Who: Toycdn and his wife
What: 2007 Tacoma TRD offroad, w/ M101 cdn expo trailer
Where: Vancouver BC to the tip of Baja Mexico and back
When: March 3 - March 27 2012
Why: Sun, duh!
While researching how I was going to build up my trailer over the last year http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/73535-M101-CDN-Expo-Build I began reading trip reports about Baja and decided that it sounded like the perfect road trip destination for some warm weather. I convinced my wife that it was unlikely that we would have our heads cut off as the media suggested and we began planning, the trailer was finally completed about two weeks before we left.
Prepped and leaving Vancouver, BC
ARB fridge wired and ready for cerveza's!
We planned on getting to San Diego in three days, we made it to LA in two long days!
Crossing into Oregon
And California
Shasta
We stayed in a hotel room in Yreka CA, on the first night. We were exhausted and it was freezing outside.
The very long and boring part of the I-5 from Sacramento to LA, it never ended. It was definitely the least enjoyable part of the trip and I decided I was not driving it North!
We pushed hard again on the second day and made it through LA late Sunday night, I decided it was better then getting stuck in Monday AM LA traffic. only problem was the accident on the grapevine where we sat for two hours.
We managed to find a Campground at Dana point just south of LA for the night.
We made it to the San Diego KOA early the next day and I took the trailer to a mechanic to sort out some bearing problems I was having with the trailer. They would either run loose or really hot. After changing out the bearings it was the same problem so we just ran them loose the rest of the trip which was better than hot.
I had read that it can be a good idea to walk across the Tijuana border and get your tourist visas before you cross with the trailer because there isn't really anywhere easy to park when you cross, we had time so we decided to do this. It was nothing crossing south into Mexico and getting the papers, but then we were faced with an unexpected two hour line up to walk North back into the states. So for two hours we sat in a long interesting lineup in the streets of Tijuana. I will not make that mistake again, but is was an experience!
We prepped for the next day and got an early start the next day. I will admit was I was somewhat nervous about driving south into Mexico with all the bad press lately, but that is what adventures are all about and we plunged right in.
What: 2007 Tacoma TRD offroad, w/ M101 cdn expo trailer
Where: Vancouver BC to the tip of Baja Mexico and back
When: March 3 - March 27 2012
Why: Sun, duh!
While researching how I was going to build up my trailer over the last year http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/73535-M101-CDN-Expo-Build I began reading trip reports about Baja and decided that it sounded like the perfect road trip destination for some warm weather. I convinced my wife that it was unlikely that we would have our heads cut off as the media suggested and we began planning, the trailer was finally completed about two weeks before we left.
Prepped and leaving Vancouver, BC
ARB fridge wired and ready for cerveza's!
We planned on getting to San Diego in three days, we made it to LA in two long days!
Crossing into Oregon
And California
Shasta
We stayed in a hotel room in Yreka CA, on the first night. We were exhausted and it was freezing outside.
The very long and boring part of the I-5 from Sacramento to LA, it never ended. It was definitely the least enjoyable part of the trip and I decided I was not driving it North!
We pushed hard again on the second day and made it through LA late Sunday night, I decided it was better then getting stuck in Monday AM LA traffic. only problem was the accident on the grapevine where we sat for two hours.
We managed to find a Campground at Dana point just south of LA for the night.
We made it to the San Diego KOA early the next day and I took the trailer to a mechanic to sort out some bearing problems I was having with the trailer. They would either run loose or really hot. After changing out the bearings it was the same problem so we just ran them loose the rest of the trip which was better than hot.
I had read that it can be a good idea to walk across the Tijuana border and get your tourist visas before you cross with the trailer because there isn't really anywhere easy to park when you cross, we had time so we decided to do this. It was nothing crossing south into Mexico and getting the papers, but then we were faced with an unexpected two hour line up to walk North back into the states. So for two hours we sat in a long interesting lineup in the streets of Tijuana. I will not make that mistake again, but is was an experience!
We prepped for the next day and got an early start the next day. I will admit was I was somewhat nervous about driving south into Mexico with all the bad press lately, but that is what adventures are all about and we plunged right in.
lol). Such a beautiful spot, we had to leave the next day but we decided to spend another night on the way north.
