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thebajarunner
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HIghway 5 info
Traveled 5 last week.
There was a small crew doing some "detail" work at the end of the pavement below Gonzaga. They appeared to be just working on curbs, edges, paint,
etc.
No evidence that paving will commence any time soon.
The new highway is really smooth, much wider than Hiway 1, and has been well designed.
The interesting thing we noted.....
Dozens of big rigs/semis are using this road, even with the 20+ miles of rocky stuff.
We camped below Coco and spent some time there. In 24 hours there were a couple dozen Los Pinos trucks that crept past, plus numerous other big rigs.
They are going very slowly, but apparently the savings in distance is worth the abuse that they are placing on this equipment- for sure big rigs were
not designed for off-road Baja!!
And, Los Pinos has a full time grader with a support crew, working the road to keep it in more passable condition.
This was a real added benefit for us as they were definitely making things better.
We asked one of them why Pinos was going this direction and he said that they have extensive operations down in Vizcaino.
However, two rigs that we led into Chapala turned north on 1, which made us believe that they were taking this route to avoid the strikers and the
demonstrations.
Strange to see big rigs going off road!!
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David K
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Thank you for your observation!
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rts551
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Last report since I went through a couple of weeks ago, said the rocky pass is much worse. how was it for you?
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mtgoat666
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Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  |
And, Los Pinos has a full time grader with a support crew, working the road to keep it in more passable condition.
This was a real added benefit for us as they were definitely making things better.
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that's nice
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thebajarunner
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"Rocky pass" was rough but very passable.
We had one guy towing an 18 foot boat on a not so sophisticated trailer and he just took it slow and easy and no damage.
I suspect that the grader is more effective on the long straights than up and down the hills.
Graders are not much benefit when the road is as hard and rocky as that one, with so little soft stuff to bring up and overlay on the bumps.
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rts551
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Thanks. I take it slow anyway. No hurry here.
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Von
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Sounds interesting I think ill take that route this week when I head over to see my amigo Daggett
READY SET.....................
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David K
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They need loads of fill sand over the rocks.
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AKgringo
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I think that sand would not even last until the next storm, and then would surely wash out. At a very minimum, chip sealing would be a temporary
improvement, but that is tough to do in the stretches that are nothing but cobbles and bed rock.
I seriously doubt that much money will be spent on any section that is not going to be part of the final route. Call me selfish, it that suits me
fine that Highway 5 is not up to its future traffic potential.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Von
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was wondering how many military check points are there on this hwy?
after San Felipe. Thanks in advance 
READY SET.....................
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willardguy
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| Quote: Originally posted by Von | was wondering how many military check points are there on this hwy?
after San Felipe. Thanks in advance |
the only permanent one is the bahia willard one.
if you're asking southbound.
[Edited on 3-31-2015 by willardguy]
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David K
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San Luis Gonzaga, between the roads to Papa Fernandez' and Alfonsina's Resorts.
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thebajarunner
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No checkpoint at Gonzaga last week
Probably afraid that Los Pinos semis would run them over
Also no checkpoints on 1 around Santo Tomas,
just the one on top of the hill at El Rosario
None on the Tecate hiway either
but military guys now policing the border crossing at Tecate, not local police
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willardguy
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| Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner | No checkpoint at Gonzaga last week
Probably afraid that Los Pinos semis would run them over
Also no checkpoints on 1 around Santo Tomas,
just the one on top of the hill at El Rosario
None on the Tecate hiway either
but military guys now policing the border crossing at Tecate, not local police |
excellent!
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norte
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Probably were referred to the advice of Baja Nomads.
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thebajarunner
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A wise guy driving an Oregon plated camper zoomed down the hill past all of us sitting in the single line on Friday afternoon,
and after a brief discussion with the lads in cammos with guns he zoomed back up the hill, to the collective cheers of many of us patiently awaiting
our turn to cross over.
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Phil S
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Are the trucks traveling 5 past Coco's up the really difficult hills, causing any 'worse' conditions to 'that' area, compared to before? I can now
see this coming November, traveling behind a freight truck at 4-5 mph for what will seem like FOREVER on the normally slow hills, because there are
boo coo trucks ahead. Wife wants to fly for the first time in 25 years, because I won't drive 1 to G.N. anymore, since I discovered 5 some years ago.
Andshe didn't like the bouncing around the hillside drives caused.
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willardguy
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thats a real possibility! huge over sized trucks have been using this route to deliver monster size equipment to the santa rosalia mining operation
for a couple years now. its all in the luck of the draw I suppose
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thebajarunner
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Trucks were very cooperative
| Quote: Originally posted by Phil S | | Are the trucks traveling 5 past Coco's up the really difficult hills, causing any 'worse' conditions to 'that' area, compared to before? I can now
see this coming November, traveling behind a freight truck at 4-5 mph for what will seem like FOREVER on the normally slow hills, because there are
boo coo trucks ahead. Wife wants to fly for the first time in 25 years, because I won't drive 1 to G.N. anymore, since I discovered 5 some years ago.
Andshe didn't like the bouncing around the hillside drives caused. |
The big rig drivers we followed were very aware of traffic and made good effort to move over, give the pass blinker, etc.
On some of the steeper hills they were traveling at close to zero, barely moving.
That actually is not as destructive to the uphill sections as a 4x4 running hard and spinning the tires.
Still it cannot be helpful for road conditions, even given the full time effort of the grader- but 24 miles on that road is a very lengthy stretch for
a single grader working one daily shift.
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rts551
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worst part is meeting a semi in that area. lots of places with only room for one vehicle. 4-5 mph in the rocky section is the norm...for most
people...at least until the sand is brought in.
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