This view never gets old!
I get gasoline when I reach town, go to the museum to let Carolina (who operates the wonderful museum here) know I made it. She asked me a few days ago if I would drive in to give a PowerPoint lecture about the missions and my book, that afternoon, and deliver her more books to sell. I get a room at Villa Bahía hotel, and visit with Mary Ann Humfreville*.
*A heartbreaking event almost four years after my visit: Mary Ann was kidnapped in the middle of the night from her seaside home. She has never been found. I have been friends with her and her late husband, Mike, since we met in 2000.
The room at the museum filled up (I was surprised at how many), I gave my show with the slides and answered questions. I think Carolina sold all the books after the show?
Afterward many of us, including Mary Ann, 24baja, and bkbend, went to Alejandrina’s restaurant for dinner… It was great! Dinner, with beers, was only 150 pesos (=US$7.50).
I had wi-fi at the Villa Bahía to keep me on Baja Nomad or reading emails while the generator was running, and dogs barking outside my window. I want to thank Roger for his hospitality. The rooms are nice, with a view and a kitchen. Eventually, the generator was stopped and it got quiet. Slept well.
End of Day 9… 1 more to go! On Day 10, I visit an abandoned gold mine! Stay Tuned…
Like the Baja Extreme of Sept. 2016 (see https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-baja-extreme-2016.452058/ ), if any of you want to get together and have me lead you, to see these great places, please know that my financial needs are the same with 1 person or a dozen people. So, that can make having me as your guide to Baja, relatively inexpensive by getting more people to split the cost. Just pick any days, any destinations, camping, motel’ing, or both. I will design a trip based on your interests and vacation days. My next Baja expedition is in a couple weeks. I hope to travel all the interesting roads and see the coolest beaches, canyons, and other sites in 2017 to provide my friends with the latest travel details. www.vivabaja.com
DAY 10: Wednesday Feb. 8, 2017: L.A. Bay to Home + GOLD MINE
I got an even earlier start for the 475 mile drive home, 7:20 am.
The kilometer markers on the L.A. Bay highway, at various points, are noted in my log book.
Km. 66 Sailboat monument/ traffic circle/ La Gringa road, L.A. Bay.
Km. 65 Pemex gas station
Km. 45 San Borja Road
Km. 38.5 Road north to Bahía Guadalupe and Los Candeleros
Km. 29 (approx. location) El Camino Real crossing.
Km. 18 Road north to Luz de Mexico gold mine (2.9 to 3.5 mi.)
Km. 15.5 Road north through fence meets original L.A. Bay road, in Arroyo Yubay.
Km. 11.5+ Road north to El Desengaño gold mine and Tinaja de Yubay access.
Km. 0 Hwy. 1, (former) Parador Punta Prieta.
Baja Nomad member ‘Mothership’ but known to us as ‘Mando’ suggested I would enjoy seeing Luz de Mexico. It is deserted, wide-open, and you might even find some “color” if you poke around.
The road (Km. 18) has white posts on each side with private property written on it. Most of Baja is private property. If they don’t want visitors, they have a locked gate or a keep out/ do not enter sign.
Nobody was there, just these guardians along the road near the mine:
There are several shafts, following the gold vein, along a kilometer going west from the first mine shaft. The photos here are all looking down… not sideways. BE CAREFUL… don’t bring dogs! I could NOT see the bottom of most of these mines!!!
That was awesome!!!
There is a photo in Walt Petersen’s Baja Adventure book taken here.
It is 30 miles on Highway One to the Highway Five junction, at Laguna Chapala.
A few miles before Chapala is a viewpoint looking back south to where I just was, on the Baja Highway!
Life is a Highway… for me, the Baja Highway is the best, to get us to those interesting places sooner than it took our fathers and grandfathers who had to drive hundreds of miles on dirt roads before 1973 when Highway One was completed.
I got to Chapala at 10:15 am and the 23 dirt miles north towards Gonzaga was easy.
Coco’s Corner at 10:44 am.
On the pavement at 11:09 am.
Gonzaga Bay Pemex at 11:22 am.
At the viewpoint parking by La Costilla (Km. 84) I met Lenin Sartillo who rode his bike north from La Paz and was headed for Mexicali. We chatted, and when missions came up, he said he was looking at a book on missions, several days ago. I showed him one of my books, and he said THAT is the book! He was at Pancho’s (Bahía San Rafael) and Pancho showed him my book there. Small world… I gave him an autographed copy and wished him well on his trip back home to Mexico City. He has a Facebook page and he made it home.
San Felipe was reached at 1:47 pm.
I took the toll road to Tecate from south of Mexicali. The three tolls were 73 pesos, 23 pesos, and 67 pesos.
At the Tecate Border at 5:15 pm. NO LINE. Drove right up to the inspector’s booth. Asked me a few typical questions and what was in my ice chest. That was it, ten awesome days in Baja, 1,946 miles, and 0 problems but endless Baja magic and fun!
You should go!
VIVA BAJA
Before you leave home, visit Baja Bound online:
