2017 BAJA EXPEDITION #6: Southernmost Baja (14 days/ 3,000 miles)

Thanks. Baja is a photographer's dream location!

 

DAY 7-a To Todos Santos

I was up and on the road at 8:08 and stopped at the Oxxo (they are everywhere) for a bag of ice, 21 pesos.

Made notes of Hwy. 1, La Paz entrance kilometer markers:
Km. 11 Campestre Maranatha Campground/ Café Exquisito, on right



Km. 10 Breakfast place on left 'Jalisco'
Km. 9 Airport Road
Km. 8 Dove or Whale Tale Monument (Malecon left, Cabo right)



You fork right at the Dove/Whale Tale and right again by the WalMart onto a levee road to cross over to the Todos Santos/Cabo San Lucas highway.

There does not seem to be any kilometer markers for almost 7 miles southbound on Hwy. 1, and then there it is Km. 200 (from Cabo via Los Barriles).

Pass through the farm center of San Pedro around Km. 189

Km. 185: Fork, Left to Los Barriles and Los Cabos vis Hwy. 1 or right to Todos Santos and Cabo San Lucas (Mex. #19). Unlike the other kilometer markers, Hwy. 19's numbers get bigger going south.

Km. 46 New non-Pemex gasoline dealer, SmartGas





The bypass around Todos Santos is at Km. 47+. It is 4.6 miles long and totally stays out-of-sight of Todos Santos. I drove around twice to go through town on the first paved road then on the bypass to map and record it.

On the first paved road...
Km. 49 Pemex
Km. 49.5 Playground and church on the left (east) side.

The playground was the location of the first Todos Santos Mission, founded in 1733 with the name Santa Rosa de las Palmas, it was California's 13th mission. Bad luck followed when the Pericú Revolution began the following year. Padre Taraval was saved, but his Jesuit brothers at Santiago and San José del Cabo were murdered and their mission burned. La Paz mission was also attacked. The Jesuits and Spanish soldiers took over two years to regain control of the southern four missions.

In 1748, the mission on La Paz Bay was moved to Todos Santos and replaced Mission Santa Rosa there. 13 was an unlucky mission number!

Also, the mission at San José del Cabo was reduced to being a visita of Santiago (for the next 20 years). Four mission became two. It was a dramatic period that ended with the Jesuit expulsion in 1768.

See, when I drive in Baja, I think of all the years people struggled there, it meant that much to all of them! The mission here in Todos Santos was officially known as Nuestra Señora del Pilar de la Paz, but most documents written in the years that followed called the mission Todos Santos (the original visita name before a mission was here). No Native name was recorded for the location.

After I look through the 1970 church behind the playground, I try and find any signs of the 1733-1825 mission ruins (the mission moved again in 1825 to the church site in the town plaza, less than a mile south).

I do see some bricks and a survey pin of sorts, but no guarantees. 9:37 am.

I arrive at the plaza and walk into the large church, modified since mission times with a new entry. Signs here do tell the mission story to enquiring minds.

As I head out of town I spot a car wash operation (man with a hose and bucket) next door to a breakfast café. Success, I am hungry and my truck is dirty (from El Datil salt flat oops). The restaurant is called La Valentina (110 pesos) and the car wash is El Cayito (90 pesos).

Todos Santos was very good to me this morning!

On south...

TO BE CONTINUED...

PHOTOS:


1970 church built next to 1733-1825 mission site (now playground).






Just above the east side of Hwy. 19, north entrance to Todos Santos... Visita Todos Santos in 1725, Mission #13 (Santa Rosa) in 1733, then Mission #7 (Pilar del la Paz) in 1748.


Mission floor or wall foundation?


View from the highway, looking east. Playground and church.


Prayer shrine in front of the playground. Pray for a mission museum here?


Some sort of survey pin near the corner of the 1970 church.


The 1825 Mission new location, original front entrance.


Addition cross entrance added early 1900s?


Photos by Joseph R. Slevin in 1919.


At least they are trying!


Original entrance.






Breakfast here, car wash, next door.

Now, let's go see some beaches!
Stay tuned!

 

DAY 7b South to Los Cabos

After my breakfast and car wash, I continued south of the original highway to Cabo San Lucas.

Km. 56: South junction of bypass highway. I drive back north on it to measure and GPS track it, since it is too new to appear on our favorite maps (2010 AAA or 2009 Baja Almanac). I measure it at 4.6 miles long back to Km. 47+ on the original road. It is just 2 lanes and has separate kilometer markers. There was nothing I noted along the 7-kilometer bypass that simply avoids going through Todos Santos for those who are bound for places on south. The highway returns to 4-lanes-wide.

Km. 57+ Is an unmarked road off to the right (southwest) that goes to San Pedrito. See my Baja Bound article for more on this place (visited in 2012): https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/the_tropical_beach_at_san_pedrito.php

Km. 62 Pemex station El Pescadero
Km. 62.5+ Baja Beans R.V. Park



Km. 79 BajaBeachOasis.com on the sign. 0.3 mi to a big sand beach.





Km. 100 Puente El Migriño (bridge over big arroyo) and lots of off roader tracks in the dry river bed, below.

Km. 100.5 Road down to arroyo on south side of bridge, passes ATV rental business in 0.1 mi and arrives at the beach in 0.8 mi from the highway.








You can see the highway bridge, 3/4 mile to the east, El Migriño.


Km. 117 Los Cabos Bypass to go directly to San José del Cabo airport.



Km. 124 Enter Cabo San Lucas. It is a mess of traffic!


Here is the other new competition to Pemex for gasoline sales in Mexico, seen on this trip.





I drove to the abandoned fish cannery building where Km. 0 once was... the very south end of the Transpeninsular Highway. There was a ferry dock here that went to Puerto Vallarta for a few years.






Have enough? Can I go now? Thanks!

Km. 12.5 Playa Santa María
Km. 14.5 Chileno Bay Beach Parking
Km. 16 El Tule, open beach.
Km. 27.5+ View Parking...







Km. 28 beach access

It is such heavy traffic and no pull offs before I realize I miss the south entrance to San José del Cabo and go to the downtown entrance. I first try to park near the mission site/ plaza... with only one narrow street going to it, and all other one-way streets going the wrong way, I abandon the thought of circling the city again. I did get in front of it in 2012:


Church at final mission site for San José del Cabo, 2012 photo.



Baja Judy's business, found! All locked up. I had an email exchange with Jaime (Judy's husband) and he said they would not be there and with nobody in Los Cabos in the summer, they aren't open. I just wondered who were the thousands of people on the highway, paying $3.43/ gallon if this was the 'dead season'??

Km. 39 North edge of San José del Cabo

OK amigos... that's enough for now... When I return, I have photos of the drive north on Hwy. 1 back to La Paz. A nice visit with Jorge ('Osprey' on Baja Nomad) and more to come!

 

Day 7c North from Los Cabos

Km. 43 Airport Road, Pemex
Km. 46, Santa Anita
Km. 54.5 Narranjas Road
Km. 62.5 Paved road east to Las Casitas
Km. 65.5 Paved road west to Cadueño. Sideroad passes a water park (closed), goes through the little town, and pops back out to Highway 1 at Km. 66+.
Km. 71 Paved road west to Miraflores, 1.5 miles. A paved road goes north from town to the foot of the mountain, Boca de la Sierra. There a hiking trail and park is featured, 4.4 miles from Highway 1.
Km. 81.5 The Tropic of Cancer line. A museum/ rest area has been established here. On the first day of summer, the sun is directly overhead, at noon.




Church in Caduaño. Some historians say Caduaño was the final location of the Santiago mission for its final five years to 1795, when it was closed.




Paved road from Miraflores to Boca de la Sierra.


Tropic of Cancer.








The dashed line is the Tropic of Cancer.

 

Km. 84.5 Paved road west to Santiago. Taking the road into Santiago, the long bridge over the riverbed is crossed and at Mile 1.5 is a Pemex station and plaza. Continuing across town is the church at Mile 1.9 and was the location of Mission Santiago from 1736 following the Pericú Revolt.
Mile 2.4 from Highway 1 is the location of the Santiago Zoo and the end of the paved road. The zoo has had a lot of controversy over the treatment of the animals and appears to have been closed, with signage painted over. There were some animals in pens, however.

Back on Highway 1...

Km. 89.5 To the left of the road and looking north, see the Bat Cave of Santiago. Read more in my article on Baja Bound: https://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/bajatravel/the_bat_cave_of_santiago.php

Km. 92.5 Paved road east to La Ribera and Cabo Pulmo. Just off Highway 1, a dirt road leaves the La Ribera road to go under the highway bridge to the bat cave. La Ribera is 12 kilometers from Highway 1 (7+ miles).

Km. 105 Buena Vista Resort
Km. 107 Buena Vista village
Km. 108.5 Los Barriles Pemex
Km. 110 Los Barriles paved main entrance.
Km. 127.5 San Bartolo
Km. 147 Graded road south to San Antonio de la Sierra, passing the famous Real de Sant Ana, the first commercial mine operation in California (silver). This was also where the Santiago mission was first established.
Km. 155.5 San Antonio (former silver mine and capital of Baja California Sur) and the junction with the paved road north to San Juan de los Planes (20 kms.), La Ventana, etc.
Km. 163 El Triunfo. The silver mines here flourished after the San Antonio mines were exhausted. The mines operated between 1860 and 1926. The Boleo copper mine people of Santa Rosalia tried to reestablish operations and built a loading dock at Ensenada de los Muertos to ship the silver bars out.
Km. 177.5+ Road north to San Blas and on to the La Paz-Los Planes highway.
Km. 185 Junction with Highway 19 to Todos Santos and Cabo San Lucas.
Km. 189 San Pedro
Km. 194 Pemex station.
Km. 200, final kilometer sign seen before La Paz.
Km. 200 + 7.0 miles = Km. 211+: Levee road west to Dove/ Whale Tail monument at the north entrance to La Paz. The levee road is 2 miles long between the two parts of Highway 1. The Home Depot and Wal Mart are near the Dove end of the 'cut-across' road.

PHOTOS:


The Palomar Inn, Santiago, a restaurant, was once a popular Inn or hideaway for Hollywood celebrities!


A modern church on the mission site of Santiago, California's 10th Spanish mission. The first mission attempt was to the north at Santa Ana (near today's San Antonio) in 1722. That failed after the new wall collapsed during a hurricane and killed many natives.
In 1724, Padre Nápoli tried again, only further south (about 2 miles north of this location). That prospered until the Pericú Revolt of 1734 in which the missionary at Santiago (Lorenzo Carranco) and the missionary at San José del Cabo (Nicolás Tamaral) were killed and burned. When the Spanish and Jesuits regained control over two years later, the Santiago mission was moved to this spot.
The history of events in this rugged land is so fascinating. Read more details in my book, Baja California Land of Missions, www.oldmissions.com now in its fourth printing, thank you for your interest!




Just inside the church and behind a (less than clear) plexiglass window is this preserved mission bell.




Across from the church in Santiago.


Off to the left of the highway, looking north... do you see it?


The Bat Cave!


Entering La Ribera (the b and v are interchangeable in Spanish, at least here!)


The Piano Museum in El Triunfo. One of the silver mine smoke stacks is in the background.




El Triunfo church


El Triunfo as seen from Highway 1, looking back if driving to La Paz.


The Dove of Peace (La Paz = The Peace) at the entrance to La Paz from the north. Others (including street namers) call this a "Whale Tail".

 

DAY 8: LA PAZ and north and east of La Paz

Perhaps an area map to help visualize the places I visited on DAY 8 is in order?



I took a look at the campground (RV Park) Campestre Maranatha, located behind the coffee shop Café Exquisito, at Km. 11 (between El Centenario and La Paz) on the right (south) side of the highway.

I had breakfast near the airport road along Hwy. 1 at a place called "Jalisco" and it was very good and just 90 pesos (=$5.19)+ tip. This is located by the Kilometer 10 marker, on the left (north) side of the highway.

The airport road is at Km. 9 and the "Dove" is at Km. 8. Going south to Cabo, you would fork right at the Dove and again just ahead, another right onto the levee road. This time, I continue straight (left fork) which is now going north into downtown La Paz.

One thing that becomes obvious, particularly on the side streets, stop signs are just suggestions, more of a yield sign, maybe. If you do stop (when there is no cross-traffic) and cars are behind you, plan on being rear-ended! LOL, no, didn't happen to me, but I sure can visualize it!

I top my gas tank in La Paz, having driven 325 miles since my last fill up. The price was 15.72 pesos/liter. The station offered an exchange of 16.50 pesos/dollar, but I had pesos purchased at 17.35/dollar. The truck took on 68.72 liters (18.15 gallons) meaning I got 17.9 MPG, which is great (mostly that this Pemex has honest liters). The cost was 1100 pesos plus a 20 peso tip for the attendant (nice personality and cleaned windows).

I drive along the Malecon (sea drive) and manage to take a few 'out-the-window' photos of the many interesting statues. I took many in 2012 when we were last here. There is a new one, an oyster with a big black pearl inside.

That hamburger and surf board rental place (Harker) that Harald and I ate at was 1.2 miles from the Dove

I do stop where I find a parking spot and walk across the street to the beach for a couple photos. Then, on north, past the ferry docks (transport across the gulf to the Mexican Mainland) and to both Balandra Beach and Tecolote Beach, very popular and already busy on this Tuesday morning.

The Dove to the La Paz Bypass road (to access the ferry landing for cargo trucks and others without going through La Paz city) is 5.8 miles. There are some kilometer markers and ...

Km. 13 is Tesoro Beach at Mile 8.7 from the Dove.

Km. 17 (11.4 miles from the Dove) is the Ferry Landing. Today two Baja Ferry ships were in port.

Km. 24 is the paved road left to parking for Balandra Beach. This is where the famous Mushroom Rock can be walked to. The beach parking lot was filling up when I got there.

(=Km. 27) 1.8 miles north of the Balandra road is Tecolote Beach, a north facing beach across from Espíritu Santo Island.

Some photos then turn back south and drive 9.2 miles (~15 kms.) to the Bypass route that goes around the east side of La Paz, avoiding downtown. These city bypass roads are called 'Libremiente' and most have them or someday will. Kilometer markers on the Libremiente begin on the north end...

Km. 6.5 is a big power plant.
Km. 17.5 is a Pemex station
Just south of the Pemex is the highway east to San Juan de los Planes and the coast.

A new set of kilometer markers is on this highway, and Kilometer 6 is 2.5 miles from the Libremiente road, which I will say is about Km. 4 for the San Juan de los Planes road.

13.1 miles from Libremiente (~Km. 21) is a dirt road south to Los Divisaderos and San Blas and goes on to Hwy. 1. Signed as an "Eco-Tourism" road.

Km. 37 Paved road north to La Ventana and El Sargento....

TO BE CONTINUED!

PHOTOS:


Km. 11 RV Park and coffee shop


RV parking, nearly empty.


Malecon drive, La Paz


























Balandra Beach


The Mushroom Rock is just around that point on the right.


Photo from 2012.








View from highway to San Juan de los Planes. That is Punta Arena in the distance.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

 

Km. 37 on the San Juan de los Planes road is the paved road north to La Ventana and El Sargento.
Taking this road north
Km. 6+ Beach access, 0.5 mi.
Km. 7.5 (Mile 4.6) RV Park
Km. 8 Playa Central, fenced ejido beach park north side.
Km. 8.5 Hotel
Km. 10 El Sargento; Oxxo Market/Pemex Station.
Km. 11+ End of pavement, beach to right.

PHOTOS:


Westbound BCS Hwy. 286 to San Juan de los Planes.


Isla Cerralvo


La Ventana




A figate bird


El Sargento




Back south at La Ventana


Km. 8, they were closed for the summer.


Km. 6+ (+0.5 mi. in)


La Ventana in the background, El Sargento beyond, up the coast.

NEXT, to Ensenada de los Muertos and Punta Arena... stay tuned!

 

Back on the highway between La Paz and San Juan de los Planes...

Km. 37 El Sargento/ La Ventana highway junction.
Km. 39.5+ Pemex station, San Juan de los Planes
Km. 40.5 Paved road north to San Antonio on Hwy. 1 (20 kms. on sign, I measured it at 13.3 miles, as I returned to La Paz this way).
The road ahead passes through the town of San Juan de los Planes. Km. 0 in town.
Km. 3 Highway eastbound makes a 90° left (north) turn. A dirt road that continues east here is the road down to Los Barriles along the coast, called Boca del Alamo, ~30 miles.
Km. 11.5 Dirt road to left goes to Punta Arena, 3.7 miles. A beautiful sand beach with a lighthouse.
=Km. 13 (0.9 mi from Punta Arena road) End of Pavement.
=Km. 14.5 (1.8 mi from Punta Arena road) Ensenada de los Muertos, boat launch.
Just beyond is a restaurant next to the silver ore docks built in the 1920s by the Boleo company.

PHOTOS:

Ensenada de los Muertos:









Punta Arena:




Isla Cerralvo





Returning to La Paz, I take the highway north to San Antonio then Highway 1 to La Paz. It is raining a bit as I drive around El Triunfo...




In 2012, we spent more time here with Steve and Zully.





People were selling pitayas (pitahayas) along the street and I bought a bag to take back to Harald's house for us to enjoy. 50 pesos for a couple dozen, golf ball size or bigger, reds and white flesh pitayas. Perhaps one of the finest fruits on earth... at least to the natives of Baja California!

The end of Day 8 and my last evening in the La Paz area. Thank you 4x4abc for your hospitality!

Tomorrow, I head north and west to the Pacific Coast at Punta Conejo then drive south on the Baja 1000 road to La Aguja and meet Rob and BajaLinda of Playas Pacificas.

Stay Tuned for DAY 9!

 

DAY 9 Wed. Aug. 9, 2017:

I say my goodbyes to Harald and leave his little compound oasis.
Some road notes driving north from La Paz on Highway 1...

Km. 17 Junction with paved road to San Juan de la Costa and on to San Evaristo (the way I came to La Paz, a few days earlier).
Km. 21 Federal Police Checkpoint (not military). Waved through.
Km. 38+ Paved road west to Conquista Agraria, 28 kms. This is the fastest route to Playas Pacificas (La Aguja). However, I want to explore more, so I continue north.
Km. 55.5 Dirt road west to La Aguja, 14 miles. I will come out this way in 2 days.
Km. 76.5 San Agustin, large home/building on the left.
Km. 79.5 Punta Conejo road west. Dirt road, no typical government signs.

0.0 Highway 1
9.1 Fork, left for Punta Conejo and south.
9.4 Fishing camp, Punta Conejo. I was last here in 1985 and not much has changed!
9.7 Punta Conejo Lighthouse, shoreline. The sea water is so clear!

The road south is very rough on jagged rock face much of the distance south.

0.0 Punta Conejo Lighthouse
0.4 Ranch driveway
0.9 Beach access (0.1 to west)
2.3 Road to beach.
6.2 Abandoned ranch
10.0 Playas Pacificas (La Aguja) entrance gate.

The next day, Rob shows me the road south and the farm villages nearby.

Rob and BajaLinda have a commanding view of the huge beach and coast to the south. I am offered a place to relax and they treat me like royalty. MANY MANY THANKS! Linda is quite the gourmet cook, as well!

Mike Younghusband received a warm and helpful welcome when he and Don-Kay walked the length of Baja, a few years ago.

PHOTOS:


Road at Km. 38+ to Conquista Agraria and on to La Aguja.


Punta Conejo road, just off Hwy. 1 (Km. 79.5)


2017


1985 (I was hoping the new one it was close to where I took this photo)


Punta Conejo


The Pacific sea water was so clear (compared to further north). This was at the lighthouse.


This was on the sand beach where the arroyo met the ocean, just south of the lighthouse. We camped here in 1985.




made a U-turn and went back to the lighthouse to record the road mileage from there to La Aguja.


Baja... not Fiji!




You can't get the feel of a road in photos, always. The Baja 1000, since 1979 has used this road when it has run to La Paz. The first 1000s (1967-1972) used Mex. 1, and was paved from Constitucion south to La Paz.


Rob and Linda have done much work to secure this land and have water rights and electrical power from La Paz.

See their web site for more details: www.playaspacificas.com


Rob and BajaLinda's home. Satellite Internet is how they talk to us on Nomad.


The guest house, as seen from their house.


My home for the next two nights... thank you... it was great!


The beach as seen from the guest house.
Yes, I went swimming... it was great!

The next day, Rob gives me a tour of the property, and nearby towns.
Stay tuned!

 

Map for DAY 9:

 

Rob took a photo of me holding the inReach satellite device and my cell phone (with the Garmin Earthmate app), which links to the inReach for texting or emailing anywhere in the world as well as live, topo maps of my location and moving track.

 

DAY 10 (WED. AUG. 10, 2017)

Today, Rob wants to show me the project and nearby area.
After a delicious breakfast, we hop in the Tacoma and first drive up the hill above/ behind their home. Two homes are completed and occupied up there and one home is below, between the guest house I am in and Rob & Linda's.

Other lots are outlined with painted rocks and there is a concrete road that goes up the hill. Lots have widespread views.

A small boutique style hotel (single level) is planned for the point in front. It would serve as a place for prospective homeowners to stay awhile and maybe for their visiting guests, too?

The land is secure, the water is secure, and the power is secure and a paved road is not far away at Conquista going to La Paz.

PHOTOS:


Ancient beach, because the sea levels used to be higher, naturally!


Looking south to Punta Marquez.


Rob's water works ensure plenty of back-ups from their well.


Heading south to Punta Marquez


Punta Marquez Lighthouse


Looking back at this road split for westbound traffic heading to the coast.


Back at the entrance to Rancho La Aguja/ Playas Pacificas are bananas, mangos, guavas, and other exotic fruit trees that grow easily with the well water added.

End of the tour... thank you, Rob!

Now, I have amazing quiet time to work on my trip notes, tomorrow's plans, and take a walk and swim on the incredible beach out front!

The place begs you not to leave...

But, I have work to do... this is a job for me, after all! The Baja Bound Road Guide and Map still have some interesting roads to include!

 

Awesome write up so far!

 

DAY 11a (THU. AUG. 11, 2017)

BajaLinda makes sure I don't leave hungry and makes a delicious breakfast (again)... these Baja trips are brutal! Thank you, Linda!

Their guest room has a few books, and now one more in case the history of the Spanish occupation of Baja California is of interest to guests?

Their gate out on the north/south road is 1.3 miles from the homes. The short road to Hwy. 1 for northbound traffic turns south from their gate but soon bends eastward.

MILEAGE from Gate for Playas Pacificas:
0.2 & 0.4 Two roads turn south that continue down to Punta Marquez
3.6 Road comes in from the northwest.
4.0 Road south to Reforma Dos and Ejido Conquista (2.3 miles to paved road from La Paz)
4.2 Another road from Conquista
5.5 Fork, a road heads north. Continue ahead, eastward.
9.0 Junction with power line road coming from Conquista. Sign on the ground.
14.0 Highway 1, ~Km. 55.5 from La Paz.

There is widening on Hwy. 1, some kilometer markers have not been replaced.

Km. 110.5 Road west to Santa Fe.
Km. 112+ Los Pocitas, a road (a divided boulevard leaving Highway 1) to the north (northeast) goes approx. 42 miles to La Soledad and beyond to San Evaristo, etc. A gift shop here is of interest selling local crafts and antiques.
Km. 127.5 Unsigned junction with the road north to Mission San Luis Gonzaga (approx. 30 mi) or La Presa/ La Pasión region (approx. 40 mi).
Km. 157 Santa Rita. Paved road west to Puerto Chale.
Km. 173 Road west to Puerto Cancún.
Km. 195 Road east to Mission San Luis Gonzaga, 22.3 mi / 1 hour.
Km. 206 Motel and RV Park, west side of highway.
Km. 208 Enter Ciudad Constitución.
Km. 210.5 Pemex (one of many)
Km. 211.5 Hwy. 22 to Puerto San Carlos Junction.

Ok, a break from the road log...

So I pull into the Pemex, over on the left of the street. Get my tank filled (all women attendants, not bad, just rare). 15.73 pesos/liter, 50.9 liters in for the 205 miles traveled, 801 pesos. They try to sell me gas additive a couple times. I tell them that Pemex is good gas and the Toyota doesn't need the additives.

I go to start the Tacoma to leave.. and the battery is dead.
2,000 miles of crazy places I have stopped and started and the truck is smart enough to not start in a city, at a gas station, and a block from an Auto Zone store! The ladies had some kind of gizmo to jump the battery, but it doesn't work. I ask if one of them can come over and let me jump the batteries, she consents (gets a tip)... and a zip down the street to the bright Auto Zone store, on the right side of the street (northbound).

I leave my truck running and go inside... and am very impressed! I would say it looked exactly like any big Auto Zone in the U.S.

I ask one guy if they check batteries and they do. The device even printed out a reading with the word REPLACE (in Spanish)! The new battery included the install and what was nice, he plugged in something to my truck brain so none of my radio settings would be lost from removing the battery. My Barreries + store didn't even do that (5 years ago).

Fortunately, I could use my debit card for the battery as I was running out of pesos... and had to use my stash of dollars for the last couple fuel ups going home. They had the Good and the Better battery naturally. (4 year or 5 year). The cost was approx. $98 or $78, so I went with the $78 one. It was smaller than what was in there, but it is still working for me, 2 weeks and 2,000 miles later!

What a relief... but this was a stress factor indeed. Now I needed to worry if this battery will start my truck in remote places. The extra time today for this cut into my schedule and not wishing to be at the bottom of the Agua Verde grade and not be able to drive back up the same day, I opted to only drive to the view point and leave my truck running!

Constitucion to Insurgentes is a four lane wide highway and Highway 1 swings to the east at Insurgentes (Km. 0 here, too).

Km. 1 Pemex station
Km. 63.5 Paved junction for San Cosme and Puerto Agua Verde. A restaurant 'El Parguito' is at the junction.

Taking the paved road south for Agua Verde, the pavement ends at Km. 10 (6.2 mi).
Km. 17+ (10.5 mi) is the view to the sea way below. Photos and then turn around.

Back on Hwy. 1, soon begin the long grade down to the coast.
Km. 83 Villa del Palmar/ Danzante Resort (on Ensenada Blanca).
Km. 84+ Ligüí. Road to beach passes site of California's 3rd Spanish mission (1705-1721). Ruins washed away between 1973-2002 as flash floods widened the arroyo. Even a new monument/ cross erected before 2009 has since been washed away.

The beach is 0.9 mi from the highway. The mission was at 0.5 mi.

Km. 113.5 Highway becomes 4 lanes as it nears Loreto.
Km. 116+ Loreto Airport road, east.
Km. 117+ San Javier road, east.
Km. 119/Km. 0 Main Entrance to Loreto.

To Be Continued...

PHOTOS:




Jojoba Project. StuckSucks asked me to check out some weird zigzag crop patterns in the desert along the road out to Hwy. 1, he had seen on Google Earth. Rob said it was a failed jojoba growing project.




With only a few exceptions, kilometer markers on the major roads in Baja off great locating tools and allowing one to not need to keep doing math in the head using the odometer. This one is north from La Paz (62 miles away).







AGUA VERDE VIEWPOINT:










My truck parked by the viewpoint, running.


Goats on the grade down to Ligüí.




Isla Danzante as seen from Playa Ligüí.






For the Toyota fans!

TO BE CONTINUED...

 

I passed by Loreto and headed for Bahía Concepción for a nice camp for the afternoon and evening...





My go-to spot is La Perla, as nearby El Requesón is generally full of campers, all year. La Perla is quiet, farther from the highway to reduce the trucker noise (oh, you can still hear Jake brakes, but it is tolerable).

La Perla is easiest reached by going in the paved El Requeson access off the highway at Km. 92 (turns to dirt soon) and at the coast, go south. There is a back entrance to La Perla. It is at Km. 90.5+ and reached the original Transpeninsular road to La Paz, upon which you turn north. 0.4 mile for the full distance to camp from the highway.

There is one large family at the opposite end. I hope to sleep under the stars, but when the sun got low, I spotted one mosquito so the Coleman Instant tent was up, in a flash! The big family left before dark and the place was super quiet all night!

It was a restful night. I had a campfire and took one last swim in the bay. I only wish my wife could be with me here... She and I have had fun and wild camps here at La Perla. Last time (2015) a thunderstorm hit us after our tent was up and filled with our sleeping gear. The rain eventually came in sideways as the wind shifted. Waterfalls of water were pouring off the mountain top to the west... By dark, the rain and wind were gone, but our tent and bedding were soaked! We laugh at that time, indeed!

Coming up next, Day 12... photos of my camp in the morning and north to Mulegé then west to EX-MISION de GUADALUPE! A great OFF ROAD day trip... and ROUGH, but rewarding!!!

 

DAY 12 (SAT. Aug. 12, 2017)

Good Morning from Bahía Concepción!
Today, my goal was to make the trip into the mountains west of Mulegé. I had never been in there and the 1720-1795 mission of Guadalupe de Huasinapí was always an interesting story... well, to be honest, every one of the 27 missions in Baja has an interesting story!

Here is my camp location at La Perla on Saturday morning...










The beach actually faces north, looking here towards Punta Concepción which is almost across from Mulegé.


El Requesón, a sand spit that is opposite a small island.


El Coyote and a popular photo location for over 60 years.





At the south side of Mulegé, I top the gas tank off...

16.28 pesos/ liter
30.7 liters

Just beyond the entrance to Mulegé is a concrete street going west, Km. 135.5. This is the road to take for La Trinidad cave art, the rough road across to the Pacific near San Juanico, and the rough road north from it to the mission site of Guadalupe.

STAY TUNED!

 

The area on the 2010 AAA map:


The road between San José de Magdalena and Guadalupe was washed out in 2014. I checked the Guadalupe side of it when I left the mission and it is still abandoned and washed away. That was the preferred route and would have been a short cut out as I was going to Punta Chivato that evening.





Here are my GPS track maps...








Close-up at the mission site. The two camera points (Mission, Mission-2) are where I saw mission walls seen in old photos.

The square outlines are old walls that were probably terraced gardens or animal pens. The building in the cleared area may have been made to be a mission museum, as at other mission sites. It is abandoned and glass in a window was broken. The other building near the camera image 'Mission', is no longer there.

OK, the drive up...


11.1 miles from Hwy. 1, the second Trinidad junction.


Nearing the sierra... this fast looking road would soon change!




Pitaya Dulce














25.2 miles from Hwy. 1 (Mulegé). The "Ex-Misión" is 16 miles away (closer to 26 kms.).






15.5 miles north of the La Ballena junction, you have almost arrived. The road ahead here goes 0.2 miles to the washed out road junction (that had gone to San José de Magdalena) and 0.1 more to Rancho La Presa. Turning left at the Ex-Misión sign goes across the arroyo to a wide area where a gate blocks driving closer to the mission. The gate is wired closed.

PHOTOS at the mission, next...

 

I parked my truck near the gate and walked down to the arroyo to follow it to the bottom of the mission complex. I returned to my truck on the road that the gate blocks, making a full circle.

The site is heavily grown over as well as being surrounded by barbed wire. So, this is not for the casual mission seeker but more of something for the seriously motivated ones. The road in should be a good filter to screen out the less serious. Nomad friends were last here in January 2016. I was able to include one of their photos in my book that went to print in February. Other photos I had of the mission were from the 1990s and 1950.

Walking up the arroyo from the road crossing, you discover how steep the slope is to your left (west) where the mission was established. Usually, missions are on flat areas. This was a terraced mission site.

Then, I came to see this...


A most impressive retaining wall or was it a pila (reservoir)?

I climbed up at the first chance my almost 60-year-old body could find near this wall. Barbed wire strings were at the top. Once through, I soon found this welcoming stepped walkway to this nearly 300-year-old California mission.











A 1744 report made by Padre Juan Antonio Balthasar said that Guadalupe had "the finest church in California."



In November of 1744, heavy rains caused the collapse of the church's adobe walls killing 100 Indian neophytes. A new stone and adobe mission church was built about 1750. These stone foundations are what we see today.


Looking south at the clearing and building that was possibly going to be a museum for the mission site. The road from the gate below ends here. I walk back to my truck from this clearing down that road. First, a little more looking around, a bit higher up the slope...




Bingo! This is the wall seen in Ed Vernon's Las Misiones Antiguas book, from a 1999 photo. Ed believed this was the west side of the church. If that is the case, I am standing inside the mission church here.







Leaving the site...


The road from the abandoned museum building to the gate was going to be lined with some concrete columns, the forms are along the way.


Crossing the arroyo on my way out. I take this photo looking north towards the mission area. The roof of that 'museum' building can be seen. The mission ruins are just north and northwest, uphill from it.

 

The sign is here to direct you to the site. There is barbed wire around it, but no other signs. Perhaps to keep cattle or goats out? Nobody lives at the site. It is a natural 'museum' to connect with California history. Photographs preserve the location and we can see very little has changed in over 50 years of photos. If you are up for a 40-mile rough drive from Mulegé, some climbing and crawling, to see California's past, then this is the place. The great majority will get their curiosity fulfilled with these photos, most likely.

ROAD LOG:
Total / Partial Miles
0.0 0.0 Hwy. 1 Mulegé, Km. 135.5 (Ice Road) Concrete street going west.
1.1 / 1.1 End pavement
2.4 / 1.3 Construction equipment yard
2.7 / 0.3 Fork. Ahead is the original road, but rocky. Left (south) is alternate, rejoins in 3.2 miles.
5.1 / 2.4 Cattle Guard
6.0 / 0.9 Alternate road junction
8.3 / 2.3 Rancho Trinidad junction, south (small sign).
11.1 / 2.8 Rancho Trinidad junction, south (big signs).
24.6 / 13.5 Rancho El Aguajito
25.0 / 0.4 La Ballena Fork. Turn north for Guadalupe. Big signs.
25.8 / 0.8 Gate (always reclose behind you)
34.1 / 8.3 Fork. Go right. Left to ranch.
34.7 / 0.6 Gate.
36.9 / 2.2 Gate.
40.0 / 3.1 Road west.
40.1 / 0.1 Gate.
40.5 / 0.4 EX-MISION de GUADALUPE sign, turn left, cross arroyo, park near gate.

Coming next, a few photos of the drive back to Mulegé.

 

Those storms of 2014 really waged war on the roads built the past 10-20 years to access this back country.

Here is the road that used to go through to San José de Magdalena... I got past this washout but was halted a bit beyond, 1.0 mi from the Ex-Mision de Guadalupe sign...





Heading back towards the mission (on the other side of the palms) after turning around.