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Life's a BEACH in BAJA! July 4 weekend 2010

Discussion in 'Travel' started by David K, Jul 10, 2010.

  1. Jul 10, 2010 at 7:49 PM
    #1
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    It really was about perfect... great place... great weather... great people... great vehicles! Too bad more TWers were not there to enjoy the weekend in person!

    Through photos and text, I will share our trip with you all...

    Trip details:
    Hwy. 5 (Mexicali to San Felipe) has many, many dusty detour miles between La Puerta and Rio Hardy as they continue to widen the road to 4 lanes (or maybe just repairing the earthquake damaged section). Also, near the Hwy. 3 junction is a shorter dirt detour.

    The new wider 2 lane runs for 10 miles. It starts about 2 miles south of the Hwy. 3 junction and the final 19 miles into San Felipe is 4 lanes wide.
    The desert about 60 miles south of Mexicali was 100ºF at midday but dropped as wer neared the coast. It was never more than 86ºF during our days on the island.

    We arrived about 1:30pm Saturday and set up camp. Ken and Leidys arrived an hour later... and in another hour we spotted Art's motorhome about 2 miles down the beach. Ken and I jumpen into the Tacoma to go help.

    710Shell001_161540588d16728f4f9ae15a3747ff9736fb5a80.jpg
    Road to Shell Island from Hwy. 5. It is less than 2 miles to the beach from the highway. Road is very sandy in a couple spots... 4WD best.

    710Shell003_9ab57740b74139cb32cecdea27467d6e967c6e85.jpg
    The useless (now) concrete bridge onto the island. Looking west across the mud flats that do go underwater at highest tides of the month. That 'road' across the flats was once an elevated causeway with the bridge at the end... built in 1984 for a development that never came. Being a barrier island, within the high tide federal zone, I doubt if anyone could 'own' it.

    710Shell005_e4555ca377435dfb33c7d24edfb601c9647e73b6.jpg
    Ready to cross the deep sand.

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    Ken and Leidys arrive.

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    Art ('edm1' on Baja Nomad forums and G35Vortec454 on Tacoma World) and his 4WD motorhome... Letting air out of the tires is required for floatation... Even my Tacoma and Ken's Jeep had to deflate to 12 psi.

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    After some digging, and pouring buckets of sea water in front of the tires, Art drove out and with the tires deflated had floatation!

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    Our three camps, on the island... We mostly hung out at our camp and had nightly campfires there.

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    The terns were still active with nesting on the island, as they were in May... With the global weather getting so much cooler, maybe they thought it was May?

    710Shell022_1b65cab22598d23e5e137275dc5a660e1ceab241.jpg
    They are in the open, no nest other than the shells... and on the beach, just above the high tide line...

    710Shell021_43d2e40954cdf1261946e45af637dec4c9e777f8.jpg

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    Mama

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    We went shell collecting while Art took a much needed nap. The young 'pre-flight' terns can be seen beyong the gull.

    710Shell027_504eddcec62ee66b178fa08ad6a8f67888801637.jpg

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    Ken 'got baja'... for Baja Jeepin'

    710Shell038_c3e4c6aaad37993c24f9a3026b89810ba0eb2e42.jpg

    There was a pretty strong breeze coming off the water that created waves and made swimming difficult, so we drove up to the north end of the island (across from Rancho Percebu) where the lagoon entrance was calm.

    710Shell039_a83ac223a9b0e8c4d9ec5fbeb792a6bb16789794.jpg

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    Lot's of shells, naturally...

    710Shell044_b056420b29e484c50a6137cd95b5c30b028c022c.jpg
    On Monday morning, Art fired up his motorhome and took a drive on the beach... He was so happy to achieve floatation with his monster on wheels!

    710Shell045_6e9a63abc1ecc119411bebb22e93a28cd4f0c11a.jpg

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    He parked by our camp and that beast created wonderful morning shade for us all...

    710Shell051_8b38a95ee7c141eccb37f95e1dd01a2d44cad9f6.jpg

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    Art had to head back home on Monday, so we all went with him back to the highway to make sure he got off the island safely and Ken had his air system to offer re-filling help.

    710Shell056_3d8bc953f31f7a0e8590e4f63693139d20dc70af.jpg

    Because Ken and Leidys ice supply was low, we also refilled our tires and drove south the 9 kms. to Colonia Delicias (Km. 35) where there are stores that sell bags of ice (30 pesos).
    Baja Angel and I returned to Shell Island, Ken and Leidys went to San Felipe for a couple hours.

    710Shell060_3e8d38dd522af28f9ff94eb1b180c872e66528d7.jpg

    710Shell059_d2721fad3edd88670524e5dabbff5a0a2dadc5ec.jpg
    Hard to believe that such a beautiful beach is deserted on a 4th of July weekend! There were only a couple of campers at Percebu... so many empty palapas.

    710Shell069_d48f0854927d506f51ad12d85532efb3c34fbac3.jpg

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    Monday night we had another nice campfire time... and Leidys had her first roasted marshmellows!

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    no flash

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    flash

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    Hate leaving... but it was time to go!

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    We headed home via Hwy. 3 to Ensenada to avoid the long dusty detour south of Mexicali. However, Hwy. 3 is in pretty bad shape with many miles of patched potholes that made driving rough, as well as some detours around sections they are repaving.
    We pulled over north of Valle de Trinidad and found this bush that reminded us of eels in coral feeding...

    710Shell091_1d715061755c2d43f169231b6c0258e8c9f770cb.jpg

    We took the free road north of Ensenada to the Half Way House to have a Chef Johnny dinner... It was great.

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    Filet mignon and Chicken Cordon Bleu (with Caesar salad and cheese cake) and three cokes... total cost $28!

    We took the excellent Blvd. 2000 to the free Tecate Hwy. 2 and to the Tecate border where there was only a 15 minute line Tuesday evening about 7:30. They are allowing cars to park on the right lane on the border road, so get into the left lane to cross north. We were home by 9 pm.

    A great trip to a great place with great Baja amigos! :cool::bounce::light::spingrin::yes:
     
  2. Jul 10, 2010 at 8:03 PM
    #2
    fletch aka

    fletch aka www.BeLikeBrit.org

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    TRD cat back exhaust, TRD Cold Air Intake, differential breather mod' Hellwig rear sway bar, 16x8 TRD Ivan Stewart's, Michelin LTX A/T2, DTRL Stealth Mode Mod, custom "Texas Edition" shift knob, Sock's "Classic" bedside decals, MetalMiller custom grill emblem, 20% front tinted windows, tinted taillights, Viper alarm, ScanGauge II, Flyzeye Designs V2W Tacoma Interior LED lighting, de-mud flapped, de-badged, extra D-rings under bed bolts, WeatherTech ED floor mats, G4 Elite Fold a Cover ,Toyota bed mat, tailgate theft deterrent device and absolutely no plasti-dip!
    Wow, great weekend. Thanks for posting up:)
     
  3. Jul 10, 2010 at 8:08 PM
    #3
    luk8272

    luk8272 Poodoo

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    5% Tint, Bug flector, vent Visors, Removed secondary air filter, Rear Spring TSB w/ Wheeler's Add A Leaf HD Pack, Icon 2.0 rear shocks, Toytec 3" lift up front with Total Chaos UCA's, Debadged, Billet Grille,TRD Offroad rims/17x9 Pro comp 6001 rims, Duratracs 265/75/16 or 285/70/17, Fog light anytime mod, Tailgate hose clamp mod, Pro-dry AFE filter. Extended Differential Breather, ABS on/off, 6000k LEDs from CSJumper, heads/fogs, ScanguageII, Devil horns, Devil horns on third brake light, Mounted 60" Highlift, Mounted Tool Box, Wet Okole Front/Rear Seat Covers, TW sticker, Midland Handheld CB,Painted engine cover, Revenge Fab Sliders, ARE Topper, Weather tech Floorliners, Camper shell, ultimate headlight upgrade. URD -3° exhaust cam gears, .5" XTP Intake spacer. Custom dents.
    looked like a wonderful time.
     
  4. Jul 10, 2010 at 8:33 PM
    #4
    zanodave

    zanodave Well-Known Member

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    I'm envious of your trips
     
  5. Jul 10, 2010 at 8:40 PM
    #5
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Differential Breather Mod Light Bar: 4 Cree LED lamps Bilstein 5100s Ride Rite Air Bags
    Thanks! Why I have a Tacoma (TRD Off Road 4WD)... the truck made for the Baja!
     
  6. Jul 11, 2010 at 8:52 AM
    #6
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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  7. Jul 15, 2010 at 9:49 PM
    #7
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Differential Breather Mod Light Bar: 4 Cree LED lamps Bilstein 5100s Ride Rite Air Bags
    Oh, and we checked under the rocks... no banditos!
     
  8. Sep 8, 2010 at 7:22 PM
    #8
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    Have you thought about getting a new rear bumper?
     
  9. Sep 8, 2010 at 7:47 PM
    #9
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Of course I have... they cost money... and no stimulus money has come my way or improved my business! It isn't too bad... just a few inches from where it was before the incident at Mision Santa Maria.:rolleyes::rolleyes:
     
  10. Sep 9, 2010 at 7:33 AM
    #10
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    haha I know what you mean. I'm sad to say that I think I have more money then I do time...I dont really have any money:eek:


    if that makes sense
     
  11. Sep 9, 2010 at 8:06 AM
    #11
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I like the Armor Tech bolt on rear bumper... but at $500 + what ever it costs to ship the thing to California, I don't think I will be getting it!
     
  12. Sep 9, 2010 at 9:17 AM
    #12
    Zombie Runner

    Zombie Runner Are these black helicopters for me?

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    oil change...
    I hear ya on that.
     
  13. Sep 9, 2010 at 6:28 PM
    #13
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I could afford it, only if I didn't just sent over $600 to IRS for my share of the taxes Washington needs!
     
  14. Jan 8, 2011 at 12:06 AM
    #14
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Man, I hope it isn't too long before I can go back there!!!
     
  15. Apr 29, 2013 at 5:57 PM
    #15
    David K

    David K [OP] Well-Known Member

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    As a follow up to my own question, above... we went back to Shell Island on Memorial Day 2011, July 4th 2011 and in July 2012 as part of our big trip to the tip. Photos of all three trips here on TW.
     
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