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October 19, 2017
Route Through Baja California
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen. The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back if we live, and we don't know why." - John Steinbeck - Log from the Sea of Cortez
I recently realized that when the Spanish discovered the area that we now know as California, there were two distinct Californias. There was Baja California (Lower California) and Alta California (Upper California). So, what we know as California was Alta California, later shortened to just "California", and then Baja California, later shortened to just Baja.
So, I'm picking out a different route through the Baja this time. Trying to make sure I haven't missed anything, as I've been down there a few times now. This time, I want to follow the Sea of Cortez on the way down. This is definitely the road less traveled, so I'm trying to pick out my Pemex stations very carefully. I do not want to run out of gas in the Punta Prieta desert again. That's a bad feeling.
So, it looks to me like I could go down by the Salton Sea, check out Joshua Tree and Slab City. Then, roll across the border at Mexicali, and follow the sea of cortez down through San Felipe and Punta Final.
Mile Pemex Station
0 Mexicali, BCN
122 San Felipe, BCN
232 Punta Final, BCN (this Pemex is just before the town. Runs out of gas.)
309 Punta Prieta, BCN [Exit to Bahia de Los Angeles. Guy selling gas out of a pickup truck bed at an abandoned Pemex station.]
-------------Time Zone Change ---------------------
384 Guerro Negro, BCS
560 Mulege, BCS
643 Loreto, BCS
719 Ciudad Insurgentes, BCS
865 La Paz, BCS
Now, I should point out that I'm not convinced that this is the route I'm taking. It's just one possible route through the Baja. I might just be more conventional, and stick to the traditional Mexico Uno (Highway 1) down the peninsula. I'm just sort of looking at my options. Trying to figure out which way to go.
OK. After zooming in and looking at that route, I'm pretty sure I'm not going that way. See....last time I was at this intersection (where Mexico 5 meets Mexico 1), I thought I remembered that it wasn't paved. I just zoomed in to look at the intersection and, sure enough, it's not paved. So, I'm not going that route. Also, I had sort of imagined that there was a Pemex store or a restaurant there. If you spin around, you'll see that there's pretty much nothing there at all. So...yeah...I'm not going that route.
Posted by Rob Kiser on October 19, 2017 at 9:19 PM
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