TalkBaja.com » TalkBaja - Getting Started on the Forum... » Introduce Yourself to the Forum

Hi everyone......happen to come across this forum, and have spent the past couple hours looking it over. I think it all started with finding PEMEX stations from Ensenada to Cabo. I came upon the thread of Bajagringo, and the building of his dream home...VERY AWESOME!!
I am planning a motorcycle trip to Cabo from Arizona this August.
Tips on places to visit, not to visit, where to camp, stretches between fuel stops would all be greatly appreciated.
I will probably be looking at places to live as well. Suggestions are always welcome.

Alan

Hi Alan,



and thanks for joining!

Hey Alan. Welcome to the board. BajaGringo's off-grid spread is indeed amazing. On you trip there are historical, geographical and sports related options all the way down the peninsula. Ask away about the things that interest you and dig through the archives.

hola many people stop in san quintin

Welcome to the forum Alan. We have lots of bikers visit us here on the pacside...moto tourism is a growing trend but usually riders do the trip down the peninsula in the spring when it is not to dang hot in baja. But if august is your only time to do it you will want to stop to rest on the pacific side where it is much cooler. Are you on the AVrider forum? There are lots of bike trip reports to peruse there for suggestions of places to go.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5202368&type=1

Stop in and see us...our village Bahia Asuncion has a super fun Traditional Fiestas from Aug. 14-17th you might enjoy! events like rodeo, horse races, car and motorcycle races, beach sports, live music all day and night, dances, a midway, food booths etc.

have a great trip and it would be great to hear a trip report!

Originally Posted by timeflyer8

Hi everyone......happen to come across this forum, and have spent the past couple hours looking it over. I think it all started with finding PEMEX stations from Ensenada to Cabo. I came upon the thread of Bajagringo, and the building of his dream home...VERY AWESOME!!
I am planning a motorcycle trip to Cabo from Arizona this August.
Tips on places to visit, not to visit, where to camp, stretches between fuel stops would all be greatly appreciated.
I will probably be looking at places to live as well. Suggestions are always welcome.

Alan

Where are you entering Mexico from? I have some real good info and suggestions for eating and scenic routes all the way to Ensenada. OH yeah WELCOME

The final Pemex before the 'long dry stretch' is in El Rosario (the end of the phone and power lines, too). It is 225 miles south of the border (Hwy. 1) and 30 miles south of San Quintin. The one Pemex is at the northern entrance to town and it is 100% honest pumps and operated by an amigo of all Baja travelers, Antonio Muñoz. Antonio also runs the great motel next door 'Baja Cactus' with both modern new rooms and a few of the original rooms.

After El Rosario, gasoline is sold by 'independent vendors' out of cans from the back of their trucks... this is at Cataviña (76 miles from El Rosario) and at the Bahia de los Angeles highway junction, 60 more miles down the highway. There are 2 Pemex stations in Bahia de los Angeles (40 miles from Hwy. 1). The first Pemex on Hwy. 1 south of El Rosario is at Villa Jesus Maria, about 200 miles from El Rosario. The rest of the drive south is not as barren, with Pemex stations in many towns and not over 100 miles apart (I don't think)!

Is your M/C a dual sport or strictly highway machine?

Places to visit on or near pavement:

Cataviña painted cave, 2 miles north of town and just east of highway before the arroyo crossing, on top of boulder hill (short climb).


At the front of the painted cave hill...

In the painted cave...


The is safe camping a mile past Cataviña, and 3/4 mile on the paved Rancho Santa Ynez side road, big area to camp, dorm rooms, showers, toilets, food. It was a checkpoint during the Baja 1000 off road races when the course goes this way....beginning in 1967. Americans lease lots and build homes hidden in the boulders around the area. Paved runway for pilots, too.

Bahia de los Angeles and coast north of town to La Gringa. China's (say "chee-nah") taco stand, next to the 'Lizbeth' market and Internet store has great fish tacos! On your right past Pemex and before Las Hamacas. Alejandrina's (on the left) is good sit down food.



Bahia Asuncion (meet Shari and Juan aka 'blowhole').







San Ignacio (do drive into town on the paved side road, off the highway, 2 miles).





Mulege (same deal as San Ignacio)... drive to end at beach, hope El Patron bar and restaurant is open there!





Bahia Concepcion... Playa Buenaventura cantina (next to the run down hotel owned by someone else), cheeseburger in paradise! The next beach south is El Requeson and then La Perla... Great places to camp and no highway noise.







Loreto, big town now, but you may be ready for a nice motel... Stop at the fruit cafe, about a mile north of the town entrance on the west side of the highway (look for tropical vegetation) and have the 'fruit salad'... to die for!





Mision San Javier, the finest example of original Jesuit mission construction, and is the second oldest California mission... road is nearly all paved up from Loreto:







Playa Ligui, almost 30 miles south of Loreto will be your last chance to camp on the beach, near the highway for a LONG ways... La Paz to Cabo has many places... I am sure you will get more advice!





Want to see what these places look like? Go to my July 2012 Trip Report posted on this web site and see older trip photos and more on my web site: David K's BAJA Adventures I also have an index to photos based on location, here: http://vivabaja.com/tours

Oh and we like the heat... so July is a great month for Baja. August/Sept. however will be getting very steamy humid and a chance of hurricanes and flash floods! Highway will get washed out, but will be back up in a couple days after the flood passes.

If you just need to get away from people for awhile, there's a beach in Baja just for that sort of thing!:

Hola..

Thank you all for the responses!!

David K...great info and AWESOME pictures! I will be riding a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide. Touring bike, but I have been known to take it off pavement and ride on hard pack dirt, gravel.

Blowhole..I will check out the AVRider forum...is that a forum on this site, or a different site?

Amigo Arizona..I will enter at Tecate, and ride MX 3 to Ensenada.

Will I need to get a tourist visa in Tecate?

Also, a friend said that they just liability insurance on there drivers license. Will I still need insurance on my bike?

I have heard that the weather is hot...hot by what standards? I live in Apache Junction, Arizona...gets mighty hot here, just little or no humidity.

Alan

August is HOT and HUMID... hurricane season... as you go south, you enter the tropics. The tip of Baja and Hawaii are at the same latitude. Talk with BajaBound.com for your insurance questions (link on top of page). Yes, you must get a tourist card (FMM) at the border (INM office)... Tecate is fine, but do cross during normal business hours to be sure the person you need to get the form and pay the fee is on duty.

Hard to compare the Baja summer heat with the one in Arizona.
Arizona heat maybe 10 degrees hotter, but it's the humidity that makes the difference.
Often in the 60's and 70's on Baja's gulf coast. Mighty uncomfortable with most motorcycle attire. Unless you travel nekkid, something to consider.

Gorgeous bike BTW

Originally Posted by David K

August is HOT and HUMID... hurricane season... as you go south, you enter the tropics. The tip of Baja and Hawaii are at the same latitude. Talk with BajaBound.com for your insurance questions (link on top of page). Yes, you must get a tourist card (FMM) at the border (INM office)... Tecate is fine, but do cross during normal business hours to be sure the person you need to get the form and pay the fee is on duty.

The tourist card, I have been in touch with another rider that has ridden the Baja several dozen times, and says he never bothers with the tourists card, as they never ask him for it. What happens if they ask you for it and you don't have it?
I understand they are only like $23.00?
Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by edinnopolo

Hard to compare the Baja summer heat with the one in Arizona.
Arizona heat maybe 10 degrees hotter, but it's the humidity that makes the difference.
Often in the 60's and 70's on Baja's gulf coast. Mighty uncomfortable with most motorcycle attire. Unless you travel nekkid, something to consider.

Gorgeous bike BTW

Hi,
I have heard that the humidity can be pretty brutal on the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja. And yes, it is a good thing that we don't have high humidity in Arizona, along with high heat....people would be dropping like flies! I am originally from Illinois, so have dealt with humidity as well. 108 all week in the Phoenix area this week.
I have a mesh riding jacket which lets the air through, and keeps the sun off. I am thinking riding nekked might get me sunburned in places I don't want to be sunburned! :)
I will have plenty of water with me as well. And I am in no hurry...get hot, take a break.
Thank you for the info.

Originally Posted by Amigo Arizona

Where are you entering Mexico from? I have some real good info and suggestions for eating and scenic routes all the way to Ensenada. OH yeah WELCOME

I will be crossing at Tecate, riding to Ensenada on MX3 and spending the first night, unless I am feeling like riding on down to San Quintin.

Originally Posted by timeflyer8

The tourist card, I have been in touch with another rider that has ridden the Baja several dozen times, and says he never bothers with the tourists card, as they never ask him for it. What happens if they ask you for it and you don't have it?
I understand they are only like $23.00?
Thanks for the info!

Without one, you are an illegal alien! I was never asked for mine last year on the trip to Cabo and back. What is the phrase, better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it?

Welcome aboard...

Originally Posted by blowhole

Welcome to the forum Alan. We have lots of bikers visit us here on the pacside...moto tourism is a growing trend but usually riders do the trip down the peninsula in the spring when it is not to dang hot in baja. But if august is your only time to do it you will want to stop to rest on the pacific side where it is much cooler. Are you on the AVrider forum? There are lots of bike trip reports to peruse there for suggestions of places to go.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5202368&type=1

Stop in and see us...our village Bahia Asuncion has a super fun Traditional Fiestas from Aug. 14-17th you might enjoy! events like rodeo, horse races, car and motorcycle races, beach sports, live music all day and night, dances, a midway, food booths etc.

have a great trip and it would be great to hear a trip report!

Hi...the AVRider forum that you mentioned, where do I find it at?
I am going to try and make the Traditional Fiestas on my way back up the Baja. Will camping, or maybe finding a room be difficult do to the Fiesta?
Thank you!
Alan

Originally Posted by BajaGringo

Welcome aboard...

Thanks BajaGringo. :)

Originally Posted by timeflyer8

Hi...the AVRider forum that you mentioned, where do I find it at?
I am going to try and make the Traditional Fiestas on my way back up the Baja. Will camping, or maybe finding a room be difficult do to the Fiesta?
Thank you!
Alan

Shari will make everything good for you (and all guests) at Bahia Asuncion. In Baja, everything turns out good.