Baja - Oct / Nov 2024

Part 2 of "Sal's Retirement Launch" Road Trip was southbound from Canada to the tip of the Baja peninsula. After swapping fleeces & hiking boots for bathing suits & snorkels, we headed down to the southern border, making brief stops in Santa Barbara (check out El Capitán State Beach) and San Diego.

We met our travel partners, Sue & Sam, in Calexico, CA and fueled up (be sure to check Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel availability in Baja). After successfully crossing the border at Mexicali, we headed to our first planned stop, San Felipe. We stayed at a popular waystation, Kiki's, about 200 kms south on Highway 5.

We had no reservations after the first night but we had penciled several options so we could essentially re-evaluate our itinerary every morning. For us, that is the only way to travel (when possible). Our first stop the next morning was Valle de los Gigantes.

The valley is home to an impressive forest of cardón cacti, the tallest growing cactus in the world. The massive cardóns can only be found in Baja California and Sonora and are capable of growing to heights of well over 60 feet and can weigh up to 25 tons. These slow growing plants also have an equally impressive lifespan, often reaching ages of up to 300 years.

Next stop was the Aguas Termales Puertecitos where the thermal pools mix with the cool water from the tides. It was a perfect place to relax after navigating some treacherous sections of the Baja highway system.

We then made an obligatory stop at the notorious Coco's Corner, which seems to have made it into all the guide books for some reason. We also felt obliged to buy a few soft drinks and to affix one of our Pied-a-Tire stickers onto their window.

We decided to head inland for the night so we turned north on Hwy 1 to the little town of Santa Inés. The next morning we explored the unique landscape and cave paintings at Catavina Pinturas Rupestres.

It's time to head back to the beach so we travel south on Hwy 1 then east on Hwy 12 to Bahia de Los Angeles. Our primary goal is to swim with the whale sharks so we camp on the beach at Daggett's.

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise! We grab our snorkels and head to Ricardo's Diving Tours. We pile into our panga with our skipper, on the back of a trailer, while we are towed to the launch ramp by an old pickup truck driven a 14 year old! We were not disappointed. Sea lions, pelicans, and porpoises in feeding frenzies on the massive schools of jumping fish.

We were surrounded!

And we were graced with a very special visit by one of the locals!

After a VERY full (and fulfilling) morning, we "saddle up" and continue our way south. Our 350 km journey takes us from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific coast before we cross down into Baja California Sur. Our destination for the night is San Ignacio, the picturesque colonial town and mission nestled in a lush date palm oasis.

It was the perfect overnight stop. After a morning stroll through town, we get an early start on our way back to the "east coast". We make a quick stop at the Iglesia de Santa Bárbara in Santa Rosalía before pulling over at Playa el Coyote for the night. We had a very private spot on the beach, perfect for kayaking and paddleboarding. We paddled, swam, and explored throughout the afternoon and then hoofed our way down to the only restaurant in the tiny hamlet for dinner (Sam made a new friend...). It was a very dark night as we hurried down the narrow road and then stumbled our way through the brush on an unmarked trail back to camp. We ended the night with another campfire on the beach before waking at sunset for more time in the water before departing.

Our next stop was Loreto, another popular seaside destination with a Malecon, a Mission, and a vibrant street scene.

The final stop of our joint road trip, before Sue & Sam head on their way, is La Paz.

We happened to be there for HALLOWEEN! (and El Día de los Muertos)

For hours, the Malecon was filled, as far as you could see in both directions, with kids, costumes, vehicles, floats, music and lots of partying!

One of the highlights off the coast of La Paz was our half-day snorkeling trip around Isla Espíritu Santo! Watch to the end to see my two favorites, the Guineafowl Puffer and the extremely poisonous Rock Fish (which I almost stepped on because it is so well camouflaged).

We leave La Paz after several relaxing days, setting our sights on our ultimate destination, Land's End at the very tip of Baja. We spend the night on the beach at Los Barriles, a popular boaters destination. We are up early in the morning so we have time to visit the delightful town of Santiago, nestled in the picturesque foothills, with its small plaza surrounded by beautiful colonial architecture. Next we cross the Tropic of Cancer on our way to Cabo San Lucas. After a photo op at Land's End, we head north along the Pacific Ocean. Our destination is Todos Santos to spend a couple of days with our old friend, Nicole, our gracious hostess.

Land's End!

In Todos, we explored hidden paths through the forests, secluded beaches, the colorful city streets, art galleries, coffee shops, and ice cream parlors (of course).

From here, we continue our journey northward, taking Hwy 19 to Hwy 1. We make our way up to Ciudad Constitución, the seat of the municipality of Comondú. Very fortunately, we stumble upon an urban "oasis" to spend the night on the busy Carretera Transpeninsular. The Misiones RV Park is clean, friendly and affordable with delightful hosts whom we will definitely visit the next time we come through. They suggested a couple of perfect detours before we start backtracking our way back to Mexicali.

The first was a 1/2 day trip out to Puerto Adolfo López Mateos which is apparently a prime location for whale-watching during calving season.

The second was a hidden gem (a REAL oasis) 40 kms off the highway, San José de Comondú, where we stayed for the night. We were the only gringos in this TINY little town, and when we asked about a possible place for dinner at our rustic hotel, they went and rousted their cook up the road to come down to prepare us a meal! It was very simple but certainly very special!

After leaving Comondú, we backtracked to Loreto for a night, then made a stop in Mulegé for lunch before continuing on to San Ignacio.

It was great to be back in San Ignacio for two nights. We took an evening hike among the hills and the buzzards and the palm trees. We then had a delicious meal on the sidewalk at a quaint cafe, where we could watch the world go by (on horseback), before tucking in for the night, with our humble van parked near a European "neighbor" with a very over-the-top, seemingly go-anywhere rig!

The following day, we took an excursion to the Pacific coast, to the fishing and lobstering village of Punta Abreojos. Abreojos means "open your eyes", and refers to the treacherous sailing conditions, with many rocks and reefs. The fishing boats approach the shore and wait for a tractor to drive into the surf to tow them onto the beach!

And finally, after an entire month exploring beautiful, beguiling Baja, we push on to our final stop back in San Felipe for a couple days of decompression. Our odyssey included maneuvering around cavernous potholes, interacting with the "carabineros" during their regular security stops, staying vigilant for horses, donkeys, and cows on the roadway (so don't drive at night), navigating with often non-existent street signs, and desperately searching for ultra low sulfur diesel.

The rewards, though, far exceeded those minor challenges. It was a magical sojourn and we hope to return again soon.

As we approached the border wall, preparing to re-enter the USA, we were filled with a bit of trepidation about what the next four years may hold. We consider ourselves global citizens, so travel remains our primary means of staying linked within the interconnected web known as our Pale Blue Dot. Onward!