BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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BAJACAT'S SAN FELIPE TRIP
Even a fishing village like San felipe is a easy target for a quick trip to Baja, thinking about the caos that " SEMANA SANTA" (spring break) is going
to bring, I made plans to visit SF before that.I bought my insurance online got my Baja posse ready to leave on Friday 04-03, around 2:00pm.Firts
problem on sight, High winds advisory on I-8, highway patrol made a detour and seend High profile veh, back, we where wave throught,that only slow us
down a bit.Around 4:00 pm we reach Calexico, We refill our gas tanks change some dollars for pesos and off to SF,sounds easy right!, well is not.
While exiting the border I took the right side instated of the left, saw some signs for SF and end up getting lost for 40 minutes, more time waste it,
I swallow my pride( you see Im supposed to be the guide for the other vehicles that where with me), and ask a local for directions, " he smile an
said, NO AMIGO SAN FELIPE IS THE OTHER WAY, go back to avenida UNION by the Delegacion de policia make a right, that is going to take you to MEX
5.Finally we reach the construction outside SF, its about 10 miles of sideroads at this time is already 7:00 pm, we actually made to SF at 7:30 pm,5
hours after we left National City, I dont know where I lost so much time.
DAY # 1-The haunt for a good hotel, firts stop COSTA AZUL, "CUANTO POR UNA HABITACION DOBLE SENORITA", the lady there just gave us a quick eyeball and
say "90 DOLLARES POR NOCHE", to rich for my blood so next stop Hotel CARIBE,In front of Costa Azul, here the price was cheaper, $60 dllrs for a 2
double kingsize beds,realy nice rooms if you don't mine the noise from the street,belive me after dark the Malecon shows its real face, wich is lots
of cars driving in circles, we call it crussing here in San Diego,with lound speakers hangging from roof and doors playing corridos, people dancing in
back off pick up trucks drinking dancing and with a local police truck with lights on ridding behinde them honking their horns, Mexico is truly odd
some times but facinating to.We stop walking and start looking for a place to eat, we end up in RICE & BEANS, realy nice place and not so
expensive.
DAY # 2- We wake up around 8:00 am and went looking for Fonda EL MINUTO, A Ken Cooke recomendation for cheap breakfast, got something to to eat for
everybody( lady got real happy when she saw our group 12 people),servise was fast and cheap. Back to Mex 5 to drive the 20+/- miles to reach VALLE DE
GIGANTES, reach the gate where a exchange $ 10 per car for a map of the area,and of to find the GIANTS, you drive up to a point that has a sign that
says 4X4 only, so we park my sister ASPEN, there and took off in my truck.Lost of rds that take you out the SF desert lots of SAHUAROS the Giants of
the valley, another unic place in Baja.Next stop Punta Estrella, here the rate is $30 per car for camping and $5 per hour just for the day,lots of
palapas didn't see the showers but kind of pricy for me.Got back to town to have dinner in RICE & BEANS again, this time a order the steam clams
w./ garlic souce and the breaded shirmp.Another walk in the Malecon and to the top of the VIRGEN'S shrine, very nice views of SF from this point.Back
to the hotel to rest nad to get ready for the finall day(Sunday) to return to the states. Wake up around 8:00am got my kids to pack all our stuff, to
set up for a last walk in the Malecon by this time you can see the campers alraedy in the beach.
Breakfast at RICE & BEANS, where i left a BAJANOMAD sticker on the inside of the restaurant, got me to orders of chilaquiles w/ chorizo yes two
orders they where so good that I order a second order to the surprise of the waiter. Air up tires and left SF at 11:30am, around 2:00pm I was taking
the toll rd to bypass Mexicali, I just pay my dues around $5 dollars and then I was greeted by 5 patrols (FEDERALES) having a check point,I was stop
and very polite answer the question, then the officer says "you are not driving alone right, i just look at him and said why you ask, to his reply, i
see you have a two way radio on your side' Oh that radio!, Yes we all driving in a group of 3 vehicles Im the firts one, there is two in the back of
me.I was ask to continue and the other two cars wheren't stop at the check point.Nice little detour if you don''t want to go throght mexicali, the
side road is about 16+/- miles and takes you right about CERRO CENTINELA, A FEW MILES from CANON DE GUADALUPE entry point in the SALADA.
Arrive at TECATE at 3:50 pm for our BAJA tradittion, wich is to eat tacos right before we cross to the states, and then a firts one for me a two hour
crossing time to reach the USA side, WOW , TECATE IS getting to be a slow border crossing.
Made it back to National City around 7:20 pm, another great short trip to Baja.[[[ in my observations you can see that tourisum is down in some parts
off baja, most off the people that i saw camping and walking in the malecon where locals and everybody down there agrees that it's not the same as
previous years. That will be my closing statement]]], untill next time BAJANOMADS...
VALLE DE GIGANTES
 GIANT SAHUARO
 TIME OUT
 RICE & BEANS
 A BLAST FROM THE PAST
 SAN FELIPE LIGHT HOUSE
 DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OUT THIS PICTURE
 A MUST IN SAN FELIPE
WILL GATTER THE OTHER PICTURES AND I WILL POST A SECOND THREAD IN THIS FORUM..
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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ELINVESTIG8R
Select Nomad
Posts: 15882
Registered: 11-20-2007
Location: Southern California
Member Is Offline
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BajaCat that is one very big cactus. Sounds as though you had fun but just not enough time to REALLY have fun.
That shot looking north from the lighthouse looks familiar. When I was a kid I worked at a restaurant which had camping sites on the property located
just this side of the point. That was some 40 years ago. I am sure it is all gone by now. I remember the place had a jukebox they brought outside
during the day and whenever I could I always played the Johnny Cash record Ring-of-Fire.
My spelling is dreadful today.
[Edited on 4-6-2009 by ELINVESTI8]
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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Hey Jose,
how much are they charging these days to get into the Valle de los Gigantes?
BW
We're heading down this Thursday for a week...
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6344
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
Ey BC:
| Quote: |
I almost bought that lot just north of the lighthouse that now has the start of a shed. I originally started the negotiations with the lot owner, but
I had noticed that he was "selling" me as well as charging for the 600 or so square meters in the Federal zone. We broke negotiations because he would
not budge on the federal zone. I then asked one of my friends in town (a very well respected businessman) to buy the lot with me. After a a couple of
hours of talking, he frankly told me that we could have an agreement at that time (20+ years ago, now), but that he could not speak for what his kids
would do once grown up and a house was on the lot. I thanked him for his honesty, and no lot was purchased. (At the time, the lot was for sale for
$16,000.00 U.S.) |
[Edited on 4-6-2009 by udowinkler] |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64829
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks Jose!
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El Camote
Senior Nomad
Posts: 514
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Above the clouds
Member Is Offline
Mood: y Blues
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
Hey Jose,
how much are they charging these days to get into the Valle de los Gigantes?
BW
We're heading down this Thursday for a week... |
Chuck, we were there with our neighbors in a seperate vehicle last week. Sign says $10/car and the rastafarian caretaker wouldn't bargain so I paid
but my neighbor only had pesos and got in for 100.
I think it would be a great place to camp out during the full moon and wander among the towering cardons in the moonlight. Peyote optional. 
Knowledge is good. - Emil Faber
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
Hey Jose,
how much are they charging these days to get into the Valle de los Gigantes?
BW
We're heading down this Thursday for a week... |
Chuck just like EL CAMOTE says, is $10 per car and they
have and area for camping, I drove all the way looking for the bigest SAHUARO, but the biggest is located just where the 4x4 only sign is...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by udowinkler
| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
Ey BC:
| Quote: |
I almost bought that lot just north of the lighthouse that now has the start of a shed. I originally started the negotiations with the lot owner, but
I had noticed that he was "selling" me as well as charging for the 600 or so square meters in the Federal zone. We broke negotiations because he would
not budge on the federal zone. I then asked one of my friends in town (a very well respected businessman) to buy the lot with me. After a a couple of
hours of talking, he frankly told me that we could have an agreement at that time (20+ years ago, now), but that he could not speak for what his kids
would do once grown up and a house was on the lot. I thanked him for his honesty, and no lot was purchased. (At the time, the lot was for sale for
$16,000.00 U.S.) |
udowinkler that would of been a perfect location for a house the view from there is realy
nice, to bad didn't work out for you.
[Edited on 4-6-2009 by udowinkler] |
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BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ELINVESTI8
BajaCat that is one very big cactus. Sounds as though you had fun but just not enough time to REALLY have fun.
That shot looking north from the lighthouse looks familiar. When I was a kid I worked at a restaurant which had camping sites on the property located
just this side of the point. That was some 40 years ago. I am sure it is all gone by now. I remember the place had a jukebox they brought outside
during the day and whenever I could I always played the Johnny Cash record Ring-of-Fire.
My spelling is dreadful today.
[Edited on 4-6-2009 by ELINVESTI8] |
Yes David I just had enough time to taste the tip of the iceberg, but
you know what, it was worth the drive.
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Thanks Jose! |
No problem David, this is what Bajanomad is about,real time updates and stories on BAJA, by no
other than BAJA travellers
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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