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vandy
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Posts: 538
Registered: 10-10-2003
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Paved the rest of the way? Where's the incentive? Altruism? Convenience?
Maybe I'd believe governmental inertia...OK, I'd definitely believe that.
I can see paving to Gonzaga and maybe a few more miles. That is some prime real estate. The whole stretch that has been paved is eminently
developable. Easy access from the north will bring in the people with money: you know, Merkins, Cajuns and Meskins. Not too much business from/to
the south.
I personally love the idea of having my easy shortcut to the south, but if they paved my beloved East Cape road, or even the Agua Verde road, I'd be
majorly peeed off.
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BajaRat
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Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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We talked to an Alfonsina resident last Christmas who had 20,000 dollars worth of crap stolen from his garage. He mentioned that there had been
several other break ins 
We also saw surveyors in the mountain passes south of green frog rock. that 30 plus miles looks like it would be very expensive to pave. I can only
imagine that if it was paved we would see a huge increase in commercial traffic, exactly what we don't miss about Mex 1.
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akshadow
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why pave?
Paved route on the east side of the Baja would shorten the route used by commercial truck traffic from mainland Mexico. It may certainly decrease the
current baja experience of visitors but could have major benefits for Mexican employment, new mining etc.
these may be in conflict with your use of Baja, but are cash economy measures that are not afforded by beach campers and other ecological users.
| Quote: | Originally posted by vandy
Paved the rest of the way? Where's the incentive? Altruism? Convenience?
Maybe I'd believe governmental inertia...OK, I'd definitely believe that.
I can see paving to Gonzaga and maybe a few more miles. That is some prime real estate. The whole stretch that has been paved is eminently
developable. Easy access from the north will bring in the people with money: you know, Merkins, Cajuns and Meskins. Not too much business from/to
the south.
I personally love the idea of having my easy shortcut to the south, but if they paved my beloved East Cape road, or even the Agua Verde road, I'd be
majorly peeed off. |
Ron San Felipe Oct, Nov. Feb. Mar. April. remainder in Juneau Ak
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vandy
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Thanks for straightening me out.
Commercial truck traffic would be a practical reason to finish paving this road.
It's amazing how many trucks serve La Paz and Los Cabos; I never really thought about where they were coming from.
I sort of like trucks in south Baja...they help keep the cow population down.
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mtgoat666
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progress
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaRat
I can only imagine that if it was paved we would see a huge increase in commercial traffic, exactly what we don't miss about Mex 1.
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would be great if east route paving lessens the truck traffic on hwy 1, my preferred N-S route 
You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please
all of the people all of the time 
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TMW
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Commercial trucks don't need no stinking paved roads, rough is good.
At Cocos last Nov.
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mcfez
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For the commercial truck traffic.... it was the main route from south to north Baja years ago....it saved 3 - 4 hours of time......until the Pacific
side got paved.
Once the Cortez side is paved...........there will be plenty of trucks hitting that road.
I can smell the McDonalds already..............
Welcome back Alaska Shadow......was the food good there.... at your extended stay last week? 
[Edited on 7-30-2013 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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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mcfez
For the commercial truck traffic.... it was the main route from south to north Baja years ago....it saved 3 - 4 hours of time......until the Pacific
side got paved.
Once the Cortez side is paved...........there will be plenty of trucks hitting that road.
I can smell the McDonalds already..............
Welcome back Alaska Shadow......was the food good there.... at your extended stay last week?
[Edited on 7-30-2013 by mcfez] |
The some of first Baja speed runs from Tijuana to La Paz (before the NORRA Mexican 1000 of 1967) was from Tijuana east to Mexicali then south through
San Felipe, Gonzaga, Calamajue Canyon. There was more paved road this way and while the original Gonzaga road had many ultra steep grades, the surface
wasn't all chopped up like it became in the late 1970's.
The civilized (graded/ maintained) road ended at El Rosario and Puertecitos back in the 60's and did not start again until San Ignacio... but was
still very difficult and slow until Constitucion. Mostly just single lane, unimproved nature tire width track.
Supplies for Baja Sur came mostly from ship to La Paz and trucked north from there, but not the semi truck you see on the highway today.
The central peninsula was serviced by 'fayuquero', a peddler much like Mr. Haney on Green Acres. He would have a truck in name only, running this
rough road by pure Mexican genius of engineering and mechanical skill. These merchants traded goods between the ranchers and fishermen, delivered the
mail, maintained the road, and a host of other activities before the end of 1973.
Mike Humfreville rode along with one such fayuquero and wrote much about that experienced which helped cement his love for Baja...
Posted 12-5-2003 by Mile Humfreville:
My first trip into the interior was in the late 1960's and dirt ruled the roadbed south from somewhere starting in Colonet or Camalu. I was
hitchhiking. I never even put my thumb out. I just waited until I could comprehend what was happening around me and someone would offer me a ride. My
first host was having lunch at rancho San Luis, between where Catavina is now and Santa Ines was then. Epifanio was a 'servicio particular' trucker
and having breakfast at the small cafe at the ranch. We spoke and he asked me where we were going and I said north. My friend had lost interest in
pursuing our goal to drive down the entire peninsula. Epifanio told me he was going as far as San Ignacio. He offered me a ride. I offered to share
his gas expenses. The beginning of a symbiotic relationship. A few days after riding with Epifanio, I stumbled into some folks going south more
directly than Epifanio, who was stopping at every forlorn rancho to deliver goods from Ensenada. I took Roberto up on his offer of a ride. He drove me
into Guerrero Negro where I re-connected with Epifanio after breaking down in the desert. Epifanio and I continued south, got stuck in a cyclone in
the central desert south of Guerrero for 3 days before we wound slowly into San Ignacio. My third and final ride was provided by a boilermaking
Gringo, Jesse and his wife driving a 1950's vintage Nash Rambler. They had brought that car over hundreds of miles of high-centered dirt road and were
going further south. They picked me up at the junction of the 'highway' and the road into San Ignacio. Our southernmost point was Santa Rosalia after
a breakdown in the desert. In each of these quickly formed relations I looked for something that was needed in our mutual situation that might repay
my debt to the driver. With Epifanio and Roberto it was financial (gas); with Jesse and his wife it was social. They had been on the road for so long
they just really wanted to find some way to entertain themselves (and me). Most of us want to do more than our share in anything we undertake. A few
of us just don't give a damn and will take whatever there is to be taken without consideration or conscience. It's just human habits with a few
sprinkles of natures balance thrown in. But I think I would draw the line if some jerk were smacking my truck and demanding a ride. On the other hand,
once I got him into the vehicle I'd really have a captive audience. The Lecture begins at the first curve.
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oxxo
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As a result of this thread, we drove the Gonzaga road for the first time yesterday. It is exactly 38.5 miles of unpaved "graded" road. Some sections
are 5mph, some sections are 40mph. We made the trip in almost exactly two hours, so we averaged 20mph. We saw a total of 4 cars during those two
hours. We drove a Ford Escape FWD with no problems in clearance. The bridge at Gonzaga is open but not 100% complete. We saw no workmen or heavy
equipment anywhere. It appears that there is no work on the unpaved section at this time.
We saved about 2 hours going from GN to Mexicali as opposed to GN to Tecate on HWY 1/3. Will we do it again while it is unpaved? Good question, it
is a toss up for us - 2 hours of discomfort to save us 2 hours of total travel time. We predict this road will be very popular when and if it is ever
completed. We will definitely take it when it is paved the whole way.
30 minutes to cross at Garita II in Mexicali at 3pm on a Thurs.
Los Caracoles in GN is now charging 580p for a room. Time to look for an alternative in another town.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: | Originally posted by oxxo
As a result of this thread, we drove the Gonzaga road for the first time yesterday. It is exactly 38.5 miles of unpaved "graded" road. Some sections
are 5mph, some sections are 40mph. We made the trip in almost exactly two hours, so we averaged 20mph. We saw a total of 4 cars during those two
hours. We drove a Ford Escape FWD with no problems in clearance. The bridge at Gonzaga is open but not 100% complete. We saw no workmen or heavy
equipment anywhere. It appears that there is no work on the unpaved section at this time.
We saved about 2 hours going from GN to Mexicali as opposed to GN to Tecate on HWY 1/3. Will we do it again while it is unpaved? Good question, it
is a toss up for us - 2 hours of discomfort to save us 2 hours of total travel time. We predict this road will be very popular when and if it is ever
completed. We will definitely take it when it is paved the whole way.
30 minutes to cross at Garita II in Mexicali at 3pm on a Thurs.
Los Caracoles in GN is now charging 580p for a room. Time to look for an alternative in another town. |
Thank you for your reply in this thread!
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chuckie
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Whatever your opinions are vis this new road, it is a
lovely drive..I havnt driven it since they started messing with it, but loved the hell out of it when it was a problem getting over the 3 sisters,
coming out of the creek bed just before Papa Fernandez, and limping into his place, where he was waiting with those big thick glasses and cold
beer...After a rain, the colors were art worthy....Our Baja? She is changing
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Barry A.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by chuckie
Whatever your opinions are vis this new road, it is a
lovely drive..I havnt driven it since they started messing with it, but loved the hell out of it when it was a problem getting over the 3 sisters,
coming out of the creek bed just before Papa Fernandez, and limping into his place, where he was waiting with those big thick glasses and cold
beer...After a rain, the colors were art worthy....Our Baja? She is changing |
Yep!!!!! Sigh!!!!!!!
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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In the '70's (between Puertecitos and Gonzaga Bay). Pics from 1974, 1975, via dune buggy and 1979 via 4WD Subaru, that arrived at Gonzaga after 5
hours drive from Puertecitos (50 miles) and no muffler! Really didn't think I would make it up the steepest grade... took several attempts:
Who's the skinny kid with a Subaru?
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willardguy
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appears to be one of them LONG HAIR HIPPIE types!
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Barry A.
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I NEVER tire of seeing those shots, David. Sure brings back a lot of wonderful memories of adventures of 'good times' with good friends in the '50's
and 60's and beyond.
Thank you for that----------
Barry
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
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yup, love the memories, but loooooove the new road!
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by willardguy
appears to be one of them LONG HAIR HIPPIE types! |
... and wearing a SCORE hat!
I was actually pre-running the Baja 1000 section I was first going to drive in a couple weeks (San Matias Pass to El Crucero).
We broke down before I got the chance!
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
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Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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wow ..... great pictures David. We were the fortunate ones to have driven that road there before it got paved.
I hated it.............yet I miss it! I think the worst part was the stretch of paved road that pot holes every 2 feet .
[Edited on 8-12-2013 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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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
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Anyone who drove south from Puertecitos before the grading of 1985/86 knows what an adventure it was. My last time on that old road was 1979. What a
trip it was!
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Barry A.
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My "first trip" down that road was in 1959 or 60 in a classic old 6-cyl Army Ambulance 4x4 and we did NOT make it far, pulling over and camping for a
week in one of the mouths of the canyons along the "horrible grades" south of Puertecitos after we encountered a Jeep that had rolled on one of the
"grades", injuring one man pretty badly.
Talk about an "adventure".
Next trip down was in about 1963 in a VW Bus, and this time we made it to Gonzaga and back, but the "bus" was never quite the same after THAT trip.
Barry
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