Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2005 14:56:10 -0800
Reply-To: Markus Mumper <mumper@USA.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Markus Mumper <mumper@USA.NET>
Subject: Baja Suggestions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>I will be heading to Baja California this December: 2 Syncro Westys, 4
adults, 4 kids, 1 dog, and 30 days to spend relaxing once we get there!
Thinking of heading south down the inside of the peninsula and then back
north
on the Pacific side.
Any suggestions on places to camp (the more remote and isolated the better!),
on things not to miss, and on things that would be better off missed?
Thanks in advance. Any and all suggestions are welcome.<
My wife and I and some friends went about half way down the Peninsula
to San Ignacio this last Spring to pet (yes - pet) some whales. Had a
great time.
On the way down we went from San Diego to San Ignacio in one day -
about 500 miles. The Girl ('87 Westy on GoWesty 15" rims and Michelin
tires) did just fine.
Some suggestions:
1. Do not plan on driving you Syncros on the terrible washboard roads.
The roads are not so much rutted or difficult to drive - they are just
incredibly "washboarded". When we left the highway to go to San
Ignacio Bay we loaded up into our friends one year old Ford F150 King
Cab four wheel drive. Even with the tires at about 20 psi the road
beat the heck out of the truck. The "Check Engine" light came on about
half way through the drive to the Bay and remained on through the
remainder of the trip. Also, the power steering has since been making
a cat's "meow" type noise. The truck got beat up. The locals at the
San Ignacio B & B (Canadian owners) warned us not to take The Girl and
I think they were right - not a drive for an 18 year old vehicle you
want to keep.
2. Do not drive at night. Between the crazy Gringos who want to make
it to Cabo in one day and the Mexican 18 Wheelers who have been
driving for 12 hours straight - it's just not the time and place to
be.
3. When an 18 Wheeler is approaching from the other direction at about
70 mph on the seemingly 16' wide road plan on steering straight into
the truck just as it passes or you will be blown off the road.
4. The military checkpoints are no big deal although you may be asked
for batteries or other goods from the seemingly 16 year old but
friendly Mexican Army soldier with an M16.
5. San Quintine, north of San Ignaicio, is an incredibly beautiful
place with some side roads off the main highway that are great for
camping.
6. If going to the cave paintings (it's not really a cave but an
overhang) south of San Ignaicio you probably should rent a cab. The
dirt road to the trailhead takes about an hour and is again very
washboardy. To get passes to go to the paintings go to the Mission in
San Ignacio and look for a doorway about 4' tall, inside you may find
a very nice man who speaks not a lick of English. There is no sign
above the door, you need to find it by pure will and luck. You must
hire a guide to take you to the paintings (the nice non English
speaking man will help you), do not make the mistake that we did and
just offer him string cheese and water (it pissed him off but that's
all we had anyway), I guess you are supposed to give him a decent
meal.
7. It's a lot of fun to purchase "beyinas" or "whales" in Spanish.
These are (I think, at least they are big) one litre bottles of beer.
You look realy cool walking around drinking these things, and your
having a lot of fun. It's funny, in Mexico (I've been about a dozen
times) you never seem to get drunk, you can start drinking beer at ten
in the morning and drink all day and you just have a nice buzz going
all day. I don't drink tequilla, the situation might be different if
you do.
8. Lastly, the roads commonly do not have a shoulder but a steep
gutter. If you get into one of those it's bad news - stay attentive.
That's all I can think of for now - have a great time, the Peninsula
is a beautiful place, the food is usually good and the people are very
friendly.
Oops - lastly, when between the turn off for Bahia de los Angeles and
San Quintin look for the Boojum trees. These are succulents that can
be 60' tall - they consist of one white, tapered trunk with small and
short branches sticking out from them with leaves about 1/2" long.
Bizzare life form. We have one growing in our front yard. The only
other relative of them is the Ocotillo in Arizona and Mexicao.
Let us know how your trip went - god speed.
Markus and Maggie with The Girl ('87 Westy) that never stops running.