Bajagato
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Registered: 4-19-2004
Location: Laguna Hills
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Gonzaga Bay trip Oct 20-27 – Two nights at Alfonsina’s! Part 3
I couldn’t believe my eyes! I have heard Gonzaga Bay can be windy but this was beyond windy. When we were driving towards Rancho Grande on the dirt
road, the air was so think with dust that you could not see the bay from the dirt road. This wasn’t the way I wanted my friends to see Gonzaga bay
for the first time. I remember my first time and I was awestruck with its beauty. This afternoon, upon our arrival there was only ONE matter of
business to be taken care of, get rooms!!!! There was no way we could camp, I mean, absolutely no way. Antonio, the owner, greets us, two rooms, no
problem. We were happy to have accommodations for the night. He told us it would be $55, and of course we knew that was high but considering we had no
other choices, and he knew that, who could blame him! As the evening progressed I noticed that we were the only people staying on the one side of the
hotel. A few kayakers waiting it out till morning to go home, took rooms on the other side. Of course there were rooms available, the weather had
chased everyone away! And we were just getting started! We unpack what is necessary and head directly to the restaurant. We hadn’t eaten all day, so
we were all ready. The food and drink were excellent. The margueritas flowed and fish tacos with all the fixin’s, made it complete. Later we would
party on the upstairs patio by our rooms, I think we changed to rum and cokes, at this point it didn’t matter, we were in Gonzaga and happy to be
there regardless of the weather. You sure wouldn’t know by our attitudes, that our plans had been disrupted!
We were to wake up to more wind and no hot water. We all opted for cold showers, and man that’s hard to do! Sure does wonders for the hangover though!
We assumed it was because of the wind and should have inquired sooner. Off to the restaurant for chorizo and eggs, lots beans and lots of strong, hot
coffee. The next thing on the agenda was to make a decision on camping. It was unanimous; we’d be staying another night at Alfonsina’s. I talk to
Antonio, asking to stay one more night and bargained the price per room per night to $45. I threw in the fact that there had been no hot water to my
plea for a lower price, I think it may have helped some. He proved to be an accommodating man. Being low on ice, and beer we hit Rancho Grande, the
local store and then off to explore Punta Final (the far south side of the bay). Chris and I have always wanted to see that area, and what better day
to be driving instead of fishing, a day of too much wind. Shortly after we arrived a local American that lived in the campo was there to greet us.
Mostly just hungry for new blood, someone new to talk to, he told us of bad, bad wind in Southern California and some news about the San Diego airport
being closed down. I am not sure if he was the one that told of us of the fires, someone in the days ahead would tell us of all the havoc the wind was
doing in So Cal. He told us we could camp by his house if we needed a place out of the wind. He also invited us to stop by for a beer, and we did
after playing on the beach and in the sand, including sand angels!
After stopping at Vaughn’s in the campo at Punta Final, we were back to Alfonsina’s for fresh fish and luscious shrimp. Joe and Shelly’s fish dinners
would be the last fish they’d serve that night. We heard others after us, order fish and were told, no mas! I guess they ran out since no one had been
able to be out fishing in that wind! It was a perfect ending to a perfect day. When life gives you limes, make margueritas!
Tomorrow we would hope for less wind… to be continued.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64946
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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More great stuff Denise, thanks!
That's a great photo of Snoopy, too! (the hill on the beach at Punta Final)
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docsmom
Nomad
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Registered: 6-21-2007
Location: Tucson, AZ
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Bajagato,
Stunning sand angel!
And great story. Keep it coming! I'm living vicariously through you!
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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wow super nice trip report I enjoy the whole thing, thanks,,and don't felt bad about the weather, that happend to me on my last trip I was triying to
show off Baja to my friends and what happends we get there and is windy as hell, but we still manage to have fun..and this coment is from one gato to
another gato(Bajagato,Bajacat)..
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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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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There is tons to see around Gonzaga Bay if it is windy! See http://vivabaja.com/1102/page2.html and the following pages for a few ideas!
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Absolutely fantastic trip report with the images to go along with it. Thanks for sharing and showing us how to make everything fun no matter what
happens with the weather. And, man, it was very windy here in San Diego with all the fires, etc. Glad you had a great time anyway.
Bob H
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Bajagato
Nomad
Posts: 129
Registered: 4-19-2004
Location: Laguna Hills
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Thanks Bob! Yeah, we live pretty close to the Santiago fire, and we were glad we were not home that week, I am a school crossing guard in Aliso Viejo
and the kids didn't even have school for two days while I was gone. I came home to an inch of soot on my car! It was a bad week for So. Cal!Next
installment of the trip to come soon, I promise!
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