2/2 - 2/7 Day 0 - Day 4 CA -> Guerrero Negro

Thursday: We drove away from the Yuma area, heading west into California. California welcomed us by confiscating our two grapefruits that had been given to us yesterday. But, I’m sure that the world and California is safer for their brave intervention!

Lots of desert! Lots of border patrol agents! We detoured to Calexico to exchange dollars for pesos and the drove on, moving from flat desert to bolder strewn hills and then, eventually hills with green trees. We found our spot in the Potrero County Park, and began to meet others going on the caravan to Baja, as they parked near us. In all, our little party consists of two related BC couples in 5^th wheels, another BC couple in an A, a California couple in an A, a Washington couple in a van-like RV, the wagonmasters (also from BC) that drive a van and pull a trailer, and ourselves.

Friday: Mid-morning we all piled into the wagonmaster’s van and drove to the border to have our Mexico visitor’s pass officially stamped. In the afternoon we had our orientation meeting and a chance to get to know each other better over a well spread hors d’oeuvres table.

Saturday: The official start of the Baja Caravan! We all headed out and drove to the border. Our RV was the only one stopped and inspected. That was not bad at all but meant we now had to find our way through Tecate as there no longer was anyone in sight in front of us to follow.

We successfully re-connected with the others and headed west towards Tijuana. The US border fence could be seen winding its way amongst the hills, looking like a mini-Wall of China. We turned south as we got near the coast.

Mostly a day of easy driving. We made a stop for groceries, lunch, and gas in Ensenada and the drove a little south to Punta Bunda and our campground. Pat and I had a little time for a beach walk and then the group drove over to La Bufadora, a place where the waves hit the cliffs and blows water high into the air. It is also a place where loads of little tourist shops have been set up. We took our pics of the water action and toured some shops and then called it a day, returning to camp.

Sunday:  We continued south following highway 1. It was a two lane highway that wound through green hills most of the day, followed by an area of flat lands that were heavily cultivated. Our road into the camp was a bit long and very rough, but brought us out to a wide open parking area in hard packed sand. The beach and ocean was right in front of us. When Pat & I took a walk on the beach we found that the area was loaded with sand dollars of all sizes. 

Manny has satellite TV and so the afternoon was spent by the whole group crowded into his RV watching the Super Bowl and sharing hot dogs and a wide variety of snacks.

Monday: Back up the bumpy road to the highway, and on we go, this time with the highway turning inland and up into the hills. A slow and windy road’s worth of travel that brought us to Catavina and the camp. This is now into an area that is desert, filled with cactus and large boulders. The camp is a huge open area for parking with a few scattered trees.

After lunch, we take a side trip to see a small cave that is covered with brightly colored paintings of numerous designs. The paintings have been dated to around 6,000 – 7,000 years old, a time when the area was believed to be green and watered, not the desert of today. Many other paintings have been found throughout Baja, but these are an easy walk from the highway and have been protected into a park by the government.

Tuesday: We drove on through the central hills and back to the western coast, arriving at Guerrero Negro. Shortly after getting to camp we all went into town to Tony’s  taco stand for a lunch of the choice of either fish or shrimp tacos. (Very good!). We did a grocery run (the Mercado was very small) and an ATM run (not working) and returned to camp. Finished the day with a group dinner at the camp’s restaurant. The group was still going strong 2 ½ hours later when Pat & I called it a day and returned to the RV.

2/8 – 2/12 Day 5-9 Guerrero Negro -> Loreto

Wednesday: It had rained all night, at times very heavy. We woke up to most of the RV camp parking lot turned into a giant puddle. (We heard later that it had rained 1 ½ inches overnight and rained another ½ inch through the morning. Since Guerrero Negro only averages ½ inch of rain per year, it had succeeded in dropping over 4 years’ worth of rain in less than 24 hours!) We were scheduled to go on a whale watching tour at 8 but it was still raining and the company delayed things for an hour hoping to get an idea whether the weather would clear or not. At 9 they decided to go ahead with the tour. We boarded a bus that drove through deep mud to the dock a few miles out. The bus engine actually died just upon our arrival, probably due to fording too many deep puddles.

The whale watching tour was a 3 hour tour. (As far as I know our boat wasn’t named the Minnow nor was there anyone named Gillegan aboard). The first 2 hours were bitterly cold with rain and wind and we were quickly soaked. We did see whales but they stayed yards away from our boat. The last 2 hours were sunny and warm and far more pleasant. (Yes, I know I said a 3 hour tour, but just as the passengers of the Minnow had little say in the length of voyage or when it would return, we were along for the ride as well.)

It’s difficult to capture a good whale picture. You never know when or where they will surface, and then it’s only for seconds. Combine that with trying to keep your camera dry and the odds are against you. 

Whale watching boat

We were hours late upon return to the camp so we quickly changes into dry clothes, readied the RVs, and departed for San Ignacio, our next destination. All along the way, we saw desert with large standing puddles of water, an incongruous image.

We arrived at camp, a site heavy with mud, took a quick tour of town, and then had a nice group dinner at the camp’s restaurant “Rice & Beans”.

Metal church designed by Eiffel and shipped to Mexico after the World's Fair at Paris

Thursday & Friday: Pat & I (joined by Manny) were able to get in a quick breakfast at Rice & Beans before our 8AM departure time. We completed the overland route from Guerrero Negro on Baja’s west coast to Mulege’ on Baja’s east coast. We still had to deal with mud along the way and an occasional puddle across the highway.

Our campground south of Mulege’ was on the beach at the beautiful Playa Santispac . We parked next to a palapa (a thatched hut) and settled in for a couple of days. We looked for shells (and found several), had one dinner at the beach restaurant and another as a group potluck (couples with a roaring bonfire). We looked at an incredible display of stars in a cloudless sky. Others took the group’s kayak out and were able to see manta rays under the clear water. 

It was a beautiful spot and a relaxing time. Small wonder that some of the other RVs had been there for weeks or even months.

Saturday: We left our beautiful beach spot and drove south to Loreto. We took a group excursion into town to see the local mission cathedral and to peruse the many gift shops.

We were close to the group when we went into a shop but found everyone gone when we came out!

We looked about some but found no clues and so retraced our steps and then walked further to try and walk back to the RV camp. I thought we were close but beginning to feel lost. We stopped into a fish shop and spoke to the owner. He had no idea where the camp was but was willing to call us a cab. The cab arrived but also had no idea where the RV camp was. (It later turned out we were within 2 blocks of the camp, but had no way of knowing it at the time). We drove around a bit hoping to catch sight of familiar locations but it was all unsuccessful. We finally had him take us back to the town center where we had last seen our group.
Just as we got there we saw our tour leaders out looking for us, so we “found” each other and returned to camp. The saga didn’t end though because once we got back to our RV I discovered we no longer had our camera! So..back in the group’s van and back to the fish market! He hadn’t seen our camera but he knew the taxi company, car number, driver’s name, and where they hung out! We drove over there and found the driver. He hadn’t seen the camera but on thorough inspection the camera was found to have fallen down between the back seat and the door. Success! 

We had a Fiesta Dinner that evening at the house of some friends to the wagon master couple. It was a very nice event..beautiful house, great food, and even some mariachi players to play and sing for us. I was glad everything eventually worked out in the day so we could enjoy the evening!

Sunday: The group made a morning outing to the local market held each Sunday. There were a few fruit and vegetable stands, a few mini-restaurants, and many booths mostly selling second-hand goods.

We then boarded the van for a drive up into the mountains to the Mission of San Francisco Javier. It took an hour’s drive, a third of it on gravel, to arrive at the mission. This is one of the oldest missions in Baja and one entirely built by the Jesuits.

  

300 year old Fig Tree planted by the Jesuits

We used the rest of the day to catch up on laundry, cleaning, email, etc. or just relaxing.

2/13 – 2/17 Day 10 - 14 Loreto -> Cabo San Lucas

Monday: Ciudad Constitucion: We left Loreto, driving south along the sea of Cortez and then the highway taking us west over a mountain range and into the inland of the Baja. After a gas & grocery stop, we arrived at our next camp in the city of Ciudad Constitucion. The family running the camp were friends of the wagonmasters and a happy hour time had been arranged for the group. Their son, 11, had a dune buggy car that he offered wild rides on to those brave enough to go. I learned and played a domino based game of Mexican Train with some of the other caravan folks.

Tuesday, Valentine’s Day: La Paz: We continued south to the major city of La Paz. After a stop at the local Wal-Mart, we drove through town, passing down the Malecon, the beautiful beach drive, where preparations for the upcoming Carnaval were in process. We drove on through the port area and further south along the coast to our next camp, the beach of Tecolote.

After we all found a parking spot somewhere along the beach (and getting Bill dug out from getting stuck in the sand) we settled in. Pat & I took a long walk looking for sea shells and found a number of nice small ones. We then went out to one of the local restaurants for a Valentine’s dinner.

Wednesday: Several of the group made arrangements to take a panga over to the next island for a boat ride, sight-seeing and snorkeling. They reported later of being able to swim with some sea lions and having some dolphins follow the boat for a while.

Pat & I elected to just have an easy day of it and visited, read, and watch the waves.

We joined several others for lunch. Two of the ladies ordered a bowl of seafood soup and it was humorous watching their reactions to some of the things they found in their bowl as they ate.

The group had a pot luck dinner, visited and called it a day.

Thursday: We drove south on Highway 1, leaving the west coast and going up into the central mountains. We stopped at Triumpho, a town once a thriving mining city, then mostly a ghost town when the mines closed, and now a little hamlet. We visited the local church, walked about some of the ruins from the mining company, and stopped at an artsesan’s shop and a piano museum where a local concertist played several classical pieces on a grand piano for us.

We camped for the night at Rancho Verde, a pleasant camp located in the mountains that was well covered with small trees and cactus. I was hoping for internet access but could barely get a couple of emails to come through.

Friday: Cabo San Lucas: Drove on down to Cabo San Lucas. We have arrived at the southern tip of the Baja! Another grocery run and then checked into the Vagabundos Del Mar RV camp. Dan drove us around town to the wine shop, glass blowers shop, and to the main pier area.

Our group crossing the Tropic of Cancer

We have internet again so caught up on emails and talked with Nathan. We finished the day with dinner at the camps restaurant..good American style food!

2/18 - 2/22 Day 15 - 19 Cabo San Lucas -> La Paz

Saturday: Cabo San Lucas: Dan took us on a group outing, stopping first at the Artesan’s Shop where they sold a wide variety of Mexican Crafts. Next stops were viewpoints: Playa Santa Maria, a roadside viewpoint, and one from the patio of the restaurant Sunset de Mona Lisa. We made a stop (unsuccessful) at the RV supply store in San Jose del Cabo, and then spent some time in the art district of the city perusing shops. We completed the day with a group dinner at the RV camp restaurant.

Sunday: Cabo San Lucas Some of the group went swimming at snorkeling at Playa Santa Maria for the morning. The water was too cold for Pat & I so we made an easy morning of it in camp. Lunch was to be at the restaurant Latitude 22 Roadhouse, but when we drove over there we found it unexpectantly closed, so we settle for lunch in the camp restaurant, which has always been good.

We took a group outing to the public beach Playa Medano where we hung out for a group happy hour watching all of the beach activity and the beautiful vistas before us.

Monday: Pescadero: We have completed our southern journey and now we begin our trip back. We drove north on Highway 19. There was a lot of construction on this road as it is being upgraded to a 4 lane highway in preparation for the upcoming G20 summit. We stopped at the “Blanket Factory” actually a shop for woven goods run from a large roadside stand and adjacent home. The mother and son owners knew we were coming and had baked us some sweet rolls in their outside bake oven.

We drove on into the camp in Pescadero. This required a long drive on a rough dirt road. The RV camp is a work in process but a pleasant place with several palm trees and flowers. The beach was a 2 block walk. It is a long open beach that has surf and is used by surfboarders, but there are no shells or shade.

Tuesday: La Paz: We drove north again, stopping in the town of Todos Santos. We took some time to wander about a bit seeing the church, a hotel built of stone by a U.S. geologist, viewing saint statues along the street, shopping and then finishing the time with a fish taco lunch from a roadside stand.

After a further drive north and stops for gas and groceries, we park our RVs at the La Paz RV Park Maranatha. We took a group side trip down into town to watch the Carnival parade. There was a local custom that colored eggs were sold. These had been emptied of the egg and refilled with confetti. The kids would throw them at the floats and they would explode into a cloud of confetti upon impact.

Pat and I stopped at another roadside stand for dinner, a hotdog and a hamburger this time.

Wednesday: La Paz: We drove back into La Paz for the day, arriving first at the Pottery Factory, a place where highly decorated pottery is made and sold. We drove up a steep hill for a city, or at least the city cemetery, overlook. 

Next we drove downtown with some getting out to see the market and others, ourselves included, choosing to see the Museum of Anthropology. We drove back briefly to camp and then went out to a group dinner at the Los Magueyes restaurant. Our group has now been joined by “Indy” of Latvian descent who is joining the caravan to travel back towards his home in Tijuana.

Getting a shoe shine in the city park

2/23-29 Day 20 - 26 La Paz -> Bahia de Los Angeles

Thursday & Friday: Juncalito: A longer days drive today of 200 miles to the beach of Juncalito, which is a little south of Loreto, on the east coast. We parked within an oasis of date palms and are just a few steps from the beach. This oasis attracts many birds..we have seen orioles, doves, hummingbirds, and many others. It also attracts a flock of vultures that roosts in the palm trees each evening.  Friday we toured the Yacht Club in Excondido Bay, a very nice development that never quite took off for the money that was invested. We all ended the day with a group potluck.

Saturday & Sunday: Mulege’:  We drove up the eastern coast from the Loreto area to the town of Mulege’.  We had a very nice dinner at Ray’s which consisted of a seafood platter of fish, various shrimp, and calamari. Sunday Pat & I started the day with a breakfast at the hotel and then joined the group for a time of touring the city and doing a bit of shopping. We were able to connect with Nathan & Ana on a video call in the afternoon..a first in several weeks.

Monday: Guerrero Negro: Drove from Mulege’ on the east coast of Baja first heading north along the coast to Santa Rosalia, and then inland, west and north, to Guerrero Negro on the west coast. The highway through Baja winds back and forth between the coasts as it heads north.

Tuesday: Bahia de Los Angeles: We continued our drive “north” on Highway 1, this time angling over towards the east coast. First we had to cross over to Baja California Norte and return to the Pacific Time Zone. This was quickly followed by a military checkpoint and extended inspection. I had 3 different soldiers in the RV at one time, a record I believe. One in the back was expressing admiration for a stuffed bear toy, while the one up front was admiring my electronic gadgets such as the back-up camera while trying (unsuccessfully) to ask Pat questions in Spanish.  Our travels turned us off towards Bahia de Los Angeles, the road in being a road in excellent condition and traffic on it nearly non-existent.

Our camp was a former government camp, now abandoned and in poor repair, but attended by several other RVs and adjacent to the bay with great views. We took a brief tour of the small town and some pictures from an overlook. Pat & I walked the beach but found very few shells.

What camping is like in Baja

The abandoned government RV park

Wednesday: Bahia de Los Angeles: Several of the men left early for a round of ocean fishing. Pat & I had a leisurely morning followed by a more thorough tour of the town including the museum and several stores. We had a lunch together with Bill, Martha & Lindy at a small local restaurant. The group had its fourth and final potluck, and we called it a day.

Bahia de Los Angeles

3/1 – 3/3 Day 28-30 Bahia de Los Angeles -> El Centro, CA

Thursday: Vicente Guerrero: Today was a travel day, 237 miles, which was the longest travel day during our trip within Baja. It brought us from the Sea of Cortez beach at Bahia de Los Angeles to the Pacific coast at Vicente Guerrero. We stopped for lunch at a high point in the mountains in between and had our final group dinner together at the restaurant where we parked.

Friday: Valle de Guadelupe: We traveled north along the pacific coast of Baja until we reached Ensenada, and then turned inland following Mexico Highway 3 and the wine country route northeast. We reached our destination of a small RV park within the wine country hills and, following lunch, went on our final group outing, this time to a couple of wineries. Educated about the wine process and well sampled in different wines, we returned to camp. We had one last group happy hour and ended the day.

Saturday: Tecate, Baja -> El Centro, CA, USA

We drove north through the remaining hills to Tecate. Mexico had one last pothole for us, a giant one that I couldn’t miss and we hit hard, hard enough that the freezer door popped open and frozen goods scattered about the RV!

Even though there was a slow line at the border, it felt good to be headed back into the U.S.! The secondary agricultural inspection was confused and random, and our caravan filled up their inspection area causing more confusion as to where to put us and who was inspecting who. At our final pull out after the inspection there were many hugs and good-byes to the friends that had been made over the trip.

We were now on our own again and we began the drive towards El Centro, CA. We didn’t make it all the way before the fifth wheels of Wallace & Lora, and Manfred & Bridget from the caravan caught up to us.

They pulled off the freeway a bit before El Centro and we continued on into town. We had a true American lunch (McDonald’s) and shopping (Walmart) and began to look for a camp spot. Finally decided to just stay at a camp within El Centro itself.

Our last RV park in Mexico. Back in the green part of the country!

One last pre-trip meeting before heading to the border