!
Thanks, DK. It put a smile on my face every time I read a new installment. Great trip!
Jay
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Glad you enjoy it Jay. I wish I could keep going back
Baja has so much it's incredible!
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Sprocket
Junior Nomad
Posts: 67
Registered: 1-3-2012
Member Is Offline
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"Villa of a Mexican general"
Around 1986 or 87 my father, a friend of his and I sailed to Mainland mexico. I remember stopping at several places and this was one. I could never
really remember its location, I had allways wondered where it was. Our last stop before here was San Jaunico (can I say that here)lol.. and I know we
sailed for 2 or 3 days and stoped at night.
My thought was somewhere north of Todos Santos. At the time there was a care taker. He saw us land and came to great us. Helped us get some water and
gave us a tour. I remember the home was beging used for vactions and maybe a old tractor and car out front. The beach looked like a resort allmost.
We also sailed over to the Sea Of Cortez and saw a amazing villa there north of La Paz.
DK thanks for posting your pic and taking the time to write this all up.
Do you have more info on this place or pics? Iam going to forward them to my dad.
thanks
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Sprocket
"Villa of a Mexican general"
Around 1986 or 87 my father, a friend of his and I sailed to Mainland mexico. I remember stopping at several places and this was one. I could never
really remember its location, I had allways wondered where it was. Our last stop before here was San Jaunico (can I say that here)lol.. and I know we
sailed for 2 or 3 days and stoped at night.
My thought was somewhere north of Todos Santos. At the time there was a care taker. He saw us land and came to great us. Helped us get some water and
gave us a tour. I remember the home was beging used for vactions and maybe a old tractor and car out front. The beach looked like a resort allmost.
We also sailed over to the Sea Of Cortez and saw a amazing villa there north of La Paz.
DK thanks for posting your pic and taking the time to write this all up.
Do you have more info on this place or pics? Iam going to forward them to my dad.
thanks |
San Pedrito has been in some old books as Steve 'Bajatripper' showed me at his house... It is worthy of more research. I recall Bajatripper saying the
resort of General Rodriguez was in operation in the 1930's. The only background I had (besides Todos Santos Nomads mentioning it, is that Arnorld
Senterfitt landed there regularly to measure the runway that ended at the general's villa, for his 1960's and 70's Airports of Baja California books.
I will do some more digging... and Steve, correct me if I am wrong about names or dates for San Pedrito (or anywhere)!
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