Udo
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DIRT ROAD CONDITIONS FROM LOS BARRILES TO SAN JOSE DEL CABO
Jana and I flew down to SJDC and rented a car from Budget.
I will never again rent a vehicle from them. They quoted one price and after presenting my reservation form to the clerk, they could not find my
reservation, and consequently cost me over $200 for 4 days. The guy next to me was paying his bill and he had the same small car and paid $74.00 for
10 days.
Lesson learned!
Our original trip was for celebrating Valentine's Day, but we also spent time house-hunting between Los Barriles and Los Zacatitos (just north of
SJDC).
I know that Blanca wrote a great road report down to Cabo Pulmo (which is a diving mecca because of the natural reefs there).
We drove the dirt road from Los Barriles to just west of SJDC.
The road is easily accessible in a two wheeled drive vehicle with no soft sand.
Cabo Pulmo was a really nice diving beach and they had lots of outlets for one to rent equipment. The souvenir store was well stocked with lots of
local artifacts and other memorabilia reminiscent of Todos Santos (artistic).
What was disappointing was the lack of beach access throughout the entire road. From La Ribera South, the road was barb-wired on both sides of the
road, and 90% of the time there was no beach view because of a large hill that blocked the water view from the road. There were three small narrow
paths that were so designated as beach access, but no parking spots were available, therefore one had to park on the road.
There was lots of properties available (all being off the grid), and they were fairly pricey ones. The beaches in the home areas resembled that of
Punta Chivato.
The entire road can easily be driven in about 6+- hours at about 25 MPH.
When we did reach Los Zacatitos, we visited a friend, Hobie Alter. He has a VERY NICE home on the waterfront on a romantic white sand beach. Lot size
was close to an acre.
For those of you who have this road as one on the WISH list, I highly recommend it even though the beach view is blocked most of the time.
One of the beaches along the road.
Another scenic beach view along the road
Hobie Alter's house in Los Zacatitos
Another beach view from Hobie's House
Lunch with George and Lynda Bergin in Los Barriles
One of the beach access view points.
Here is what happens to an RV that stays parked on a beachfront too long.
Lifeguard tower at Cabo Pulmo
View looking south from Cabo Pulmo
Road signs along the dirt road that designated the area as a turtle habitat
Some of the beach cattle we encountered along the road
The interesting part of this cattle heard, was that the lead bull had a bell around the neck as well as the last bull. Everyone in the middle had no
bell!
[Edited on 2-17-2013 by Udo]
[Edited on 2-17-2013 by Udo]
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Pacifico
Super Nomad
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Registered: 5-26-2008
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Thanks for the report and all the pics! Last time I did that road was in 1986 or 87!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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Udo
Elite Nomad
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I don't think the road has changed any since then, but the housing sure has.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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David K
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I wouldn't recognize the place... went to Cabo Pulmo in 1974, and there was just a ranch nearby and cholla cactus pieces here and there, on the beach.
Was pretty, but we didn't stay. All dirt from Hwy. 1 via La Ribera.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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The feds have talked about "finishing the paving to Cabo Pulmo for the last 17 years.
So far only a small portion from La Ribera has been paved.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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