In mid 2006 I organized a trip down to Baja with a group of friends. This group was comprised of a rogue's gallery of infamous characters like Justin "Gear" Pitcairn and his brother Miles, Kevin "Boston Mangler" Speicher, Robb "Blupaddler" and Cat Eichelberger with Bella the Adventure Dog, Wil "Flyingwil" Kuhns and his wife Wendy (before Sierra Expeditions), Kirk Linder and Mark "Ampacity" Lachica and his sister. We were also extremely fortunate to have well known overlander and Baja expert Al "Almanac" Walter leading our group.
About a week before we were supposed to leave, Hurricane John started up the Baja peninsula. Luckily our routes were to be spared, but other areas were not…especially Mulege. Many if not all of the people there were left without running water, no sewer system of any kind, and complete devastation of the area. Despite the risk of bad weather, we decided to go as planned.
With the possibility of further hurricane disaster looming in the backs of our minds, we went about our business of preparing vehicles and getting tourist permits from the Mexican Consulate - go to the second floor, don’t wait in the long line downstairs - and obtaining the necessary Mexican Auto Insurance. Then it was a rush to finish last minute mods and general packing and storage issues - logistics on a cross border trip must be finely tuned as turning back for forgotten items was not an option. Everything accounted for and in it's place we set out from home.
We met Friday September 8, 2006 at 1100 hours sharp at the Longs Drugs on San Ysidro Boulevard. Everyone was to show up on time fueled up, with all required paperwork in hand. Paperwork was cross checked within the group to ensure we had no surprises further south. The plan was to cross from the US into Mexico with a simple itinerary: Hit the Pacific coast of Baja Friday and find a good place to camp near Punta Cabras, get up Saturday and do some dirt work making our way up to the Sierra Juarez to camp Saturday night at Laguna Hanson, then head out for Tecate on Sunday for the crossing back into the US. Here's how it all turned out.
Once through the border crossing into Tijuana we were offically in Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California. Tijuana is infamous for it's corruption and debauchery so we ignored any temptation to stop and slipped right through the city and onto the toll road headed south for Ensenada. Make sure you take the "Rosarito Ensenada Scenic Road" or you will end up mired in congested downtown Tijuana traffic on the "Camino Libre". The toll booth accepts either Dollars or Pesos but not a mixture of the two, I recommend using Pesos when in Mexico to ensure smooth transactions.
We made our first pit stop after we got further down the coast on the toll road and found a nice spot overlooking the coastline with public banos. Not quite like bathrooms in SoCal but a welcome break nonetheless and a great spot to get out and stretch our legs. The views of the Pacific were amazing and we were really feeling the excitement of finally being in Baja!
Al Walter was in true form, answering our questions about the area over the CB and 2M before we even had a chance to ask ("Baja is the second largest peninsula in the world" ... "those rings out in the water are holding pens for tuna" ... "Agaves don't grow well here in Baja, they are cultivated over on the mainland"). It was great to be on the road with such a diverse and talented group.
Our next stop was in Ensenada to have our tourist permits stamped by the local tourism office, a nearly painless administrative procedure and we were on our way in no time at all. Permits in hand, we entered the gauntlet of busy Mexican traffic. Like traffic in any city, we got separated for a little while, but managed to make it through without incident and regroup.
Ensenada has a completely different vibe than Tijuana. Despite the temptation to hang around, our destination for the night lay much further south on the Pacific coast so Al kept us rolling down MEX 1 at a steady speed pointing out all the landmarks as we went.
We arrived in Santo Tomas and got out of the trucks for a brief bano break, and a cold beverage or two from la tienda. The pit stop was short lived, and Al ordered everyone back in the saddle. A short while after everyone got back on the road we pulled off just south of Santo Tomas to find the dirt track that was to take us over to the coast and to Punta Cabras.
We had a good time keeping up with the group as we criss-crossed dirt roads and trails along the way passing scattered ranchos and the occasional herd of cattle or mounted vaquero. When traveling with Al it's good to remember that if you don't pay attention you can get left behind! Driving through the coastal mountain range we stayed on the main graded dirt road, pressing on and avoiding the many temptations to “see where that road goes". After some time we finally reached the left turn onto another dirt road that was to take us south to Punta Cabras. There was actually a sign and although the sign read Erendira, which is actually the town a little south of Punta Cabras, it was headed in the right direction so we kept rolling. This little road eventually spit us out on the Pacific coast but not before an gnarly descent, a steep hill climb about a quarter mile long, and some really silty washed out places.
The terrain grew more and more jagged as we followed the coastal road south. Soon we passed by Rancho Bates and arrived at last at our destination for the day, Punta Cabras. We traveled down to the point, which is lined with sand dunes to the north and a smaller sized beach to the south. Wil got his Tacoma stuck in the sand and had to dig himself out, much to the delight of the Jeep owners in the group. We all got out to check out the area and decided to go scout the point at the south end of the beach for a suitable camp site that was level with a spot big enough for all eight vehicles to camp. Finding our spot at last, everyone began setting up their shelters for the night and enjoying the beach.
With camp set-up and Al's bar open, everyone settled in to enjoy Baja: some tide-pooling, a short walk, photography, try to tire the dog out, a quick surf (water was about 63-64), snorkeling, or just kicking back in camp.
A big fire was made as the sun began to set, beverages were hoisted, stories of Chupacabras were told and games were played. Late that night as the fire burned low people shuffled off to their beds, contemplating the events of the day and looking forward to what new experiences the next day might bring. Listening to the sounds of the waves gently crashing on the rocks we drifted off to sleep.
Saturday morning we awoke to the waves and the quiet sounds of people stirring early in camp. Tide was coming high again, and the swell had increased ever so slightly overnight. The morning started out sunny and bright, but then gave in to the marine layer looming offshore. Luckily for us though, the Baja sun powered through gracing us with its warm rays.
Al had set a departure time of 0900 hours so everyone spent a leisurely morning cooking, hanging out and packing up. After Justin got up and moving Miles made the rounds with some scones and other tasty breakfast pastries. A few heads were hurting from the previous nights cerveza but everyone was really bonding on this trip and we were eagerly looking forward to the next epic chapter of our journey.
A hair past 0900 hours and we were on our way. We started out by trying a narrow dirt track that led up from our campsite and south around a rocky point. This led the group to yet another beautiful vista so we stopped and admired the view for a short while before moving out again. We had to make Laguna Hanson before nightfall so we picked up the pace.
Leaving Punta Cabras behind, we were on our way towards the distant Sierra Juarez and Laguna Hanson. We went out the same way we came in, except this time we went north at the fork in the road towards Punta San Jose. We tried to follow another track that looked like it would lead over towards Punta San Jose, but ended up at a locked gate and a large compound so we backtracked. The road into Punta San Jose was uneventful, just a moderate graded dirt road with beautiful, unaltered vistas of Baja California conjuring up images of how coastal Southern California used to look.
Pulling up to Punta San Jose the entire area is exposed to the elements - no trees, no bushes, only small low-growing Yuccas are able to survive this harsh Baja environment. The winds were westerly at a moderate 15 knots (sun-shade and a wind block are considered a must). The dozen or so gringo surfers however didn’t mind the wind or the exposure as good looking right-handers rolled into the cliffs along the waters edge. The surfers however, did mind the eight-vehicle caravan that pulled up near their prized surf spot and we were greeted by shouts of “Go Home!” as we stopped to enjoy the view - surfers are very territorial especially in Baja. With the killer view and snappy peelers firmly cemented in everyone's minds, the group pushed on toward the Sierra Juarez.
Most people who come to Punta San Jose come in and out on the dirt road from Santo Tomas (the way we came) but there is also a narrow two-track dirt road that leads north from the Point. The road went north-east and up into the coastal range for a brief moment and descended back down into a canyon. This is when things started to get interesting. Al had warned the group about cliffs, holes and silty washouts along the route but Wil had managed to find a big hole in the road that wanted to swallow his Tacoma.
Quick reaction with a few good men and a winch kept things from getting ugly. This was the first time the winch on my Tacoma had been used, and we were lucky that I was directly behind Wil with a winch when this happened - the trail was far too soft, narrow and twisty for any vehicle jockeying around without major risk, time and effort. Recognizing the gravity of Wil's position I jumped out and onto Wil's bumper to help counter-balance the situation while Robb, Mark and Justin prepared the winch.
Wil's wife Wendy was not impressed with this unplanned teeter-totter action and decided to bail out, saving herself from certain doom. With her safe on the ground we set to work recovering the truck.
After a few minutes of teamwork and winching they were on four tires again. Wil & Wendy were fine, my winch had been used for the first time, and we all got to reflect on the benefits of group travel and having proper, rapidly accessible recovery gear. With thoughts of what new dangers may lay ahead we pushed onward towards our next objective.
Once on the main road, travel was at a quick pace. We were on the road for no longer than ten minutes when we came to our first Military Checkpoint - Los Federales! These stations are set up in remote locations at random and are aimed at interdicting drugs and illegal activities.
The Military Checkpoints in Baja are always nerve racking no matter how seasoned you are, there's just something unsettling about being in the middle of nowhere surrounded by young men with assault rifles. This is why it pays to have all your papers in order and ensure that before you cross the border into Mexico that you are legal - no guns, ammo, or other contraband - no worries. There were bets before we left about who would get stopped and who wouldn’t but in the end my DOD decals probably resulted in my selection to spend the most “quality” time with the fine young members of el Ejército Mexicano. After a few minutes of questions and poking around (mostly out of curiosity with the kitted rigs and gear) we were cleared to go. In retrospect it was a minor inconvenience and they were very professional - a bit of Spanish spoken with smiles and an offer of a few cold Cokes from our fridges helped to break the ice. Departing the checkpoint with a smile and a wave to the young soldiers, we pressed on towards Laguna Hanson.
We retraced our route north on MEX 1 back toward Ensenada and made a quick stop for fuel and pushed on. Traveling with Al you learn to keep food in the cab as lunch stops are not assured. We became so hungry that when I was stopped at a red light in Ensenada my wife bailed out without notice, running across the street to score a few Tamales from a street vendor. It was quite a spectacle at the time but her quick thinking and these tamales saved the day for us as the group pushed on rapidly without stopping for lunch, leaving Ensenada in the rear view mirror. Our group was soon turning east on MEX 3 heading towards San Felipe. A short while later we reached the signed turn off (two in one trip!) for Laguna Hanson.
By now the sun was dropping quickly on the horizon, so we all aired down and started heading up into the Sierra Juarez. The road was in great condition allowing us to move along at a good pace. We encountered the occasional oncoming dirt-bike traffic, but otherwise the transit went smoothly. Before long, we had arrived at Laguna Hanson. The lake was almost dry, very little water anywhere but even so, Laguna Hanson is still beautiful in it’s own right. Laguna Hanson is in the Sierra Juarez mountain range, and sits at about 5000 feet elevation. It's scenery is in stark contrast to most of Baja since it has water and timber, I was reminded of the Big Bear area in SoCal. We made our camp at the Cochimi campsite, and shortly after our arrival the Mexican Park Ranger came around to collect the 100 Peso camping fee.
Camp set-up and the Overland Saloon open again, multiple grills and stoves were fired up. Our dinners were made infinitely more interesting by all the sharing going on in camp. We were treated to a beautiful sunset and a lightning storm in the clouds to the far east, hoping the storm would not make it our way. Another big fire was made and we all gathered around to reflect on the day, and the epic trip in general. A few of us stayed up late into the night enjoying the fire and great company.
We awoke to a wonderful Laguna Hanson sunrise Sunday morning, the warm beams of light gently warming our tents, which was good since we were really feeling the chill that night at 5,000 feet. Shaking off the cobwebs, everyone made their breakfast and morning coffee and set about preparing themselves and their vehicles for the trip out of the Sierra Juarez and north to Tecate.
Coffee in hand and breakfast in stomach, we were off on the final stretch of the journey. We started off with a trip around the lake just to get a different perspective, and possibly scout for future campsites in the area. Laguna Hanson is just remote enough to be fairly pristine and the flora and fauna are world class.
Upon leaving Laguna Hanson, Wil and Wen were stopped by an exhausted mountain biker who was in real need of water and a ride out. Profusely thanking everyone, the biker hoisted his bike and his orange and black spandex-wearing self into the bed of Wil's Taco and away we went. Even after enduring the dust clouds from the vehicles ahead and the BIG bumps we hit along the way, this gentleman was very appreciative - he had started his journey 3 days prior to this and once we dropped him off, he still had another 30 miles to ride! Loco!
Once we had scouted the lake we continued on the dirt road out of Laguna Hanson, north-bound towards MEX 2 and Tecate. The group more confident as a whole and in our individual driving skills, we made quick time, especially with some nice “quicker” spots. After some oncoming motorcycles and quads we were soon reaching civilization again. We entered back through the town of La Rumorosa, and found a place to stop and air up tires, meeting some cool guys in a Unimog and chatting with them for a bit before pressing on again.
We were soon making our way west on MEX 2 towards Tecate. We had opted to stay on the "Camino Libre" or free road, rather than the toll road which parallels the free road. A short while later we had arrived in the town of Tecate, Al taking us towards the border, and relating stories of past crossings. The line for the crossing into the US was not long, but it was moving slow. This allowed the group ample time to sample tasty treats being sold by Mexican street vendors. About an hour and a half later, we were through US Customs and back in the USA.
Our final stop was for a customary Baja border crossing ritual: Lunch at Barrett Junction Café, home of the famous Fish Fry. We were soon sitting down and enjoying the atmosphere and food while discussing high points of the trip, lessons learned, and future trips. Most of us hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and a meal we didn’t have to cook or prepare ourselves was a welcome reward after a few days on the road.
Lunch over, it was back to reality as most of us had to work on Monday. We had all made new friends, got reacquainted with old friends, and bonded by exploring new areas together. After a quick group picture, we were all on our way back home. It was good to be back in California, but we knew that we had fallen in love with Baja because we were already dreaming about going back.
NOTE: A big thanks to AL WALTER for taking the time to guide us around and show us the proper way to travel in Mexico, Robb Eichelberger and Kevin Speicher for capturing some of the memories with trip reports and photos in 2006, and to all the friends who made this such a treasured memory. Years and many miles and adventures later, this is still one of my favorite trips of all time!
BAJA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For those planning Baja trips, here is Al Walter's list of must have references:
1. AAA Baja California road map.
2. Baja California Almanac (topo maps)
3. The Baja Adventure Book by Walt Peterson
4. Baja California Plant & Field Guide by Norman C. Roberts
5. The Baja Highway by John Minch & Thomas Lerlia
6. Las Misiones Antigues - The Spanish Missions of Baja California by Edward W. Vernon
7. The Cave Paintings of Baja California by Harry W. Crosby
8. Wind . Water . Sun by Ed Darack
9. Kayaking The Vermilion Sea by Jonathan Waterman
For a simple travel guide, I recommend Lonely Planet.
BAJA BOUND MEXICAN AUTO INSURANCE
About a week before we were supposed to leave, Hurricane John started up the Baja peninsula. Luckily our routes were to be spared, but other areas were not…especially Mulege. Many if not all of the people there were left without running water, no sewer system of any kind, and complete devastation of the area. Despite the risk of bad weather, we decided to go as planned.
With the possibility of further hurricane disaster looming in the backs of our minds, we went about our business of preparing vehicles and getting tourist permits from the Mexican Consulate - go to the second floor, don’t wait in the long line downstairs - and obtaining the necessary Mexican Auto Insurance. Then it was a rush to finish last minute mods and general packing and storage issues - logistics on a cross border trip must be finely tuned as turning back for forgotten items was not an option. Everything accounted for and in it's place we set out from home.
Our next stop was in Ensenada to have our tourist permits stamped by the local tourism office, a nearly painless administrative procedure and we were on our way in no time at all. Permits in hand, we entered the gauntlet of busy Mexican traffic. Like traffic in any city, we got separated for a little while, but managed to make it through without incident and regroup.
Ensenada has a completely different vibe than Tijuana. Despite the temptation to hang around, our destination for the night lay much further south on the Pacific coast so Al kept us rolling down MEX 1 at a steady speed pointing out all the landmarks as we went.
Pulling up to Punta San Jose the entire area is exposed to the elements - no trees, no bushes, only small low-growing Yuccas are able to survive this harsh Baja environment. The winds were westerly at a moderate 15 knots (sun-shade and a wind block are considered a must). The dozen or so gringo surfers however didn’t mind the wind or the exposure as good looking right-handers rolled into the cliffs along the waters edge. The surfers however, did mind the eight-vehicle caravan that pulled up near their prized surf spot and we were greeted by shouts of “Go Home!” as we stopped to enjoy the view - surfers are very territorial especially in Baja. With the killer view and snappy peelers firmly cemented in everyone's minds, the group pushed on toward the Sierra Juarez.
We were soon making our way west on MEX 2 towards Tecate. We had opted to stay on the "Camino Libre" or free road, rather than the toll road which parallels the free road. A short while later we had arrived in the town of Tecate, Al taking us towards the border, and relating stories of past crossings. The line for the crossing into the US was not long, but it was moving slow. This allowed the group ample time to sample tasty treats being sold by Mexican street vendors. About an hour and a half later, we were through US Customs and back in the USA.
Our final stop was for a customary Baja border crossing ritual: Lunch at Barrett Junction Café, home of the famous Fish Fry. We were soon sitting down and enjoying the atmosphere and food while discussing high points of the trip, lessons learned, and future trips. Most of us hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and a meal we didn’t have to cook or prepare ourselves was a welcome reward after a few days on the road.
NOTE: A big thanks to AL WALTER for taking the time to guide us around and show us the proper way to travel in Mexico, Robb Eichelberger and Kevin Speicher for capturing some of the memories with trip reports and photos in 2006, and to all the friends who made this such a treasured memory. Years and many miles and adventures later, this is still one of my favorite trips of all time!
BAJA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For those planning Baja trips, here is Al Walter's list of must have references:
1. AAA Baja California road map.
2. Baja California Almanac (topo maps)
3. The Baja Adventure Book by Walt Peterson
4. Baja California Plant & Field Guide by Norman C. Roberts
5. The Baja Highway by John Minch & Thomas Lerlia
6. Las Misiones Antigues - The Spanish Missions of Baja California by Edward W. Vernon
7. The Cave Paintings of Baja California by Harry W. Crosby
8. Wind . Water . Sun by Ed Darack
9. Kayaking The Vermilion Sea by Jonathan Waterman
For a simple travel guide, I recommend Lonely Planet.
BAJA BOUND MEXICAN AUTO INSURANCE
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