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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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La Ultima Baja Grande 4WD - Days 1-3 [San Felipe/Shell Island/Gonzaga]
One week on the Baja Mexico peninsula...It was a great time, and here are the images.
Thanks to my Wife Leidys for taking the photographs and accompanying me on this journey into The Baja.
In Mexicali, the group obtained 7 day Tourist Permits. Here, we photographed ourselves among the Earthquake-damaged municipal buildings that line the
U.S. Border in Mexicali.
While obtaining our Visas, Leidys overheard an Immigrant whose wallet was stolen, and who was beaten by thugs near the U.S. Border while inside of
Mexico. Leidys was very unnerved by hearing this - background noise that I usually tune out. I reassured her that we would leave soon for an area
safe and free of border violence.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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San Felipe
The road to San Felipe was generally in good condition. Only a few sections remained under construction as you can see here.
High Desert 4x4 sponsored the Baja Grande accomodations just north of town!
SALUD!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Going to Shell Island
Unpacking the Jeep - I had this Jeep loaded down just like it was a pickup truck.
Leidys ready to visit Shell Island!
[Edited on 5-4-2011 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Leidys and I walked along the shore while Jerry and Aaron geared up for a little fishing.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Four Wheeling Shell Island
With all of our Jeeps idle on the sand, I got that itch to Jeep. Ever cross a lagoon at low tide? Crazy things sometimes happens when you have a few
Jeeps on standby in case of a WORST CASE STUCK!
Getting inside of our Jeeps...
The tide was extremely low while we were at Shell Island. In all, it was a fun day on the trail.
Here comes Jerry!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Back at the main road, we aired up our tires for the 12 mile hike back into San Felipe.
Along the way, a family from Tijuana was seen stuck in the deep sand near town. One towstrap was all it took to free the family in under 5
minutes.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Meeting with BajaLou!
The Green House has some great food at bargain prices. That's why Leidys and I know the personnel there so well.
I told Lou that we would meet at El Volcan, but unfortunately, we spent the entire day on Mission Impossible nursing a broken Jeep the day before.
Cash was real tight, and after 1 night in El Rosario, we went straight to Los Pinos for our first ATM visit since San Felipe (3 days earlier). Sorry,
Lou, David, and Jose. Extenuating circumstances prevented our visiting with all of you.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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Great report and photos Ken. What were the temps like?
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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The Malecon or Boardwalk was busy on Easter Sunday. Couples were dancing the afternoon away as Bandas performed for tips to hundreds of
visitors.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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The road to Gonzaga Bay
The San Felipe leg of Baja Grande came to a close, and we had to move to our next venue - Gonzaga Bay!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Driving on "Easy Street"
The route to Gonzaga Bay felt like "Easy Street". Gone were the back-breaking hours spent on, "That Road." Now, the MX-6 shocks barely flexed -
making my Jeep yearn for some actual dirt! We traveled off of the pavement wherever we could, however. Enjoy these photos. I promise to upload more
tomorrow evening...
The pavement lasted up until KM 136. Here, Leidys smiles next to El Huerfanito Island. We briefly took over a Baja landmark while thinking about
Baja yesteryear.
"Easy Street" BLAH!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGringo
Great report and photos Ken. What were the temps like? |
San Felipe was in the low 80s. It felt like we never left Riverside.
Gonzaga Bay and BOLA were in the mid to upper 80s. It felt like Palm Springs.
El Valle de los Cirios and Cataviņa were in the mid 90s. It was too much heat for us to be doing Jeep repair work in the midday sun. I suffered from
heat exhaustion as a kid while delivering newspapers a few times, so I knew when too much was too much. It was too hot for camping, IMO. And not
being able to wash off in the pools near the Mission Santa Maria was unbearable, leading Leidys and I to seek out a Motel in El Rosario. Good thing
my Jeep has A/C.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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So where is Km. 136 compared to Puertecitos, El Huerfanito or Okie's Landing?
Looking forward to the next part to see what broke on a Jeep and shortened your trip???
Did you hose off all the salt water you drove into, back in San Felipe?
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Excellent Ken, love the pixs.
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 2-9-2004
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"...not being able to wash off in the pools near the Mission Santa Maria"
because you couldn't get there or they were dry?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
"...not being able to wash off in the pools near the Mission Santa Maria"
because you couldn't get there or they were dry? |
Thanks for asking... that was on my mind as well... with Ken and Jeeps, you just never know what will happen!!!??
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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I believe Ken said that they didn't reach them because of the problem with one of the jeeps. I don't think they reached the mission.
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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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Correct, Lou. We did not reach the Mission. The farthest point we reached (as a group) was the last dropoff before reaching the Swamp. I drove down
to the swamp to observe it, but did not drive in. There, I gassed up, but forgot to strap my gerrycan to the Jeep, and later had to hike back in
order to retrieve it.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Correct, Lou. We did not reach the Mission. The farthest point we reached (as a group) was the last dropoff before reaching the Swamp. I drove down
to the swamp to observe it, but did not drive in. There, I gassed up, but forgot to strap my gerrycan to the Jeep, and later had to hike back in
order to retrieve it. |
Wow... to go all that way only to give up 1 mile from the mission! Bummer! It couldn't have been anything close to as deep as it was a year ago after
the big rains that blew out the bridges on Hwy. 1?! Of course, we were a group of 4 Toyotas, 1 Dodge and 1 custom Chevy 4WD motorhome! 
More photos please!
[Edited on 5-5-2011 by David K]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8940
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Shortly after reaching the end of, "Easy Street" - "That Road" came with a fury. I had adjusted my MX-6 shocks to the 'Firm' setting, and the weak
link revealed itself as the Shock Pin which locates the upper eye of the shock absorber.
Aftermarket products have been developed to replace this weak part design, and I plan on making the upgrade very soon.
But, with a pry-bar at our disposal, Aaron took measurements and hacksawed the part before drilling holes in the prybar to locate the improvised shock
pin.
The shock pin holes were not lined perfectly, so the part did not work. Construction workers who are currently building, "Easy Street" offered their
services for the cold sodas in my ice chest. Who could resist a deal like this?
Running to the machine room to drill the part with better precision...
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