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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Baja Pole Line Road - Dec. 27-30, 2005
Dear Baja enthusiasts,
It is that time of the year to begin planning for our upcoming Just Runs - Pole Line Road Run - December 27-30, 2005. This will be the third such run
that I have led and I am looking forward to the excitement and anticipation that the Pole Line Road events have created over the past year.
Question: What exactly is the Pole Line Road?
The Pole Line Road is a telephone pole access route south of the Laguna Salada in the north San Felipe desert. This road covers roughly 150 miles of
typical desert terrain - motocross paths, ranching routes, the occasional rock gardens and even cobblestone roads! Unfortunately, this road has
received literally no mainenance since its construction in 1942. As a result, ditches the size of Volkswagons can swallow a Jeep. Washouts and
rock-shrewn canyons prevent easy travel, requiring good tire-placement skills. Steep sections of trails along high cliffs provide some real
challenges for the novice and seasoned drivers alike. Rocks can and sometimes do damage vital engine componentry (Skidplating a must!).
We plan to travel this route over a shot of 4 days. Luckily, we will travel as the old pioneers did - going from water-fed canyon to water-fed
canyon. As a result, we will camp each night near cool oases. However, be prepared for 4 full days of dusty, dry desert camping. We will combine
some moderate hiking along with some day-long trail driving to provide the ultimate desert-lovers experience. Frequent stops for photographing
indemic flora should be expected.
Day 1 - Meeting Place - Pep Boys Supercenter - 400 South Imperial Blvd. Calexico, CA.
12/27 Meeting Time - 9:30 a.m.
Drivers Meeting - 10 a.m. with departure following at roughly 10:15 a.m.
Be sure to have 2 empty gasoline Jerry cans, positive identification, and any applicable immigration papers for re-entry to USA after run is complete.
Your CB Radio must be in good, working order, recovery points fore and aft, MEXICAN AUTO INSURANCE policy, and plenty of drinking water.
After topping off our gas tanks, and filling our Jerry Cans, our plan on Day 1 will be to travel the relatively short 30 mi. distance from the
trailhead at Hwy 2 to Guadalupe Canyon. There, we will camp at one of the established campgrounds for a fee (TBA), and participants can take an
optional 2 hour hike to the Pool of the Virgin. Night #1 will be spent in the palm tree-lined Canyon de Guadalupe.
Pool of the Virgin:
www.guadalupe-canyon.com/ images/virgpool.jpg
Day 2 - Drivers Meeting - 9 a.m. with departure following at roughly 9:30 a.m.
12/28
Day 2 will combine some scenic trail driving along the base of some of Baja's finest cactus-lands. Red soils and rocky buttes recall the Four Corners
region while 6 foot tall Cholla cactii will intregue as well as intimidate. Our plan will be to travel most of the day from Guadalupe Canyon along
the historic Pole Line Road up to the challenging Basketball Hill where we will ascend carefully with the picturesque Canyon Jaquegel approximately 30
minutes beyond. Night # 2 will be spent in the palm tree-lined Canyon Jaquegel.
Basketball Hill/Canyon Jaquegel:
http://www.baja101.com/104/img/trip.jpeg
http://www.baja101.com/104/img/pole.jpeg
http://www.justruns.com/gallery/albums/album147/Jeep_063.siz...
Day 3 (12/29) will consist of hiking up the canyon and visit Indian Hunting Blinds, look for petroglyphs, and examine indemic flora & fauna
without a feeling of being rushed. Night #3 will be spent in the palm tree-lined Canyon Jaquegel.
Day 4 - Drivers Meeting - 8 a.m. with departure following at roughly 8:30 a.m.
12/30
Day 4 (12/30) we plan to get an early start because we've got some quality ROCKCRAWLIN' to look forward to. Day 4 will be our most challenging day
with the steep dropoffs (named 'The Skateboard Ramp') along with the massive rockfield of the lower Canyon Jaquegel that must be crossed.
Please note: If Lower Jaquegel is not passable, we will have to double back the entire route - if you do not have enough gasoline, then there might
be a problem for your trail boss.
Once everyone gets to Hwy 5 and airs up their tires, we plan to depart for Mexicali as a group. We will stop for gasoline at one of the Pemex
stations along the route, cross the border, and hopefully be in the USA by sunset.
Prices:
Plan on this trip costing you in the neighborhood of $400 U.S. [if your drive originates in Southern Ca.]
We plan to top off our gas tanks and fill our jerry cans in Mexico just 10 mi. from the trailhead. Some vehicles will complete the trail on vapors
while some vehicles will need to use their 1st and possibly 2nd Jerry can just to get to the terminus at Hwy 5/Laguna Salada. 35 mi. north of the end
of our trail will be a Pemex station. So, figure 1 1/2 tanks of gasoline for the run, and 1 tank of gas to get you across the border and possibly
back home depending on where you live.
Auto insurance is another expense you must figure in.
Sanborn's Mexico Insurance offers great rates on their GE Seguros (GE stands for General Electric) Insurance. Contact info for this co. is:
Sanborn's Insurance
943 Imperial Ave. Suite B.
Calexico, CA 92231
Ph.: (760) 357-6424
Fax: (760) 357-6375
calexico@sanbornsinsurance.com
www.sanbornsinsurance.com/calexico
Corporate HQ: 1-800-222-0158
Trailering your Jeep on the Pole Line Trail? Here's a place in the U.S. to store your tow rig and trailer:
Vehicle/Jeep Trailer Storage:
Calexico Parking & Storage
465 West 2nd Street, Calexico, CA 92231
(760) 357-2477
$3/day trailers $1.50/day pickups
Open Mon-Friday Closed Sat/Sunday
Hrs. 6 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Please note: The Pole Line Road is not a trail for beginners or the faint of heart. This trail contains rocks that require a tire no smaller than
31" in diameter to negotiate. In addition, a good driver who can place his or her tires correctly without damage to the vehicle. Drivers will be
required to fill out and sign a liability waiver during the drivers meeting in the U.S. Drivers and participants will be asked to not remove
historical/cultural artifacts that may be lying around along the Pole Line route - SEMARNAP observed us driving towards G.C. in April, let's not give
them any reason to lock up this trail. Drivers will be asked to save alcoholic beverages for camp and not the trail. Dogs must travel with
vaccination papers from their veterinarian. There is a travel advisory for Northern Mexico:
[http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_2100.html]. Our plan is to drive through as a group and quickly regroup once in the USA. Hopefully,
we will be able to arrive home before too late at night - otherwise, there are excellent accomodations in Brawley, CA.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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The rocks were enough to damage the tire carrier of this Long-wheelbase Jeep:
Jeeps and Toyotas were able to complete the run with a minimal amount of breakage:
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Great announcement Ken!
A couple of questions, if you please...
Is this just for your group or can any Nomad with the proper equipment join up?
Is there a fee paid to you or your club to join this trip?
Would you welcome any Nomads that showed up or were already in the area to join your group, provided they were no burden or caused a delay?
Thank you!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Is this just for your group or can any Nomad with the proper equipment join up?
This run is open to any Nomad w/a capable 4WD vehicle and experience driving 'moderate' Level 3 trails. If someone doesn't know what this is,
then, they shouldn't come.
Is there a fee paid to you or your club to join this trip?
There is a fee for 1st night of camping only - To Be Announced. My wife Suzanne is requiring that all participants complete a liability waiver
due to our homeowner status. We don't want to lose the nestegg if someone gets hurt on this trail.
Would you welcome any Nomads that showed up or were already in the area to join your group, provided they were no burden or caused a delay?
Once again, if the Nomad has a capable 4WD vehicle (preferably w/rear traction aid), 31" tall tires (LT 245R16), CB Radio or FRS Radio, tow hooks
front/rear, two Jerry Cans, and experience negotiating 'moderate' Level 3 trails, then, come along! There was one section that Suzanne got real
uncomfortable due to a very steep climb followed by an off-camber, rutted section of dirt trail overlooking a 75' dropoff.
Rocky trail leading to Basketball Hill:
Sweeping vistas atop 'Summit' trail:
[Edited on 9-14-2005 by Ken Cooke]
[Edited on 9-14-2005 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Your Trail Boss(es):
Suzanne (hair about 4" shorter) and Ken (wearing glasses w/graying hair) 
[Edited on 9-14-2005 by Ken Cooke]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Great photos... specially the summit view!
I recognize the one of you two! It was taken by the same person who photographed the babisuri (ring tailed cat)... Alejandra, at Viva Baja-1.
The new Tacoma has a 21 gallon tank and gets 16-20 MPG (over a 300 mi. range), a locking rear diff, 265/70-16 BFGs... No worries...
I would happily sign a liability waiver... but I would sure like to leave any low life out there that would even think of sueing a fellow Nomad for
his own problems...
I hope it is a great trip again for you... I still want to see the area... You need to do a Mision Santa Maria trip with me, as well!
Here is chicagoross' Jeep, following my Tacoma down the 'widowmaker'! Going down was easy... two days later we went up!
[Edited on 9-14-2005 by David K]
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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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Don't take that David K fellow, Ken. He has never been to Baja before! 
Take his Toyota if you can. Nice. 
Do they have adequate restrooms along the trail, Ken? (Asked of Dennis Casebier re the Mojave Road by someone in the East). 
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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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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Basketball Hill being re-worked by Desert Explorers a few years ago so Jeeps could get up it.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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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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When Marian was begging me to marry her, 15 years ago, I tested her on the Pole Line Road. She passed, as you can see below. This was her Jeep at the
time, she has upgraded to a Toyota.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Scratch the liability waiver. Legal advice from Just Runs of San Diego, CA says its' not necessary. Let's just 'wheel safely and have fun!
I would love to travel the Widowmaker. It looks like real, rocky fun. Just keep me posted, and I'll probably have a few Jeeps who will want to tag
along. You know how it is with Jeeps...You invite one, and 4 or 5 usually show up!
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Great photos... specially the summit view!
I recognize the one of you two! It was taken by the same person who photographed the babisuri (ring tailed cat)... Alejandra, at Viva Baja-1.
The new Tacoma has a 21 gallon tank and gets 16-20 MPG (over a 300 mi. range), a locking rear diff, 265/70-16 BFGs... No worries...
I would happily sign a liability waiver... but I would sure like to leave any low life out there that would even think of sueing a fellow Nomad for
his own problems...
I hope it is a great trip again for you... I still want to see the area... You need to do a Mision Santa Maria trip with me, as well!
Here is chicagoross' Jeep, following my Tacoma down the 'widowmaker'! Going down was easy... two days later we went up!
[Edited on 9-14-2005 by David K] |
[Edited on 10-25-2005 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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http://thedesertoutlaw.20megsfree.com/photo6.html
New webpage for the Pole Line Run. Remember: Its just 8 weeks away!
[Edited on 10-25-2005 by Ken Cooke]
[Edited on 10-25-2005 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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This run leaves the end of the month. Send U2U if you plan to attend. I need a rough count. Thanks!
-Ken
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
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Ken
After the run on the 31st, you can come to San Felipe and enjoy the smoked turkey with us
Bajalou & Teina
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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We won't be able to make the Pole Line Rd run but will make it to the turkey celebration. On the way down I'll try again to find the road from the
wells to the Y intersection from the Pole Line Rd. Maybe see you jeep guys on your last day coming out. What CB channel will you use?
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
We won't be able to make the Pole Line Rd run but will make it to the turkey celebration. On the way down I'll try again to find the road from the
wells to the Y intersection from the Pole Line Rd. Maybe see you jeep guys on your last day coming out. What CB channel will you use?
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I am not sure we can make the turkey celebration. I will pose this to the group who has RSVP'ed and I will see what they think. We will only be ~40
mi. north of San Felipe, and a home-cooked meal will be hard to beat!
On the morning of the 30th, we will pull out of Canyon Jaquegel at around 8 a.m. I am not sure how far or how much progress we will make during those
daylight hours since the trails have been damaged so much lately due to late summer storms. But, give us a jingle on your CB radios right around noon
and hopefully we will respond to TW...
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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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Ken-----what CB channel do you guys use in Baja???? (nfm)
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
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Barry,
We start with 4 as we drive across the border. Depending on the number of truckers bleeding across the channels, we adjust our CBs accordingly.
Because they often use linear amps, you have to turn the squelch up to the point that your party cannot communicate effectively. That's when a
channel change is in order.
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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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Thanks, Ken----------
Presumably, when you get down into the real boonies, like south of the Laguna Salada, the interference would become less and
less----right?-----meaning maybe that you would go back to channel 4 and stay there????
As an aside, I am finding that the new 5 watt FRS/GMRS handi-talkies (I use "Midland" Radios) are not only static free, but do very well between cars
in a caravan, and have pretty good range-------have you tried these types of radios yet??
Also, I use a single-side-band CB (SSB-CB), which not only increases your transmission power when using the side-band function, but others are seldom
using that function. The downside is that most folks don't have single-side-band capability, and it is harder to "tune in" for listening even if you
do have the capability. If you don't have SSB capability, you cannot hear folks that are using SSB, I don't believe.
Just some thoughts.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Presumably, when you get down into the real boonies, like south of the Laguna Salada, the interference would become less and
less----right?-----meaning maybe that you would go back to channel 4 and stay there???? |
In Santa Ynez last weekend, we heard truckers from all over the Baja peninsula, on Hwy 1, and maybe even Arizona. They were talking all sorts of
trash that got unbearable to listen to. So, I turned the squealch so far up that I didn't care about same-party communications. It just became a
headache. I am interested in buying a Single Side Band CB radio, and perhaps over time others who travel with me will have the same type of radio. I
hope to buy a good FRS radio for camping in the future.
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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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Ken-----FRS/GMRS radios by Midland------
--------go into your "search engine" and type in "sportsmansguide" (all one word). This will bring up the website for "The Sportsmans Guide", and
within that site find the window at the top left that says "type in key word".
In that window, type in "midland radios", and viola, up comes the best deals I have been able to find on all kinds of Midland radios from 2 watt to 5
watt. I think the 2 watt are about $29 for 2, and the 5 watt go for about $70 for 2. I have both the 4 watt (10 mile), and the 5 watt (14 mile), and
both work super. I believe that the 4 watt is totally adaquate, and considerably cheaper than the 5 watt. The shipping and handling raises the price
about $7, but they still beat COSTCO on the prices for what you get, I believe.
I have used Midland radios for years (both on, and off, the job), and they work just fine.
Good luck, and many thanks for your responses. (your comments on the $30 citation in TJ were hilarious)
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