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LYM
Junior Nomad
Posts: 26
Registered: 2-3-2010
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Road Conditions to Gonzaga from either direction?
Does anyone have a recent update on the paving from Puertecitos and/or the road from Hwy 1?
Thanks
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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If you click on the search button (top left) on Nomad and type in Gonzaga, many reports will show. When Hwy 1 was closed last week, several came north
through Gonzaga. The road is paved for about 14 miles south of Puertecitos, new roadbed for a few more miles, then the typical very rocky, slow road
to Gonzaga for about 20+ miles. Gonzaga to Hwy.1 (37 miles) is a better, maintained, graded road with one washout near Chapala, but the entire route
is passable in 2WD.
Here is one post:
BajaBB&Bugs
Newbie
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Posts: 2
Registered: 1-23-2010
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posted on 1-23-2010 at 07:53 PM
Just did the detour route off 1 to San Felipe today. Started off in Loreto heading north this morning and just made it to San Felipe tonight.
Approaching Guerrero Negro there were some vados with running water over them. Nothing major. Then close to Vizcaino a long, deep wash. Looks like the
whole town turned out to watch the brave (or stupid) made the crossing. We made it ok, but that was just the beginning. Had to cross 2 more raging
washes. Finally I had to take care of some "business" and I happened to be at the turn off for San Felipe. Just then a pick-up was coming south from
Cataviña. He was headed back to Guerrero Negro, but I told him the washes were running hard and getting deeper. He said he watched the last one we
crossed for 3 hours the day before and decided to head back to Cataviña for the night. As we were talking a police truck was heading towards us from
San Felipe direction. We asked how the road was and they said it should be good except for a real ugly part just down the road from us. So we chanced
it.
Just 5 mins down the road a good 30' of road was gone, washed out. Some guys were trying to make it work throwing tires and filling them in to make
the transition from road to washed out section and back up easier to do. I was the last of about 5 trucks to make it through. It was pretty hairy.
The good news is that it was pretty straight forward from there, except for a wash or two (or three) filled with rutted and loose sand. 4X4 wasn't a
requirement because I followed a Ford F-150 4X2 that made it and he followed a Toyota Tacoma lowboy 4X2!! I had to congratulate that guy after he made
that big jump. Not so sure he's in alignment now, though. But at least he's moving in the direction he needed to go. I have a Toyota Tundra 4X4.
3-4 days in Cataviña with the possibility of another storm moving in within a few days was not something I wanted to do. Thankfully it worked out. An
added bonus was that the new pavement south of Puertecitos started WAY earlier that I expected! It was a beautiful sight to see! Fresh new blacktop
around 8-12 miles south of Puertecitos. Can't wait til they make it all the way to 1!
However, since it was my first trip on 5 I didn't understand how serious they were when they said "ZONA DE VADOS". I bottomed out pretty good on the
first one going about 60. Then the second one surprised me, too. By the third one I was almost sliding sideways into it trying to slow down. Lesson
learned.
Our hearts go out to all those stuck or otherwise inconvenienced. Be careful out there.
=================================================================
Here is another:
desandmarla
Junior Nomad
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Posts: 32
Registered: 1-19-2010
Location: Punta Banda
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posted on 1-25-2010 at 11:00 AM
Gonzaga to San Felipe
This is an email I received from someone who left Guerrero Negro yesterday and headed North to San Felipe.
As of yesterday, the road from chapala to Puertocitos was obviously doable. When we turned off hwy 1, about a mile in, there was a long line of
various vehicles trying to get across a road washout. Heavy campers on trucks were stuck and requiring a winch to pull them out. Every time a vehicle
finally got through, everyone had to fill the tire tracks with rocks, tires, etc to get the next one across. I’m sure it continues to dry and get
compacted but its not for the faint of heart. 4x4 really increases your chances of not getting stuck although some narrow wheel base light trucks and
campers on trucks made it. The drive is gorgeous but so SLOW. 5-15mph most of the way and never over 25mph. about 60 miles of dirt road (if u could
call it that) to get to new pavement 11 miles S of Puertocitas. As someone else mentioned, the vados after you exit the new pavement and are
approaching san felipe are very deep and cannot be taken at speed! The road from san felipe to Mexicali is 70mph American style fwy except for about 5
miles of dirt road construction plus military stop. If you cross at Mexicali get in the RIGHT lane no matter how far the backup is. It moves a 100
times faster. I got sucked into the empty left lane and wanted to scream when it never moved. You can post this if u want. let me know when u get
home.
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and a third recent post:
alexgarreton
Newbie
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Posts: 1
Registered: 12-15-2009
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posted on 1-22-2010 at 09:10 AM
did trip 12/26/09
it was my 1st time drive to mex. and in my new 1996p/up 454, 4x4 crew cab, and a slide in pop up camper, it took me 5hrs from puetocito to camp bufeo,
40miles, roads were ok, no rain, so no 4x4 needed, but roads were 5-10mph,, then from camp bufeo to gonzaga roads were ruffer, still no 4x4 needed,
not raining, but ths took me 3hrs, from what my notes say, not sure if i went 9miles, or 39miles from camp bufeo to gas station,, got gas, bathrooms
at mini mrkt were clean, just take tp.... and from there to hyway 1 at laguna chapala tee was 40miles, 3 3/4hrs,, was able to do 10-15mph,, and i
drove some of the sandy roads that ran along side the washroad rocky road, my camper did well, roads were inpressive, and few cars on the road,
compare to drive the 1hwy back though ensenada, that was the pits,,, i prefer the dirt road, since i live in phx az, was shorter in miles, and the
beaches off the dirt roads were great to stay at. ive got photos of roads, and beaches, if interested write my email-- alexgarreton@hotmail.com, ive
just joined nomad, and met many others on the camping rdtrip, that have read nomad stuff too...., hope this was helpful,, happy travels
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LYM
Junior Nomad
Posts: 26
Registered: 2-3-2010
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Any news from the last few days anyone?
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Nothing will have changed much in a month, in terms of the road bed. Maybe another mile or so of pavement south of Puertecitos.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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lake chapala is full.....
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cj5orion
Nomad
Posts: 336
Registered: 2-6-2010
Location: Pacific Beach/Gonzaga Bay
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Mood: time for a cervaza !!!
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Cant say about anything South of chapela but,,,,,,
South road into Gonzaga is fine. and
North road is the usual rocks,washboard,and whoop-de-dos
I was jus there last week
Home Remodels/Builds..Recession!
Gone BAJA BUILDIN/FISHIN !
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LYM
Junior Nomad
Posts: 26
Registered: 2-3-2010
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Thanks
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doradodan
Nomad
Posts: 162
Registered: 11-23-2006
Location: San Felipe
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Mood: boracho
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i think people wish that someone would post (yes the road is finished) everybody is waiting to get to gonaga without 2 or 3 flats or worse
\"The time spent off the water, I\'m thinking of ways to get back in\"
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bonanza bucko
Senior Nomad
Posts: 587
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Airport Bum
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Most of us hope that danged road NEVER gets finished
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cj5orion
Nomad
Posts: 336
Registered: 2-6-2010
Location: Pacific Beach/Gonzaga Bay
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Mood: time for a cervaza !!!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bonanza bucko
Most of us hope that danged road NEVER gets finished |
Because of contract disputes,,,,that wish might come true !
Probably not gonna be any more "road work" for a while.
Got that info straight from one of the engineers on the crew!
Home Remodels/Builds..Recession!
Gone BAJA BUILDIN/FISHIN !
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Maybe Sr. Rodriguez of Rancho Grande (and Los Pinos tomatoes) will run a grader to the north in the meantime, and make traffic to Gonzaga easier for
his customers, as it is from the south?
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cj5orion
Nomad
Posts: 336
Registered: 2-6-2010
Location: Pacific Beach/Gonzaga Bay
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Mood: time for a cervaza !!!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Maybe Sr. Rodriguez of Rancho Grande (and Los Pinos tomatoes) will run a grader to the north in the meantime, and make traffic to Gonzaga easier for
his customers, as it is from the south? |
NOT A CHANCE IN H#@# !
He wants a $100.00 just to grade Alfonsinas road !Takes about 10 minutes to do.
He's to busy screwing up Gonzaga with brush clearing,(creating dust bowls) and building stupid seawalls,poorly built,that already have screwed up the
beach !
Home Remodels/Builds..Recession!
Gone BAJA BUILDIN/FISHIN !
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LYM
Junior Nomad
Posts: 26
Registered: 2-3-2010
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So it sounds like the road from the South is in good shape. I heard there was some washouts along that stretch, have they been fixed and is the road
worthy of pulling in a travel trailer or are we talking 4x4 standard?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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4WD is not needed for any of the Puertecitos to Hwy. 5 road... hasn't been since that road was built in 1987. The road it replaced was a 4WD road,
however!
The issue is more ground clearance and strong vehivles... so no motorhomes or home built trailers or low sports cars on the north road to Gonzaga. It
is just very rocky and slow going...
The south road is much better, as it is maintained... small motorhomes may get in... Bedmad drove his in about 9 years ago... and agian in 2002 with
his Sidekick pulling a makeshift grader in front of him!
[Edited on 3-3-2010 by David K]
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LYM
Junior Nomad
Posts: 26
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Thanks David
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Sure Lym, just take it easy... expect the worse... and perhaps it will be easier than you think!
If you are going to Gonzaga from the south, then it will be much better.. that route is well traveled... Pemex truck uses it to fill up the station at
Alfonsina's driveway... and Coco is a joy to visit! http://vivabaja.com/coco
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LYM
Junior Nomad
Posts: 26
Registered: 2-3-2010
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Thanks David, I will likely do just that
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Brandi
Junior Nomad
Posts: 30
Registered: 8-29-2003
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I completely agree with Bonanza Bucko.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Me too... wish they ripped up what they did already and resored it all to pre-1986 conditions!
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bonanza bucko
Senior Nomad
Posts: 587
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Airport Bum
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It would be just super!!...if construction on That Road stopped where it is. It has cut down the time from Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay for a good
truck and a very competent driver to about two hours.
But the washes, sharp and rocky rocky draws and washboard south of the construction are still sufficient to scare off yer basic week end camper crowd
from the north....there are still some delightfully horrid spots where anything with a camper shell from Buena Park breaks down and all the passengers
are eaten by the Chupacabras who live there.......we may be saved from an attempt to turn Gonzaga Bay into Newport Beach!! HOOOOORAYYY!
If the sad day comes when That Road is replaced by pavement we will all remember it fondly and we might even stop remembering how really, really BAD
it is.....how much really, really LOVE it.
Just think how sad it will be not to have any "Tres Marias" where Ray Grove's wrecked truck and ghost look up with us at the buzzards overhead.....how
sad it will be not to stop at the shrines to pray that we make it through there......how clean the dirt in the road is and how the Frigate Birds and
Gulls circle above the cliffs in the sun.....how sweet are the smiles of the brown fishermen in rattly old Fords and Chevys who struggle up the sides
of the mountains with their week's catch....how transcendentally quiet it is.......how sad it will be to find all of that replaced by an air
conditioned ride behind a sedan with Goofafornia plates.
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