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Baja 709

Elizabeth and I spent 8 days in Baja on our first anniversary traveling to new and old Baja places from July 18 to July 25, 2009.

The new places included Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast, Playa Frambes Lighthouse Resort, and south of Bahia Concepcion which was all new to Elizabeth.

Since we enjoy the historic sites of Baja California, we went to mission-era sites at Londo, Ligui, Loreto, San Javier, Magdalena, San Borja and Santo Tomas.

Being our anniversary and summer vacation we wanted more relaxation time and only camped out one night. The resorts and motels we stayed at were all very nice and some just plain awesome. The furthest south we went was Ensenada Blanca, near Ligui on Highway One.

The 8-day trip logged 1,839 miles on my Toyota Tacoma, 102 gallons of gasoline (18 MPG) with zero problems, flats, or issues. Pemex was available everywhere and the only questionable purchase was at Santa Rosalia where the pump ‘seemed’ to be off by 10%. There are now four stations in Santa Rosalia and the ‘bad’ ones (2) are on the right (east side) and the good one is on the left near the harbor. Well, there is a new station on the left, just north of the ‘good one’, and I thought it was at the good one! On the way north, we stopped at the correct station. In Loreto, Phil C gave us directions to the one ‘good’ station in town (north-east part of town).

Highway One was in good condition with only some rough pavement sections, but no potholes. We had dirt detours where the highway is being widened to four lanes just south of Maneadero for 2.5 miles, and through the town of Vizcaino. There was a long paved detour along a section of new bridges between Santa Rosalia and Mulege (over Arroyo Boca de Magdalena). The new, wider Highway One sections are 5 miles north of El Rosario and the 2 miles through town… with NO MORE TOPES (speed bumps). New wide road begins again 19 miles later for 12 miles (Km 92 to 112). The next wide section was for a short distance along Bahia Concepcion.

DAY 1 (Saturday July 18, 2009)

We left our home (San Diego County) at 9 am and traveled first to the Costco in Chula Vista (I-5 to Palomar exit, east to Broadway, north to Costco). Inside is a peso exchange with the day’s rate at 13.24 pesos per dollar. We used both pesos and dollars depending on the location and later, just dollars when we ran out of pesos.

The border INM office (immigration) was our next stop for Tourist Cards (FM-T visas) and they were US $22 each. We requested and filled in the number of days for the maximum (180) for this and future trips in the next 6 months. The INM office is on the far right and the bank payment window a few offices to the left. It is well signed. The only issue today was leaving the parking area. Instead of driving up to the button to get the red or green light, we had to wait in line with others to get an inspection first and then still had to press the button after. In the past, we only had to state that we were not there to declare anything, unlike the others. We may have been delayed close to an hour for that mess, but once we were done it was clear sailing south! That was 11:30 am when we were on the road again.

The first two tolls were 26 pesos each and the third was 29 pesos. We stopped in Ensenada for 4 tacos and 2 beers (100 pesos) at the places near the harbor. We got to Maneadero (10 miles from Ensenada) at 1:53 pm and kept on going to the San Quintin area for dinner at JARDINES BAJA, 1.3 miles west of Highway One, near Km. 2. Arrived at 4:30 pm and left at 5:30 Best San Quintin Hotel is Hotel Jardines Baja.

This was our one-year anniversary date and the Jardines was a fine place for a nice dinner. Elizabeth and I both had the steak and lobster dinner … with 4 beers US $57 (this was our most expensive meal). The Jardines is a beautiful, new restaurant and is the third time we have had dinner there, but this was the first time at the new building.

The El Rosario/ Baja Cactus Pemex was our first fuel stop in Mexico and we took on 50 liters for 370 pesos (13.2 gallons for US $27.95 or US $2.12/gal). That was with the pesos we bought at Costco at 13.24:dollar. A week later we used dollars and the station gave a rate of 12.70:dollar or US $2.21/gal (other stations this week gave only 12.00:dollar).

We had a room reserved at Baja Cactus, but the west side of town was without water because the town’s well pump was busted and we really wanted to have water in our room, naturally. So, we went to the new Turista Motel, 2 miles beyond. We had stayed at the Turista once before when Baja Cactus was full. Once again, we had an excellent night’s sleep and the rate for a king bed was only 300 pesos (US 22.66 with Costco pesos). Across Highway One from the Turista Motel is Baja’s Best Restaurant (and bar) where Ed Lusk made us an awesome tequila sunrise with fresh squeezed orange juice!

Tomorrow, breakfast at Ed Lusk’s Baja’s Best Restaurant and on to San Ignacio for a night in a ‘yurt’!

DAY 2 (Sunday July 19)

We had a nice breakfast at Baja’s Best across the highway from the Turista Motel. Elizabeth had hot cakes and eggs and I had chorizo breakfast burritos with great coffee. Total cost was 200 pesos, incl. Tip (US $15.11).

We were southbound at 10:23 am into boojum country! Some kilometer marker notes: Punta San Carlos & Las Pintas access road between Km. 80-81. New, wide highway runs from Km. 92 to 112. The Agua Dulce historic spring access road is between Km. 160-161. Rock art cave access at Km. 176. Cataviña at Km. 179. and passed through Cataviña at 11:40 am.

Villa Jesus Maria was our gas stop today (200 miles from El Rosario Pemex) at 1:47 pm. 43.8 liters, 325 pesos… With some running around in El Rosario the night before, I had 209 miles on the odometer using 11.6 gallons or 18 MPG (US $2.12/ gal). After gassing up the Tacoma, we stopped for some beer at a local market and got a six-pack of Sol for 67 pesos… and some ice included.

The next stop was at the Eagle Monument (28º Parallel of latitude/ state border) where a kilometer south is a check of your FM-T papers and a drive-over insect spray of the bottom of your vehicle, for 20 pesos. Northbound, we were waved through with no look at our FM-Ts. The time changes to Mountain Time and we lose an hour. 2 miles south is the entrance road to Guerrero Negro and Highway One curves to the southeast.

We passed a highway patrol cruiser and remembered this is a well-patrolled section and avoid the temptation on this long, straight highway of going much over the posted 80 KPH (50 MPH) speed limit. The Guillermo Prieto/ Mision Santa Gertrudis/ Punta San Francisquito access road is between Km. 153-154 and we pass it at 4:19 Mountain Time.

Vizcaino has a highway-widening project underway so, no pavement for a mile through town.

We arrive at San Ignacio at 5:10 pm (mountain) and head straight for Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast where Mongolian style yurts (canvas rooms) along a tropical river in the Baja desert, offer relaxing accommodations.

We meet Gary and Terry and get settled in before dinner (optional by reservation) is served at 7:30. San Diego area guest Armando and his travel companions had gone fishing earlier on Laguna San Ignacio and that provided a fresh fish fry with veggies and dessert. Before dinner, we take a swim in the San Ignacio river... very romantic and beautiful! http://www.ignacio-springs.com . Evaporative coolers cool the yurts. They are canvas over a wood frame and in our yurt with the added-on bathroom there are some openings to the outside that provided us with some ‘wildlife experiences’ before we retired for the night. Nothing that a little bug spray couldn’t handle, which we had in our camp box.

Tomorrow, an excellent Canadian breakfast and on to the Sea of Cortez!




Day 3 (Monday July 20)

Ignacio Springs is a bed & breakfast, and what a breakfast it is! ‘Canadian style’ breakfast is served because Gary and Terry are from the Great White North, eh? We said our good byes, got on the road at 11:20, took a drive through town (see San Ignacio mission photos from 2007 trip: http://vivabaja.com/707/page9.html ), bought some beer (Tecate this time). A six pack for 55 pesos (US $4.15) from a small store on Hwy. 1.

The drive to Santa Rosalia was easy and took only 50 minutes. No accidents on the cuestas, like last time. Intending on going to the recommended Pemex station, I pulled into one on the left (the ‘bad’ ones are both on the right). After getting gasoline from a friendly lady attendant, we drove on a short ways to discover ANOTHER station on the left (next to the harbor), which was where I wanted to go! Checking my mileage figures later, I believe the pump shorted me about 10%. On the way north, we went to the ‘good’ station and got the correct amount pumped. No other Pemex station during this trip was a problem.

We headed straight for Playa Frambes (Bob & Susan’s) Lighthouse Resort, about 9 miles south of Mulege, near the Km. 118 marker. It is well signed and shares the same access road with Los Narranjos and other properties. We were really thrilled at the personalized welcome and direction signs Bob placed along the way!

Bob & Susan have the most outstanding little luxury resort you may ever experience. The place is in A-1 condition, clean as a whistle, and everything works thanks to Bob & Susan’s desire for excellence and the outstanding assistance by their #1 staff member, Marta who cooks a great breakfast, cleans, sees that the guests are comfortable, and is always smiling!

The photos tell it all… but where else in Baja are there air conditioned rooms furnished in bamboo from Bali, just steps from a fresh water pool with a view of the beautiful Bahia Concepcion? We want to thank Bob & Susan for making or first anniversary vacation so special with their hospitality and accommodations.

The layout at Playa Frambes Lighthouse Resort is 5 casitas and the lighthouse. One casita serves as the kitchen/ dining room/ bar, the others are 2 bedroom suites with two or three available for resort guests plus the lighthouse with a smaller bed and bathroom inside for a unique place to stay. See the web site at http://mulege.org

For dinner, Elizabeth and I drove to Mulege and out to El Patron at the end of the north river road, on the beach… outstanding atmosphere and food. We had an order of guacamole dip, a fresh scallop cocktail, a garlic shrimp dinner and I had the shrimp and cheese taco plate… with 4 Pacificos, 460 pesos (US $34.74) + tip. VIVA BAJA!

We stopped and picked up an 8 pack of Pacifico for 70 pesos (US $5.29)… an 8 pack! I love Mexico! Back to Playa Frambes for the first night we go!

Day 4 (Tuesday July 21)

Just some fun in the sun today! While we were in the pool a gringo came over and chatted with Susan about the pool… He introduced himself as Jim from Oceanside… CALIFORNIA (just in case we didn’t know the place, lol). It turns out we live about 2 miles from Jim off the same street! A bit later, we are talking about our past trips to Baja and hearing about some of the ‘good old days’ asked if we knew about David K’s posts and web site! It was all good fun meeting Jim who reads Nomad.

Jim was renting one of the homes owned by Olivia and Mark at Buenaventura and knows them well for many years and assured us that the crazy stories posted on Nomad were lies. He then suggested we come down there and meet Mark and Olivia to see for ourselves.

We said we would come by later, and did… Just as the sun was setting we met Mark and Olivia who were sitting with Jim and another beach guest, having some wine and guacamole. They invited Elizabeth and I to join them and we talked about some of the tall tales being said and how impossible it would be to even try and do what someone (who isn’t even there) has claimed!

On Day 6 we returned to Buenaventura to try their famous cheeseburger and fries. Mark (‘Oliguacomole’ on Nomad) consented to having his photo with me, and posting on Nomad so those who aren’t sure can see he is a ‘real’ person!


DAY 5 (Wednesday July 22)

We say our goodbyes to Bob, Susan, Marta and their other guests and are out to Highway One at 10:50 am. Our destination today is Loreto, after seeing the mission-era sites at San Juan Bautista Londo and Ligui. We also plan to check out the beaches and happenings at Ensenada Blanca, Ligui and Juncalito.

As we drive south along Bahia Concepcion, I try taking photos while driving slowly (with no cars behind me)!

At Km. 30 is a small store and a road on the north side of it that heads 1/2 mile west to the ruins of the Jesuit visita (sub-mission) of San Juan Bautista Londo. The high wall of the mission visita is seen from the highway. We drive to the rancho to find the best place to park and were told to go back to the arroyo just below the ranch. A young man walked over to guide us to the site.

We turn off Hwy. 1 at Ligui and head east, past the school towards the beach. In about a half mile there is a branch road to the right, which goes 1 mile to the village and beach at Ensenada Blanca. Just beyond the fork to Ensenada Blanca, the road to Playa Ligui passes the site of the Jesuit mission of San Juan Bautista de Ligui y Malibat.

The Ligui mission site was totally washed away by the hurricane in 2001 from a widening arroyo. I took some photos of the foundation pieces in the arroyo back then. Today, nothing remains of the original mission, but just next to the site, a cross and an area is outlined as a new memorial to the 1705 mission. See http://vivabaja.com/missions1 for the older photos of Ligui.

GPS of MISION San Juan Bautista de LIGUI site... is about 100' different from my previous one, as posted on the missions web pages... This taken under the tree next to where the mission was.

WGS84: N25º44'21.4" W111º15'51.8" or
N25º44.357' W111º15.863' or
NAD27 Mexico: N25º44.338' W111º15.829'

We then went to Ensenada Blanca to a gaurded gate that prevented driving to the beach as we did years ago. The gaurd pointed to a small opening in the fence, used by the village fishermen to access the beach and launch their boats. The project at Ensenada Blanca is for condos for the rich and famous, and it also included the old Danzante Resort, we were told.

We then drove into Puerto Escondido and saw lots of construction activity going on... we couldn't get near the bay or the old warf, however...

Then into Juncalito where I used to go out fishing with my parents when it was a small shark fisherman's village headed by Ramon Villalejo... that was back in the 1970's!

We get a room at the Coco Cabañas CocoCabañas Hotel at Barra de Navidad Mexico Solar Powered Beachside Inn in this beautful coconut tree and pool courtyard... price was 1184 pesos (US $89).

Rooms all have kitchens... but the pool was nice... they claimed the only 'cooled' pool in Baja!

Phil C, Russ, Elizabeth and I went to dinner at ISLAS and it was terrific! Dinner for 2 was only 350 pesos and it was great. I wish I took photos, but totally forgot as we were having a good time! I recommend the fish with marinera (sp?) sauce.

After dinner, we walked to the Thrifty Ice ceam shop and then to the mission, before going back to Phil's where our truck was parked.

DAY 6 (Thursday July 23)

We meet Phil and Russ for breakfast and walk to the fruit place near the mission. They have a big iguana keeping guard over the exotic fruit preparations. We all have the big fruit bowl with granola, honey, and cottage cheese (50 pesos)… sprinkled with seeds of some kind… It was great on this super humid and hot morning. We woke up to rain and the steam started rising with the sun!

After breakfast we checked out a couple shops with Phil then parted, as we wanted to see the mission and museum of the missions, next door (37 pesos each). After the mission of Loreto, we were off to the second California mission, at San Javier. At 10:50 am we left Loreto for San Javier.

We had toyed with the idea of going on to San Jose de Comondu mission and maybe even La Purisima mission after San Javier. But the beauty and relaxation of Bahia Concepcion was too much of a draw to avoid and the other inland missions would have to wait for another trip!

The drive up to San Javier took us 1.5 hrs. with a lengthy stop at the rock art site at Mile 8.2.

I made some mileage notes from Hwy. 1 to San Javier:

0.0 San Javier road at Hwy. 1, exactly one mile south of the signed Loreto entrance road.

8.2 Rock art parking on left, at arroyo crossing… short walk to site.

9.8 End of pavement, good graded road continues up.

11.4 Rancho Las Parras and chapel.

16.1 Rancho Viejo, the original location of Mision San Javier (1699-1710).

17.3 Road to San Jose Comondu junction.

21.7 San Francisco Javier de Biaundo 1699-1817 The second California mission was originally founded 5 miles north, but moved here in 1710. The church was built from 1744 to 1758, and remains as the finest preserved stone mission in Baja California. GPS: 25°51'36.9" 111°32'37.0"

We spent just a half hour at San Javier for photos (no flash inside). The caretaker would not grant my request to go up to the roof as I had done back in 1976. See those photos on my Baja Missions web site http://vivabaja.com/missions1

We returned to Loreto and went strait to McLuLu’s for some more awesome tacos (fish and carne asada). We had tacos there the day before when we first arrived in Loreto… what a great place!

We then headed north to Bahia Concepcion for our camp on the beach. Requeson was full (no available palapas) so we drove south a short distance to La Perla… and it was a pearl of a beach! We were the only campers there (70 pesos). In the morning we discovered perhaps why!

For dinner, we again went to Buenaventura and ordered cheeseburgers for a change from the tacos and fish dinners we have been having so much of. Mark (Oligucomole) came over after we ordered, and visited with us.

Back at La Perla we set up camp and swam and swam… The water was a clear as an aquarium and the fish entertained us. That night we had a small fire and when it was really dark went to the water to see the plankton glow as we splashed the water. Baja is magic! The night was very warm and humid… a battery powered fan would have been nice.

DAY 7 (Friday, July 24)

The night was very warm and humid so sleeping wasn’t easy. In the morning, when it seemed more cool and comfortable to sleep in, an arriving fisherman with his car stereo cranked way up with Norteño (folk) music, ended that idea.

Well, at least I could get one sunrise photo taken on this vacation!

Elizabeth and I packed up the gear and took a final swim in our formerly tranquil bay before heading north. We left La Perla at 9:10 am and stopped at the Mulege entrance road ice shop for a bag of ice (14 pesos). I zeroed the trip odometer at the Mulege entrance on Highway One… We were soon to take an off road discovery trip to get photos of a controversial mission-era site, called Santa Maria Magdalena on most maps.

0.0 Mulege

9.4 Road to Santa Ines (Inez)

12.7 Palo Verde village

12.9 Road east signed to San Borjita (painted cave site). We turn east and reset odometer to 0.0.

This road has interesting kilometer markers on the cactus.

4.3 Rancho El Perdido on the left. The road described by Dave Werschkul through the trees and across the big arroyo is gone. We continue a half mile past the ranch in the Arroyo El Perdido looking for a road to the north, but fail and drive back to the ranch.

I talk to the rancher and tell him I am trying to get to ‘Boca de Magdalena’, which was the name of the village near the ruins. He tells me the better road is to the north at the base of a mountain he points out a few miles north (Cerro Atravesado). However, I assure him my Toyota is muy fuerte and was seeking the road from this place. He told me if I continue towards San Borjita, in about 200-300 meters I will see faint tracks going across the rocky arroyo.

0.0 I reset the odometer at the ranch.

0.2 We found the track… it was very faint going right from the road. Then near the far side, the track makes a turn right and soon leaves the rocky arroyo.

The road is overgrown from lack of use. This is the route of the Mulege to San Ignacio El Camino Real, and I am a happy man!

1.8 Grave on the right GPS 27º03’08” 112º09’44” (WGS84)

2.4 Magdalena ruins… on both sides of the road. 27º03’30” 112º10’07”

They are more extensive than I had assumed from what was written and photographed, over the years.

There is a stone pila (reservoir) nearby that was filled by an aqueduct that originated several miles away in the Magdalena canyon. The mystery of this site is: why here out in the desert rather than in the canyon, which has plenty of water and is where the village of San Jose de Magdalena is located? There is a stone church ruin close to the village. That ruin is considered by most to be a Dominican-era mission visita.

The ruins out here, in the desert may have been an early Jesuit site (1697-1768) or a Franciscan site (1768-1773) for moving Mulege mission to after the floods of 1770, or maybe an extension of the Dominican visita (1773-1854) for agriculture?

Name confusion is traced back to Arthur North during his 1906 Baja adventure (‘Camp and Camino in Lower California’) while he was camped at these ruins and knew the village and arroyo was called Magdalena. On the 1745 Jesuit list of missions and 1757 Jesuit map, one named Santa Maria Magdalena is listed as ‘started’ (but shown far to the north of here, closer to Bahia de los Angeles).

North believed these ‘Magdalena’ ruins were of that Jesuit mission and called them ‘Santa Maria de Magdalena’. In 1949, Marquis McDonald (‘Baja: Land of Lost Missions’) found this site and used North’s description and a nearby rancher using that name, too. The Auto Club maps and the Baja Almanac show this site as ‘Santa Maria Magdalena’ (although both show it a few miles further south).

There never was a mission of ‘Santa Maria Magdalena’. So, the question is: was it ‘started’ as indicated on the old map and list and never finished.? Was it here, near San Jose de Magdalena or closer to where the 1757 map shows it? Perhaps the other site was discovered in 1966 by an Erle Stanley Gardner led expedition? Elizabeth and I photographed that site, last January http://vivabaja.com/109

After taking several photographs and being too hot to seek the pila, we motored on this little used road and soon came to a clearing and a driveway to a blue ranch house that looked abandoned. It was 0.2 mile from the ruins. On the Google Earth satellite images, you can easily see the ranch, clearing, aqueduct route past the ranch and the pila at the end of the aqueduct.

More ranches along the old aqueduct and mountainside are passed 0.6 mile from the ruins and this is where we find a road across the big Arroyo Boca de Magdalena going north, and use it as an exit. At mile 0.9 from the ruin, we come to a better road heading east and west, with a sign for “Rancho La Posa 1500 mts.” This is the better route the rancher had mentioned and passes the base of the mountain before reaching Highway One at Km. 162.5, 4.6 miles from the ruins. The final 0.3-mile to Highway One is on a graded road going to a rock quarry. This is just north of the paved detour around the series of new bridges being built.

3.8 miles north of the Highway junction is the signed road to San Jose de Magdalena (Km. 168.5). Santa Rosalia is 21.5 miles north of where we reached Highway One.


We arrive at the Santa Rosalia Pemex (the ‘good one’) at 12:19 pm to top the tank. As we had run short on pesos (I should have used dollars at the Coco Cabañas), I paid in dollars (the station rate was 12 pesos: dollar). The attendant was honest with everything and I actually seemed to get the amount of fuel the pump indicated! The truck took on 46.5 liters (12.3 gallons) for 345 pesos (US $28.75) and we traveled 190.8 miles (some off pavement). That works out to $2.33/ gallon and we got 15.5 mpg. Overall, the truck averaged 18 mpg on the entire trip.

The climb up the Cuesta del Infierno was easy with no slow trucks in front of us. We arrived at San Ignacio at 1:10 pm and had lunch at Ricardo’s Rice & Beans. We both had great food. Elizabeth ordered the carne asada plate and I had the combination plate, which included a really good Chile relleno! The price (with beers) was US $20. We were back on the road at 1:55pm and soon had to stop for the military checkpoint.

I made a couple of kilometer marker notes: The Guillermo Prieto road (shortcut to Santa Gertrudis, Punta San Francisquito, L.A. Bay is at Km. 154 ¾. The El Arco road is at Km. 189 and the Eagle Monument is at Km. 220 (we stopped for the migra guy, but he waved us across the state border without looking at our FM-Ts, this time. The time at at the border (Eagle Monument) was 3:44 pm which became 2:44 pm with the time zone change… Yea, another hour for Baja!

We stopped to fill up at Villa Jesus Maria (Km. 95) at 3:04pm. The truck took on 35 liters (9.2 gallons) for 260 pesos ($21.67) after 157.8 miles (17.2 mpg). Hey, some of you like these details I have been told! The military checkpoint at the El Tomatal road was the most detailed, but none of them took too long to look over stuff.

26 miles from Villa Jesus Maria we arrived at Rosarito (Nuevo Rosarito) Km. 53, at 3:37 pm. Here we left the pavement to drive to Mision San Borja… I had wanted to take Elizabeth there since her first trip to Baja with me, 4 ½ years ago.

The road was rougher than the last time I traveled it (2003) as more rocks were exposed from erosion. The signed road to Rancho Santa Ana (a visita site of San Borja) is 13.8 miles from Rosarito. Rancho San Ignacito (another San Borja visita site) is at Mile 16.2 and the junction with the road north to the Bahia de los Angeles highway is at Mile 21.7.

We arrive at San Borja at 4:45 pm, 22.7 miles from Rosarito and go straight into the mission to see what was some amazingly constructed here in the late 1700’s. A lady named Maria soon arrived to escort us around the mission. Maria was very nice and although she didn’t speak any English, wanted to learn certain words as we walked around. We would later learn the priest in Guerrero Negro once again has relieved Jose from showing the mission because he is not Catholic. However, Jose is being employed to work on the mission repairs and reconstruction that has been going on. We tipped Maria for her time with us, and then went over to where Jose was working by his home.

I had made copies of photos I had taken over the years of Jose and his family. They had remembered our visits and my kids. One of the photos I had for them was my daughter Sarah and his daughter Brisa. Brisa lives in Rosarito, has three children and works at the café with a palapa in Rosarito, we were told.

Jose has started a small museum of area artifacts, plus he is making examples of Indian stone tools and metates. Jose and family are all really nice people and will welcome you to visit any time. They have palapas for camping and can take you on tour to all the historic sites in the region. The sun is setting soon so we must go, but Elizabeth is so impressed she wants to return and spend more time at San Borja. Gee, the things I must do to please this woman! LOL!!! (I am the luckiest guy on earth)

We leave San Borja and head north at 5:45pm and reach the L.A. Bay highway at 7:00pm, 21.4 miles from San Borja. This road is much better than the one from Rosarito, but there are some rocky sections to slow down for. A pickup or SUV would be better than a sedan, but no 4WD needed.

It is dark as we arrive at Laguna Chapala for an opportunity to have the famous machaca for dinner that I heard about on Nomad. Well, the waitress/cook seemed unhappy that she had to put down the cigarette she was smoking while watching TV. However, she did prepare a dinner plate that looked good. It stared with a bowl of soup (Cup of Noodles), with a lime. Hmmm, the Cup of Noodles was actually very good with a lime squeezed in it! The use of limes on food and drinks in Baja is never ending! Unfortunately, the machaca was not well hydrated and was kind of like eating jerky and eggs. Okay, we are good sports and can say we finally had the famous dish of Rancho Nueva Chapala… Originally founded by Arturo Grosso, brother of Mama Espinoza, on the old Baja main road.

We had a reservation at Baja Cactus, and we arrived in El Rosario shortly after 10 pm. Fortunately, the water problem in town was repaired and we had a super comfortable night’s sleep. We couldn’t even stay awake long enough to finish watching Ground Hog’s Day on the satellite TV!


DAY 8 (Saturday July 25)

Like all the others on our Baja vacation, Day 8 was great! We woke up very rested thanks to the quiet and comfortable luxury room at Baja Cactus Motel. When you want to sleep in, always get an upstairs room, no matter where.

We decided to eat at Mama Espinoza’s (next door) as we have had breakfast there in the past, and it was fine. Mama’s daughter, Roli had been running things. Well, this time I am sure glad we did because we found a totally new restaurant supervised by Roli’s son-in-law, Gerardo. The inside was re-organized, the waitresses were on the floor and attentive and the food arrived fast and it was good… very good. I took several photos. Breakfast for both of us was $15 with tip.

A big surprise for us was when we were invited to meet with Anita (Mama) Espinoza when I asked how she was doing. We were taken around to her private residence where she was knitting… Amazing, and she was sharp as a tack. I had never met with Doña Anita despite my dozens of trips to and through El Rosario since the first in 1966… that I could recall. I mentioned how our friend Roy (The Squarecircle) spoke fondly of her and she remembered him… as she does so many details. Her famous saying she even mentioned: “Bad roads bring good people… Good roads bring ALL kinds of people!” We got her new book, and she autographed it to us… What a special thrill from someone who is almost 102! We wished each other good health and a promise to meet on ‘the other side’ if not again on this earth.

We topped the gas tank at Antonio’s Pemex station: 51.95 liters, 385 pesos, 12.70 pesos per dollar, 240 miles traveled. That translates to $2.21 per gallon and 17.5 miles per gallon. We were on the road at 11:00 am and soon had a short stop for the military checkpoint on the mesa.

Since it was a beautiful day, and we were in no hurry to leave Baja, one more mystery awaited finding!

The mission of Santo Tomas was first located west of the present town, 3.9 miles from Highway One, off the La Bocana/ Puerto Santo Tomas road, by an oak grove campground. The mission’s final location was just east of Highway One, next to the El Palomar campground. The debate among historians is if there was a third site between the first and final site or if that third location was the first site. I was originally in the ‘two site camp’ based on the nearness of the two to each other. Once I got my hands on my own copy of the valuable ‘Missions and Missionaries of California’ by Fr. Zephyrin Engrlhardt 1929 for research and to update my mission web pages http://vivabaja.com/missions1 I was convinced there were three sites for the Santo Tomas mission.

We had visited and photographed the first and last site in November of 2005 http://vivabaja.com/1105 but at that time I was under the impression that the questionable second or middle site was destroyed by road building (per Ed Vernon and INAH).

This day, we had time to look over the area where I knew the middle site was or had been. I had seen old photographs that showed the background mountains to assist me in this quest! I didn’t have those photos with me, but I remembered what they showed.

Eureka! It was 2.8 miles west of Highway One (1.1 miles east of the first site) in the center of a pepper field north and higher up from the La Bocana road. Just a clump of dirt that stands out from the surrounding soil with rocks. See the photos and note the background. GPS (WGS84): N31º34’24” W116º27’59” or 31º34.41’ 116º27.98’

Wow what a great day this has been… all 8 days have been! Elizabeth asked to see if we might finally find the Half Way House open for dinner. Heck yes, it was worth a shot (the past two visits found it closed or reserved for a wedding).

A longer line at the checkpoint above the Santo Tomas valley then through Ensenada to the toll road where a giant line of vehicles had grouped because of a checkpoint on the other side of the toll gate. We had been through checkpoints at or near Loreto, San Ignacio, El Tomatal, El Rosario, Santo Tomas already on this trip and I had enough… I made a U-turn through the cones, didn’t get shot at and went to the free road to Tijuana. You know what? It was a great road with almost no traffic.

We arrived at Medio Camino to find Chef Johnny open for business at the Half Way House… Dinner was great. It was still early; plenty of daylight we used the Blvd. 2000 to get to Tecate and it was great. Lot’s of cars and trucks now, no more intersections/ stop signs. We got to the Tecate borderline at 7:07 pm and were in the USA in 33 minutes.

EIGHT GREAT DAYS IN BAJA (when can we go back again?)!

Some photos...

On the road near Vizcaino; Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast (Yurts); San Ignacio

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Playa Frambes Lighthouse Resort on Bahia Concepcion...

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Bahia Concepcion; Visita de San Juan Bautista Londo

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South of Loreto view point; Mission site of San Juan Bautista de Ligui y Malibat;
Ensenada Blanca; Coco Cabañas Motel in Loreto

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Loreto and new highway to San Javier (paved 1/2 way there)...

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San Javier (Mision San Francisco Javier)

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San Buenaventura and La Perla at Bahia Concepcion

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The signed road west from Palo Verde, then the unmapped road north to Magdalena;

The mysterious desert mission- visita ruins (mis-named as) 'Santa Maria Magdalena' near Boca de Magdalena and San Jose de Magdalena.

Mision San Francisco Borja de Adac

Last group of photos...

The road north from San Borja; Mama Espinoza's Restaurant in El Rosario; Mama Espinoza (101) autographing her book for Elizabeth and I; The second site of the mission of Santo Tomas (here from1794-1799).

Great report, wonderful photos and fantastic trip David!

Thanks Ron...

How about a Q & A on trip reports...? This trip was about close to perfect in as much as the volume of sites visited, food and accomodations enjoyed, and good people met along the way. However, no trip is free of some kind of problem such as short-changed at the Pemex station, critters in the motel room, car problems, etc.

The more we talk and share, the better future Baja trips can be...

I have always loved your trip reports David. They really have given me a lot to look forward to in our future trips to explore the many corners of this peninsula we have yet to discover...

David,

Thank you for the travel report.

I am planning a similiar trip, but because I've never been much south of Ensenada there are a lot of unknowns. Your description(s) and photos remove a lot of the unknowns. Since things change all the time, it also serves as a documentation of the area in mid-2009.

I've bookmarked your report and will read it when I have more time on hand. I did look at the pictures (maybe more my speed) and it looks like you had a great trip. Great photos.

Originally Posted by BigWooo

I've bookmarked your report and will read it when I have more time on hand. I did look at the pictures (maybe more my speed) and it looks like you had a great trip. Great photos.

Hi BigWooo,
Thank you for the note... This was the 2009 trip report, and it was great. This past summer (2012) trip was even better and took us to the tip and beyond! See it here (after you finish with the 2009 trip): BAJA CALIFORNIA JULY 2012: 15 Days of fun!
I guarantee you will like it, or the next Pacifico is on me!

Geez, didn't even look at the date, duh...7/09. Told you pictures were more my speed

Originally Posted by BigWooo

Geez, didn't even look at the date, duh...7/09. Told you pictures were more my speed

Oh believe me, there are far more photos than blocks of text in my 2012 trip report, too!