Baja Adventure - Part DOS - Beach Boondocking? Si!

Life on the beach....Sunrise

While the journey to get here was, at times, steering-wheel clenching, once we arrived and got our rig parked this (above) was our breathtaking view from our doorstep. Mere footsteps to the high tide mark...

< - View from the kayak

      View from the road above - >

Honestly, we hadn't done much real true boondocking....oh, a night here and there - but we were talking serious life without plugging in or hooking up the hose to a water faucet. We don't have solar or a water pump...we do have a generator and good friends! (Solar is the next addition once we get home in the spring) Not everyone who travels this far (650 miles from the Arizona border) have rigs...some people actually camped in tents....motor homes are abundant as are travel trailers....

Tiny Airstream or Tiny Teardrop (behind the yellow tent room addition)

The problem of fresh water was solved by Emilio who provided us with a 55 gallon plastic barrel and delivered water as needed, along with fresh fruits and veggies every morning at 7am....if he didn't have what you wanted-just ask and he would deliver it the next day....Fresh tamales, empanadas, and tortillas could also be purchased.

Fresh Fish delivered several times a week unless you catch it yourself ....we had an abundance of shrimp and scallops in our diet....



  

Emilio<                Fish lady >

Other Beach Vendors.....daily visitors (to all of the beach camp grounds) made the rounds including Sundays and holidays...

Adolpho "Almost Free" trinkets

Lupe - Bread/Pastry man

Peleo - Trinkets, blankets and hand made accessories from yarn

Baskets and more..... 

Water coolers (w/sprouts) from Adolpho

The locals are extremely industrious and have created/delivery systems for the services that we "gringos" are accustomed to having...examples: the wash/waxing of your vehicles, (including the RV), delivery of pre-ordered roasted chicken and pizza, clothing and jewelry; to name just a few.

We really didn't need to drive into Mulege (approx. 22 miles) for goods unless we wanted too....or you needed fresh RO water, propane, laundry or needed to make a call.

Cell phone coverage started about 15 miles from our beach, ....and unless you were prepared with a satellite dish - no TV. Several businesses in/near town did have free WiFi - but we quickly aligned ourselves with few of the interruptions that I take for granted most days.

Sunset - same spot as sunrise....ahhh, the best in life

 PART TRES - Baja Adventure continues with activities...

~Ciao

Baja Adventure - PART UNO our journey there...

We recently ventured down the Baja peninsula for a short visit along with friends that spend the winter there...highly recommend a group caravan if one is at all hesitant.  Like everyone, we initially had concerns, especially given the negative energy the US media tends to produce, and were relieved to discover the opposite. Our friends first hand experience, plus the book:  Traveler's Guide to Camping Mexico's Baja by Mike Church were excellent resources.

We now know why one must have Mexican vehicle insurance...the roads are, for the most part, narrow with no shoulders, and much of it is under construction.  The fog line denotes the roads edge and the drop can be 8" to 18" .... so driving requires your full attention. New sections are being completed and work is performed 7 days a week.  The MEX Hwy 1 is 2 lanes, each 9 feet wide. The newer sections of highway now have wider shoulders, but these are generally around the larger communities like Encinada or Loreto.

This short video is just a sample of some of the hazards we survived....while there are "No Passing" signs where to do so would be akin to suicide - drivers pretty much ignore those and pass you on hills and blind corners. Oh, and left turn signals - we use them to indicate our desire to actually turn left - Mexican drivers use them to signal "all clear for you to pass" so a left turn typically is done from the left lane provided no on-coming vehicles occupy it.

Pemex - state owned gas

The good news: state owned gas stations = same price per liter at every station. And you do want to fill up when you find one...sometimes they run out. (Note: not all have diesel...but Churches book does provide that info)

We stayed in the recommended RV parks, on our way down and back which gave us an added level of security. First night in  Mexico was in San Quintin - El Pabellon's RV Park - access right on the beach - gorgeous!

Pacific Ocean

Second night, just across the border between Baja Norte and Baja Sur in Guerrero_Negro - Mario's RV Park. Had the best seafood chowder in their palapa restaurant!

We arrived at our destination of Playa El Coyote - Bahia Conception on the Sea of Cortez - selected our spot on the beach for the duration of our stay and settled in.

Playa El Coyote

 Just one in a series of beaches with available sites for tents/trailers/motor homes.

Playa Los Coco's

 Not once in the six weeks we spent in living and touring Baja did we feel threatened - we arrived with an open attitude (thanks to our friends pre-briefing) and left with a high regard to the hard-working individuals that we encountered....struggling to make ends meet who were kind, polite and happy.

Even the military posts....manned mostly by 18 y/o that looked 12....polite, inquisitive. eager to learn more English in some cases, and doing their jobs....some less enthusiastically then others but hey....it's a job.

Next PART DOS: Life on the beach.....

Ciao~

Our picnic day @ San Basilio Beach

Just a sampling of the isolated beach

After a 2 hour drive,with the last hour bouncing in the back of a Jeep on a dirt and rutted road we arrived at San Basilio Beach...on the Sea of Cortez. We walked the shore looking for shells, had a picnic lunch and hiked up a hill to view the beach from a higher elevation.

Perfection! There were 2 individual campers staying on the beach but this is so far out that I can not imagine it ever being over run with more than 2 or 3 at a time. Our hosts here in Baja have pitched tents, hiked and kayaked for someplace new to visit during their long winter visit.

Enjoy!

~Ciao

Christmas at El Coyote

We had a different Christmas this year....boats from the near by beaches and the Nols Sailing school provided a bit of holiday magic for us land locked revelers....

Fireworks on Christmas Eve to celebrate the holiday....

Every year the group lines the beach with candles, one yearly visitor puts up a tree and the candles last for approximately 3-4 hours....beginning at dusk.

Great memories.... 

~Ciao