SEPTEMBER 9, 2006
Saturday morning we awoke to the pleasant sounds of people stirring early in camp. Tide was coming high again, and the swell had increased ever so slightly. The morning started out sunny and bright, but then gave in to the temptations of the marine layer. Luckily for us though, the sun powered through gracing us with its warm rays.
We spent the morning leisurely packing. Al had set a departure time of 0900 hrs. Wil was kind enough to offer some breakfast sausage to Justin who was still napping in his Adventure Trailers Chaser #15 tent. While Miles made the rounds with scones and other tasty breakfast pastries he got from a friend (this was the first of many items to come forth from the trailer-it was/is like an endless storage pit of goodness).
A hair past 0900 hrs and we were on our way. We started out by trying a narrow dirt track that led up from our campsite and south around a rocky point. Leading to another beautiful vista to stop and admire for a short while.
Sight seeing aside, we were on our way towards the Sierra Juarez and Laguna Hanson. We went out the same way we came in, except this time we went north at the fork in the road towards Punta San Jose. We tried to follow another track that looked like it would lead towards Punta San Jose, but ended up at a locked gate. Which over looked some kind of HUGE construction project on the bluff below.
Side tracks and locked gates aside. The road into Punta San Jose was uneventful, just a moderate graded dirt road, and the beautiful, unaltered vistas of Baja California. Conjuring up images of how Southern California used to look.
Pulling up to Punta San Jose the entire area is exposed to the elements. No trees, no bushes, only small low-growing Yuccas are able to survive this environment. The winds were westerly at a moderate15 knots (sun-shade and a wind block are considered a must). The dozen or so surfers however didn’t mind the wind or the exposure. As acceptable looking right-handers rolled into the cliffs along the waters edge. The surfers however, did mind the eight-vehicle caravan that pulled up into the lot. As shouts of “Go Home!” were heard as we stopped to enjoy the view.
With the view and snappy peelers firmly cemented in my mind, the group pushed on. Now most people who come to Punta San Jose come in and out on the graded dirt road from Santo Tomas (the way we came). However, there is also a narrow two-track dirt road that leads north from the Point. The road went north-east and up in to the coastal range for a brief moment and descended back down into a canyon. This is when things started to get, well, interesting.
It all started as we crested a small ridge and we were about to descend back into the canyon. The 2M comes’ alive with Al’s voice asking where we were. I replied we were just about to start our descent. To preface, this area is loosely compacted sandstone that erodes very quickly. Thus with the winds, and rain create weak areas, where drainages form and the soil is very unstable. So Al says to us, there are some tight spots with some holes to watch out for, but we should make it, even if we have to make a three-point turn (after all the Jeep and #15 had already made the journey). The first couple of switchbacks heading down weren’t much, until we happened to glance into one of the holes, which actually expanded inside the hole. More like black holes. The only close area was a drainage right in the middle of an inside turn, where we actually made sure the front ARB bumper hit the cliff just so we knew we were over far enough. I wanted no chance of sliding into or worse yet dropping into a hole.
The descent over, we started climbing back up the other side of the canyon. All of a sudden brake lights come on, and we’re thinking, bano break, snack time or something else. Then Kevin waves, motioning us towards the front of the group, which we had no visual b/c they were around the corner. I come around the corner to see Wil’s rear passenger side rear tire about three feet in the air, and the driver side nose down in a hole (only later would we find out how deep the hole was…8-10’). Al was then advised by radio of our predicament. The amazing thing was how fast everyone reacted. By the time I reached Wil’s truck there were at least three people counter-balancing the rear bumper. Wil & Wendy were safe and just waiting. Dave’s 05 Taco was the truck just behind Wil, and just our luck Dave has a winch on the front ARB bumper (shameless plug). The winch was quickly unlocked so it could be attached. (Side note…Wil was prepared and had a shackle attached to his rear tow hitch. Which provided a quick, easy, and strong attachment point). Dave directed me to the location of the controls, and before we could say supercalifragilisticespialidoscious (?). Wil’s Taco had been pulled out from the hole and was safely resting on all four tires on solid ground. Wil & Wendy were fine, Dave’s winch had been used for the first time, and we all got to reflect on the benefits of group travel.
The hole was huge! The pictures that have been posted here speak for themselves. So, I will not bore everyone with an exhaustive list of adjectives describing “the hole.”
The remainder of the dirt road was mellow. More time to try and follow the Baja Almanac or the handy GPS with LBMaps software. There was an optional hill climb which Kevin and Dave successfully completed (Kevin is testing out his E lockers-installed & retrofitted by himself…where’s the write up?). Our little dirt road eventually spit us out on the “main” dirt road that leads out to Ej. Ajusco. Once on the main road, travel was at a quick pace. Flying down the road, imaging we were competitors in the Baja 1000. This became especially true when a little Ford Bronco II came flying by us, on a turn no less (this is typical in Baja). After our mock Baja pre-run, we all stopped at a nice flat place to stop and air up (check your air stem). This stop short-lived we were soon back on MEX 1 heading north. We were on the road for no longer than five minutes, when we came to our first Military checkpoint.
The Military checkpoints are always nerve racking no matter how many you have been through. This was to hold true to fashion. There were bets before who would get stopped, and who wouldn’t (most people had $$ running on Justin opening up his trailer-you can ask Justin his secret offline). But in the end, it was our Servicemen who got to spend the most “quality” time with the guardsmen. And of course what would a checkpoint be without the guards meeting Bella. The checkpoint behind us, and Bella’s head out the window without fear of “the dust monster,” we pressed on towards Laguna Hanson.
We retraced our route north on MEX 1 back toward Ensenada. A quick stop for fuel (those without the aux. tank, he, he, he), and our group was soon turning east on MEX 3 heading towards San Felipe. A short while later, we had the unfortunate luck of happening upon a delivery truck which had just broken down. With Al’s quick thinking, some of the group tried a shortcut around the truck (key word some). Good intentions aside the shortcut, didn’t work and the group had to turn around and face the broken delivery truck. Once the group made it past the truck, it was only a little ways down the road when we reached the signed turn off (two in one trip!) for Laguna Hanson.
The group on the graded dirt road, sun dropping quickly on the horizon, we all aired down and were on our way. The road was in great condition allowing us to move along at a good pace. We encountered the occasional oncoming dirt-bike traffic, but otherwise the traveling went smoothly. Before long, we had arrived at Laguna Hanson. However, the Laguna is such a Laguna. The lake was dry, not a drop of water anywhere. Even so, Laguna Hanson is still beautiful in it’s own right. Laguna Hanson is in the Sierra Juarez mountain range, and sits at about 5000’. We made camp at the Cochimi campsite, and the Ranger came around to collect the $100 peso camping fee.
Camp set-up and “the bar open.” Dinners were made and shared. We were treated to a beautiful sunset and lightening storm in the clouds to the far east. Hoping the storm would not make it our way. A fire was made and we all gathered around to reflect on the day, and the trip in general.
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