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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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Buggy through Baja
Anyone have information on taking trips through baja with a buggy?
Thanks!
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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There is a company called Wide Open Baja that does buggy tours. They use Score class BC two seat race cars. They have 4 day and 7 day trips and
probably others if requested. They travel as a group with chase trucks. Over the 4th of July a tour group was staying at Mike's Sky Rancho. There were
about 5 or 6 cars. People from all over the U.S. Their web site is.
www.wideopenbaja.com
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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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Thanks for the info. Called and it is a load of cash. Anyone have any other suggestions?
Thanks!
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Phil C
Senior Nomad
Posts: 564
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: N. San Diego County/ Loreto Centro/Lopez Mateos
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Your own buggy or someone else's?
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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As an alternative you could rent a Jeep 4x4 or similar vehicle and with a Baja Almanac and some advise from the Nomads here you could put together a
really good trip. It just depends on what your looking for and how long you want to stay. Ken Cooke is leading a group over the Pole Line Rd the end
of Dec. That's an exciting trip, especially with all the new rocks that grew on basketball hill. Any trip in Baja will take you to places where you'll
meet many great people both natives and visitors like yourself.
Read the trip report from the Vermonter for what it can be like.
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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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Thanks for the advice TW. I just checked out the trip Ken Cooke is doing. Sounds great but don't know if we're "qualified" for it. But I did shoot
him a post for suggestions on a trip. We'd be heading down Dec. 31 and have to make it back to San Diego by the 6th or 7th. Looking for an
adventure!!! Any suggestions would be great!
Thanks!
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1921
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Blue12 trip type??
Blue - what type of trip do you have in mind? Will you have the ability to travel off the highway, onto dirt roads? Will you be prepared to camp or
will you rely on motels?
What type of vehicles will you be driving - passenger cars, pick-up trucks, SUVs? What are the interests of your group? Plants, history, missions,
fishing, or...?
Will the six or seven days be the time you've alloted for travel in Baja?
John
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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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We just want a good adventure but some time to take in the area too. We are outfitted for camping if it is ok to camp. How cold does it get at
night?
We're going to have to rent a vehicle. If possible I'm guessing we'll try and find a jeep. Any suggestions where to rent?
Interests - Just want to see as much as we can - beaches, water, hiking, climbing, off roading, etc.
We arrive the night of Dec. 30th in San Diego so if we leave early the 31st we have from then until the 6th or 7th to get back to San Diego and fly
home. We want to spend our vacation traveling through and seeing as much as Baja as possible. So I guess that gives us probably 6 days of travel and
1 to get back to San Diego.
Hope that helps!!
Jamie
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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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Oh...we are NOT interested in the "spring break" scene. Love to see some little fishing villages, etc. and get into the heart of Baja. Rather stay
away from the touristy stuff if at all possible.
Thanks again!
Jamie
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Blue, your dates fit in perfect with Bajalou's Turkey Feast on the 31st in San Felipe. Look under the General Disc. We had a big crowd last year with
many Baja Nomads there. Get a Baja Almanac and we can spend some time going over places to go and things to do. Ask the Vermonter where he got his
Jeep or check with Discover Baja Travel club, they probably know where to rent a 4x4. From San Diego to San Felipe I would suggest taking I8 to
Calexico and cross into Mexicali and come down hwy 5 to San Felipe, it would be the fastest way.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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TW is right - you'll meet several Baja Nomads, explorer types to exchange ideas with - lots of help for the trip you are wanting.
Come on down -
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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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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Thanks so much for your help!!! Called a couple of place but they are all out of Jeep Wranglers. Some do have convertibles but I'm thinking a Jeep
would be safer. I'll keep looking and thanks for the suggestions on rentals. Hopefully we'll head down on the 31st and find everyone!!
Jamie
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I also suggest getting a GPS if you don't have one, any cheap one will do to begin with. A GPS and the Almanac can be a lot of fun. Getting lost can
be a lot of fun too.
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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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I'm getting really excited about coming but finding a 4x4 is not so easy. Any suggestions? Right now the closest I'm getting is a SUV or a
convertible.
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1921
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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A bit of surfing found this
CALIFORNIA BAJA
RENT-A-CAR
619/470-7368
SUV, 4x4 vehicles
Do you have a Baja map - like Auto Club or good map in front of you - Blue?
If so, and you head to San Felipe, there are neat spots to check out in that general direction. More to follow.
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Blue12
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 12-5-2005
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I'm going to go grab a map at AAA tomorrow morning. How far of a drive is it for us from San Diego to San felipe? How early should we start out on
the Dec. 31?
Thanks!
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1921
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Aaah, and there in lies....
...the magic that is Baja!
Leave your watch at home!
To just make the drive from the border to San Felipe, via Ensenada may take 5 to 6 hours, been a while since we've done that. One approach might be to
make each drive an adventure, by going slow - taking in the sights and smells of places you pass through.
While getting an Auto Club map, pick up a tour book, at least they used to have one dedicated to Baja - might be ten bucks or so if you are not a
member.
7 or 8 days and you are supposed to get a visa at the border, easily accomplished just as you cross into Baja. More on that later. The visa, last time
we got 'em were about twenty bucks each person.
Biggest early advice is not to rush your driving. And probably equally important do not drive after dark. Much of the country is open range and cattle
have a habit of coming up onto the roadway from the darndest places.
Get your map, lay it out on the floor, blend up a margarita or two, and just fall asleep on top of the map. Osmosis will take care of the rest.
John
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mcgyver
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 8-22-2003
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Trips
I would reccomend the Matomi Wash trip but I have not been up the wash this year, it was in extreamely bad shape last year and we had no rain at all
to fix it. My other suggestion would be San Felipe to Calamajue camping all the way, that would give you small fishing villages,hot springs, Cowpattys
for hotdogs and Cervesa and local gosip ( some of these people knew General Doolittle who had a camp there)and everthing else in between, abandoned
Onyx mines,the Green pools, Alfonsias, maybe a little futher down Highay 5 to meet Coco. You could spend a month on this stretch of road and not see
it all. Check out David K's web pages. With care you would not need 4WD ( Stay off the Beaches) and yes it can be cold but you can camp almost
antwhere and never see another person.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Great suggestions Mcgyver,
I think the Matomi is in really rough shape after the Baja 1000 went thru last month. I'm praying for a good gullywasher.
There are some nice canyons off of Valle Chico just west of San Felipe you might want to explore - palms, hot springs - great spots. Be worth a day or
so
Again DavidK's website has lots of this stuff - On this board he reported on "Exotic Canyons" after a trip there last year.
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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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1921
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
Member Is Offline
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Side trip
How about a detour to Mike's Sky Ranch? Would be cold at that elevation but motel rooms would probably be available.
Blue, Mike's is off Highway 3. The turn to Mike's is about 2/3 of the way from Ensenada to San Felipe. A usually decent 20 mile dirt road, if you
take the correct road (use the road from the San Matias area rather than the one from Valle de Trinidad).
I agree with Calamajue wash as well - great scenery - and solitude, a route worth doing!
Should have asked earlier - will you be traveling in a single vehicle or have a companion vehicle along? Do you have some experience in the unlikely
event you become bogged down in sand or.......?
John
[Edited on 12-7-2005 by John M]
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