My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

I was glad that I had returned to Loreto and I really enjoyed my second stay here. I can't say that I did a whole heck of a lot while I was here, but this time there was no drama (well.....a policeman did yell at me for taking the dogs out onto the wharf.....but that was nothing). And I realized that the "Gringo area" was much larger than what I had thought was here previously. For a guy like me that loves to walk, that's a real plus.....







Our campground was completely enclosed and the gate was always locked. We had 4 dogs camped with us the entire time. They loved to watch us coming and going.....and I always wished I could take them along.....



We also made it out of the "Gringo area", walked quite a bit and we did our grocery shopping at the Super Ley (appears to be a chain of Mexican grocery stores). I watched this beautiful sailboat as it arrived at port. They made their way into town, probably for groceries as well, as I saw them leave a few hours later.....



At night we walked along the boardwalk.....the lights and reflections from the city were quiet nice.....







I've noticed that there's way less tourists this time. It seems as though the season in Baja must be near the end. Lots of the restaurants were completely empty but not all of course. This group had a Mariachi band at their table. It was fun to watch from outside as well.....



So.....yeah, I liked it here.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Up quite early the following morning and back on Mex 1 driving north to Mulege.....



About 30 minutes north of Loreto we were stopped at a military check point, our second checkpoint now. The guy that approached my truck was so serious and said that he wanted to inspect the inside of my camper. Things seemed quite serious at this point, and I was thinking thank goodness for the recently acquired Tourist Permit. Well, things changed rapidly as I watched the remainder of the troops ogle over the Jeep. They were inside honking the horn repeatedly, joking and shoving each other. I was on my way minutes later, once again no Tourist Permit required.....

The road passes through the desert and into the mountains and then suddenly drops down to the Sea of Cortez. This stretch of road, as it parallels Bahia Concepcion, is easily and by far the most scenic drive that I've experienced on Mex 1. We made several stops along the way. We walked along a secluded, rocky shoreline gathering several pieces of interesting driftwood and we found an enormous blowfish with massive spines. It had sat in the sun for days and was perfectly preserved (an amazing find that I have no idea what I'll do with).....







We reached the tiny village of Mulege for a late lunch and then a walk along the narrow streets. It doesn't take long to crisscross the entire village as it's such a tiny place. In the evening it was back to the coast of the Sea of Cortez and a walk up the steep stairs to the light house as the sun was setting.....



Then a short drive west through the village to watch the sunset at the Mission church and the cliffs above the Mulege River.....





The 310 year old Mission church is just as amazing to see this time as it was my first visit.....







On my travels south earlier in this trip, I had conversations with various travelers headed north, and I often heard that they were interested in making good time, making it back to the states quickly. I thought not me, I won't do that, I don't hurry along. But now as I retrace my steps I find myself falling into that mind set.....

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

On my way back through BAja I had that mind set as well a little, going down was different and so was staying there, quickly fell into manyana time. Crossed and then took 5 days to get back to Oregon. It was weird, but I totally get it. I loves it, and will be back down. I sure did enjoy a good burger my first night back into the states though. Safe travels

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNY.....so yea maybe it's just a normal thing.....I've been perplexed by it actually. I was thinking that I'm feeling this way now cause I'm retracing my steps, I've just seen these places. Or maybe it was because I've traveled so much for the past year, I'm just getting tired. I've been trying to do a daily journal while I've been in Mexico and it's kind of interesting for me to look back at my thoughts. The journaling has been a good thing for me. And yea, like you, I can see myself here next season as well.....



Like the previous day we were up early and back on Mex 1 driving north. Probably the best bakery in Baja that I've visited (in my opinion) is located in Santa Rosalia so that would be our first stop of the day. I loaded up on freshly baked bread and thank goodness I avoided the pastries. I did a hurried walk through all the streets just for a bit of exercise. Here's a picture taken along the streets.....it has no importance.....



A quick stop to photograph a large ship loading minerals as we departed town.....



Once through Santa Rosalia Mex 1 turns inland and once again we depart the Sea of Cortez. The road just north of town is steep as you ascend the mountains.....I'd actually been dreading this climb ever since I descended several weeks ago. We made one stop prior to San Ignacio.....it was in a desert area and I wanted to check out the massive cactus that grow here. The picture shows no scale but they're about 40' in height and each branch (?) is maybe 3' in circumference.....



In San Ignacio I unhooked the Jeep and left the camper parked along Mex 1. Then we drove the several miles on the side road into town and walked around once again. A few more pictures of the beautiful church located on the town square.....







On the way out of town, we stopped so that the dogs could swim in the freshwater lagoon to rid themselves of the saltwater that covered their coats. It was 90 degrees now so they were loving it. Then we were back on the road to Vizcaino where I planned to spend the night. Just outside of San Ignacio we crossed our third checkpoint, another one manned by the military. Again they did a brief search of the camper and asked for my I.D. I handed the soldier my drivers license and he was fine with that. They asked me to prepare them lunch in the camper, one soldier was really into the truck taking a few pictures, all was in good fun, and once again no Tourist Permit required.....

During my walks through Vizcaino I saw most of the people that I met during my last stay.....everyone here is so welcoming. In the evening we were visited by this little guy and I made the mistake of feeding him and inviting him into the camper. Now he won't go away.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

After a few days of rising early, we finally decided to sleep in and get a late start. It wasn't until 11:30 a.m. that we were pulling out of the parking lot. We hadn't gone far when I spotted the street vendor that sells honey and oranges. On the way south I had purchased a bottle of his honey and honestly, I've never tasted such tasty honey as the stuff this guy sells. I can't say much for his packaging.....not his strong point for sure as reuses old coffee jars.....but who cares.....I purchased 2 more jars.....



Our next stop was Guerro Negro, about an hour northeast of Vizcaino. We had planned to camp at a spot that XP member Park (Roam About With "Big Hank") had suggested earlier which was just south of Guerro Negro but the winds were so strong as we approached the Pacific Ocean that we decided to just stop for a short visit in Guerro Negro and then continue on Mex 1 north.....

Prior to leaving town I walked the dogs on some back streets and met this family selling vegetables so we loaded up on tomatoes, peppers, tangerines and oranges....





We filled up at the Pemex as we were leaving town and grabbed a late lunch at the small restaurant next door. Cheese quesadillas and Orange Fantas....





North of Guerro Negro we entered our fourth checkpoint which was once again manned by the military. After a brief check of the camper and a look at my license, we were on our way, no Tourist Permit required.....

As it was now getting late in the afternoon and we needed a place to camp, we checked out my camping guide book which said that the small village of Catavina would be our next best bet, but south of Catavina we stumbled onto a restaurant that had camping behind their building. This place turned out to be a great choice as the owner was such a pleasant lady.....we loved her almost at first sight.....



This lady lives entirely off the grid, no electricity.....she has a generator, it appeared that they trucked in their water, and of course no internet. She told us that she once lived in the U.S. in the early 80's working a menial job but she despised it and the big city (L.A.) and longed for the tranquilo life that she has now, on her 100 acre plot of land in the mountains. She almost begged us to have dinner there, consistently mentioning how affordable it would be, and we happily obliged. I try not to post too many food pictures but I have to for her. She said make sure to write my business name on your blog.....



And so the name is Restaurant San Ignacito and I highly recommend this place, located about 10 miles south of Catavina on Mex 1.....



And then a nice sunset in the mountains to finish our day off.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

The previous night prior to hitting the sack I was out with the dogs and noticed a trail into the mountains, so I was up early the next morning and went hiking alone. This area is probably one of the most beautiful desert areas I've seen, and I'm also thinking that I'm here at the perfect time of year as there's so many flowers in bloom.....



I came across the most enormous cactus that I've ever seen.....I paced it to be about 6' in diameter.....





After the morning's hike I was ready for a good breakfast so we decided to head into the restaurant to see what was cooking. Our favorite lady was in the kitchen and she was thrilled to see our return. She said she'd prepare us cheese omelettes with tortillas and refried beans and a macaroni salad as well. Way more than I'm accustomed to eating for breakfast but it was all so tasty. I nosed around outside with the farm animals while I waited for my meal.....



And then it was time for a great meal.....



As we began our meal this guy comes over with his plate and sits with us. Minutes later the chef is also seated with us having her breakfast as well. It was all so natural and much appreciated as I enjoyed their company immensely.....



Now we were back on Mex 1 but not for long since just north of Catavina I wanted to make a side trip to see a school made entirely of Onyx. We came across a small shop selling onyx artisan works and I stopped in for directions. The owner asked that I come inside to see his wares and I left with 4 onyx wind chimes ($500 pesos). After getting my directions I headed out to disconnect the Jeep and the guy was there with an onyx dolphin statue that he offered as a gift. Wow.....I was a bit overwhelmed. Since it was a gift I felt I couldn't offer more money, so I gave him half of our recently bought fruits and vegetables, plus several ice cold sodas. I left the truck and camper in his lot.....



And then we were off to see the school, about 10 miles off of Mex 1. It was nothing to write home about but it was fun to make the drive.....



As I was hooking the Jeep back up to the truck to prepare to leave, I heard the dreaded hissing sound coming from a rear tire on the Jeep. I told the guy that we had a small "problema" and he was great as he said that he could fix it. Within 5 minutes my tire was plugged and we were ready for the road. As I'm entering the truck he whistles and waves, then approaches the truck and says "how about a ride to the bar" ? Of course I said yes and he hopped right into the Jeep and we were off.....



You can't help but love Mexico.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Once we passed the onyx mines, the road ascends higher into the mountains. There were times where the road was built right along the ridge line giving us some quite amazing views.....



One stretch of road was particularly beautiful as the flowers were in full bloom and the mountainside almost looked fluorescent.....







The road finally descends from the mountains and meets the Pacific Ocean at the town of El Rosario. And once again we thought about staying here but the high winds from the ocean persisted so we continued north. As we departed El Rosario we passed through another military checkpoint and this time I was waved right through. Now our goal was San Quintin where the camping guide said we'd find campgrounds. We chose El Pabellon, it was cheap and located on the ocean.....



The first thing we noticed here was that the place was swarming with these tiny gnats. In a matter of no time, the camper was becoming quite uncomfortable. We headed out to the beach where the winds were incredibly strong, and it was cold too. The beach here was hard packed, perfect for vehicle traffic. Therefore the beach was packed with cars flying in both directions. We headed back to the campground with plans for a hot shower. Well the shower was hot but I could hardly believe it when I realized I was showering in salt water, taken directly from the ocean I assume. This would be yet another one night stay.....





In the next picture you can actually see the sand from the dunes blowing across the hard packed sand beach.....



The sand dunes provided us with protection from the high winds.....



It was a long day.....we slept well.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We woke up with an open mind thinking that we might hang out in San Quintin for the day and we hoped that the winds would subside a bit as the day progressed. We drove into town and our first thought was that this isn't a good place for hanging out. We stopped for fuel and continued on Mex 1 north.....



As we drove north from San Quintin things changed rapidly.....all of a sudden it was one small, dirty town after another.....most of the morning really wasn't a nice drive at all, although later in the morning it did get nicer as we drove further north into wine country.....



It got really nice when we entered into the area of the vineyards. We made a pit stop along the highway.....





We made a stop in San Vicente at a fruit place to grab a bunch of fresh bananas.....



It seemed like a nice little town and we were getting hungry so we stopped at a small restaurant for our lunch. The lady that ran the place was great. She whipped us up an excellent vegetarian meal while she danced to the Mexican music on the radio.....



We passed through some fairly steep mountains as we continued north which were quite spectacular.....





With the help of iOverlander we found ourselves a campground about 10 miles south of Ensenada. We're camped right on the shoreline of Bahia de Todos Santos. It's a great spot and for $100 pesos per night it's a great deal. We've got some very nice views, peace and quiet, and nice neighbors traveling from Chile.....





At the moment, I'm thinking we'll stay here for a few days.....explore Ensenada, and then figure out what's next. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave Mexico quite yet.....and I'm not sure that I want to stay either.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Day One.....Ensenada, Mexico.....

.....begins with a sunrise.....



.....a trip into the city.....









.....traditional yucca and cactus ice cream from a street vendor on the return trip.....





.....hanging out at the camper.....



.....enjoying the abundance of wildflowers.....



.....and finished with the sunset.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Day Two.....Ensenada, Mexico.....



On our second full day camped south of Ensenada we decided not to drive into town as we heard that a cruise ship would be docking and that Ensenada would be packed with the boat tourist. Several vendors told us that they actually increase their prices on those days.....interesting. So we took Mex 23 west, only about 6 miles, which took us to the Pacific Ocean and to La Bufadora (blowhole). Initially the road passes through several small villages but then it begins a fairly dramatic rise above the Pacific Ocean and the scenery changes and can be described as some of the most superb scenery I've ever witnessed.....





The road rises what I would guess would be 600', maybe 1,000', I really don't know. It was such a fantastic surprise as we hadn't researched in advance and had no idea what to expect. From the highest point you can see for miles to the north and south. We were in total awe of the beauty before us.....





As we looked to the south, we could see a small village along the rocky coast. Before we descended we stopped at several campgrounds which were atop the rock cliffs and afforded incredible views. We thought that we need to stay here before we leave but we shall see about that I guess.....





We descended the mountain and as we drove into the village we were immediately motioned into a parking spot by an attendant. Apparently we drove right into a tourist trap. We paid the $50 pesos for parking and headed right into a mass of souvenir shops and food vendors on either side of the street. Typically I wouldn't be too fond of this, but here it was different (for me anyhow). There's such an energy here, the vendors are so friendly and know how to work the crowd. We walked to the end of the street to view La Bufadora.....



After a little research on Google, I see that this is one of the largest blowholes in North America, reaching over 100' depending on the surf. We were drenched as we stood there and were later told that when this happens you will have good luck for one year. So I returned to La Bufadora with the dogs and had them "blessed" as well.....



We spent the entire day here and I'll post up more about this place in a later post, as we plan to return. When we returned to our campground that evening our Chilean neighbors had departed and now we have neighbors traveling from Turkey. We spent the evening together.....these people are so interesting, they have no real plans, just to travel.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Day Three.....Ensenada, Mexico.....

The morning started with a walk into the foothills above the Bahia de Todos Santos. You see quite a few guys around here riding their horses and initially I was thinking, Wow ! this is interesting. But after hanging out here for a few days I'm now realizing that these guys are here to take the boat tourists horseback riding. From what I can tell it looks pretty horrible for the clients but not bad when it's only the rider with no clients.....



I see them often across the street from our campground.....





When I returned to the campground our Turkish neighbors were up and invited me over for a Mediterranean style breakfast.....



Our plan for the day was another tour in downtown Ensenada. We made it there just in time for a late lunch. We ate outside of the tourist section which can save you quite a bit.....



Then we walked down to the waterfront to check out the cruise ships. Two ships landed today so the tourist section was packed. At the pier there's this massive Mexican flag flying overhead.....





I guess the good news was that all the shops were open. On our first visit here there were no cruise ships and at least half the shops didn't bother to open. We stopped in at the fish market. I didn't stay long.....the stench made me queasy, I guess you get accustomed to it.....





On the return trip to the campground we noticed that the cut flowers that they grow here are really beginning to bloom. Lots of farm workers out there picking flowers.....



The weather has been fair the past 2 days but it began to worsen in the evening, turning quite cool last night.....we have no plans for today.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

The following day we decided to drive back up the mountain and visit La Bufadora again. Soon we're going back to the states, and while we're a bit tired of seeing all the ponchos, blankets, and trinkets for sale, soon that won't be an option. And honestly, it really can be fun to stroll through the various shops and chat with the vendors.

As you enter the vendor area it's almost overwhelming.....







There's restaurants to choose along the waterfront or lots of food vendors as well (which was our choice).....





Lots of choices for the sweet tooth.....





On the return trip to the campground we made a few stops to take in the views of the Pacific Ocean.....







We've spent 5 nights in Ensenada and we think it's time to move on. The campground was great and we really enjoyed our stay here but there's more to see.....

 

[georgia5623]

Great pictures!

 

[KE7JFF]

Yeah! Nice Vendor Area...I'm a sucker for those!