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BajaRoadrunner
Junior Nomad
Posts: 59
Registered: 6-15-2009
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Mision Santa Maria trip
Hello all
We want to share our latest trip with you. Here it goes.
First, about us:
We live in Tijuana and love Baja, we are mexican, my wife was born in Ensenada and I'm from Mexicali. Don't know if we would technically qualify as
Bajanomads but anyway 
We've been to Santa Maria before but had never driven all the way in because our friends would always backout from the trip and we had no confidence
in driving there alone, besides it's too risky. We would always walk to mission and the pools.
Well, this time our friends backed at the last minute again so we decided to go anyway and walk to the mission (worst case).
We left our 2 year old son in Ensenada with her grandma and Friday morning @ 7:30 we left Ensenada and drove directly to Santa Inez. Only stopped at
Costa Brava beach in San Quintin to check out the waves (wife's a surfer).
By 1pm we were there and stopped at the Ranch in Santa Inez and chatted for like an hour with Oscar Valdez and his wife, (if you go there you have to
talk to them, very interesting and kind people); I aired down the tires, disconnected the sway bar and we were on our way.
Drove to the "widowmaker" and walked down to check out the condition of the swamp and decide if I could tackle the intimidating hill on our way back.
After 10min I decided to do it. This time our Jeep XJ was better prepared than our previous jeeps and I had alot more experience in this type of
"roads". We knew it was risky but went ahead anyway. I didn't have a chance to install the winch before the trip and have no lockers but have a very
flexy suspension and 33" tires, 4.10 gears and an explorer 8.8 rear differential with disc brakes.
So we made it to the mission and stop for 10minutes, then we drove to the pools that are on the sandy arroyo (to the left). No "poza de la escuadra"
this time because we had already been there before. We setup camp and had a wonderful time, beatiful place and romantic  (now, you can keep the wife happy and off-road at the same time  )
The weather was really nice although windy.
We were hopping to see the bighorn sheep but no luck this time, Oscar told us they come down when its really hot.
 
Next morning we decided to leave early just in case, by 7:30 we were packed and ready to go  . The road was going to be difficult and carrying rocks in the midday sun would be no fun.
On our way out of the arroyo we saw a truck, it was a local guide and some people he was taking to the pools, we just waved and kept going.
The road was not as hard as we imagined, everything was somewhat easy except for the "widowmaker", I needed to get off the jeep sometimes to see what
I was doing because my wife did not know how to guide me through the rocks. The bigger rocks would stop me, so I had to back up a little bit and step
on it . Lower gears would have helped a lot.
We were at Santa Inez by 11am and my wife had a nice chat with Oscar's wife and 3 of their daughters. We aired up and left.
Stopped @ Tacos Mision in el Rosario and had a Torta de carne asada which was really good. Then the owner asked me regarding my www.baja4x4.org stickers and shirt so we talked for about and hour. Even David K. was a part of the conversation  . By the way, if someone goes there, Hugo would love a copy of the movie Bajo
California.
We tried driving to la Bocana but after a few minutes decided it was too far and drove to SQ.
Stayed at one of the hotels in the Bay.
Next morning stopped @ restaurant Viejo San Quintin wich has alway been really good. They serve the food we would normally eat at our parents house. I
almost always have Carne con Nopales en chile colorado mmmmm (prickly pear cactus with meat and a sauce made with chiles but not hot). This time I had
machaca con huevo which was really good.
Drove to Ensenada, pickup our kid and went home.
Don't have too many pictures, our 5 year old digital camera decided to quit working on this trip 
I'll post a video as soon as a finish editing.
sorry for the long post
Cheers
[Edited on 6-15-2009 by BajaRoadrunner]
[Edited on 6-15-2009 by BajaRoadrunner]
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
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Great report and three super nice photos (Nomads: click on his thumbnail size photos and see the FULL SIZE VIEW!
If you have any more, please share!
Oscar and Matllda are super nice, yes!
Our trip to Mision Santa Maria, in 2007: http://vivabaja.com/msm
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Neal Johns
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Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Great pictures! Glad you had a trouble free trip.
Neal
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Thanks for the report BajaRoadrunner. I take it you do not have a low range in your jeep.
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David K
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Yah, if it's a Cherokee and not a Patriot, it should still have a 2 speed transfer case (ie. Low Range)...
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bajalou
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Location: South of the broder
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Great report - thank you
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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BajaRoadrunner
Junior Nomad
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That's how i knew about that pool, vivabaja.com is like a travel guide to me, thanks David.
TW. I don't think a vehicle would make it out without low range. Unless it's carried by a helicopter . Or at least I wouldn't try.
I'll post a link to the video in 1 or 2 days, we filmed the widowmaker both ways.
Thanks for the comments.
[Edited on 6-16-2009 by BajaRoadrunner]
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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Welcome to Nomad BajaRoadrunner!
TW (and I) saw this line in your post: "Lower gears would have helped a lot." and wondered if you had low range... Are you saying the Cherokee could
have used a lower first gear (in low range)?
Glad you got out okay!
Isn't Hugo a nice guy and talented, too!
I have his painting of that oasis pool below the mission we all camped at... I will post it here as soon as I can find it!
[Edited on 6-16-2009 by David K]
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BajaRoadrunner
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 Check it out, the elephant tree in the painting is real.
Hugo's paintings are so cool! I wish I could have 1 in each room.
By lower gears I meant something like a Rubicon transfer case. Not needed but would have made it easier.
Thanks for the picture.
[Edited on 6-16-2009 by BajaRoadrunner]
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David K
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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One of Roy's pictures at the oasis...
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David K
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and here's one of mine ...
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BajaRoadrunner
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video
Part 1 of the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k46uFVwO2eY
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BAJACAT
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Wow you went solo, thats realy somenthing, great vid, now I can see that there is no way that my full sizes RAM can make it into the mission.lol
Thanks for the trip report and BIEN VENIDO A BAJANOMAD...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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wilderone
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"it was a local guide and some people he was taking to the pools, we just waved and kept going."
Any more information on this guide? Where he might be from?
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BajaRoadrunner
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
Wow you went solo, thats realy somenthing, great vid, now I can see that there is no way that my full sizes RAM can make it into the mission.lol
Thanks for the trip report and BIEN VENIDO A BAJANOMAD... |
Yes but I strongly recommend not to do it solo, at least not the part from the widowmaker and beyond.
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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I can help Hugo out....need to pick up my movie in Asuncion, though. I'll drop it off when I return in August.
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BajaRoadrunner
Junior Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
"it was a local guide and some people he was taking to the pools, we just waved and kept going."
Any more information on this guide? Where he might be from? |
Sorry, I don't have the info but Oscar Valdez from Santa Inez should be able to hook you up with a guide. He was a guide when he was younger.
I think he told me the guide was from Cataviņa.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
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Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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You do not need a guide for the 14 mile trip, there are only two side roads, at right angles and much fainter than the main road. But good advice not
to go alone. I have been up the Widow Maker without a locker, but it really does help. Full size can make it fine, saw a Hummer (!) one time.
If my ancient wife can make it, anyone can! (As long as it is in a Toyota, huh, David K?)
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
I can help Hugo out....need to pick up my movie in Asuncion, though. I'll drop it off when I return in August. |
That would be great Zac...
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bacquito
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Thanks for the report and comments.
bacquito
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