baja99
Junior Nomad
Posts: 74
Registered: 7-6-2008
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Rancho Escondido through BofLA or El Arco?
Looks like Rancho Escondido is open. Any thoughts/ suggestions on whether to drive through Bay of LA or El Arco? Coming from Mexicali?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Via Bay of L.A. is quite a bit shorter, more direct, and no insect spray strip to drive over... The dirt road part is not much rougher than the El
Arco road (which was pretty darn good in 2017).
L.A. Bay to R. Escondido is 71 dirt miles:
Hwy. 1 (Km. 189) to R. Escondido, via El Arco, is 61 dirt miles. You are just a lot further south from the ranch this way, so more overall miles:
[Edited on 5-17-2022 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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For fun, if you have time and that much gas money to burn, go south via L.A. Bay and back north via El Arco (no bug spray going north)!
Please report back on which way you liked better. The El Arco route does allow you to see the giant cave art of Mesa del Carmen (just 1 km. off the
road) and Pozo Aleman ghost town with underground living spaces.
The L.A. Bay route passes Las Flores gold and silver center of 120 years ago. The jail house/ gold storage building still stands.
I have articles about all these places, if you want to read more. Just click on the dots on this map to see and read what is there: https://octopup.org/user/davidk/baja-travel/baja-travel-map....
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6029
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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I like the road running south from Bahia de Los Angeles, and will probably drive that way again on my next trip.
I drove it right after the Baja 1k in 2021, and I hope they have done some grading since then! I also drove it a few months earlier, and it was in
the best condition I had ever seen it, but the race tore things up quite a bit.
[Edited on 5-17-2022 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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baja99
Junior Nomad
Posts: 74
Registered: 7-6-2008
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Thank you for the responses. I think we’ll go in through BofLA and out through Los Arco. I’ll let you know how it goes!
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elgatoloco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4332
Registered: 11-19-2002
Location: Yes
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There are many places to see cardon in Baja but the cardonales the road passes thru are spectacular and worth the price of admission...IMEO.
I love cactus and the cardon is the largest in the world. The cardon can be 300 years old and have over 80 arms. The first time we drove the road I
was stopping every 100 yards to take a photo. It has been a number of years since we were last on that road. It was part of a plan this spring until
my turbo wouldn't boost.  Someday soon. 
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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advrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1863
Registered: 10-2-2015
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That is one of my favorite roads to ride on my moto, usually both directions if we can. Lots of good views, but just not the same with Poncho gone.
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