Emerson 2014 ECR
Emerson Rodriguez of Mexicali, with his amigos, hiked the Camino Real mission trail west from Punta Final, Bahía San Luis Gonzaga. They hoped to reach Mission Santa María in one day. Unfortunately, they ran out of daylight. The same thing happened when my son and I attempted, in 2003: https://vivabaja.com/p1103/ Thank you Emerson! Emerson’s Facebook […]
Roamlndr Creative 2WD Van Episodes
Alex and Megan of Canada have produced some outstanding YouTube videos of their 2024 Baja California travels in a 2WD van/motorhome. Alex has not let the absence of 4WD prevent them from going places that most would think impossible without ‘double-traction’. This webpage is my creation to help the VivaBaja reader find these Baja California […]
The Atondo-Kino 1684 Route
Plotting the Atondo-Kino 1684 Expedition (San Bruno to the Pacific) on Satellite imagery, using Admiral Atondo’s diary published by Dawson Book Shop in 1969 as First from the Gulf to the Pacific (#16 of the Baja California Travels Series of 51 volumes), translated by W. Michael Mathes. The 1960 Ronald L. Ives drawn route map: […]
World War 2 in Baja California
Interest in this period of history comes from our exploring the Pole Line Road, northwest of San Felipe. Read more in this article: HERE Here are some details off the Internet, with links to read more: 1) From History of San Diego by Richard Pourade While United States Cavalry patrolled the border and guarded nearby […]
Baja Travel Adventures
121 Baja Bound Travel Adventure Stories, by David Kier LOOK: Interactive map of most story locations Personal stories (14): Catching the Baja Bug (1960s) A Passion for Baja Maps (1967-Today) The Books That Brought Us to Baja, Part 1 The Books That Brought Us to Baja, Part 2 Spring Break 1974 Returning to Mission Santa […]
Matomí Canyon (1979-2017)
The Matomí Canyon Waterfalls was a point of interest first told to my family by Arnold Limón of San Felipe around 1967. Arnold was the owner of Arnold’s Del Mar Café, where we would stop for a meal on our way to or from points south. He described an exotic waterfall that filled a giant […]
Bahía Concepción in photos (1976-2019)
These are photographs from my many trip web pages showing Bahía Concepción locations. If I find any more, especially from my trips here of 1966, 1973 and 1974, they will be added. 1976 1985 2001 2007 2009 Playa Buenaventura (Km. 93+) Playa La Perla (Km. 91 & 92 access roads) 2012 Playa La Perla […]
San Javier in photos (1926-2017)
Full name: San Francisco Javier de Biaundo Founding date: November 1, 1699 (relocated 5 miles south circa 1710-1720) Mission #2 Catholic Order: Jesuit Founded by: Padre Francisco Píccolo Condition: Stone church constructed from 1744 to 1758. Closing date: Closed in 1817. GPS: 25.860727, -111.543585 Access: Mex. #1 Km. 117 (Loreto) east & south 21 miles (paved). Read more: CLICK HERE [All photos below that […]
The Gold of Northern Baja, prospecting on YouTube
Author and host of several YouTube tutorials on finding bits of gold in the mountains and desert of Baja California. Jens talks about his camping spots and describes plants and geology as he shows us how to find (and pan for) the gold. Come along with this humorous prospector and maybe bring a shovel and […]
California and Baja California, a tutorial
This peninsula was the first place called ‘California’ and thus the body of water on its east coast is the Gulf of California/ Golfo de California (but also known as the Sea of Cortez/ Mar de Cortés). When the Spanish missions expanded north of the peninsula (in 1769+), this northern region was called Nueva (New) […]
Las Pintas 2000-2016 (fossil and petroglyph grotto)
July 24, 2000: The Road to Las Pintas Las Pintas July 1, 2001 Sept. 17, 2005 On Sept. 17, 2005, Elizabeth (my girlfriend of nine months) and I traveled from El Rosario’s Baja Cactus Motel to the Las Pintas petroglyph and fossil grotto. Travel directions follow the photos. DIRECTIONS (in 2005) Highway 1, southward from […]
La Lobera (2005-2025)
May 2005 October 2005 April 2006 Just 3 miles west of Hwy. 1 (between Km. 47 and 48) is the dramatic coast and future sea food restaurant! July 2006 November 2006 July 4, 2011 It is 6 miles north (of El Rosario) on Hwy. 1 to the La Lobera road, between Km. 47 and 48. […]
Edits to 2023/2024 Benchmark Atlas
After a quick glance and a look at my email exchanges, here is what I could see that is new for 2023 over 2021. Note: there may be others and feel free to let me know what you discover. San Felipe Municipality added on multiple pages. Page 29: Puerto Nuevo [lobster village] (added) Page 35: […]
2023 Baja Expo
17 year ago… Greg had big news to share! Sitting next to me was Jens Tobias, author of a new book that is full of amazing details for the Baja explorer that lives in many of us. Order you own copy: https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Northern-Baja-History-Travel/dp/B0CFZ8BHYH/
Guadalupe Canyon (2001-2008)
Where is Guadalupe Canyon? Fifteen miles west of Mexicali, or fifty-seven miles east of Tecate, and then 35 miles south: GPS DIRECTIONS TO GUADALUPE CANYON (WGS84) Km. 28 is the Graded Road at Mexico #2: 32°34.33′, -115°47.40′ Km. 24 is the Dry Lake Road at Mexico #2: 32°34.57′, -115°44.67′ Junction of Graded and Dry Lake […]