Where is the nicest place you have over-landed to?

[FrenchieXJ]

I have been blessed to have had many travels over my lifetime.

I have done travels to many places over our lifetimes. Each place has had their own wonderful experiences. Each place is different for many reasons. One persons place may be a “Paradise” and another’s a “Junk Yard”!

Where and when was some of your best experiences?

Where were some of your most unique experiences?

What surprised you the most about that place?

What was special about these places, (scenery, people, funny, scary or experience)?

Would you recommend this location for others?

Would you want to return for another visit?

Do you want to keep it to yourself?

 

[FrenchieXJ]

Baja California in the days before pavement

Traveling by motorcycle and 4X4 into Baja, before Hwy. #1 was fully paved. In the 1970's, this was a slow drive to Cabo San Lucas. A week was making good time, to reach Cabo San Lucas.

The pavement process was unique, as they had a different way of paving the roads. Getting the road surface constructed was much different then I was accustom to seeing.

They would grade the surface to close to what they wanted. They continued to have traffic drive on the surface as they worked it out. This was for compacting the road base. They would scrap the last top surface or bring in some new dirt. Making a mound line with a ridge down the middle of the lane.

They would take a old in ground (Fuel Station) fuel tank to make a boiler to heat the oil. With a couple of piles of dirt to hold up the tank above the surrounding area. They would collect the old vehicle tires found along the road, into a pile under the tank. With some oil poured over the tires, this was the heat source to heat and soften the oil. They would drain the hot oil/tar into a oil tanker truck. Then haul that out to the construction site.

These tires were in great supply all along the route. The tires which were pushed to their limits were just waiting for the next calling. Environmentally this would not meet most of our standards, but it did clean up the roadsides and was a efficient use of what was at hand.

Then they would drive to the working area, they would open a drain from the tank, over the dirt pile in the middle of the lane, and drive forward. Then with road graders they would push it back and forth in the lane mixing the two items together into a road tar base. Once mixed the spread it out over the road location and let the compactors (road traffic) drive across it compacting it.

The thickness was for the most parts of the road between ½’”and 3/4" thick. It took many years to get it completed, sort of fixed. When it was what, they called finished, the maintenance started. The oldest areas were repaired and some of the pot holes, (grand canyons) were sort of patched.

You would knew how long each segment was done at a time, as the whole section would fall apart, all at the same time. Driving along the paved sections, I would wish for no more pavement, as the dirt was smoother, even with the wash board surface.

The scenery was fantastic if you were not driving. If you were driving then you could not take your eyes off of the road. The road width was constricted to be the tire width of a semi-trucks tire width, plus 2 inches.

Their was no shoulder along the side of the road. It was just dirt, gravel and large rocks. The pavement was so narrow the light dirt and sand was blown away from the edge of the road by trucks and vehicle traffic blowing by. This left the right side of the lane a nice drop off of 2" to 6". This would work like the rumble strips with a bit more of a wake-up then the noise of the rumble strips. Many a vehicle would crash off the side of the road. You would see the remains of the vehicle sitting along the side of the road for years all burnt up.

As time went along they made improvements of bridges, culverts and concrete gutters along the sides.

Well in more recent years I left Cabo and spent a night at a friends house in Los Barriles. Being I was a single vehicle, I left their house at 8:00 AM and hit the road for the border. I stopped for fuel as needed and dinner in Guerrero Negro. At Guerrero Negro the sun was setting so I followed a semi-truck to the border (The truck would clear and beasts out of the way, from the roadway). I made it to TJ (Tijuana) by 3 AM. I got sent to secondary to wait for the California bug inspectors to clear my vehicle, for 2.5 hours I sat there waiting. The drug sniffing dog and handler came by 3 time sa I sat their. Once they got to me a 3 minute check and I was on my way home. This was a 90 minute drive from the border to home. I arrived as the sun was peaking over the hills.

This is the change from the years gone by. They actually have asphalt plants bringing in road base and machines to lay a actual road with hot tar, paved and rolled road.

When I am by myself, I can put the miles under my wheels. I can not count the hundreds of times I have traversed Hwy. #1. It is always a exciting trip. With a lifetime of driving Baja’s hwy #1 I know the road fairly good.

I know the warnings about the roads, livestock, potholes and washouts. This is what I did and I do not recommend this to anyone else. I had finished up my work and was ready to go home for some rest and home time. I am sure at some point or points I may have exceeded the speed limite.

What was special about this was the contrast of the pre-pavemrnt and post pavement time it took to get from end to end of Baja.

I am sure this will sound strange to some people. I actually likes the old dirt road better. It had a personality all of it’s own. When you got to your destination where ever that was, you got there because you worked for it. You new it was a challenge and you took it on!

The road was a test that you need to pass to get the reward. When we reached our destination you appreciated it.

There was not a lot of people around. You had it to yourself, so you took care of it.

We had and still have a few private places we go to. We do our best to keep it to ourselves. I do this as for myself “Baja” is “Solitude”!

Frenchie

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Never been to Baja but I've known a few dirt roads. The road to Chichen Itza gets pretty choppy (20 years ago...havent been since so not sure about now). Leaving Cancun there was a sign "Chechen itza, gas" with a left arrow. So off we went. Never did see a gas station. Just some guy on a bicycle riding up and down the road with a few gallon jugs of gas in a handlebar basket. Seemed sketchy. And dangerous if he was ever hit by a car.

We'd just about run out of gas and asked the locals where the heck the station was. They asked us in return "well. Didnt you see that guy on the bicycle?!"

Lesson learned

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Maybe not the most "wow" place, but PEI, along the northern stretch of the Northumberland Straight, there are some beautiful grassy outcroppings/cliffs overlooking a very shallow beaches of warm waters and red sand. The ground there is very red as well. Iron rich. I wont say a particular spot.

Just such a pastoral area in summer, either overlooking the ocean or walking and swimming along in the beach, and you have to go SO far out before the drop- off. It's a nice sense of calm with a view of the mainland a few miles off.

And in my experience, the people on the island have always been nice.

 

[BritKLR]

Colorado's Apline loop or southern BDR route to Blackbear to RimRocker trail to Moab, explore Moab to points back east. 5-7 days, camping everynight, on a motorcycle, a little shorter in an fj60.

 

[FrenchieXJ]

Baja Then and Now

In a previous post I discussed about the roads. The oldest map I still have is a 1970 AAA map of Baja, it was what was the best at that time.

It did not start out to be a goal but it was many years later. That was to drive every road (route) on the map. I believed that I accomplished that. Note; I did not drive every street in the cities, These were the connecting routes between areas and to ranches, beaches or the old missions. They were 2 tracks and sometimes less the a 2 track.

The main problem was the water & fuel in the old days. Dragging a homemade trailer along was very important as fuel was very limited. Getting fuel from ranchers, 55 gallon drums, hand pumps (May-West glass top pumps), and only Pemex Gas Stations with Nova gas Regular leaded fuel.

Our first time into a place we were taking our chances, not knowing what was there. Generally there was not much and we did not want anything.

When the Mexican government wanted to get the American tourist into Baja North and South they put in the paved Hwy. #1. They put in stations a tank of fuel travel apart and they put in RV and camping spots for the travelers, visitors to use. Many of the ruins of these can still be seen along the highway today.

The challenges was when you left the highway and took the side roads. If we were lucky we would find a rancher or fisherman with extra fuel. We would go only as far as we had fuel to get us back out.

The people we would meet were generally the surfers, looking for the special waves. They had their own set of names for the surfing locations. It was like a cult that you belong to with a secrete code to talk to them.

We have find some very remote locations. Most of the routes would end up at a bay or cove, they would have a seasonal fish camp or Rancho. The ones which continued through were the fun ones. When the mid 1970's came along the locale and state governments started cutting in more roads. It was some time during this time I was losing to the “driving every road challenge” I placed on myself. I do believe that for a short time I had complected the challenge. The trouble was only if I was to drive constantly, I would only find new road if I stumbled onto it. The mappers were far behind on the mapping.

In my later years when driving some of the roads I see part of the original route #1 road I (we) drove so many years ago. My mind goes back to that time again and I am driving it again.

They have made improvements and better dirt roads for today. Many are still challenges can be like the old roads, as when after a storm comes through they can raise havoc with them just as they did with the first roads.

Baja is always a adventure in one way or another. When you see on tires where it said “Baja Proven” it really meant something! Today it is not quite the same as the growth of the peninsula with towns cropping up or expanding, your not days away from civilization. You have other people their that may be able to help you. Do not worry there are still very remote locations in Baja California.

Do not take this to mean that “Baja can not still be a killer, it can”! The beauty of Baja is one that has unique plants. Some if these plants grow only in Baja and some others are found in other places around the world. but it is all in a smaller area of Baja.

Over the years I have found human remains of the past. I do not know who what or why they were their, I just found them. They are left to where they were upon my discovery of them. Where they continue to rest in peace.

I have said this over the years about many places that it is the people, their culture and how they adapt to the world around them that makes travel worth the challenge to get their.

Baja and Mainland Mexico tourist, Fly-in Fly-out vacations, are not really experiencing Mexico. The servers, house keeping and bar tenders are not “Mexico”. They may be Mexican people , but they are geared to meet the needs of the tourist people and not themselves.

You can read it and watch videos of what overlanders think of the border towns. Most do not like them and would rather avoid them. Unfortunately they are where the paper work needs to be taken care of. They are why most people come away with thinking this is the rest of the country is. What he fly-in’s at resorts have created a not the U.S. and not Mexico zone. Only when you get away from the tourist spots can you get a glimpse of the people and life they live.

You know when you’re the only one or two U.S. citizens at a families ranch fiesta, that you are seeing the true culture.

I am using Mexico as a example but this to a certain extent, can be said about many countries as well.

Farming has grown in the arid areas of Baja to meet the needs of the growing populations. For the last 25 years there is not any creek or river in Baja that runs to the sea anymore. They have put in so many wells in for the fresh water, that the fresh water which was flowing under ground to the ocean salt water. Now many of the costal farms are getting brackish water in them and not fresh water. The fresh water that was holding the salt water at bay is losing the battle. They are pumping out more then what is being put in. There are some farms along the coast that have stopped farming some of their land do to the salt water.

Back to the “then and now”; Are the beautiful views along the coastline still specular? Yes they are!
Are the Vistas the same of the mountains, plains and canyons the same? Yes they are! Is the quiet beach you have been going to for many years, your private beach that very few knew about still the same? Not as many today.
The days gone by surfers and fisherman were the only ones we had to deal with and we really liked seeing a few people from time to time.

As what a close friend who had been going to Baja since the 1960's said a few years ago on one of our many trips to Baja. She was very happy to have seen and explored it back then. It is not the same any more. She said it is not bad or good “Just different”!

I agree that it is not the same and Baja will never be what it was. I am not saying that it is bad, I agree it is just different. I still return but the places are not quite the same any more.

I have pulled up to a small house/rancho and ask for directions. The woma is making tortilas and ask us if we would like some. They are very poor, but they will share what little they have with strangers. This is Mexico I grew up loving. This is not the special occurance, this the way they are as people.

Frenchie

 

[netllama]

Absolutely Namibia. The scenery, the wildlife, the rawness of it all. Of the 38 African nations I've been privileged to visit, Namibia stands out amongst them all.

 

[Ace Brown]

I suppose my favorite destination was San Ignacio in Baja. My first time there was November 1970. We we’re returning from just having raced in the Baja 1000. Stopped in San Ignacio for a little R&R. Just happened to hit some town fiesta. Great time hanging with the locals until they cut off the generator at 10 pm. We struggled to find our way back to our rooms in the dark. The power was just bare wires strung from room to room.

In the morning daylight we saw a young boy playing in the dirt with a toy car. Decades later i found out that boy became the mayor.

There was a traditionally painted Taco Truck parked beside the town plaza. It was there in 1971 snd again in 2007. Sadly it was gone upon later visits.

That plaza was so peaceful. Cool
and fully shaded by palm trees. Comfortable benches to sit and chill. Just across the street was a beautiful mission. Cool and quiet unless service was on.

Nearby was a freshwater lagoon with shore side camping. Shaded by huge fig trees. The water was home to cackling grebes. Fun ducks to watch.

I also spent a few days there waiting to get an alternator replaced. Not the same as a casual visit but I fondly remember how helpful everyone was.

Other great spots in Baja: Agua Verde but that will be another chapter.

Wish i could post some favorite photos from then but not possible here. But they are in my mind forever.

 

[FrenchieXJ]

Sierra Madre Occidental “Copper Canyon” Pt.#1

This was not my first trip into the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico, it is around trip #10 or 11. It was a exploring adventure in the mid 80's. I was with my wife “Karen” and friends Rob and Sissy from Texas, driving the Jeep CJ-7 "Spot". We went off exploring the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of Mexico.

Heading south we took the dirt roads through the mountains. This route is much slower and we are closer to the “Gems” in the mountains. The Gems are the historic ruins of the first people who settled in the area thousands of years ago. After crossing the border into Mexico we went first by pavement to Casas Grandes and the Paquime Ruins. When arriving to the ruins I spot the “Big Heffy” (the man in charge of the archaeological site). I had meet on prior trips to the site. He was standing on the “Mound of the Heroes” where he could watch over all of the ruins. He spotted me and my vehicle as we drove in. He walked over to say “Hello “and offered us the behind the scenes tour with him. He has done this in the past (a couple of times when I was with my clients) as well. We took advantage since the others with me had not been here prior. The museum was still under construction and closed, so they had not returned back the artifacts from Mexico City that that removed from the site. So off we went behind the ropes and barricades. Pointing out what they were doing and showing some of the artifacts they were uncovering.

History has always been exciting for me and I like seeing the past with my own eyes. The many ruins of the past are still standing for the most part untouched as they were left. The 4th. level of the Pueblo has long ago collapsed of the pueblo style buildings. They have a path through the Pueblo community, you normally stay on the designated path., built is nicer hearing the stories from the man with the knowledge.

Finishing up the tour, and after saying our “Good Bye’s”. We made our way back to the logging railroad road base. This took the gradual slope into the mountains. We make many stops at places I had visited in prior trips. I always ask the locals about some other places they may know about. They always like to take the time to show me in person and tell me what they may know about the places. Some may have a lot of weathering with mother nature trying to recover what man has made.

We have entered the mountains and into the land of the caves and natural arches. We finish our loop road and backtrack a couples of miles. This takes us back to the Arch Ruins turnoff. The reason for this backtracking is that these are the oldest known cave ruins in Mexico. To be honest they are not that impressive as compared to the newer ruins. Because of their age that is amazing they are even anything left of them. Mud walls eroding away, are most of what we see.

Working our way south and visiting Valley of the Caves, the Old woman with her baby and the Camel guarding the valley ,we pressed on. We had some hot springs waiting for us, with our bodies wanting a soaking.

I had heard about the “Cave of the Serpent” and was intrigued to see it. I had been to others in the area and never got enough information to find it.. When we showed up at some other caves some park rangers were working on building a office building above some of the caves.

The ranger in charge spotted us right away. He remembered us as in a prior visit where we had given him a “Leatherman” knife (multi-function tool) as a gift. When we got together he reached to his belt line and brought, the leatherman out to show us he still had it. He was proud of his gift. Well the Park Range who was doing some stabilization at the site and invited us to go along with him.

We went for a walk to show us the work they were doing at the “Cave of the Serpent”. He walked us to a cliff edge and into a crack under a bolder. They had slid in a pine tree with notches cut into it for steps down. We were pleased when we got to go behind the closed areas during the stabilization of the ruins. using the powdered clay from the bade of the walls they made it back into plaster for covering the walls again.

The dwellings were built into a large natural arch. You can walk between the different rooms and come out on the other side in a different canyon. The "Serpent" is a snake, carved in the floor of the rooms and goes between the different rooms, on the floor. After a tour around he gave us directions to some of the other caves to visit. The “Giant Cave” is quite unique in that it is so large that it has 3 story tall buildings built in side of the cave. The entrance has a water fall over the center of the entrance. In the dry season it is a slow drip with some seeps. During the Monsoon season it is a spectacular water fall shooting into the year round pool below.

After the hikes we went down to the hot springs and the Giant Cave”. We camped right by the hot springs pool. The showers that are a 5 inch pipes coming out over your head is soft, large volume, gentle and perfect temperature for the best shower you have ever had!.

We then head to the second highest waterfall in Mexico of about 900' drop (Cascada de Basaseachi). We camp at the falls for the hikes to “La Vantana” (the Window) and the bottom pool and to the smaller falls. This is much easier to hike today then the trail made by hikers parting the branches and sliding off the rocks from the earlier days.

We spend a second night and leave for our highest part of our adventure. We are on our way to Creel and the center section of the Barrancas del Cobre, “Copper Canyon” as us Americans call it. We are in the land of the Tarahaumara People. These are a short in stature and very shy people. They are so shy thay when the Spanish first entered the area between Chihuahua City to the canyons they moved into the canyons to escape the invaders. The Tarahaumara people are known for their running abilities.

We spend some of nights at the KOA Campground as we explore the area. We visit the Valley of the Mushrooms and the Valley of the Monks. We leave our vehicles at the KOA and jump on the “El Chepe” train to El Fuerte for a night. As we ride along through the Mountains and into the Barrancas del Cobre. The rail line is rated as one of the finest rail adventures of the world. Hold your breath for this center section between Creel and El Fuerte has over 35 bridges and 95 tunnels. At one point the rail line comes to a cliff of about 1,000' high at the end of the canyon it makes a sharp left “U” turn along the cliff side to a train stop at Temoris. Leaving the station you continue climbing the side of the mountain, then a turn into a dark tunnel. Your in total darkness with the only lights from inside of the passenger cars. You feel a turn as the train makes a 180 degree turn and heads back to the canyon, to take another 90 degree turn above the lower sets of track. You are only higher along the side of the mountain,. You are above the train station below. Looking down you see the station and across the canyon you see the curved bridge and the lowest level of the 3 layers of track.

As you look forward to see a waterfall in front of you, the engine makes a slight turn and heads into a tunnel under the waterfall. A short time in the darkness, then your shot out into the sunlight over a bridge and into another longer tunnel. When you emerge back into the light your in the bottom of the higher section of the canyon.

Your travel is steadily climbing with short stops in little villages of the Tarahumara people. The climb continues from near sea level to over 8,000' then down to Chihuahua to the grand view over looking Urique canyon from El Divisadero. A 20 minute stop as you look down into one of the many canyons making up the Barrancas del Cobre. This is the overlook into Urique Canyon and river 1,870 meters below. Urique is one of the 11 major canyons that make up the Barrancas del Cobre.

End Pt. #1

 

[FrenchieXJ]

Sierra Madre Occidental “Copper Canyon” Pt.#2


Returning back to Creel and our vehicles we then head into the Batopilas canyon. This was home to the richest silver and gold mines in Mexico in first years of the Spanish invasion. Batopilas for a hundreds of years was a foot/donkey path to the out side world. It was a 7 day trip by foot and pack animal to Chihuahua City. All supplies came and went over the this section of the El Camino Real. They even brought in a piano in the backs of donkey’s into Batopilas. Batopilas was in the early days a rough town as it was on this trip. The money from the mines and wealth brought electricity to Batopilas. After Mexico city Batopilas was the second town to have electricity in Mexico.

Just 3 miles further down the river is Sativo home of a very large church for such a small population, it is out of place. In the late 1980's they started restoring the Church.

The year prior year they had put in a new mining road to the Green Rocks mine above Urique. This was a long route around but shorter then returning the 90 miles back to Creel then the 75 miles back to Urique, but it was steep narrow, filled with sharp switch backs, ledge roads and goes right through a operating mine. The big trucks will run you over if you get in their way.

We push on and drop into Urique for the night. The next morning we after visiting the town we start the climb back out of the canyon. After 1 plus hours of climbing we make the rim. Well Rob tries to shift his vehicle back into high range and it will not shift out of low range. Well with the low range stuck we make preparations to tow it back to Creel. We get out the strap and I drag him back with his off road trailer behind the Jeep. We arrive back at the KOA and get a couple of cabins so we can work on the Transfer case.

We settle in for the night and make plans to pull the transfer case out and see what is wrong. The next morning we get it pulled and the weld between the shift rod and the fork had broken. We found a person with some welding rod and we got to work with the vehicle batteries and welded it back together. The repair was good enough to hold the vehicle in high range to get Rob back to Texas. We felt that it was closer to go forward and not turn back. As we are deep in the heart of the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico.

We continued with me pulling the trailer over 3 more mountain ranges and back to the highway 15 on the western side of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mts. We still hit the many wonderful old Spanish towns and mining operations.

We eventually make it to our next to last mountain range. We then drop deep into Chinipas Canyon the town is around 1,500 feet high as most of the other canyons are in the Barrancas del Cobre. The town of Chinipas brings up a picture in my mine of the old western movie “Two Mules for Sister Sara”.

We have one last mountain range as we climb up to around 6,000 feet. This is lower then the other passes and the plateaus of over 7,500 feet.

For some reason we could have stayed in a hotel in town, but this has never been the case with me. The river bed has many nice sand bars to camp on and the river with swimming holes are right there.

We share the night with the frogs, roosters and donkey’s, all talking to one another. The sound of the night is just perfect.

We rise with the morning sun and the smells of food being cooked in the near-by houses. After our breakfast is consumed we start the last big climb over the mountains. This is a challenge as the rocks are hiding under the fine talcum powder dust that is a foot deep. This has been this way since I have first came to Chinipas.

The route is switchbacks and ledge roads and all of the shrouding plants are gray with the fine talcum powder dust settled over them from out tires. Making the saddle we will have all of the challenges behind us. I pull the trailer to Alamos where we get our first pavement.

Alamos had a hotel, with a special restaurant and bar, that made a special drink. One which we have to celebrate the crossing of the Sierra Madre Occidental.

The following morning we get a early start for the border by way of Hwy. 15. This is the quickest way to reach the border. Rob takes over pulling his trailer. We get to Hermosillo, Sonora where we stop for lunch. We pick a restaurant that has a large parking lot where we can have plenty of parking.

We stop for lunch and while we are inside our vehicles are broken into. The hammer in t a screw drive into the key slot did not work, so you break a window to get inside. It was a smash and grab, probably done in under 2 minutes. Everything not bolted down in side of the vehicle is gone. When coming out we see the mess and empty vehicles we contact the local police and do the police report. It is late in the day when we finish the paperwork. They have taken some important items from the vehicles. For myself it is my medicine. My heart medicine that really worries the wife more then anything.

We head for to the border. We have to get a new TIP for Rob as his paperwork was stolen at the break-in. When we get to the border we stay together to get across. His passport was also stolen. I show the police report to the Border Patrol and Rob and Sissy get in without any problem.

We grab a bite to eat then Rob and Sissy head to a motel and Karen and I drive straight through the night to get my extra medicines. At home that I need.

This was about my 10th. trip to Copper Canyon area. It was a fabulous adventure, except for the break down and the vehicle break in. The help we got from the locals and the everyday welcoming ways made us feel like family.

Life in Hermosillo is just like life in any big city you have a chance of criminal activity. It was just a local gang looking for what ever they could get away with.

I had insurance that would have covered most of the loss. but you have to have a adjuster come and check the situation out before leaving Mexico. I did not have the time to wait I needed my medicine.

The problem was that some of my medicines are special. Just one is without insurance $600.oo per month. Then the others are close to $270 per month. But when you get 90 days at a time and the insurance company has already paid for the 90 days worth of pills. I have to get a new prescriptions form the doctor to get me to the next time the 90 days supply comes in. Note; The insurance will not pay for the replacement medicine since they already paid for it. Well with the broken window, damaged door lock, new camera, new computer, briefcase, cash and assorted other items .The total was $10,800.oo. The good thing is that if they took my expensive heart pills they would most likely go into Cardiac Arrest. I will never know.

I guess that I made it easy for them to carry it all away as everything was in storage containers and east to grab and go.

I did submit a claim with my home owners insurance and they gave about 40% of the loss.

This is part of life and whether it is in Mexico or any major city in the United States this can happen.

Rob made it back to Texas and home without any additional problems. He called the Manufacture about the bad weld on the shift fork. They said it should have been welded on both sides to the shift rod. Well it was not, so they replaced the whole transfer case for Rob.

Whether it is in Mexico or any country, with a life built around outdoors and my travels there are so many experiences, life is interesting.

Frenchie