Saint Nick
Active member
Very picturesque 
Where is this in relation to the beaches?
Nick.
Where is this in relation to the beaches?Nick.
Beaches of Baja 2019
- Thread starter Ace Brown
- Start date
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Back to Baja and the Final Chapter:
On my way north I stopped in Mulegé at a fancy hotel Serinidad for a great meal, good wi-fi and a fair campground. Breakfast and more wi-fi before heading out on the highway. Somewhere I meet this white Chevy pickup coming around a corner too far into my lane. I waved him to get back in his lane and said a few cuss words when I suddenly recognized him. He’s an old Baja amigo who I’ve shared many days paddling and several evenings around the campfire. The odd thing was he had recently said he wasn’t coming to Baja this year. I found a quiet boondock site west of the highway and had a nice evening.
Soon I was back on Highway 5 and weaving through all the detours and mud puddles. I stopped in Cocos for a long visit and the “required” Pacifico. We talked about getting old and all the usual aches and pains, like my hernia. He asked my age. He laughed and called me a baby when I told him I was 75. He just turned 82. I told him I probably wouldn’t see him again and we had a sad farewell.
No point in repeating the road conditions we saw coming south, nothing had changed. But I did find one of the steepest detours down thru a wash blocked by someone pulling a big camper trailer. Apparently he ran out of power and rolled back into the bank doing a good job of closing the road. A Tacoma squeezed around and gave him a pull with a multi strand rope and got him to the top. I waited while the traffic cleared out and climbed the hill in 4-Hi, it was badly torn up. Later I passed the trailer and realized it was a Mexican fishing crew who I guessed where moving camp to follow the fish.
I spent another night in a gravel pit north of Puertocitos then on to San Felipe where the roads finally were up to US standards. Got a roadside car wash as I was told US customs have sent people back if they were too dirty. I had never heard that before, but was not willing to chance it, and my rig was pretty dirty. Next I stopped at Pete’s Camp for my last good fish taco, then headed to the border. I had seen a very long line northbound when I crossed five weeks earlier and was dreading finding the same terrible delay. But to my surprise the line was very short, in fact shorter than I’ve ever seen. I think all trailers get sent through secondary inspection so here I was trying to get through another damn X-ray machine. But I stopped and got out and determined I could not fit through with a kayak on my roof. The customs gal saw my problem and sent me into another line. I though I was going where she said when she comes up shaking her head saying I was again in the wrong lane. I pointed out there were cones blocking any other option. So she moves them and I finally get through the bigger X-ray and eventually cleared. I know those customs agents were busy but they sure seemed kind of scatter brained. I was real glad to get back on US soil as always. I stopped off I-8 and dug up my pistol I had buried when southbound. I camped for the night in a boondock site just off the interstate. I thought I was far enough away not to hear highway noise. It was minimal, but just after I got set up two long trains passed together, one headed north, the other south. You would think it was an earthquake. They passed about every 30’ all night long.
I made a brief stop in Yuma to return a spotting scope that was not up to par. Despite the fact that the 30 day return had long passed Sportsman’s’s Warehouse OKed my return when I explained I had been in Baja for five weeks. Next stop was the Kofa National Wildlife Area hoping to find another Expedition Portal regular poster but he was gone by then. I spent the night in a remote spot that had some natural tanks and a cave with many corn grinding holes in the floor.
Next morning I stopped in crazy busy Quartzsite for some groceries. Then on past Phoenix and found another good boondock site in Agua Fria NM. I had often driven by but never stopped until now.
Next day was a long day up through snowy Flagstaff then got a motel in Monticello as winter had returned.
Another long day in the saddle but I did stop for a big break at the Moab Diner then on to my home about 2:30. Got my keys and a hug from my attractive house sitter and began the dreaded unpacking.
Some stats from the trip:
Drove 3200 miles, 122 on dirt, gone 49 days, 42 in Baja. I have not totaled expenses but a wag is $2000.
Ace
Ps: the farewell to Coco was because I really believe I won’t be going back to Baja. This was my tenth trip in a 49 year span and the charm is just not there anymore. Adios Baja.
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On my way north I stopped in Mulegé at a fancy hotel Serinidad for a great meal, good wi-fi and a fair campground. Breakfast and more wi-fi before heading out on the highway. Somewhere I meet this white Chevy pickup coming around a corner too far into my lane. I waved him to get back in his lane and said a few cuss words when I suddenly recognized him. He’s an old Baja amigo who I’ve shared many days paddling and several evenings around the campfire. The odd thing was he had recently said he wasn’t coming to Baja this year. I found a quiet boondock site west of the highway and had a nice evening.
Soon I was back on Highway 5 and weaving through all the detours and mud puddles. I stopped in Cocos for a long visit and the “required” Pacifico. We talked about getting old and all the usual aches and pains, like my hernia. He asked my age. He laughed and called me a baby when I told him I was 75. He just turned 82. I told him I probably wouldn’t see him again and we had a sad farewell.
No point in repeating the road conditions we saw coming south, nothing had changed. But I did find one of the steepest detours down thru a wash blocked by someone pulling a big camper trailer. Apparently he ran out of power and rolled back into the bank doing a good job of closing the road. A Tacoma squeezed around and gave him a pull with a multi strand rope and got him to the top. I waited while the traffic cleared out and climbed the hill in 4-Hi, it was badly torn up. Later I passed the trailer and realized it was a Mexican fishing crew who I guessed where moving camp to follow the fish.
I spent another night in a gravel pit north of Puertocitos then on to San Felipe where the roads finally were up to US standards. Got a roadside car wash as I was told US customs have sent people back if they were too dirty. I had never heard that before, but was not willing to chance it, and my rig was pretty dirty. Next I stopped at Pete’s Camp for my last good fish taco, then headed to the border. I had seen a very long line northbound when I crossed five weeks earlier and was dreading finding the same terrible delay. But to my surprise the line was very short, in fact shorter than I’ve ever seen. I think all trailers get sent through secondary inspection so here I was trying to get through another damn X-ray machine. But I stopped and got out and determined I could not fit through with a kayak on my roof. The customs gal saw my problem and sent me into another line. I though I was going where she said when she comes up shaking her head saying I was again in the wrong lane. I pointed out there were cones blocking any other option. So she moves them and I finally get through the bigger X-ray and eventually cleared. I know those customs agents were busy but they sure seemed kind of scatter brained. I was real glad to get back on US soil as always. I stopped off I-8 and dug up my pistol I had buried when southbound. I camped for the night in a boondock site just off the interstate. I thought I was far enough away not to hear highway noise. It was minimal, but just after I got set up two long trains passed together, one headed north, the other south. You would think it was an earthquake. They passed about every 30’ all night long.
I made a brief stop in Yuma to return a spotting scope that was not up to par. Despite the fact that the 30 day return had long passed Sportsman’s’s Warehouse OKed my return when I explained I had been in Baja for five weeks. Next stop was the Kofa National Wildlife Area hoping to find another Expedition Portal regular poster but he was gone by then. I spent the night in a remote spot that had some natural tanks and a cave with many corn grinding holes in the floor.
Next morning I stopped in crazy busy Quartzsite for some groceries. Then on past Phoenix and found another good boondock site in Agua Fria NM. I had often driven by but never stopped until now.
Next day was a long day up through snowy Flagstaff then got a motel in Monticello as winter had returned.
Another long day in the saddle but I did stop for a big break at the Moab Diner then on to my home about 2:30. Got my keys and a hug from my attractive house sitter and began the dreaded unpacking.
Some stats from the trip:
Drove 3200 miles, 122 on dirt, gone 49 days, 42 in Baja. I have not totaled expenses but a wag is $2000.
Ace
Ps: the farewell to Coco was because I really believe I won’t be going back to Baja. This was my tenth trip in a 49 year span and the charm is just not there anymore. Adios Baja.
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Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Very picturesque
Nick.
Near my home, and up on Grand Mesa. It was posted as a reply to MizMoosie.
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Saint Nick
Active member
Thanks Ace, it didn't click
It's a real shame when this happens, and it's happened to me over the years. Not sure why a place loses it's charm/attraction - perhaps as it becomes more well known it becomes more commercialised, maybe we become used to/bored with it, our expectations change, the journey is no longer straightforward with diversions, person/vehicle checks etc, or in my case as I get older I may be getting harder to please (aka 'grumpy')!Ps: the farewell to Coco was because I really believe I won’t be going back to Baja. This was my tenth trip in a 49 year span and the charm is just not there anymore. Adios Baja.
Nick.
LexusAllTerrain
Expedition Leader
Great Trip report, I am going for two weeks to Baja, from Algodones to Cabo San Lucas and back thru Rocky point. Camping and Hotels. Wish me LUCK!
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Ok LUCK
Sounds like a lot of ground to cover in two weeks. I hope you take time to dig your toes into the sand on some quiet beach. Enjoy and be safe.
Ace
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Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Thanks Ace, it didn't click
It's a real shame when this happens, and it's happened to me over the years. Not sure why a place loses it's charm/attraction - perhaps as it becomes more well known it becomes more commercialised, maybe we become used to/bored with it, our expectations change, the journey is no longer straightforward with diversions, person/vehicle checks etc, or in my case as I get older I may be getting harder to please (aka 'grumpy')!
Nick.
Yes to all of what you wrote. Maybe the grumpy old man part was the biggest factor. I don’t feel very old or particularly grumpy but maybe I really am. I remember a snatch of words to a song: “is that all there is?”. Maybe that’s how I feel now. It just does not interest me that much anymore. It’s like when you suddenly loose a taste for a certain food that you’ve always liked.
Here’s a picture from my first trip to Baja in 1970. We were racing in the Baja 1000 which was an amazing thrill ride. How do you top that?
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Saint Nick
Active member
Maybe it's just something that happens at a certain time in your life. Just lately I find it difficult to find anything interesting to watch on the zillion cables channels we have or listen to any music for longer than it takes to have a beer! Topping racing in Baja? You probably can't!
On that note, I think it's time to finish work and go for a beer
Nick
TerraCrawler
Member
@Ace Brown those Aliners are very interesting. I like how you can store them in a typical garage. Do you find yourself making a lot of compromises because of its limited off road capability or no? Which particular year/model do you have, how much did it cost, and how have things been holding up on it? They do seem to have limited storage, but that can be said about any pop-up, even the Four Wheel Campers.
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
The suspension is really limited to dirt roads. But I hope to replace it with softer riding Timbren. Even then it won’t come close to my previous off-road trailer with soft leaves, shocks and 33” tires at 15 psi. The storage is actually pretty good. It’s a Ranger 10 2016 which I got used.
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Superduty
Adventurer
"Dug up my pistol I had buried" Can you elabporate on this?
I always thought it was a no-no to bring firearms South of the border......or do you mean literally buried for safekeeping while South of the border?
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Looks like you missed where I said I stopped off I-8 to dig up my pistol. So yes I buried it before crossing and retrieved it on my way home. Always some risk doing that but it’s worked fine for me on two different trips southbound.
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Superduty
Adventurer
Didn't miss the part about stopping off I8, just wasnt clear if you meant figuratively buried in your truck....or actually buried. Thanks for clarifying. I like it, great thinking outside the box. So long as you pick a good place to bury it....which clearly you did.
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WU7X
Snow on the Roof
Great report again Ace. I am beginning to feel that just maybe I may not ever make it to Baja. I'd love to try it once with Nanc, but there are so many other places that are calling and so little time. BTW, your really are an old timer; I'm only 70. Got Nanc interested, really interested, in fly fishing, so we'll be heading out to the east side of the Rockies a lot next year. We'll be down in Gunnison for the new Rocky Mountain Overland Rally that Ray Hyland is setting up the beginning of August. My son was born in Montrose 40 years ago. Haven't been back there since. Maybe we can run into each other around there?
See you in the dirt some time.
Dale
See you in the dirt some time.
Dale
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Thanks for the old timer comment.
I plan to be doing a presentation on Baja at the RMOR so I’ll surely see you there. I think I’ll be driving the southern end of the COBDR from Four Corners to Gunnison. Want to join me?
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