My Baja Adventure

[BlackX]

I just got back from a two week drive down to Los Cabos and back and had quite an adventure.  

Follow this link for a more detailed account.  http://crawlernews.com/?p=2678
Second report added.  http://crawlernews.com/?p=2697

My business partner, Chris, and I had been looking for an excuse to travel down through Baja.  He kept a boat in San Jose Del Cabo and decided that it was too expensive there and he wanted to find a small fishing village to keep it.  We are real estate developers and heard of a new marina being built down there and also decided to take the chance to search for possible development opportunities.  Since we were towing his boat we decided to take his Yukon.
The plan was to take mostly dirt roads on the way down for the 1,000 mile trip and explore villages along the way.
We crossed in Mexicali and made our way down to San Felipe for the first night.  It was a ghost town.


The next day we headed down the hwy to Puertecitos where the road ends.  The road doesn’t look difficult and is easily done in 2wd but the wash boards wreak havoc on vehicles.  This is much of the Baja 1000 route.

[BlackX]

Typical secluded beach.

We arrive in Bahia De Los Angeles (LA Bay) that afternoon.

Enjoying a beer with our dogs.

Just south of LA Bay we hit the dirt again and discover an old adobe jail in the middle of the desert.  This was built in the late 19th early 20th century by Dick Daggett.  The area was mined for gold, copper and silver at that time.  The jail was placed between town and the local saloon so that if any miner got too drunk he was apprehended on his walk back into town and had to sleep it off in jail.

More desert expanse.

And more secluded beaches.

Dogs taking a break in the shade on one of our multiple stops to rearrange gear that gotten thrown around in back of the truck.

[BlackX]

At this point we break down in the middle of the desert.  The real adventure begins. 

There was no indication of what was wrong.  No warning lights, no overheating.  It felt like an electrical connection came loose.  We unplugged and re-plugged in everything.  No luck. 
I can tell by looking at the map that we’re close to the intersection of another dirt road.  It’s 3:00 PM and the last vehicle we saw was around 10:00 AM.  Knowing that you are never supposed to leave your vehicle if stranded Chris and I discuss what to do.  We decided that I should walk to the intersection to see what’s there.  We might have better luck to see a passing vehicle.  I pack up enough water and food to get me through the night just in case.
The intersection was farther than I thought.  After walking about 3 miles I’m happy to see this sign.

However, by this time I had hiked for an hour and figured I needed another hour to get back to the vehicle just as dark sets in.  What do I do?  I decide to continue on to the ranch. 
After what seems to be nearly 2 miles I come upon this.  Had my luck run out?  Was the ranch gone?

Once again I wonder if I should look a little further down the road or head back.  I think about it for a few minutes and peer down the road.  There’s a sign but I can’t read it.  I decide to walk the almost ½ mile to see what it says. 

[BlackX]

Success!  It points me toward Rancho Escondido where I walk another ½ mile and ask for help.

My high school level Spanish is enough to get the ranchers to drive me back to Chris and get a tow to the Ranch.

Trying to assess the problem at the ranch.

Rancho Escondido is a beautiful working ranch with cattle, horses, turkeys, pigs, chickens, and a lot of small dogs.



With no immediate fix of the truck the ranchers put us up in a farm hand room and give us each a small blanket.  The room had no insulation and we could see through the slats in the walls.  That night it got down to the high 30’s.  We made it through the night by huddling with our dogs for warmth.

[BlackX]

The next morning Chris waits for coffee heated over a fire.

The ranchers were not concerned about our situation.  That morning they offer to take us for a horseback ride out to see some cave paintings.

Here we are being led by a true vaquero.


He shows us the paintings.


After a couple days without a shower we decide it’s necessary.  This structure houses a shower.  The water is heated by burning wood.

[BlackX]

Time to load up the truck.

But how is it done?  The bed of the flat bed doesn’t move.  Dig a ditch!



Success!


We celebrate with a fish fry (yellowtail) while Oscar sings us some tunes.

How many people have done part of the Baja 1000 route in a flat bed International truck?

We are towed 7 hours (between 10-15 mph) across the peninsula to Guerrero Negro, the nearest mechanic where we unload.

We couldn’t get the truck fixed in time and were on a tight schedule because our wives were flying down to Cabo to meet us.  We ended up renting a truck and driving the rest of the way down on the hwy.  When we returned to Guerrero Negro the next week it turns out we were right about the loose electrical connection.  Unfortunately, it was in a place we couldn’t see so we missed it.

[cuong nguyen]

That is one crazy trip. Glad nothing crazy happened. Great story to tell

[gitarboyx]

wow dude! sounds like a real baja adventure! its almost kinda cool you broke down to get to go stay on that ranch. im sure u feel that way looking back. since that was probably a cool experience! however if u would have taken the X you wouldnt have been in that situation haha. sounds like u made the best of it. i cant wait to go down for another surf trip. its all i can think about when im surfing here, how bad i wanna be in mexico. great story jeff. great pics. thanks!

[roastbeef]

thats nuts. did you air down? bumpy roads like that are notorious for tearing up cars.

[SteeevO]

Wow! I'm reading this from my phone which doesn't display pics on the board but it sounds pretty intense.. Keep this story in your back pocket for telling around the campfire!
I'm glad you guys made it out ok.

[BlackX]

I grew up going to Baja every year and heard many stories like mine.  It was bound to happen and I'm now part of that club 

[gitarboyx]

my timing belt went out a few months after my baja trip. oh thank God it wasnt in baja. i woulda just lit the thing on fire and hitched it to the boarder cus we were in the middle of nowhere!

[salad_man]

Awesome write up man, I would love to tow my trailer down there and stay on those beaches and go spear fishing off the coast, did you happen to take a gps? ha ha

[Phulcrum]

@ jeff, wow man, what an adventure! how much was that tow?! does that ranch regularly take people in for like tours or something?
@salad man, i also want to take my trailer and Rig down there to LA bay, for like a week of fishing on a secluded beach.

[BlackX]

It was my first drive all the way down.  I was a little nervous at first due to the bad press.  Once you get south of San Felipe it's so remote.  We ran into quite a few Americans and Canadians camping their way down.  I think it'd be really fun to get a group of us together to camp on one of the remote beaches.

The ranch is somewhat new.  Their plan is to build it up and have tourists come down to do cattle drives, horseback camping, and ocean fishing.  I really want to go back.

[SteeevO]

horseback camping and ocean fishing sounds like a good time.

[gitarboyx]

jeff. i am totally serious when i say i would be up for a baja trip with you. i plan on doing one this summer. however it will have to be on the pacific side to get some waves!

[BlackX]

Where'd you go surfing last time Lee?

[gitarboyx]

went down to san quintin, and headed to the coast. down the peninsula across a few miles of sand dunes. about 6 miles south of the fishing village known as volcanoes. it was amazing. only accesible by 4x4. pulled up to the longest wave of my life. so fun. surfed there and a few other spots. cuatro casas is another place we stayed.

[BlackX]

First post updated with a link for those that want to follow the full story.  I will be writing several installments. 

[BlackX]

Second report added.  See link in first post.

[salad_man]

@ jeff, wow man, what an adventure! how much was that tow?! does that ranch regularly take people in for like tours or something?
@salad man, i also want to take my trailer and Rig down there to LA bay, for like a week of fishing on a secluded beach.

Maybe we can get something going together in the future, that sounds great to me 

[BlackX]

Part 3 of the report has been added.  Follow the link in the first post. 

[BlackX]

Part 4 has been published.  http://crawlernews.com/?p=2749

[SteeevO]

dude, you're gonna be famous...

http://crawlernews.com/2011/02/hampstead-does-baja-movie-trailer/