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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Mood: Weary
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Chapala-Gonzaga after action report
Drove this yesterday...Hate to pour water on the lamentors fires but found it your average fairly good Baja bad road. My Dodge was overloaded so I
aired down to 30F/40R and took my time. 2 hours 45 minutes to the blacktop. No rooms at Alphonsinas so had to drive to SF...Long day I suspect the
folks who think this is a bad Baja bad road have never been on one....Like the road to San Sebastian, or to Abrejo before the pavement or even that
mean evil Hijo De La Playa from San Ignacio to the lagoon back in the day...Speaking for myself, I would NOT pull any kind of a trailer over this road
at this time. I dont think I am going to save any time to the border (no a) ..But the stress level was way lower. Sadly crossing into the USofA later
today...
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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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i agree. it's always a sad day crossing into the USA.....
good luck Chuckie!
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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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Thanks for the report... Looks like there is room for some motel business competition at Gonzaga? I am sure the Rodriguez (Los Pinos) Brothers are
thinking about it? They have had a resort planned for Rancho Grande for a dozen years or more. In a pinch for rooms, El Sacrificio (between
Alfonsina's and Punta Final) has cabins for rent. I would prefer to sleep outside.
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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Well, we are sure going to miss Pizza night and all the rest in Mulege. You make sure to hurry back.
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freediverbrian
Senior Nomad
Posts: 620
Registered: 2-24-2007
Location: Papas Gonzaga Bay
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I hope the Rancho Grande brain trust plans better. The last time they planed a resort they scraped the top soil off a couple hunderd acres and created
a dust bowl
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redhilltown
Super Nomad
Posts: 1130
Registered: 1-24-2009
Location: Long Beach, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Thanks for the report... Looks like there is room for some motel business competition at Gonzaga? I am sure the Rodriguez (Los Pinos) Brothers are
thinking about it? They have had a resort planned for Rancho Grande for a dozen years or more. In a pinch for rooms, El Sacrificio (between
Alfonsina's and Punta Final) has cabins for rent. I would prefer to sleep outside. |
Thanks for the update and I don't wanna hijack this thread but never knew that Los Pinos was the money behind Rancho Grande...finally, finally FINALLY
that new road and all the money behind it makes sense!!!
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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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| Quote: | Originally posted by redhilltown
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Thanks for the report... Looks like there is room for some motel business competition at Gonzaga? I am sure the Rodriguez (Los Pinos) Brothers are
thinking about it? They have had a resort planned for Rancho Grande for a dozen years or more. In a pinch for rooms, El Sacrificio (between
Alfonsina's and Punta Final) has cabins for rent. I would prefer to sleep outside. |
Thanks for the update and I don't wanna hijack this thread but never knew that Los Pinos was the money behind Rancho Grande...finally, finally FINALLY
that new road and all the money behind it makes sense!!! |
Yah, the first time I walked into Rancho Grande market was in 1999 and saw the resort drawing on the wall. Not sure when it was built, but it wan't
there a dozen years earlier when I previously drove to Gonzaga.
Los Pinos bought the two La Pinta/Desert Inn hotels (San Quintin/Santa Maria and Cataviña) so they have some experience in that business now. I would
expect ground breaking on the Rancho Grande Resort Hotel very soon. They scraped the desert behind the beach and made a heck of a dust bowl, already.
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Cliffy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 12-19-2013
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Ah yes, civilization comes to Gonzaga! crap! What's next, a Cabo Corridor to SF?
Thanks for the trailer read on the dirt road. M3 to Ensenada for now I guess.
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Mood: Weary
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Stopped by snow, at Springerville Az....Dang
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Cliffy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 12-19-2013
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I got a friend who lives 13 miles east of Springerville on a cattle ranch.
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Thanks for posting this... How do you think a Subaru XV with 9" of clearance would do on this stretch?
~ Greg
| Quote: | Originally posted by chuckie
Drove this yesterday...Hate to pour water on the lamentors fires but found it your average fairly good Baja bad road. My Dodge was overloaded so I
aired down to 30F/40R and took my time. 2 hours 45 minutes to the blacktop. No rooms at Alphonsinas so had to drive to SF...Long day I suspect the
folks who think this is a bad Baja bad road have never been on one....Like the road to San Sebastian, or to Abrejo before the pavement or even that
mean evil Hijo De La Playa from San Ignacio to the lagoon back in the day...Speaking for myself, I would NOT pull any kind of a trailer over this road
at this time. I dont think I am going to save any time to the border (no a) ..But the stress level was way lower. Sadly crossing into the USofA later
today... |
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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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I would not attempt it, gringorio!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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9" of ground clearance? heck, udo's FJ only has 9 1/2"  go for it!
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
I would not attempt it, gringorio! |
Thanks Udo! I've driven the road several times before in an older Subaru, but I've not been there in several years.
Is it a clearance issue? The need for 4by4? Road washed out?
Thanks for any details! I really want to avoid Ensenada... 
Greg
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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the road is more annoying than it is treacherous, how does this subaru stack up against your older ones??? love, its what makes it a subaru.
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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love my subaru! sold the last one and it had 275,000 miles on it. The new one is the XV, or crossover vehicle built and meant to handle rough dirt
roads (not true 4-wheeling). has higher clearance, better suspension than the outback or forester.
that's how I remember the road last time we drove it - had to go slow and enjoy the scenery. thanks willardguy!
| Quote: | Originally posted by willardguy
the road is more annoying than it is treacherous, how does this subaru stack up against your older ones??? love, its what makes it a subaru. |
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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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Greg, it's all about speed... don't go faster than your car can handle it. A Subaru with ground clearance nearly as much as a Toyota truck is
impressive.
I took my 4WD Subaru to amazing places back in its day. No low range, 13" tires, you had to place your tires carefully... but I drove it to Gonzaga on
the oldest road, up to Rancho Matomi, and of course over bottomless sand of Shell Island!
Calamajué Canyon, 1979
Shell Island, 1978
[Edited on 3-18-2014 by David K]
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Great photos David! Calamajue Canyon must have been interesting...
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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gringorio,
Go for it, we did it in our 2010 Outback last year with no problems. We have 8.7" ground clearance and never touched bottom. We do take it slow in
the rocky sections, no "getting on top at speed tactics".
The only problem you'll encounter are the slow Mexican plated Civics driving through the rocky section. ;-)
Ken
| Quote: | Originally posted by gringorio
love my subaru! sold the last one and it had 275,000 miles on it. The new one is the XV, or crossover vehicle built and meant to handle rough dirt
roads (not true 4-wheeling). has higher clearance, better suspension than the outback or forester.
that's how I remember the road last time we drove it - had to go slow and enjoy the scenery. thanks willardguy!
| Quote: | Originally posted by willardguy
the road is more annoying than it is treacherous, how does this subaru stack up against your older ones??? love, its what makes it a subaru. |
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Cool! Thanks Ken! That makes me feel better... There always seems to be someone pushing the limits of realistic in terms of Baja travel. Much
better a Civic than a Subaru. 
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