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Wimberly Brothers Annual 07 Trip Report
Bill, Charlie and I have been making this annual trip for about 8 years. Always around the Baja 500 race.
It's Friday May 25th. We cross at Tecate and pick up our tourist visas. They gave Charlie his even though his passport expired in 2004. She told him
to have a new one next time.
Down to Santa Veronica for lunch and off to San Felipe by way of the toll road to Mexicali and the newer toll around Mexicali to the south. In San
Felipe we stop by and visit with friends, including Bajalou and TT. After dinner we find a camp spot for the night. The next morning Bill finds a pair
of panies with lace on the edges and he ties them to a front driving light. Little did we know this would become a center of attention and topic at
every military checkpoint and other places as well.
After a great buffet breakfast at the El Cortez hotel we head south to Cocos. He was not there. We have a beer and leave some food and drinks and move
on. At guerrero Negro several of the hotels were full but we find a room and a friendly manager. After an excellent breakfast we're off to San
Ignacio.
In San Ignacio we have lunch at Rice and Beans and stop to visit the church and relax a little in the town center. Soon we're on our way out the
graded road toward the coast. Our mission was to take the route past El Paraje, Tres Palmas, El Patrocino, arroyo San Pedro to San Juan de la Pila.
Then on to Mulege. We camp overnight on a side road. The next day after a breakfast of grits and tomatoes we're off.
All went well until we got to El Patrocino. There is a fork in the road and a sign that say San Juan de la Pila without any arrow saying which way so
we take the most traveled road. In about 5 miles we come upon a young man on horse back going in our direction. We ask if this road will take us to
Pila and he says no. We give him a beer and thinking he doesn't know what he's talking about we continue on in the same direction. Another 5 miles we
come to a ranch and a man comes out we ask him the same question and we get the same answer, no this road does not go to San Juan de la Pila. After
getting a GPS reading and looking at our topo map we agree. We give the man a beer and the wife and kids cokes and some candy and turn around.
Soon we come up the cowboy again and offer him another beer. It turns out the ranch was his fathers and he was heading home to there. He pulls a bag
out of his saddlebags and offers us some meat. We ask what it is and he tells us it's bull balls. After the laughning dies down we decline
respectfully. He gets a kick out of the panties on the light as well.
So now we go back the way we came. After several miles we pass a rock house we never saw coming in. Soon the road get narrow. Oops we missed a turn
somewhere. Out comes the GPS and we turn around. After a while we find the correct road and go back to the sign and fork in the road. The is an older
man and his daughter sitting outside at a ranch house. We stop to make sure of our directions and chat a while. We exchange cokes for oranges. Now
we're on the right track.
The road is good. One short switchback where we had to stop and backup to get around. Some of the hills are pretty steep. You don't really need 4
wheel drive but you do need a granny low or 4x4 low for a couple of them. I was in 4x4 high and after one steep hill I switched to 4x4 low.
Finally we get to San Juan de la Pila. A good looking ranch. Lots of goats in the pin. A very nice lady came out and spoke to us in english. I'm sorry
I don't remember her name. We took pictures and I'll post them soon. We say goodbye and off to Mulege. Just before we get to the main road to Mulege
we miss a turn and have to again ask directions, this time from woman. How embarrassing. We were on this main road a couple of years ago going from
Mulege to the coast but this time it looked like the hurricane rains last year really changed it.
In Mulege we stay at the Serenidad hotel. As we set down for dinner all the power goes out. After it comes on the waiter said it was rather common
since the floods last year. All the electric is messed up. In the room the bathroom light didn't work. The next morning Charlie traced the wiring back
to the breaker panel and found a loose wire, bingo the light now works. After breakfast we head north.
At Jesus Maria we turn off to Laguna Manuela for the night and a little fishing. While Bill and Charlie fished I rode my motorcycle and picked up cow
manure for the fire. The next morning Bill caught a couple of fish 2-3 lbs but put them back. Breakfast was spam and canned chicken. We packup and
continue north. Lunch at Catavina where a lady waited on us. Must be new staff in town.
We take the Observatory road to the Rancho Coyote turn off. We follow the 05 500 race course for about 4 miles to a cut over road to this years 500
course then down into Mikes Sky Ranch. Mikes is full so we setup camp. Tunaeater is to meet us on Thursday the 31st to prerun his loop from and to
Trinidad. Paul shows up about noon and he and I start prerunning. Bill and Charlie head to Trinidad to meet us later. After about 14 miles to the
Observatory road I was about beat and thinking that the 30+ miles on the south section thru Santa Cruz might be more than I want I let Paul run it and
I'd meet him at the Rancho Coyote turn off. About an hour later Paul comes in and we ride from there on the race course to Trinidad. At Trinidad we
load up the bikes and stop off at a local taco stand.
Into Ensenada to the Ensenada Inn for a shower and relaxation. Friday was contingency and this time there were two groups one at each end of the large
arena. Pizza and beer were the food for the day. Our assignment for the race was to chase Paul on the Observatory road at both ends. So we store
everything we don't need in the room. It's 4:30am Saturday and we're up and ready to head out. I put the key in the ignition and click. Nothing
happens, the battery is dead. Oh no. I get my little Mighty Might booster battery. The truck turns over very slowly and then again nothing. I go down
to the other end of the parking lot and approch a guy with a new Tacoma and ask if he could jump start me. He says he borrowed the truck and it only
has 200 miles on it and the manual says you can't jump start anyone until it's fully broke in. I guess he thought I was somekind of dumbazz. I thanked
him and saw Brian Salley coming out. Brian has a chevy without restrictions on jump starting. It's funny that a few minutes later the Tacoma was jump
starting their KTM MC to get it started. Oh well.
Thanks to Brian we're off to the Observatory road. Up to where the racers come out from Mikes. Soon the bikes come out and soon Paul is there without
problems. We head down to the next crossing at RM186. Paul radios he needs goggles. I pull a new pair out of my bag but when I pull the tape off it
somehow pulled the lense out. I'm trying to get it back in when Paul pulls up. So Bill and Charlie clean his goggles and off he goes. We wait a while
and then go to KM103 to watch the race. After the smaller cars start coming by we go back to Ensenada.
Sunday we check out and go to Tecate where we spend about 2 1/2 hours waiting to cross the border.
It was another good trip to Baja.
[Edited on 6-10-2007 by TW]
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bajalou
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Good story Tom
What's with the battery?
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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Cypress
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Sounds like you and your crew had a good adventure. Thanks for taking the
time to share it.
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TMW
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Lou, I don't know why but I really have a hard time getting more than about three years on a truck battery. The exception was the red top optima I
replaced in my Toyota last year. It was 6 yrs old and still OK. I replaced it before a trip last November just to be safe. The GMC battery was just
over 3 years old and I almost replaced it before this trip. By the way when I got home last Sunday, the next day it was totally dead. I replaced it
yesterday with a red top. I checked the charging system and it's OK. Even on my 91 chevy I replaced em about every 3 years, always with a top of the
line battery. I've used various manufactures. Even the first red top I put in my chevy only lasted 3 years. My wifes Acura they last about 5 years but
she doesn't drive it much, maybe 5,000 miles a year.
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bajalou
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I get all my batteries at Costco - they have a 3 year replacement warranty so if they give me any trouble at all before that - back they go - and I
get another one. I've used about 8-10 Red tops and only have had one that didn't last way more than the 3 years.
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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Gadget
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Mood: Blessed with another day
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That was a fun run Tom, thanks for the report.
I enjoyed the 1st time for the 3 yr warranty on an Optima. The red top went out in the wifes Jeep and I took it to dump it at Auto Zone and get a new
one. The guy looked it up and I was 2 weeks this the good side of the warranty. Freebie new one and the wife stopped complaining we are always
replaceing one.
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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Cap
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Cool story any pictures?
Fly low, land on roads.
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TMW
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Summit
On the road to San Juan de Las Pilas this is the summit where on a clear day you can see both the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez. It was very windy
with the wind blow up the mtn as we looked west.
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TMW
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Las Pilas Ranch
An oasis in the mountains
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TMW
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The owner
The Lady of the ranch. A large goat pen is behind them.
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David K
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Great stuff Tom, THANK YOU!
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Neal Johns
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The San Ignacio - El Patrocino - San Juan de las Pilas - Mulege route is my favorite run.
Some years the rains have closed Arroyo San Pedro so I am glad to hear it is open. There are several small ranches along the way, so take some old
clothes and gifts for them if you go that way. Detailed directions are in the Higginbotham's book Backroad Baja. Ask at Rancho San Juan de las Pilas
where the cave paintings are.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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CaboRon
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Good Stuff !! Thanks for the trip report .... the pics are great too !! CaboRon
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CP
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Cave Paintings Information?
Hello,
Yesterday we did the loop Cadaje - San Pedro - San Juan de las Pilas - Cadaje. Spectacular scenery. Fun and informative visits with the rancheros.
It is definitely not a road for everybody. Once was enough for me. (When the monkeybutt is gone, I may change my mind).
I have searched on-line for information about those particular cave paintings but have come up short. I found info on others in the San Ignacio and
Mulege area. Can anyone lead me to an information source (on-line) for the one on this route?
Thanks.
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oladulce
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I didn't catch this trip report when it first aired in 07 . When I read it now I thought it meant that the cowboy got a "kick in the panties" which
had me very baffled. Then I looked closer at the photo of TW's truck. aahh, I feel better now.
CP- photos and trip report too please?
u2u if you discovered any of that hidden spanish gold or the ghosts protecting the stash that some of the guys (who grew up on the ranchos out there)
report they would see when they were kids.
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TMW
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The lady in the photo above at the ranch is the daughter of the owner Antonio Jesus Venezuela. Antonio passed away 11/3/04. I found his name while
looking thru my Kacey Smith GPS guide. I don't remember her name. She was very friendly and spoke english. Kacey says he was a wonderful man. There is
a spring near there high in the mtns with the best water in the world according to Antonio.
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Neal Johns
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CP, Los Monos are after San Juan de las Pilas and shortly before the first really (up) steep hill leaving Arroyo San Pedro via the left side. They are
on a cliff along the right side of the road in Arroyo San Pedro! I passed right by them my first trip without seeing them. If you get to that first
hill without spotting them, just turn around and go back a few tenths.
[Edited on 8-31-2008 by Neal Johns]
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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