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barcodemarco
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-14-2015
Location: Oceanside
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Bay of LA trip in July
Hi Nomads, I'm planning a trip to Bay of LA for mid-July. It's been a few years since I made the trek down and have a few questions for anyone with
some recent experience.
I have always taken Mex 1 but I understand that Mex 5 is much improved and may be the preferred route these days? After San Felipe, where can you get
fuel on this route? Any issue finding Diesel? Any other relevant info on this route (military checkpoints, good stops for food, other POIs along the
way) would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Marco
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chippy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1722
Registered: 2-2-2010
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5 is much better. Diesel in Gonzaga and both stations in bdla as of 1st week of June. The diesel pumps in Gonzaga are around back of the gas pumps.
You won´t see them driving by.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6029
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Mex 5 has been my preferred route even before the paving was finished, but I have never driven in during the heat of July!
There are two Military checkpoints, but he last couple of times I drove that route, only the one near the Mex 3 junction was manned. My big dog
usually gets me waved through with no inspection, but in November one of the soldiers wanted to play with her! Zero issues with the very brief
search.
The other checkpoint is just before Gonzaga, and there was nobody home. Gas and diesel are usually available at the station at Gonzaga, but I would
recommend filling at least one extra jug of diesel in San Felipe just in case they are closed, or out of fuel.
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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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10564
Registered: 10-3-2003
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5 is the way to go. Get diesel in San Felipe.
Diesel is usually available in BoLA, but sometimes they are out. If they are out, you can get it from barrels at the turn off of MX 1.
Charter a boat and go out and explore the islands. Tell them to take you to the beach at Rincon and Isla La Ventana (to see the window rock and the
beautiful bay on the other side, you can hike to the top of the island and see all the other islands).
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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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Great answers... I have nothing to add 
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6029
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Quote: Originally posted by JZ  |
Charter a boat and go out and explore the islands. Tell them to take you to the beach at Rincon and Isla La Ventana (to see the window rock and the
beautiful bay on the other side, you can hike to the top of the island and see all the other islands). |
It sounds like Barco de Marco has his own boat!
[Edited on 6-27-2022 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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freediverbrian
Senior Nomad
Posts: 620
Registered: 2-24-2007
Location: Papas Gonzaga Bay
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The military check in Gonzaga is gone. The shade structure on the road is there but the staff trailers are gone and the bunk house is torn down. I
don't think it will open for a long time.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18388
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Bola sure gets hot in July. Pacific coast is much better during summer. Just sayin….
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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barcodemarco
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-14-2015
Location: Oceanside
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Thanks for all the helpful info and suggestions!
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6029
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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Baja Bound Road Guide
You might find some useful information in the road guide that David K has been working on; http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=95028&got...
On the section that covers San Felipe to Laguna Chapala I was able to find a restaurant that I couldn't remember the name of. It is "La Poma" and is
a short, pleasant drive toward the beach from MX5 at about km 133.
I ate there in November and will stop by again next time I travel that road. Good food, good people, and a quiet relaxing place to eat. While I was
there, they were making a fresh batch of tortillas to serve their customers!
[Edited on 6-27-2022 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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Bajazly
Super Nomad
Posts: 1013
Registered: 6-4-2015
Location: Goodbye Cali and Hello San Felipe
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Mood: More Relaxed Everyday
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I just returned yesterday from a few day fishing down there. A tic over 4 hours from SF and no drama on the road. Military in GB is gone, Coco would
love a visit, road is good with no potholes. Everything is probably booked in town with the fishing in high swing now. Fuel not a problem other than
there was no power at the first station when I got into town, that was rectified pretty quick.
The water is about 80 degrees and it is hot and humid but generally the wind will blow a bit in the afternoon.
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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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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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | You might find some useful information in the road guide that David K has been working on; http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=95028&got...
On the section that covers San Felipe to Laguna Chapala I was able to find a restaurant that I couldn't remember the name of. It is "La Poma" and is
a short, pleasant drive toward the beach from MX5 at about km 133.
I ate there in November and will stop by again next time I travel that road. Good food, good people, and a quiet relaxing place to eat. While I was
there, they were making a fresh batch of tortillas to serve their customers!
[Edited on 6-27-2022 by AKgringo] |
Thanks for the plug... I completed the road guide in 2018, Baja Bound sent it to a professional publishing person who has worked for Score and other
Baja map stuff... and then Covid killed the printing of it for two years. Since then I have been updating the data such as Hwy. 5 completion, Coco's
Corner moving, and other items that I learned of or found when I went south (2019-2022).
Right now, I have no idea on its status but was told it would be produced this year...?
My work (that the professional fellow is sprucing up) can now be viewed, updated from the post that AK shared the link to, and no Photobucket water
marks, is here and has been on VivaBaja.com (Baja Norte now and Baja Sur later): https://vivabaja.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2021-Baja-Bo...
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barcodemarco
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-14-2015
Location: Oceanside
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That is an awesome guide, David! And thanks Bajazly for the recent trip report and route info. Regarding my handle....barco de marco was the
unofficial name of my old 18' skiff, which made it to LA Bay 3-4 times. Great times down there.
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1626
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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Just got home Friday. YT fishing was awesome. Limits both days with 20-35# fish. We released everything under 20#. Bait was a little tricky each
morning but we still managed to score at least a dozen each day.
Catch was 50/50 bait vs jigs with the Salas 6XJr in blue/white being the hot jig.
MX 5 cuts at least 3 hours off the drive. MX 5 is great the entire length and no potholes on the 25 miles of MX 1. Diesel wasn't an issue. In BoLA
one station was out but the other had it. Took some filets to Las Hamacas who prepared sashimi, empaniado, and mojo de ajo. So good!
In Memory of E-57
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barcodemarco
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-14-2015
Location: Oceanside
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Thanks Alan. Good to hear they are biting! I heard that Mex 5 was better, but didn't realize it would take 3 hrs off the trip. Just curious, Is
that calculated based on starting at TJ vs Mexicali or total trip time from SD?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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If you use Google Maps to estimate driving times, you will see that San Diego to L.A. Bay is fastest via Mexicali and San Felipe (Hwy. 5),
and ~hour longer via Ensenada and San Felipe (Hwy. 1-D, 3, and 5), and ~1.5 hours longer via Ensenada and El Rosario (Hwy. 1-D & 1).
With the construction mess reported just south of Ensenada the past couple of weeks, plus all the small towns on Hwy. 1, and winding road driving
after El Rosario, it may be 3 hours shorter using Hwy. 5!
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barcodemarco
Junior Nomad
Posts: 58
Registered: 6-14-2015
Location: Oceanside
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Yes, all those little towns are ball breakers. It feels like work getting there, but I always loved how much the road opens up past San Quitin, and
more so after El Rosario.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18388
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | If you use Google Maps to estimate driving times, you will see that San Diego to L.A. Bay is fastest via Mexicali and San Felipe (Hwy. 5),
and ~hour longer via Ensenada and San Felipe (Hwy. 1-D, 3, and 5), and ~1.5 hours longer via Ensenada and El Rosario (Hwy. 1-D & 1).
With the construction mess reported just south of Ensenada the past couple of weeks, plus all the small towns on Hwy. 1, and winding road driving
after El Rosario, it may be 3 hours shorter using Hwy. 5! |
Different strokes for different folks….
The 5 route takes 1.5 hours less.
Sometimes I take the longer route because it is more interesting, better scenery.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 | | Quote: Originally posted by David K | If you use Google Maps to estimate driving times, you will see that San Diego to L.A. Bay is fastest via Mexicali and San Felipe (Hwy. 5),
and ~hour longer via Ensenada and San Felipe (Hwy. 1-D, 3, and 5), and ~1.5 hours longer via Ensenada and El Rosario (Hwy. 1-D & 1).
With the construction mess reported just south of Ensenada the past couple of weeks, plus all the small towns on Hwy. 1, and winding road driving
after El Rosario, it may be 3 hours shorter using Hwy. 5! |
Different strokes for different folks….
The 5 route takes 1.5 hours less.
Sometimes I take the longer route because it is more interesting, better scenery.
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If you ever drove Hwy. 5, you would find the scenery much better than the back of a semi truck in the mountains of Hwy. 1!
Here is a small sample of what you miss seeing by not using Hwy. 5. Plus, you get a chance to meet a living Baja legend: Coco!:
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chippy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1722
Registered: 2-2-2010
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The Chenowith museum out at rancho percibu is great poi. I've met a few baja legends there. Watch out for the margaritas they are muy potente!
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