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mooose29
Nomad
Posts: 201
Registered: 10-1-2008
Location: Encinitas/Punta Chivato, Rancho Partera
Member Is Offline
Mood: All Smiles
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Hwy 5 update 5/21/16
So drove down to Punta Chivato last week and back up via Hwy 5. The Potholes between Puertocitto's and San Felipe seem to be much better. You can
see many of them have been patched up recently but we all know that is just a temporary solution until the patching wears out but for now it is pretty
good, still watch out for the Vado's they sneak up on you.
The 23 miles of dirt south of Gonzaga I thought was in the best shape I have seen in quite a while. I drive a 4wd suburban but I saw a couple of cars
doing it very slowly. We had a group of jeeps (10+) "jeepers creepers" club go by us but other than that only say 4-5 other cars and trucks. There
were some very nice jeeps in that group.
took us about 45 minutes each way. you could tell they have hit the dirt parts with a grader and water truck recently so we were able to drive at a
decent pace without ever bottoming out the shocks or shaking the car apart. The rocky parts were still rocky and were obviously slower going.
The road goes back and forth on the new road and even in a few places they had us up on the new road bed.
There is a lot of construction going on right now. Lots of bridges and culverts being built and lot of big earth moving equipment moving around on
the road so heads up. We even heard some blasting going on. We had a dump truck easily twice as tall and big as our suburban that we pulled over for
as he was coming down hill on a very narrow part of the road.
All in all the road is coming along. I'm still not sure I see a completion date anytime soon but they look to be getting all the road bed and
infrastructure in place before any paving goes on. I still saw a lot of areas were they were still blasting and carving through hillsides. They
could certainly be done sometime next year if they pick up the pace.
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El Jefe
Super Nomad
Posts: 1027
Registered: 10-27-2003
Location: South East Cape
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Great report. Thanks. Sure is nice to go that way. Will be interesting to see just how much traffic shifts to that side when the road is completed.
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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Bob53
Senior Nomad
Posts: 661
Registered: 2-24-2014
Location: Fallbrook, CA & Bahia de los Angeles
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I'll be driving that way on Thursday. Thanks for the update!
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
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fish101
Nomad
Posts: 132
Registered: 7-2-2011
Location: Loreto BCS
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Mood: energized
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Great report, thanks I needed it, as I was planning on going that way myself this week. I'm driving a 38ft motorhome, pulling a Liberty behind me and
was told I should not have a problem. Hope this is true.
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Bob53
Senior Nomad
Posts: 661
Registered: 2-24-2014
Location: Fallbrook, CA & Bahia de los Angeles
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Just take it slow.
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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Quote: Originally posted by fish101  | | Great report, thanks I needed it, as I was planning on going that way myself this week. I'm driving a 38ft motorhome, pulling a Liberty behind me and
was told I should not have a problem. Hope this is true. |
Hmm - good luck
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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| Quote: Originally posted by mojo_norte | | Quote: Originally posted by fish101 | | Great report, thanks I needed it, as I was planning on going that way myself this week. I'm driving a 38ft motorhome, pulling a Liberty behind me and
was told I should not have a problem. Hope this is true. |
Hmm - good luck |
If you have a second driver, I would un-hook the liberty, and send the other driver ahead as a scout on the dirt section! It would be fun for the
jeep driver, and give the big rig a bit more maneuverability if there happens to be an obstacle..
[Edited on 5-24-2016 by AKgringo]
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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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
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I went through on the 17th. Quiet a bit of traffic ranging from semi's to cars to motorcycles. New roadbed (at the intersection of 1) was nice.
Some parts were very dusty and in need of a water truck...Some pickups traveling very fast kicking up dirt, dust, and rocks. Overall, best I have
ever seen it...thus the traffic I guess.
Watch for the construction traffic!
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
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Repost: Highway 5 at Highway 1 a few weeks ago
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
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Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | | Quote: Originally posted by mojo_norte | | Quote: Originally posted by fish101 | | Great report, thanks I needed it, as I was planning on going that way myself this week. I'm driving a 38ft motorhome, pulling a Liberty behind me and
was told I should not have a problem. Hope this is true. |
Hmm - good luck |
If you have a second driver, I would un-hook the liberty, and send the other driver ahead as a scout on the dirt section! It would be fun for the
jeep driver, and give the big rig a bit more maneuverability if there happens to be an obstacle..
[Edited on 5-24-2016 by AKgringo] |
I had a good laugh about "It would be fun for the Jeep driver." We all have different levels of what we call fun but going down Highway 5 has to be
close to the bottom of my list for fun things to do! 
If that is fun, what is on your not so much fun list?
[Edited on 5-25-2016 by Howard]
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Not so fun list
On that particular trip (late 2014) the 30 miles or so of washboard between Bahia Asuncion and Abreojos was right at the bottom.
I also drove quite a few roads that were worse than the dirt section of 5, but my point was, I would rather be a driver than a passenger no matter
what the vehicle is!
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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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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Agreed about driving VS passenger. I also have been on worse roads than 5 but 5 has an option, #1 and the other rotten roads, there was no option.
Besides, on bad roads the other side always looks smoother, doesn't it?
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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I intentionally drive bad roads because I am looking for the 'Good people' that they bring. It has to be true, because I read it here!
More often than not, I find myself alone in the middle of nowhere thinking"Car don't fail me now!". It is an adventure though!
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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fish101
Nomad
Posts: 132
Registered: 7-2-2011
Location: Loreto BCS
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Mood: energized
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Highway 5 was a "piece of cake"..so to speak!!!..That photo that was posted of the new section from Highway 1, didn't last very long..Maybe a mile at
the most and then back to the old road (wash board). But, with the 38ft diesel pusher towing the Liberty JEEP, it wasn't bad at 10mph. I had spoken
with several of the highway workers and they didn't think I would have a problem. 1 1/2 hours fm 1 to Coco's corner (although the last mile before
Coco's was probably the worse section. I brought Coco some rice, beans and cat food, so he was happy. Another 1 1/2 hours fm Coco's to the pavement at
10mph and it was over. Would I do it again?? You betcha.. saved me nearly 200 miles going to Yuma yesterday.. Howard.. You have got to toughen up down
here!!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by fish101 | Highway 5 was a "piece of cake"..so to speak!!!..That photo that was posted of the new section from Highway 1, didn't last very long..Maybe a mile at
the most and then back to the old road (wash board). But, with the 38ft diesel pusher towing the Liberty JEEP, it wasn't bad at 10mph. I had spoken
with several of the highway workers and they didn't think I would have a problem. 1 1/2 hours fm 1 to Coco's corner (although the last mile before
Coco's was probably the worse section. I brought Coco some rice, beans and cat food, so he was happy. Another 1 1/2 hours fm Coco's to the pavement at
10mph and it was over. Would I do it again?? You betcha.. saved me nearly 200 miles going to Yuma yesterday.. Howard.. You have got to toughen up down
here!!!
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Glad it worked out well for you!
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kristinalaska
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: 6-17-2016
Location: Alaska
Member Is Offline
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I drove Highway 5 going south in January 2015, also driving a motor home and towing a car. It was pretty terrible then, nice that it's much improved
now and getting even better. I was relieved to find all ten tires still had air when I finally got to Hwy 1! The motor home was fine but the towed
Acura didn't have much clearance, so slow creeping around rocks and having to move some of the biggest ones. No road equipment working then at all,
and almost no other vehicles.
Still, it'll be sad when it's all a paved highway. End of an era.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Having traveled Hwy. 5 (or the Gulf Route [south of San Felipe] before modern roads) since 1965, it is indeed the end of an era.
However, unlike the effort and speed that was put into building 800 miles of Hwy. 1 between 1967 and 1973 with over 100 miles a year completed, the
130 miles to finish Hwy. 5 starting in 1982 has been ridiculously long in coming.
Even if you don't include the grading and paving to Puertecitos, the highway south of there began in 2007, 9 years ago with less than 7 miles
completed each year.
Soon Coco's Corner will be only 3 1/2 miles off a paved highway, instead of on an adventure drive of sorts where only off road vehicles made it fast
and safe to Gonzaga Bay from Hwy. 1.
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El Jefe
Super Nomad
Posts: 1027
Registered: 10-27-2003
Location: South East Cape
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I drove this stretch yesterday northbound. The road condition remains as state above. I'm used to sandier, softer dirt roads so the rocky parts seem a
little jarring. But easily passable and not a problem if your tires are in good shape.
There was very little construction going on. Lots of equipment sitting idle. We stopped and talked with Coco and found out why. Apparently the
builders have been dozing lots of cardons and cirios which they are supposed to save and transplant. So PROFEPA came in and stopped work on the
project. They actually put locks on some of the equipment. There will be big fines to pay. Work stopped for two months. All this according to Coco.
Just reporting what he told us.
He also gave his opinion that it would be 3 to 5 years before the road was done. I sure hope they can do better than that.
We went up through Mexicali instead of taking 2 over to Tecate this time. I don't know my way around Mexicali very well and it was kind of busy
getting through town, exactly what I wanted to avoid by taking the eastern route. So, won't go that way again. I'll stick to Tecate crossing. Border
wait was 55 minutes around 5 PM Friday.
The drive up was uneventful. Stopped for the night at La Huerta Hotel in San Ignacio. Nice place.
I must be out of my mind to leave pumping overhead surf. At least we got a good one in at dawn patrol the day of our departure.
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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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, Tom!
3 to 5 years, huh? LOL But but some Nomads say it will be done this year!? LOL
The highway will be done maņana!
Maņana does not mean tomorrow, it means simply just not today!
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by El Jefe | I drove this stretch yesterday northbound. The road condition remains as state above. I'm used to sandier, softer dirt roads so the rocky parts seem a
little jarring. But easily passable and not a problem if your tires are in good shape.
There was very little construction going on. Lots of equipment sitting idle. We stopped and talked with Coco and found out why. Apparently the
builders have been dozing lots of cardons and cirios which they are supposed to save and transplant. So PROFEPA came in and stopped work on the
project. They actually put locks on some of the equipment. There will be big fines to pay. Work stopped for two months. All this according to Coco.
Just reporting what he told us.
He also gave his opinion that it would be 3 to 5 years before the road was done. I sure hope they can do better than that.
We went up through Mexicali instead of taking 2 over to Tecate this time. I don't know my way around Mexicali very well and it was kind of busy
getting through town, exactly what I wanted to avoid by taking the eastern route. So, won't go that way again. I'll stick to Tecate crossing. Border
wait was 55 minutes around 5 PM Friday.
The drive up was uneventful. Stopped for the night at La Huerta Hotel in San Ignacio. Nice place.
I must be out of my mind to leave pumping overhead surf. At least we got a good one in at dawn patrol the day of our departure.
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Well that sucks. Looked like most of the grading was done 3 weeks ago and they were working hard. Why now? Duh...$$$$$$$.
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