vandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 10-10-2003
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Phoenix-Tecate-Santiago 5 May
I drove from Phoenix to the border at Tecate intending to spend the night at Portrero County Park. I had caught a cold on the airplane back from New
England and was feeling pretty low.
To park my overloaded little car and camp out on my cot would have cost $19, so I made the decision to go to Los Cirios Motel in San Quintin, where a
room is under $25. I crossed the border under a green light, so didn’t have to mention my new air conditioner.
I woke up the immigration guy, turned on his office light, and got my tourist card; no paying at that time of the evening. The drive in the dark to
the Ensenada highway (Mex 1) in very light traffic was disconcerting, to say the least. The last fifteen miles or so were under construction, and I
had to use my old ski-racing skills to remain on the correct side of the pole-like barriers.
I got to San Quintin in one piece, and the trip was made more interesting by trying to imagine towing an 11-foot-wide fishing boat behind me. Someone
on bloodydecks.com was thinking about it, and I’d have to say “No FREAKING WAY!!!”. I had a tractor-trailer stop in front of me to let another pass
by in the opposite direction on a curvy section south of Ensenada.
The motel was almost empty, so naturally they raised the rates on me…Hell, it was Cinco de Mayo after all. I got even by unscrewing the low-flow
shower head and blasting myself clean under their excellent water pressure.
Next morning I left early and made it to Puerto Escondido, 15 miles south of Loreto. I had stopped a couple of hours before for a couple of beers at
the old 7-11 store/bar (now legally forced to re-name the Vista Azul or something) next to the Palapa Restaurant. Over dollar cold beers, a couple
of ex-pats told me that whale sharks had been seen nearby, so I hope I can see them (the sharks) further south. The night on the beach with no tent
went fine until about 415 AM, when mosquitoes came out big time. OK, maybe I just slept through them before.
Going through Costitucion was a b-tch, even though all construction was over : they had at least a dozen new stop lights, with the emphasis on
“STOP”. 20 minutes to get through town.
Pretty uneventful 6 hours brought me to Santiago…I’m looking forward to the beach and fishing.
Some notes:
A new item in Tecate is a pair of dogs and handlers at the secondary pullover.
I was searched (cursory) only once, but talked to soldiers at several of the road blocks. I was waved through the remains of the new police road
block by San Ignacio…I guess they thought my car just couldn’t have been stolen.
A non-fortified checkpoint just north of La Paz had Federal Police with Aussie-style black cowboy hats checking cars. They had screwdrivers and were
probably checking door panels.
I noticed many store employees were wearing surgical masks, but not all. I tried not to cough on anyone.
The weather is gorgeous and cool on the west coast, a little toasty in Mulege, and downright hot (100 in the shade) inland here in Agua Caliente.
Nights are still nice though.
The Escalera Nautica in Santa Rosalillita has the harbor still full of sand. I was thinking of grabbing some pismos, but with no cooler in the car,
decided against it.
Have fun all you nomads
Juanito
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64948
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thank you for your detailed trip report!
Was there any appearance of work being done at Santa Rosalillita to clear the sand (for the hords of U.S. yacht owners heading there to have some
truck take their yacht to L.A. Bay)?? 
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vandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 10-10-2003
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I didn't see anything like a dredger, machinery or shovel.
I went to college specializing in sediment transport in Environmental Sciences. If they had hired somebody like me to do a year-long evaluation for
about $100K, a proper network of jetties, breakwaters and groins could have been designed in a decent place to guarantee a clear harbor...but
NOOOOOO...
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