January 10, 2016. Adventures of driving in Baja!

CAMPGROUND:  Unnamed beach near Gonzaga Bay.  This is now just a beach, but looks like at one time was a campground.  A few pit toilets, palapas with grills.  No services.  Free.  4 stars

LOCATION:  On Sea of Cortez, south of San Felipe.  Northeast coast of peninsula

WEATHER:  Cool.  Windy. Highs in 60s

We awoke to a beautiful sunrise on the Sea of Cortez.  We have had the best of both worlds..beautiful sunsets in Todos Santos facing the Pacific.

We got an early start.  We left the campground at 7:30, right when the Mexican vendors were arriving to sell water, shrimp, vegetables, and fruits.

We drove and drove and drove.....11 hours altogether, 333 miles.  Most of the landscape was cacti and rocks.

Our plan was to stop in Guerrero Negro, on the Pacific side, where we had camped before, to go on a whale-watching tour.  We arrived at about noon, and they weren't going out in the afternoon, as they needed at least 4 customers.  We debated about spending the night and hoping that 2 more people would arrive for a trip tomorrow, but then decided we didn't want to wait so long.  So, we kept on going.  

We went through 3 different military checkpoints plus a vegetable checkpoint today.  Unfortunately, they make us lose  a lot of time.  One of the federales asked George for our flashlight.  At first, it was a bit of a demand, then he changed his tune and offered to buy it.  

We have been hearing about a new highway being built along the eastern coast that crosses the US border in Mexicali.  The road is supposedly excellent and faster.  However, they are still working on the part connecting Highway 1 on the west, across the mountains to the east coast.  We heard from one couple that it was terrible.  Someone else said it was ok but very slow.  When we got to the junction, I asked a trucker parked at a mechanic shop whether it was passable.  He said he has seen cars go through, but he wouldn't do it.  We stood in the road trying to decide what to do.  Then, a gringo drove by, coming from the east.  We asked him, and he recommended that we go.  He said it was very rough for about 25 miles, then pavement.  He said it is worth it as this part of the east coast is still pristine, and once the highway is finished, there will be a lot of traffic and development.  So, we decided to go for it.

It was a dirt road with big rocks and potholes.  We had to drive really slowly.  The 25 miles took 2 hours.  We met just two cars coming the opposite way.  We couldn't believe the odds....one was pulling an Airstream.  We figured if they could make it, so could we.  

It was getting dark when we hit the pavement, at the coast, so we immediately started looking for somewhere to camp.  We saw this beach and stopped.  

With much trepidation, we opened the camper to see how it had fared the trip. What chaos!  The top of the dinette had somehow popped off and had flown across the trailer.  Thank goodness it didn't crash into the microwave or anything.  Miscellaneous screws and bolts were lying on the floor.  The closet was a wreck.  

What an adventure!  We are glad we did it.  We are looking forward to seeing a different part of Baja, rather than retrace our steps back through Ensenada and Tijuana.  We celebrated with a Scotch (George) and a glass of wine (me) in Riedel stemware that miraculously made the trip just fine.

DINNER:  Sautéed scallops with onions, pepperoncini and some roasted red peppers I had made and canned last summer when we were in California.