StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
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El Camino del Diablo
We figured if we have to maintain a social distance, a great way to do it was to drive El Camino del Diablo, a 130-mile historic road which runs from
south of Ajo, AZ, to near Yuma. Other than the swarms of Border Patrol, and near-overhead aircraft from Luke AFB (Barry Goldwater Range), we we by
ourselves.
Conditions were perfect: the Sonoran Desert was green and blooming with spectacular scenery everywhere. And temps were 80º days and 50º nights with
light to no wind.
At first night's camp, about 10 miles south of Ajo.
Today, Bandeja Well is solar powered with an electric pump.
Parts of El Camino del Diablo runs within a mile of the international borner. Border Patrol were plentiful. We accidently bumped into two Border
Patrol guys at the top of a mountain, with electronics and antennas. They invited us to leave.
Bates Well
Final resting place of Dave O'Neill, a prospector who died of exposure after his burros wandered away, perhaps in 1916. By one report, the two men who
buried O'Neill were friends of his, prospectors by trade, and rugged, practical frontiersmen. They divvied up O'Neill's valuables and then covered him
with dirt and rocks. A couple weeks later they ran out of tobacco and remembered that they had buried O'Neill's tobacco with him. They returned to the
grave and retrieved the tobacco pouch, one reporting that it "chawed just as good as if it had been in my pocket all them two weeks."
It rained a few days prior to our arrival, so there were more than a few muddy spots. For the record, dried Sonoran Desert mud (includes much of Baja)
is easier to remove from a truck than dried Mojave Desert mud.
Everything in the desert was happy and blooming. The creosote bush was covered with yellow blooms and new leaves. There were blooming ocotillo the
length of the trail -- ditto with the plentiful brittlebrush.
The belly flowers were also blooming.
Christmas Pass
Southeast of Yuma, we bumped into stretches of new construction road for the border wall. We saw lots of large commercial trucks on the road.
A blooming ocotillo at the mouth of Tule Tank Canyon.
Tule Tank
Last night's dinner.
Last night's sunset, near the Fortuna Mine.
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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Always great to see your photos!!
Yeah, you have no normal constitutional rights in the "border zone"
I often go to Baja with a couple of judge friends, and they remind me to keep my cool when confronted with the green migra…..
"There are special rules near the border. You don't have the normal rights that you are accustomed to, so just cool it"
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
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Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  | Always great to see your photos!!
Yeah, you have no normal constitutional rights in the "border zone"
I often go to Baja with a couple of judge friends, and they remind me to keep my cool when confronted with the green migra…..
"There are special rules near the border. You don't have the normal rights that you are accustomed to, so just cool it" |
Ahhh ... that 'splains a few things.
At Christmas, I was within a few feet of the border, west of Lukeville. Border Patrol came up and told me I was in a restricted area (there were no
signs, no warnings of any kind) and that I had to leave. He left, I took my photos, then left.
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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100 mile "border zone"
First site I found was good old ACLU (not my favorite, but oh well)
Here is what they say about that magical zone of limited rights.....
https://www.aclu.org/other/constitution-100-mile-border-zone
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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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Wow...
Tule Tank sure looks like Tinaja de Yubay, too!
Enjoying your new Tacoma?
I look forward to future trips we can take our Tacos to!
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winnebago 2
Newbie
Posts: 16
Registered: 7-13-2015
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Ujust gave me 5 minutes of bliss. Forgot about all that's going on around us. Spectacular.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Love the pictures, especially the sunset. I've been wanting to do the El Camino del Diablo for some time now. As for as dealing with police, border
patrol, customs etc I do what they tell me to do.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
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Gracias!
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Paco Facullo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1301
Registered: 1-21-2017
Location: Here now
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Mood: Abiding ..........
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Outstanding !!
I got the great sense of traveling while I sit here at home.. Muchas Gracias !!
Since I've given up all hope, I feel much better
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BornFisher
Super Nomad
Posts: 2107
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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I`ve wanted to that road for a while. Did you have to get a permit?
Thanks for the report and pics.
"When you catch a fish, you open the door of happiness."
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
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Yes we got required permits, but they were never requested by authorities. Additionally, we were required to sign into a book when entering the
Goldwater Range, but there was no register available.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Great photos!
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