Bajagato
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Registered: 4-19-2004
Location: Laguna Hills
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Gonzaga Bay trip Oct 20-27 El Rosario To Gonzaga Part 2
We awoke early, eager to get to Gonzaga Bay. We had planned to mostly camp at Papa Fernandez, maybe a night at Alfonsina’s and then maybe check out
Beluga. With everything re-packed in our loaded vehicles, we head across the peninsula. We made a quick stop for coffee, which seemed a little steep,
$6 for four, but it was hot and strong, we were satisfied. The last stop in El Rosario was at the tortillera for fresh tortillas. I prefer the flour,
but they did not have them yet that morning, so we bought corn and my companions each gobbled a warm one before getting on the road.
We always enjoy this drive with the flora and red dirt. The scenery is always amazing. Chris and I love the boojums, red barrel cactus and the
cardons. We kept our eyes peeled for the shrine of Hector. We told Shelly and Joe when we spotted it and although she wanted to stop for a picture, we
had done it once before and knew there isn’t much room to stop off the highway so they just slowed down enough to get this spectacular shot! Hector’s
shrine seemed to be ever involving; he must be loved very much.
Now the fun begins. We begin to realize it’s getting a little windy. The further we drive, the windier it gets. We have two kayaks on the top of our
truck so Chris is fighting a bit with this cross wind. At one point our traveling companions inform us via radio that we better stop, one of the
kayaks is trying to take flight!
We make a pit stop at the huge cardon west (nw?) of Catavina. (off the road past KM174, I think that’s the marker)? We actually hid a geocache there
on our way to BOLA in November of 2002. Since then it has been stolen but the cache remained as a “virtual” cache. We wanted to show Shelly and Joe
this magnificent cardon, and we all needed to stretch our legs. We all got out of the vehicles, took a few pictures and ran to get back in! The wind
was really strong. We would come to find out, that the wind is not going to get any better, at least not for a while!
We did stop at Catavina to use the facilities at La Pinta. I am all for a “side of the road” pee, but with that wind…forget it! While stopping at La
Pinta I had seen a couple getting out of their truck and they had come from the direction we were headed, so I inquired on the wind. Of course I was
still in denial that this wind was going to continue to blow. The woman told me that it was very windy about ½ hour up the road. That was not what I
wanted to hear, but the story her husband would tell us next, is really not what I wanted to hear. He said that there was a guy in a Toyota truck that
was going around a curve and the wind picked up his truck, turned it over in the air and dropped him on the side of the road, rubber down! Amazingly,
the only damage was a little fender /bumper damage and cut on his head. He sure was lucky! Now I was not looking forward to the next leg of this
journey. The Pemex had no gas but a fellow on the other side of the road sold us 5 gallons just to top off. We were not sure of the availability of
gas in Gonzaga. We had a few side trips planned so we wanted to make sure we had enough gas (we also both brought some in gas cans, just in case).
There were many trucks in Catavina awaiting a break in the wind before proceeding, also a few bikers.
The jaunt to Laguna Chapala proved to be trying. Mostly we just had to take it slow. We probably drove the rest of the way between 40 and 45 miles an
hour. It was just too dangerous to drive faster than that. Everyone on the road that day was taking it a bit slower than usual. It took a long time to
get to the turn of at Laguna Chapala, and boy were we ready to have a head wind instead of fighting the crosswind!
Coco’s, of course, was our next stop. We stop for cervaza and Shelly signed Coco’s book. We asked where Coco was; we were told he was sleeping. We had
heard he had not been feeling well. But before we left, he did awake. I always felt a need to avoid Coco’s outhouses, but today I had no choice, and
it turned out to not be that bad!!
The wind was still blowing gale force. I guess it was time for me to give up on the idea that the wind couldn’t POSSIBLY be still blowing in Gonzaga.
If it wasn’t apparent before, it was now. We spoke with a couple that had just left Gonzaga. They had kayaks on their van, and said they had left a
day early, as the winds just made it impossible to kayak and they had heard it wouldn’t let up for days. Wow, again, that’s not what I wanted to hear!
I think I’ll think twice about asking questions! We were going to Gonzaga to camp, fish and kayak! It seems our plans would be disrupted for a few
days! We arrive at Alfonsinas to a Bahia Willard, I have never seen the likes of!
To be continued… (I promise Part 3 won’t be so long!)
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dccf
Junior Nomad
Posts: 98
Registered: 10-20-2007
Location: S. Cal
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Great story, fantastic pictures! Thanks.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64946
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Excellent report!
Long is fine!
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Al G
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2647
Registered: 12-19-2004
Location: Todos Santos/Full time for now...
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Mood: Wondering what is next???
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Muy Bien...this will become part of my preparations as I have a tall 32' Motorhome and had a heck of a time with wind in December in that area...
I take it. October is Santa Anna time in SoCal and Vizcaino Desert
Albert G
Remember, if you haven\'t got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart, then you are just a sour old fart!....
The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.
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bajaandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 769
Registered: 2-7-2004
Location: North County
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Mood: Adventurous
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Cool! The longer the better! I love the photo essay!
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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