Mission Santa María 2022

Hello TW'ers,

After three years of no Baja trips (Covid travel restrictions, and my economic situation since retirement), I was invited to ride with a Tacoma friend and joined by another Tacoma, plus a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Jeep Rubicon, 4-door.

I took over 360 photos and have been posting most of them on my Facebook pages and on Baja Nomad forums, a bunch at a time.

Mission Santa María is the toughest Spanish mission to reach by auto. It is an adobe ruin built in 1768 by the Franciscans. This mission was founded and relocated to this place by the Jesuits in 1767. They had only constructed a chapel made of palm logs when the Spanish government expelled them from California and all of the New World. The Franciscans would replace the Jesuits after several months. Once the Franciscans went to San Diego and beyond, they agreed to allow the Dominican Order to come and take over and add to the missions in Baja California. This was in 1773. Just a year or so after, Santa María was abandoned.

In the early 1960s, and for several years, Fred Hampe of Ranch Santa Ynez, constructed a road to the mission and a short distance beyond. After 40 years of no repairs, it became a 4WD only trail. Now, 60 years later, it is a road most should avoid!!! I have been there four times before (1999, 2003, 2007, and 2010).

Here is last week's trip (and I will be adding more):

Team Mission Santa María 2022 is:

Rudy (El Comadante Loco) and Ken, in a TRD Tacoma;
Ed and Phil (XRPhlang), in a Jeep Grand Cherokee;
Debbie and Miriam (Ed's wife), in Debbie's 4-door Rubicon Jeep; and
Tom 'TW' (TMW) and David (David K), in a Tacoma


Leaving the USA, unmanned checkpoint


Giant flagpole at entrance to parking for FMM (and "something to declare" people). Use the far-right-lane and exit from main flow of traffic.


Parking is covered on the north side of the building. Walk through the building to the opposite side. INM desks are just outside. The bank teller is just inside from the INM desks for paying the 638 pesos (about $32 US).


Easily merge into the south flowing traffic after leaving the covered parking area.


The electronic gates (red light or green light). While we got a green light, as we came to an officer, TW stopped to see if he wanted more from us. He asked where we were going. "La Paz" was said. We were asked to pull into a parking spot out of traffic for a quick vehicle search and were soon on our way. [We had put down 'La Paz' as our destination on the 180 Day FMM, so that was in TW's head]

In Ensenada, we topped the gas tank ($2/gallon cheaper than San Diego) and then telephoned Phil and Rudy to see where they were at. No answer from Rudy (who came from San Felipe and used the dirt road shortcut from Valle de Trinidad). Phil (in Ed's Grand Cherokee) answered from Valle de Guadalupe. They would be stopping for groceries and to buy the Grandpa's bags of rice and beans. Rudy was bringing bedding that TW had collected in the past, and other items (as were we). We continued on south.


The nice wide new road south of Santo Tomás.


San Vicente comes into view.


Near Km. 120 is where the pavement had once ended (1950s to late 1960s). This is where my dad (in 1966) said to my mom and I, "Now, the adventure begins"!



A photos from 1965 at this spot, where happy north-bound people kiss the pavement following miles of bone-jarring washboard or worse road!


We meet up with Rudy after turning off Hwy. 1 for the Grandpa's place (one mile west of Km. 149.5, signed for Punta San Jacinto). TW on the right.


The 'locals' see what we are doing.


TW's 2004 Tacoma (with a posi-traction diff in the rear and lockers in the front). Rudy has a late 90's TRD Off Road Tacoma with a rear locking differential.


At the Grandpa's, Jesus and his tall-brother Guillermo (who speaks perfect English) explain the program and facility as Rudy listens.


This 'beehive-looking' house is where the two brothers live. It makes an easy identification for the Grandpa's home, which is in the background. This is about 1 mile from the highway, on the right, as you near the village of Ejido Mesa de San Jacinto.


Sign along the road. Jesus also wrote out the name: Grupo Vision y Cambios VIVIENDO PARA SERVIR, SAN Jacinto


Note the English message.


I found the raised gardens interesting!


This is Phil, Ed, and Juan (who is the pastor in charge here). They are distracted by a dog.


New sign and other changes at the Baja Cactus Pemex in El Rosario.


Looking next door at the new Baja Cactus Restaurant/ Coffee shop/ Spa/ Event hall (under construction... on hold since Covid) located in front of the motel. Parked in front is some of the emergency rescue and fire department 'Halcones del Desierto' that our very own Nomad, 'BajaCactus' (Antonio) has brought to El Rosario, with trained EMTs. Please use Antonio's businesses or donate to help him help any of us in need.


It is a little rough getting to the office as you squeeze between the new building and the old rooms (which will be removed, eventually). You can also access your rooms from the wider side at the other end of the parking lot.


Big parking lot for Baja Cactus. Jim McCoy lands his helicopter here during Cameron's tours!



Next door to Baja Cactus where we enjoy excellent dinner and breakfast the next morning. Things have changed and prices were reasonable... Had great crab-stuffed chili rellenos for dinner and pancakes for breakfast.

TOMORROW... MISSION SANTA MARIA!

 

A few more from Day 1, Baja Cactus:


Our four vehicles getting fueled up in El Rosario.


Halcones del Desierto or Desert Hawks (established by a Baja Nomad, Antonio Muñoz 'BajaCactus').


All motel beds are kings in the new rooms.


Huge showers. The pressure booster was not on, so the water came out slower than typical.


The model of the future fire station, to be built on the lot across from the Pemex station. Just need more funds! I donated a few of my books that they sell in the motel lobby along with other items to raise money. See their Facebook page for a PayPal link to donate (very top of page).

 

DAY 2 (part 1: El Rosario to the Peninsular Divide, 4.3 miles from the mission)


Mex. 1


TW's Tacoma at Santa Ynez


Santa Ynez campground




Rancho Santa Ynez (Inez, Inés)


Debbie's Jeep


The four rigs and TW is next to his.

OK, so we knew that the newer route stayed in the arroyo and avoided 4 rough miles, including the big gully (2 miles from the ranch). Inadvertently, we drove into the corral area above the wash and then drove back to the old route, up on the mesa. We should have turned right, in the wash, as soon as we left the corral area. On the return we did the wash route!


































All the spotting work is driving Phil to drink!






















The peninsular divide is about 10 miles from Santa Ynez and 4.3 miles from the mission.


That is Punta Final (south end of 'Gonzaga Bay')

 

DAY 2 (part 2: Peninsular Divide down to the Widowmaker)


Big boulder next to the road, down from the divide.


View back up towards the divide.


TW's tire rips its sidewall, and young Phil helps us get the spare put on. TW's rear shock mount also had snapped off earlier... It was previously re-welded. Perhaps there is an issue with the shock travel length? The Jeep Rubicon also lost a shock mount nut and was loose, causing a rattle.




See that trail to the north of the road? It is the Antelope Spring Trail that we also call the 'Cargo Trail' which Junípero Serra ordered to be built as a supply line for the future missions of San Fernando to San Diego. It begins at the warehouse on Gonzaga Bay and meets El Camino Real near the bottom of the divide grade. The new Baja Atlas from Benchmark shows it as well as the rest of the mission road from Loreto to El Rosario.












Phil spots the Cherokee, driven by Ed.


TW, pilot of the '04 Tacoma.


Ken spots the Tacoma driven by Rudy.









Here are three shots from inside TW's Tacoma as we come down the Widowmaker, a cliff-like rocky grade. I named it in 1999 after Baja Mur and I were tossed onto the rocks, leaving our blood upon them. I was on a quad and Mur was on a motorcycle. It inspired me to make my very first web page: https://vivabaja.com/missionsm/










Selfie at the bottom of the Widowmaker.


Selfie looking up the Widowmaker.


Debbie's Rubicon begins to come down the Widowmaker.


Phil spots the Cherokee as it begins to come down the Widowmaker.






Ken spots Rudy at the top of the Widowmaker.


Rudy reaches the bottom of the Widowmaker.

 

Through the Bog, to the mission, and our camp, nearby.

The first good news, unlike my last time here (with water up to 2 feet deep), the bog was now dry!

When we finally reached the mission, 6 hours and 14.3 miles since leaving Santa Ynez, the sun had just gone behind the mountain. I took a bunch of photos at the mission while the others trickled in. The next morning I would take photos of it in the morning sun.

We set up camp down in the palm oasis, just a few hundred feet from the mission, where others have, before. A great Cajun dinner was prepared by Phil (Owner and chef at Bon Temps Creole Café, in San Luis Obispo). Around the campfire, Rudy told us the Bunda story. [I may get in trouble, since they say "what happens at Mission Santa María, stays at Mission Santa María"!]

 

To show you the area around the mission:



Day 3 is next!

 

As I mentioned, earlier, we missed using the newer, arroyo route to the mission and ended back on the original, washed out, deep gully road.

Where the arroyo route returns to the original Fred Hampe road was easy to spot. On the return, we did not hesitate to use the newer route and it was much better! The GPS where the new and old meet, about 4.3 miles from Santa Ynez/ 5.6 miles from the divide/ 10 miles from the mission/ or about here: 29°46.295', -114°39.648'. The newer, arroyo route is a little bit longer drive to the mission but is well worth it to avoid the big gully and rest of the 4+ mile rocky road.

Three zoom levels to show the original and new arroyo routes:


A short section in the arroyo, the tracker was off, on accident.

 

DAY 3, Part 1 Mission in the morning + canyon oasis view just east

Camp in the morning (the night was very cold), before sunrise.

I walk to the mission to get photos as the sun first lights it.

We drive to the east to have a look down at the arroyo palms where we camped with Roy, 'the squarecircle' and Blanche, back in 2007: www.vivabaja.com/msm when the bighorn came to visit us.

The steep drop off was tough to climb back up, but we managed.

Some group photos at the view and at the mission.

In the next installment, we attempt to leave... climbing up, up, up to the peninsular divide, just over 4 miles away.

Photos:




















































































L to R: Ed, Phil, Debbie, Rudy, and Ken

 

Leaving the Mission and the long climb up the mountain!


Steep dips near the mission


The bog ahead


The bog was dry!












The bottom of the Widowmaker



















































The Peninsular Divide:


























A short break here then on to Santa Ynez, 10 miles away. This time, we will use the new arroyo route for a much smoother drive the final 4-5 miles.



Stand by for more!

 

Peninsular Divide to Cataviña to (Nuevo) Coco's Corner




2022
Here now, is the same spot on two previous trips:


2010


2007


The fork to the new arroyo route.


View towards the mission from the fork.


Miriam tells us a funny joke from Guayaquil, in her Ecuadorian accent.


Ken, Phil, Rudy


On the arroyo route.












Nearing Rancho Santa Ynez/Inez/Inés


Huge caravan of BIG motorhomes is pulling into the Santa Ynez camping area.




The Santa Ynez driveway was once fully paved.


Cracks me up on the spelling choices. The ranch owner, years ago, preferred 'Ynez'. The correct Spanish spelling on the name is 'Inés'. This seems to be a compromise?


Km. 180, as we climb from the arroyo to Cataviña



New Pemex is still not open.


Independent dealers, like this, are all over Baja where there are no service stations. Sometimes you need to ask where to find gas in small towns, if you need some. Punta Prieta, Santa Rosalillita, and San Miguel Comondú are such places I have bought gas from jerry cans.


Tom buys 5 gallons for 550 pesos, as I recall, and that is still cheaper than gas is in California!




Next to the gasoline sales is a tire shop and air compressor. Tom has air added and I tip the guy $2 plus we buy 2 more gallons of gas + another dollar tip


Hwy. junction at Laguna Chapala.








Km. 201 is about 1/2 km. from Hwy. 1 junction. This is 3 kms. over what it should read. The latest section of paving began after Km. 167 by naming the next kilometer, 171 instead of the true 168!
Another note is that Km. 0 is 10 kms. south of San Felipe center (traffic circle). So, San Felipe traffic circle to Hwy. 1 is actually 208.5 kms.
See how weird I am with details!!!




The older road going to the original Coco's Corner, is near Km. 190.










Km. 180 and we see the New Coco's Corner, just past the remains of Las Arrastras, in the arroyo to the right of the bridge.












Coco welcomes u from his electric wheelchair.


Coco and Tom (TRW on Baja Nomad)













In the next post, Gonzaga Bay, the Enchanted Islands, and Rudy's beach home...

 

Coco's Corner (Km. 179.5) to Gonzaga Bay/ Rancho Grande (Km. 147+)


This is the newest section of Highway 5 (Km. 167 to Km. 201.5) opened up in February 2020. The paving had ended at Km. 167 or nearby from 2014 to 2020 as crews blasted through the mountain to Laguna Chapala and had some down time for a year+.










This is the bridge over Arroyo Santa María, coming down from the mission valley. A view parking area with a monument is on the north side of the bridge.


The Gonzaga Bay region comes into view.


Isla San Luis Gonzaga (some call it Isla Willard) separates the smaller Bahía San Luis Gonzaga (some call Willard Bay) from the larger Ensenada de San Francisquito (most call Gonzaga Bay).


The gas station was a Pemex, but all that signage has been painted over and the attendant says it will be an ARCO station. Km. 147.


The price of gas is a bit higher than other places.


Exchange rates are higher in this remote area, 220+ miles from the border.


The entrance for Alfonsina's compound, next to the gas station. Looks like a prison camp tower???


Runway 08, and across are the mobile rooms of Rancho Grande.


Runway




Prices for rooms, camping, etc.


Rancho Grande Market's mascot

 

Coming up next, the final installment(s): The Enchanted Islands, Rudy's place, San Felipe to the border.
Need a a Baja fix or help planning a trip? www.VivaBaja.com is my site, full of data, photos, and history.

 

Abandoned Gonzaga Military Checkpoint.

Some photos for those who say the view northbound on Hwy. 5 sucks...








Okie Landing and Isla Lobos (Sea Lion Island).


Isla el Muerto (Dead Man Island)


Isla el Huerfanito (Little Orphan Island)






























Puertecitos



















Cow Patty's





Rudy's beach view, low tide...






Rudy's house

March 31, Thursday's drive: San Felipe to the border is next...

 

Thursday: San Felipe to Tecate, the final part of this trip report!












Tom 'TW' (seated) chats with Georgia and Ron, who live near Rudy's place. Georgia runs the South Campos Amigos Facebook page.


Ed (Jeep Grand Cherokee) and wife, Miriam.


People watching the San Felipe 250 race time trials for Tropy Truck starting positions. Clouds of dust and a helicopter above can be seen as we drive north.




San Felipe Bay

I photograph the six gas stations showing there are no long lines or outages as had been reported just days before. I also photographed a Score truck, the kilometer marker (190 kms. from Mexicali), and the Hotel Sky Blu:























Sights from Hwy. 2-D (Mexicali to Tecate):


















Tecate Border line (2:40-3:08 or 28 min.) on Thursday.

That's our 2022 Mission Santa María trip. I hope you enjoyed the views from my camera! Yes, I know it is too many photos... LOL
I will make a web page with only the best photos for this trip and see it it not so much!

What more can I do to answer your questions? Let me assist you with planning a Baja adventure!
Do enjoy my Facebook pages and websites: https://vivabaja.com/
https://oldmissions.com/

I recently had to do another printing of my book, Baja California Land of Missions, and there are plenty of them for your Baja-loving friends to enjoy.
I also donated several copies to the Baja Cactus/ Halcones del Desierto (Desert Hawks) Fire and Rescue Service. Buy my book at the motel lobby and 100% of sales goes to help a great service and maybe get a fire station built in El Rosario.

 

A few more photos, from Debbie's camera:


Sign at road to the Grandpa's (Km. 149.5, just north of Camalu)


The Baja Cactus Motel lobby


Baja Cactus Motel


Mama Espinoza restaurant. We sit in the side room, see me on the far right, at our table.


Mama Espinoza's menu, first page.


Rancho Santa Ynez, 1 km.


Our camp near the mission.


Another Rudy story, as TW and I listen, in his home.


Sunrise, March 31, 2022.


Ron (Rudy's neighbor) puts the right nut on the Jeep shock mount. A Toyota lug nut was used on the trail.


Ron and Debbie

 

I have made a couple of edits and added two older photos taken at the same place to compare.

 

The web page for this trip is ready for viewing... enjoy! https://vivabaja.com/msm2022/

 

Amazing. One of the best trip reports ever written.

 

Wow, that is such a kind compliment, thanks!

 

Interesting. I drove past that station when driving home from San Jose del Cabo after the 2017 Mexican 1000 and it was a Pemex, but also painted with Union 76 colors/logo. Go figure.