Leo_jb
City boy
Don’t really know how to start this. I just got home ten days ago after driving about 1000 miles from Guerrero Negro to San Francisco in just under 22 hours. I spent about two months in Baja – my longest trip to date. Not happy to be back.
I guess I should start with the drive down. I usually drive down with one of my two sons, while the other son and my wife fly. This is necessary because of the amount of crap I bring down – mountain bikes, windsurfing gear, motorcycles, etc. With all that stuff there’s just not enough room in my 4Runner for more than one passenger. I came close to buying an enclosed trailer this year, but the cost to store it the rest of the year makes the purchase uneconomical. Instead I just upgraded my Harbor Freight folding trailer to a (used) Kendon folding trailer.
So, Jack and I headed out on Saturday, December 14. Now, living in San Francisco really complicates preparations for a big road trip. First, unless you have a big garage, you can’t load up the night before and leave at the crack of dawn – everything will get stolen if you leave it on the street. I have a one car garage filled with motorcycles, tools, etc., so sticking my 4runner inside for the night is not possible - I have to load up and leave the same day. So, my typical routine has evolved to loading up in the morning, leaving the house before noon, and driving to a campsite where I can spend the night next to my stuff – no way I can stop at a hotel. Last year we spent the night at Hollister, which was great except it’s quite a drive from the freeway and a bit too close to home. This year I decided to drive a bit further. I had picked out a campground at San Lorenzo County Park (Hwy 101), but it was too early by the time we got there, so we decided to keep going. And going. We stopped for dinner at some place that was entirely unremarkable, then continued on to the Hungry Valley OHV area just off I5 on the Grapevine. Great location logistically, but there was snow on the hills, it was really cold, and the winds were howling. We struggled to set up the tent, and failed in our first attempt when a pole snapped. Rather than try and fix it, we just shoved the tent back in the truck and pulled out another one (I had three with me). This time we were successful, and drank a couple of beers in celebration prior to hitting the sack.
We got up early the next morning and made it through the LA traffic and across the border without too much trouble. I hadn't been to the Old Mill in 20 years, so it seemed like an appropriate place to stop. Decent room, pretty good dinner, and a spectacular bay.
Heading south
Beers in the freezing tent on the first night
The Old Mill
Dawn at the Old Mill
The next day we got up early and made it to Momma’s in El Rosario for lunch, then on to the Mission Hotel in Cataviña. We almost always stop in Cataviña on the drive down, but it’s normally just for a couple of hours or maybe overnight. However, I’ve always wanted to explore the area, and this year I decided to book 3 days at the Mission Hotel. It’s a bit expensive for Baja, but the only nice hotel for miles around. It also has a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool (not heated, so only suitable for looking at). We got settled into our room in the early afternoon, and went out for a quick ride on the bikes. We came across an abandoned geodesic dome to mess around in, then a trail that led to some rock paintings. My son also brought along his climbing gear and did some bouldering.
The (cold) pool at the Mission Hotel
What the heck is this doing out here?
Indigenous rock art, or graffiti?
Bouldering in Cataviña
On our second day in Cataviña I plotted out a nice loop on the east side of the highway. Had no idea what we would find, but it looked like a pretty easy ride on two-track. It turned out to be a pretty great little ride. For those of you who haven’t been there, the geology of Cataviña is unreal. The dominant feature consists of huge boulders that have been hollowed out through a bizarre weathering phenomenon, resulting in giant rock shells, many with holes in them (Window Rock is the best known). Our ride was pretty great route except at the end, where a barbed wire fence ran right across the road. WTF? The easiest way I’ve found to deal with these fences is to pull out two or three fence posts, lay the fence down, ride over the barbed wire, then replace. However, this only works where the ground is soft enough to pull the posts. Not gonna work this time. I had to untie the barbed wire so I could step on it, then re-tie it after we crossed over. Didn’t take too long, and no damage done. We finished up the ride, then headed to the bar for some pool and beers. Dinner wasn’t bad either.
The sign was not very comforting, but no problems at the hotel.
Temporarily dismantling a fence
Bear Rock
Heading back
Nice end to the day
Last day in Cataviña was rough. I wanted to visit the abandoned Mission Santa Maria. It was out an old road due east of the hotel, and was reportedly difficult to get to. We set out around 10:30 and immediately hit some rough two track – not horrible, but we definitely had to pay attention. Typical Baja road actually – smooth dirt sections, shallow sandy areas, some deeper sand in arroyos, and the occasional baby heads. At around noon we got to the big obstacle on the trail – a steep, loose, rocky downhill. My son and I stood at the top of it and I gave him three options: 1) park the bikes and walk to the mission, which was about a mile away; 2) ride the bikes down and attempt to ride back up again; or 3) ride the bikes down and I ride both bikes up. My son chose option 3. Getting down was pretty easy – gravity was our friend. We then rode through a really cool stream bed (with running water!) surrounded by palm trees that were probably planted by the Jesuits in the 1700s, and emerged at a small plateau upon which were the ruins of the mission. Not much left, but still impressive to see. There was also a log book where we printed our names, the date and our mode of transportation. We explored the area a bit, then re-mounted our bikes for the trip back. After the short ride through the palm trees, we got back to the base of the climb.
The climb had one line that looked doable to me. The problem was complicated by a short run-up, a step-up, and a turn. Plus a bunch of smaller obstacles. I gave it a go on the XR first. Not good. I got just past the turn, lost traction and tipped over, breaking the clutch lever. No problem, I have a spare. Take out the tool kit, and oh shit. No spare. I guess it got left out in the last minute packing. Fuck. Fortunately the lever broke with just enough left to get a finger on it. Had to use two hands to pull it in, but I could hold it and feather it with one hand. Not ideal. Rolled the bike down to the bottom of the hill and gave it another go – and ended up in about the same place. So, Jack and I spent the next 30 minutes dragging my XR up the hill. 6 inches at a time. Front wheel, rear wheel, repeat. Jack was awesome - kept his cool, had some great suggestions, and worked really hard. Great partner to have in a difficult situation. Of course, by the time we got it to the top we were both exhausted and not looking forward to the ride back. And, oh yeah, we still had another bike to get up!
I started the TTR-250 and told myself I was too exhausted to drag another bike up the hill – I had to ride it up. I gave myself a second to get collected, eased out the clutch, got up on the pegs, and rode that fucker up the hill. Didn’t make it to the very top, but with Jack cheering me on I made it through all the hard stuff. We just had to re-position the rear wheel once, then I rode it the rest of the way up. Question is, why could I ride the TTR up, while exhausted, and fail on my earlier attempt with the XR? My theory is the added weight of the XR (with 6 gallon tank) taller seat height, and higher gearing (10% above stock) made the difference. I also should have aired down – I was running about 25psi to reduce the chance of pinch flats. Dumb. Lesson learned. The ride back was a bit rough since we were so exhausted, but we made it without any further drama. Margaritas and beers that night. We both slept really well.
Typical section of two track
Doesn't look too bad from this angle. Maybe I'm just lame
From the top
This guy didn't make it
Along the stream bed
The mission ruins
Pano of Mission Santa Maria
To be continued...........
I guess I should start with the drive down. I usually drive down with one of my two sons, while the other son and my wife fly. This is necessary because of the amount of crap I bring down – mountain bikes, windsurfing gear, motorcycles, etc. With all that stuff there’s just not enough room in my 4Runner for more than one passenger. I came close to buying an enclosed trailer this year, but the cost to store it the rest of the year makes the purchase uneconomical. Instead I just upgraded my Harbor Freight folding trailer to a (used) Kendon folding trailer.
So, Jack and I headed out on Saturday, December 14. Now, living in San Francisco really complicates preparations for a big road trip. First, unless you have a big garage, you can’t load up the night before and leave at the crack of dawn – everything will get stolen if you leave it on the street. I have a one car garage filled with motorcycles, tools, etc., so sticking my 4runner inside for the night is not possible - I have to load up and leave the same day. So, my typical routine has evolved to loading up in the morning, leaving the house before noon, and driving to a campsite where I can spend the night next to my stuff – no way I can stop at a hotel. Last year we spent the night at Hollister, which was great except it’s quite a drive from the freeway and a bit too close to home. This year I decided to drive a bit further. I had picked out a campground at San Lorenzo County Park (Hwy 101), but it was too early by the time we got there, so we decided to keep going. And going. We stopped for dinner at some place that was entirely unremarkable, then continued on to the Hungry Valley OHV area just off I5 on the Grapevine. Great location logistically, but there was snow on the hills, it was really cold, and the winds were howling. We struggled to set up the tent, and failed in our first attempt when a pole snapped. Rather than try and fix it, we just shoved the tent back in the truck and pulled out another one (I had three with me). This time we were successful, and drank a couple of beers in celebration prior to hitting the sack.
We got up early the next morning and made it through the LA traffic and across the border without too much trouble. I hadn't been to the Old Mill in 20 years, so it seemed like an appropriate place to stop. Decent room, pretty good dinner, and a spectacular bay.
Heading south
Beers in the freezing tent on the first night
The Old Mill
Dawn at the Old Mill
The next day we got up early and made it to Momma’s in El Rosario for lunch, then on to the Mission Hotel in Cataviña. We almost always stop in Cataviña on the drive down, but it’s normally just for a couple of hours or maybe overnight. However, I’ve always wanted to explore the area, and this year I decided to book 3 days at the Mission Hotel. It’s a bit expensive for Baja, but the only nice hotel for miles around. It also has a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool (not heated, so only suitable for looking at). We got settled into our room in the early afternoon, and went out for a quick ride on the bikes. We came across an abandoned geodesic dome to mess around in, then a trail that led to some rock paintings. My son also brought along his climbing gear and did some bouldering.
The (cold) pool at the Mission Hotel
What the heck is this doing out here?
Indigenous rock art, or graffiti?
Bouldering in Cataviña
On our second day in Cataviña I plotted out a nice loop on the east side of the highway. Had no idea what we would find, but it looked like a pretty easy ride on two-track. It turned out to be a pretty great little ride. For those of you who haven’t been there, the geology of Cataviña is unreal. The dominant feature consists of huge boulders that have been hollowed out through a bizarre weathering phenomenon, resulting in giant rock shells, many with holes in them (Window Rock is the best known). Our ride was pretty great route except at the end, where a barbed wire fence ran right across the road. WTF? The easiest way I’ve found to deal with these fences is to pull out two or three fence posts, lay the fence down, ride over the barbed wire, then replace. However, this only works where the ground is soft enough to pull the posts. Not gonna work this time. I had to untie the barbed wire so I could step on it, then re-tie it after we crossed over. Didn’t take too long, and no damage done. We finished up the ride, then headed to the bar for some pool and beers. Dinner wasn’t bad either.
The sign was not very comforting, but no problems at the hotel.
Temporarily dismantling a fence
Bear Rock
Heading back
Nice end to the day
Last day in Cataviña was rough. I wanted to visit the abandoned Mission Santa Maria. It was out an old road due east of the hotel, and was reportedly difficult to get to. We set out around 10:30 and immediately hit some rough two track – not horrible, but we definitely had to pay attention. Typical Baja road actually – smooth dirt sections, shallow sandy areas, some deeper sand in arroyos, and the occasional baby heads. At around noon we got to the big obstacle on the trail – a steep, loose, rocky downhill. My son and I stood at the top of it and I gave him three options: 1) park the bikes and walk to the mission, which was about a mile away; 2) ride the bikes down and attempt to ride back up again; or 3) ride the bikes down and I ride both bikes up. My son chose option 3. Getting down was pretty easy – gravity was our friend. We then rode through a really cool stream bed (with running water!) surrounded by palm trees that were probably planted by the Jesuits in the 1700s, and emerged at a small plateau upon which were the ruins of the mission. Not much left, but still impressive to see. There was also a log book where we printed our names, the date and our mode of transportation. We explored the area a bit, then re-mounted our bikes for the trip back. After the short ride through the palm trees, we got back to the base of the climb.
The climb had one line that looked doable to me. The problem was complicated by a short run-up, a step-up, and a turn. Plus a bunch of smaller obstacles. I gave it a go on the XR first. Not good. I got just past the turn, lost traction and tipped over, breaking the clutch lever. No problem, I have a spare. Take out the tool kit, and oh shit. No spare. I guess it got left out in the last minute packing. Fuck. Fortunately the lever broke with just enough left to get a finger on it. Had to use two hands to pull it in, but I could hold it and feather it with one hand. Not ideal. Rolled the bike down to the bottom of the hill and gave it another go – and ended up in about the same place. So, Jack and I spent the next 30 minutes dragging my XR up the hill. 6 inches at a time. Front wheel, rear wheel, repeat. Jack was awesome - kept his cool, had some great suggestions, and worked really hard. Great partner to have in a difficult situation. Of course, by the time we got it to the top we were both exhausted and not looking forward to the ride back. And, oh yeah, we still had another bike to get up!
I started the TTR-250 and told myself I was too exhausted to drag another bike up the hill – I had to ride it up. I gave myself a second to get collected, eased out the clutch, got up on the pegs, and rode that fucker up the hill. Didn’t make it to the very top, but with Jack cheering me on I made it through all the hard stuff. We just had to re-position the rear wheel once, then I rode it the rest of the way up. Question is, why could I ride the TTR up, while exhausted, and fail on my earlier attempt with the XR? My theory is the added weight of the XR (with 6 gallon tank) taller seat height, and higher gearing (10% above stock) made the difference. I also should have aired down – I was running about 25psi to reduce the chance of pinch flats. Dumb. Lesson learned. The ride back was a bit rough since we were so exhausted, but we made it without any further drama. Margaritas and beers that night. We both slept really well.
Typical section of two track
Doesn't look too bad from this angle. Maybe I'm just lame
From the top
This guy didn't make it
Along the stream bed
The mission ruins
Pano of Mission Santa Maria
To be continued...........
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