Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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BAD ROAD REPORT NORTH OF JESUS MARIA..do not try this at home!
Road construction conditions north of Jesus Maria: I just drove that stretch five nights ago…Nov 7th. I was southbound.
I started the day’s drive from the Rancho Sordo Mudo RV park north of Ensenada on Hwy 3. (Kilometer 75), which I will trip-report on a separate
thread.
Note: During our overnight at the RV park, and while burning some strange plants at our campfire, I had a phenomenal visit from the spirit of Louis
Pastuer.
This ethereal creature whispered to me…
”You face a rugged trail, Pompano. Take heed…Chance favors the prepared mind....er, hey, amigo..is that beer cold?"
Sooo..in light of this advice from Lou…
I planned to reach that construction/detour area after dark. Knowing the slow and very bumpy condition of the southbound
lane, I wanted to take advantage of almost non-existent traffic late at night on that stretch of Baja Road. The northbound lane is fast &
smooth …the southbound detour lane is pure torture…. sloooow and full of holes, bumps, rocks, abandoned Toyotas & Rubicons, hubcaps, and Ford
drive-shafts.
I am going to tell you what I DID…I am NOT giving advice or telling YOU what to do….like LouisP’s ghost. 
Here’s what I did:
Upon reaching the detour area for southbound traffic…I stopped where I could see south for many miles…watching for headlights coming north. I saw
none..and drove up onto the northbound lane and sped south at the legal limit…50mph…but sometimes The Dark Side takes control of the gas pedal and
it’s out of my power to control. I’m a mere Junior-Jedi-in-training.
I kept my eyes on the horizon ahead for headlights and/or dust. It was a bright moonlit night, which was a plus. For the entire length of the
construction zone, I had to pull off onto the adjacent haul road only once..to let a sleepy northbound semi go by. Of course, it is a good practice
to pull way, way over, turn off your headlights, leaving the parking lights on to mark your position, while waiting for the uncoming traffic to pass
by.
I had a very quick and smooth passage thru an otherwise rough and rugged detour road…..
And got to Jesus Maria safe and sound…and did endanger any northbound traffic. Again, not telling you what to do...not me, nope. I will now take my
tongue out of my cheek.
The down side of this construction trip was…
CARMELITAS WAS CLOSED!
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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vivaloha
Nomad
Posts: 140
Registered: 11-12-2007
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Mood: mellow
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BTW - the tamales shop shown in the picture here is perhaps the best Tamales in Baja! Wow her Tamales are good!
Baja California can be a heaven or hell experience - often the determining factor is your AWARENESS in the moment.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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You are simply CRAZY. 
But really happy you made it. It is one way to do it.
You mention a sleepy semi---not good. It seems like every time we drive the highway very early in the morning, we see at least one semi that went off
the road.
Look forward to the rest of your trip report
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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Carmelita and the old van have been AWOL on my last two trips north/south. Miss those tamales!!!
Keep your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel!
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabass
Carmelita and the old van have been AWOL on my last two trips north/south. Miss those tamales!!! |
The tamales are still good but not like they were before Carmelita passed away. I still get them sometimes but not like before.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabass
Carmelita and the old van have been AWOL on my last two trips north/south. Miss those tamales!!! |
The tamales are still good but not like they were before Carmelita passed away. I still get them sometimes but not like before.
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I'm with you, too. For sure, they just don't have the flavor anymore.
I can barely eat one these days. Unlike the days of old when I always wolfed down a couple with Carmelita grinning at me.... and then ordered
tres mas para el camino. To eat later, I would tell her.
Later? Shoot, I'd eat them in the first five miles!
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
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Love those strange plants at campfires.
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KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
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Mood: Press On Regardless!!
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Driving north two weeks ago we met two semi's on that stretch who were going southbound in the northbound lane but who had plenty of visibility to
pull over before we got to them and let us go by. With so very little traffic it seemed a reasonable thing for them to do.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Once again, and I'm somewhat weary about it, This stretch of highway has a couple of hills.
Kudos to Roger for bringing this up again.
Just have to wonder just who and where one might lodge a complain about this exceedingly dangerous detour.
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Roberto
Banned
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Registered: 9-5-2003
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Good thinking. You should have considered going to Bahia de Los Angeles, south to the old army checkpoint before San Francisquito, up Cuesta de la
Ley, across to the Gullermo Prieto "shortcut", then back onto highway 1. Or just from El Arco to North of Vizcaino. Piece of cake! And you can stop
for an early lunch at Correcaminos' place.
I mean, I cover most of that between 45-70mph in my prepped truck, should be fine for most, right? 
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by Roberto]
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Oddjob
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Registered: 7-30-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Roberto
Good thinking. You should have considered going to Bahia de Los Angeles, south to the old army checkpoint before San Francisquito, up Cuesta de la
Ley, across to the Gullermo Prieto "shortcut", then back onto highway 1. Or just from El Arco to North of Vizcaino. Piece of cake! And you can stop
for an early lunch at Correcaminos' place.
I mean, I cover most of that between 45-70mph in my prepped truck, should be fine for most, right?
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by Roberto] |
You need a trophy truck for that beat to crap road to go those speeds, or a DK Toyota Tacoma . That section of road to the turnoff to El Arco may be the most miserable road in Baja.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
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just get some of them Korean tires, air em down, and run everything over. eeiiii hahhhh On edit...record your GPS at every stop and enjoy the
scenery as your going 90.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Roberto
Good thinking. You should have considered going to Bahia de Los Angeles, south to the old army checkpoint before San Francisquito, up Cuesta de la
Ley, across to the Gullermo Prieto "shortcut", then back onto highway 1. Or just from El Arco to North of Vizcaino. Piece of cake! And you can stop
for an early lunch at Correcaminos' place.
I mean, I cover most of that between 45-70mph in my prepped truck, should be fine for most, right?
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by Roberto] |
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by rts551]
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Oddjob
Banned
Posts: 330
Registered: 7-30-2011
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Don't forget to record your pee stops on the gps and post them.
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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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| Quote: | Originally posted by Oddjob
Don't forget to record your pee stops on the gps and post them. |
with fotos, of course!
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vivaloha
BTW - the tamales shop shown in the picture here is perhaps the best Tamales in Baja! Wow her Tamales are good! |
we stopped and talked to Jose and got 6 tamales (we ate 4 of them and took the other 2 with, as usual!) on our way to Bocana. he said business has
been slow. we still think they are the best tamales in the world (if you know of better, please pass the info). obviously the same recipe, maybe the
only difference is who is sneezing in the masa.
and, the road construction, i don't see what the fuss is about. you just gotta be smarter than the signs. get in the northbound lanes while you're
heading south and when someone comes up just pull over (onto the tore up part) and let them pass. it worked well for us both directions in the middle
of the day.
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Guys, guys, stop being so negative. Why can't you contribute to this forum like I do and be good Nomads? That road is for those on a 'non-hurried'
schedule.
tick tock ... tick tock.
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by Roberto]
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bajabass
Super Nomad
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
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Mood: Want to fish!!!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
| Quote: | Originally posted by vivaloha
BTW - the tamales shop shown in the picture here is perhaps the best Tamales in Baja! Wow her Tamales are good! |
we stopped and talked to Jose and got 6 tamales (we ate 4 of them and took the other 2 with, as usual!) on our way to Bocana. he said business has
been slow. we still think they are the best tamales in the world (if you know of better, please pass the info). obviously the same recipe, maybe the
only difference is who is sneezing in the masa.
and, the road construction, i don't see what the fuss is about. you just gotta be smarter than the signs. get in the northbound lanes while you're
heading south and when someone comes up just pull over (onto the tore up part) and let them pass. it worked well for us both directions in the middle
of the day. |
Pretty much the same for me 2 and 3 Saturdays ago Woody. Going north I had no problem, last
Saturday going south I used the northbound "good" lane, then jumped, not literally, over onto the detour side for traffic N/B a couple times. I'll
stop for tamales next time. Not seeing Carmelita, the van gone, I just did not stop.
Keep your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel!
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