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David K
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Santa Gertrudis to Rancho Santa Barbara on the Jesuit Camino
Off road motorcyclist as well as those on mule or foot have a route to the gulf coast not passable by four wheelers... Unless Ken and his Jeep gang
try!  
The padres (and their Indian helpers) built a Camino Real type road from the mission at Santa Gertrudis to the canyon that leads to Santa Barbara...
at the canyon the wide camino turns into a single track trail...
From Santa Barbara out to the Los Corrales road (south from El Barril), is an auto road.
Using Google Earth 3-D satellite images, lets look at the Camino:
Here's the overall view (Santa Gertrudis is the far left pin marker). As the crow flys, about 6 miles.
[Edited on 12-30-2008 by David K]
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David K
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Far view of the Santa Barbara end
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David K
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The view of the Santa Gertrudis end
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David K
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The Camino... looking east
 ]
Top of the grade down into the canyon, the Gulf of California in the distance:
Okay, here I 'fly' out over the canyon and take a look back west at the switchback grade coming down!:
[Edited on 12-30-2008 by David K]
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David K
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THAT'S SOME CLIFF!!!
Looks like the camino crosses the arroyo here:
Climb out of the arroyo ...
Easy the last section into Rancho Santa Barbara, the far pin marker:
[Edited on 12-30-2008 by David K]
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David K
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Got an email today from someone interested in this mission trail.
Have any of you motorcycle or mule riders taken the mission road between Santa Gertrudis and Rancho Santa Barabra (south of El Barril & Punta San
Franciscquito) sice I posted this in 2008?
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KurtG
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Got an email today from someone interested in this mission trail.
Have any of you motorcycle or mule riders taken the mission road between Santa Gertrudis and Rancho Santa Barabra (south of El Barril & Punta San
Franciscquito) sice I posted this in 2008? |
A friend rode through there about 4 years ago, I think he was riding a Suzuki DRZ400. He is a very good dirt rider but said it wasn't that tough.
Kurt
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TMW
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Corky1 talked about riding this a couple of years ago but I don't think he did. The Squarecircle mentioned driving down the coastal area and may be
talked into trying this since he has the experience of doing the impossible. I understand XRPhilang now has his 4Runner.
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TMW
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Kurt maybe you and I and a few other bikers could make a loop out of it. David could meet us with food and drinks.
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ArvadaGeorge
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Wasn't there some guy that did this route solo on a XR600 10 --15 years ago
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KurtG
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
Kurt maybe you and I and a few other bikers could make a loop out of it. David could meet us with food and drinks. |
I should be seeing the guy who rode through there in the next couple of days and will post what he has to say about the route. I'm not sure that
either my KLR or my aged body are suitable for that route but I may try anyway. My rule is not to ride into anyplace that I can't ride out of, I'm a
lot more willing to turn around and backtrack now than when I was a bit younger.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ArvadaGeorge
Wasn't there some guy that did this route solo on a XR600 10 --15 years ago |
You might be thinking of 'slider' (Kevin Ward of Dust to Glory) who rode up to Mision Santa Maria from Gonzaga Bay, and back on his XR... He didn't
know it, but he was on the Camino Real... He also has done the Santa Gertrudis mission trail trips and others from Kacey Smith's book.
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ArvadaGeorge
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Thanks David --you are a great resource
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TMW
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| Quote: | Originally posted by KurtG
| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
Kurt maybe you and I and a few other bikers could make a loop out of it. David could meet us with food and drinks. |
I should be seeing the guy who rode through there in the next couple of days and will post what he has to say about the route. I'm not sure that
either my KLR or my aged body are suitable for that route but I may try anyway. My rule is not to ride into anyplace that I can't ride out of, I'm a
lot more willing to turn around and backtrack now than when I was a bit younger. |
I'm with you. I don't ride much, usually once a month at Jawbone Canyon OHV area for a couple of hours. I'm coming down next month with Tunaeaters dad
to prerun the bottom half of the 1000 course we will have bikes and 4x4 trucks. It's more or less a bet on how much time we spend on 2 wheels vs 4
wheels. I'm thinking the latter will win.
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XRPhlang
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
Corky1 talked about riding this a couple of years ago but I don't think he did. The Squarecircle mentioned driving down the coastal area and may be
talked into trying this since he has the experience of doing the impossible. I understand XRPhilang now has his 4Runner. |
TW - You remember Richard. He was riding shotgun with Roy on the Turquesa trip. He has the old Forerunner, not me. I traded my Ranger for a '03
Tacoma. Richard and his wife went on a trip with me in July. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=47249
That all-gold forerunner Roy built is quite a machine. I understand it has 2 transfer cases which would come in handy if you had to climb a telephone
pole, or a waterfall. I don't think Richard ever used it on our trip.
I've discovered that me and the XR can't go most places that mules can go, but this portion of the ECR looks very interesting to me.
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Baja Bucko
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Sta gertrudis-Sta Barbara to San Miguel and coast
I rode this route abt 10 yrs ago-on a mule. Nothing spectacular really abt it but it was a good ride and tricky in a few places---again el camino real
in most places pre 1850 was never meant for wheels tho the Jesuits had some real hopes ie those places that go from treacherous goat trail to a
sudden car-wide cleared and rock-lined across a mesa and then WHAHM!!! back to unbelieveable yucky stuff tough even for mules.
My other 4WD is a Baja Mule!
La Mula Mil Survivor 2013-2014!
1000 miles by mule from the tip to Tecate!
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Baja Bucko
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The old ranch at Sta Barbara was beautiful-tons of flowers of course because women lived there. The car road to there was a whole nother story as I
rode into Sta Barbara once-went thru 2 tires!!! (MAJOR rocks) R. San Miguel has of course been sold.
Jose's wife has since died of breast cancer and I don't know if the old folks (Manuel) are still living there. It was a pretty spot. Their daughter
took a liking to my then 16 yr old so that was kinda cute!!
Come to think of it -there is a bunch of spectacular "THINGS" to see out there but I don't want to ruin it for anyone heading to the gulf via R. San
Miguel---you will see a REAL treat and a WOW piece of history!!! When you see it you won't believe your eyes!!!!
My other 4WD is a Baja Mule!
La Mula Mil Survivor 2013-2014!
1000 miles by mule from the tip to Tecate!
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David K
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Bucko, thanks for the tease... I have seen some photos of the Los Corrales area taken by The squarecircle (I think)... What is the historic connection
of that ruin? Thank you.
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TMW
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| Quote: | Originally posted by XRPhlang
TW - You remember Richard. He was riding shotgun with Roy on the Turquesa trip. He has the old Forerunner, not me. I traded my Ranger for a '03
Tacoma. Richard and his wife went on a trip with me in July. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=47249
That all-gold forerunner Roy built is quite a machine. I understand it has 2 transfer cases which would come in handy if you had to climb a telephone
pole, or a waterfall. I don't think Richard ever used it on our trip.
I've discovered that me and the XR can't go most places that mules can go, but this portion of the ECR looks very interesting to me.
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That's right Phil I remember you telling me Richard had it. After the 1000 let's work out a trip to check this out on bikes.
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David K
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Richard's wife is Jerri (sp?), by-the-way.
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