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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Baja Grande 2008: Mision Santa Maria de los Angeles
Mission Impossible (yes, it almost was):
The ruins of Mision Santa Maria de Los Angeles are reached along an old bulldozed road which almost served as the link between Cataviņa to Guerrero
Negro. Almost, because as you near the famous Camino Real, the boulders appear to grow in size, and the escarpment above Gonzaga Bay was steep enough
to discourage the bulldozers from traveling further. So, 1 mile after passing the mission, the road turns into the Mexican version of the Rubicon
Trail. This was finally exciting for Tom who complained that this trail resembled a 'family trail.' Tom ran a portion of the rocks which led down to
the smooth granite pools, but we decided it was time head back to Hwy 1. After a fast stop at the Mission ruins, we hit the trail. One obstacle
which lay between Hwy 1 and the Mission is "The Swamp." With a dense group of rare Blue Fan Palms, tall grasses, and lots of muddy water, The Swamp
is a legendary obstacle on the Mission Impossible trail. Near The Swamp, I tackled a rocky outcropping before entering this sloppy mangrove.
Inside of the swamp, there are tire tracks filled with water - some are 2 to 3 feet in depth. These small pools do not look imposing, but after
running into a water-filled track, and getting stopped by a tree root, my Jeep could not travel forward. I hit reverse, and because I was in 2WD, my
Interco TrXus MTs simply dug me in about a foot deeper. I tried shifting into 1st gear, but the root stopped me, digging me in deeper, throwing my
Jeep off camber inside of the mud pool. The engine died after hearing a strange gargling sound. The engine was now dead. After repeated attempts to
restart the engine, and only hearing a frying, gargling noise, I realized I had a vapor-lock situation on my hands, and possibly I would need a tow
back to the USA. My brain exploded with logisticals, and I quickly went into panic mode. David told me to "stay calm", and Ron hooked up my new
TeraFlex tow strap to my rear anchor point, and I was eventually pulled out of the muck by Tom's TJ Sport. Covered in smelly mud, I had to made due,
and drive the Jeep to the other side of the swamp where my exhaust system was able to drain out. Although, the trail felt like a 'Family Trail'
coming in, David's TTB-equipped Ford Bronco needed quite a bit of coaxing to get up the Widowmaker grades, and back to flat earth. by 6 p.m., our
group was at the Desert Inn (formerly La Pinta), where we dined on seafood, steaks, and Italian food. Our drive back to Cataviņa was uneventful until
we began to reach the easternmost part of town. Mud slides reduced traction on the street, and our clean vehicles now resembled mud bogging
competitors.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Ralph Shoemaker
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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Hey where is the Mission,I hope you took pix Ken, is the main entrance wall still satnding?
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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Ken where is the mission?
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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You answer my question tanks Ken great report and pix, it was a pleasure metting you.
[Edited on 11-30-2008 by BAJACAT]
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
You aswer my question tanks Ken great report and pix, it was a pleasure metting you. |
Jose, it was a pleasure meeting you and your friend. Thanks for the t-shirt purchases. I hope you wear them out so you'll buy new ones next year???
Hopefully, you will accompany us on the trip next November also.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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Great photos, story and posts Ken...
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
You aswer my question tanks Ken great report and pix, it was a pleasure metting you. |
Jose, it was a pleasure meeting you and your friend. Thanks for the t-shirt purchases. I hope you wear them out so you'll buy new ones next year???
Hopefully, you will accompany us on the trip next November also. |
Next year I will not only buy one,but I
will go with you in your trip..
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Elena La Loca
Nomad
Posts: 143
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Oceanside, CA
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Great trip report...glad you all made it out safely. Ralph is sure a special guy, isn't he...an angel of sorts? Those of us who know him well, know
that he does what he does only cuz he loves doing it. He sure knows that neck of the woods. He was a bit concerned about your group when he thought
you guys were overdue returning and he cut short his conversation on 80 meters that night, saying he might have to go on a "mission". You musta
cruised past their place shortly thereafter & when we spoke the next morning he reported that all was well. Thanks for sharing your report.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64829
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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"These small pools do not look imposing, but after running into a water-filled track, and getting stopped by a tree root, my Jeep could not travel
forward. I hit reverse, and because I was in 2WD, my Interco TrXus MTs simply dug me in about a foot deeper."
WHY WERE YOU IN 2WD? You have a 'Trail Rated' Jeep with front and rear lockers. It is spinning 2WD tires that wreck the roads. Geeze Ken, it would
drive me crazy seeing what you guys were doing instead of just enjoying the tough road and beautiful sites. Also, why did you drive all the way back
to Cataviņa for the c-ckroach motel/ cold water showers instead of camping at the beautiful oasis and mission ruins? Oh well, to each his own
thrill... Thanks for the report.
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bacquito
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 3-6-2007
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Mood: jubilado
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Thanks for the photos and report-interesting!
bacquito
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
"These small pools do not look imposing, but after running into a water-filled track, and getting stopped by a tree root, my Jeep could not travel
forward. I hit reverse, and because I was in 2WD, my Interco TrXus MTs simply dug me in about a foot deeper."
WHY WERE YOU IN 2WD? You have a 'Trail Rated' Jeep with front and rear lockers. It is spinning 2WD tires that wreck the roads. Geeze Ken, it would
drive me crazy seeing what you guys were doing instead of just enjoying the tough road and beautiful sites. Also, why did you drive all the way back
to Cataviņa for the c-ckroach motel/ cold water showers instead of camping at the beautiful oasis and mission ruins? Oh well, to each his own
thrill... Thanks for the report. |
I was shifting in and out of 4WD every one or two minutes. After cruising over the rock cropping, I shifted into 2WD. It was sufficient to get me
through the swamp on our trip in.
On tough sections, I run 4WD. On the really tough stuff, I run 4WD w/the rear locker. With all of the weight on my rear axle, hopping and digging
will only destroy my driveline. I have to get to work in that Jeep tomorrow morning, so destroying the route was not my objective.
I know that when a person drives a Jeep, the first thing they think is that they're out to wreck the environment. We kept our vehicles AWAY from the
adobe walls. However, we did see tire tracks that ran over the ruins. These were an All-Terrain-type pattern similar to the tire pattern that we
followed into the Mission that morning. In 2WD, I was doing fine before I ran into that tree root. Had I known the tree root would have stopped me,
I would have been in 4LO instead. Tread Lightly.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8942
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by David KAlso, why did you drive all the way back to Cataviņa for the c-ckroach motel/ cold water showers instead of
camping at the beautiful oasis and mission ruins? Oh well, to each his own thrill... Thanks for the report. |
Plan A was to camp in Santa Rosalillita. But, it was raining cats & dogs. Plan B was to stay at Rancho Santa Ines, but the place was closed
because the employees went home - this is according to Ralph Shoemaker. Plan C was to camp at Rancho Santa Ines. But, everyone was tired of cold
showers, and wanted hot showers. We were also tired of community restrooms. Plan D involved us staying at the less expensive Cabaņas Lindas Motel.
There was griping about the cold weather, catching a cold, and the two girls' health was their father's concern.
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Steve&Debby
Nomad
Posts: 335
Registered: 12-18-2007
Location: Colusa,California/ Percebu
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Ken, Is this run down by Gonsaga Bay? Looks interesting,might even have to lock the hubs on my CJ
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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---------Have those palms been burned for some time, or do you think recent??
Barry
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