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cathy o.
Since 11 Aug 2014
84 Posts
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Mon Oct 21, 19 1:39 pm FIRST DRIVE TO BAJA! advice |
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Hello people in the know! I'm planning my first road trip down to Los Barriles from PDX. Driving an enclosed truck with some household goods, equipment, etc... Leaving after Christmas. Looking for suggested routes, timing, overnight lodging/camping, places to stop and checkout, etc.. Was planning on 3-5 days of driving.
Thank you! |
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Sasquatch
Since 09 Mar 2005
2083 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot
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Mon Oct 21, 19 1:45 pm |
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Sounds like a great trip ahead.
LOTS OF BETA on this topic. Use the search function above.
Don't speed, travel during the day light hours only.
PM Kip aka wylieflyote is his handle on this forum. |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1646 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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Mon Oct 21, 19 2:07 pm |
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Sasquatch wrote: | Sounds like a great trip ahead.
PM Kip aka wylieflyote is his handle on this forum. |
PM Sent. Heading back soon. In fact I'm probably on the road the same day.
Kip _________________ CGKA Member
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Kip Wylie |
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stringy
Since 23 Jun 2006
1731 Posts
vancouver
XTreme Poster
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Sat Oct 26, 19 10:05 am |
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from san diego here's a quick tip that I use.
start the day off as early as possible.
I cross over at sand ysidro. be sure to stop and get your tourist card.
follow the highway 1 towards the coast line then head south. there are a couple of tolls so be prepared. it's pretty much highway 1 the whole stretch. try and get to guerrero negro before dark. this is why you want to leave at the crack of dawn. fill your tank in el rosario before heading to GN.
spend the night in GN. there are lots of hotels with secure parking. I like to stay at terra del sol
next day it's possible to make it all the way to LB but it will be a long day behind the wheel. maybe break this day up into two days and stay in loreto for the night before heading to LB. Lapaz is a good place to buy groceries. watch for cows on the road especially at night and also watch out for the stop signs in constitution. its a racket in that town.
if you can I would caravan and have someone with you to split the time behind the wheel. _________________ www.jimstringfellow.com |
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ldhr
Since 21 Jul 2009
1487 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster
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Sat Oct 26, 19 11:14 am |
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Check this out to advertise for others to Caravan with - --https://www.theventanaview.com/ |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1646 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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Sat Oct 26, 19 6:23 pm |
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stringy wrote: | watch out for the stop signs in constitution. . |
Ciudad Constitucion... about an hour or two north of La Paz, notorious for crooked traffic cop action. I always drive like a very old woman lately (easy for me) . Go through every intersection whether is marked or un-marked at about 10 mph or slower.
Here's the nasty gentleman I had an argument with 8 years ago... before we went downtown and I paid $1200 pesos.
_________________ CGKA Member
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Kip Wylie |
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jaksavage
Since 02 Dec 2009
216 Posts
hood river
Stoked
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Sun Oct 27, 19 9:25 am advice |
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I would split off of I5 @ stockton/fresno and use 99 to drive south. This avoids the LA crazy busy 5 lanes of stop and go hell. several hours long.
99 goes over cahon pass and then you can cross over to otay mesa or san yisidro.
Much lower stress route.
Fuel up and carry a spare 5 gallons if you can.
Get pesos for tolls and your visitor pass for enough time, months?
Big stores , motels and gas will take credit cards.
ATMs worked fine for us.
San quintin has easy motel if you cross later in the day.
GN is good too.
San Ignacio historic and is nice, Loreto is nice, all easy stops.
La Paz is busy but has shopping. Los Barrilles market is pretty decent too.
Constitucion is confusing, roughly every other intersection has a stop sign, they are not obvious, I drove slow and stopped if I was in doubt. No problem.
Don't drive at night.
Be aware of killer potholes between GN and Loreto. Where you least expect them.
I drove down in 3 days from San Diego and back north in two days. We took the cutoff to Mexicali coming home. It was 2 slow (10mph) hours of ROUGH road. But I would trade that for the 2 hours of LA freeway any day.
Be prepared, be careful and enjoy a beautiful drive. _________________ My wife kites more than me. |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1646 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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Sun Oct 27, 19 10:11 am |
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10 years of 5 months each year spent in Mexico. Mainland and Baja. My opinion is that it's a mistake to draw larger amounts of pesos for your longer stays. The ATM's work fine, you generally get excellent exchange rates. Do not use a card for purchases unless you are at a major store like Walmart, Soriana, Bodega. _________________ CGKA Member
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Kip Wylie |
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