baja??

[mikecole]

Me... I'm on the fly-in program for my PSC trips. If you must have your own gear, send it down in the van with KT or Joey. It's not like the old days when you only worried about a twenty dollar shake-down....

Going with Solo Sports is expensive... As Steve pointed out, it's as much as a week in Maui. A week at PSC with nice ground swell is however ruinous!

That said… If I were single, no family, I’d be doing the drive and making more trips to PSC.

Mike

[MalibuGuru]

Amazing border footage from today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8n2V8_ksRk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTFy-PfyNuY a few weeks ago

[BajaVaya]

I keep posting my 2 pesos worth on Baja travel every month or so, but nobody (fortunately? keeps the nos. down) seems to pay much attention.
I have a house at El Socorrito (just so. of San Quintin, km24 marker) in a gringo development of about 40 houses. My family and I have been driving down every 2-3 months and many of our fellow homeowners drive down every regularly. None of us has encountered a bandido in 25 yrs. Even Cindy and Debbie drive down alone and separately about every month without giving it a 2nd thought.
6000 killed a year in the whole of Mexico is deterring you? I would be surprised if only 6000 were killed on the Baja Rte 1 just from TJ to El Rosario (closest town to PSC). Anybody count the crosses and shrines along just that section? I have personally seen dozens of vehicles crumpled by the side of the road.
Forget the bandidos, the person most likely to kill or maim you is the one that looks back at you in the mirror. Andrew hit it on the head, most gringos seem to transform from Dr. Jeckyll to Mr. Hyde when they cross the border -- no cops so you can drive as you like. Mexico may not enforce its civil laws but the laws of physics are enforced as exactly as they are in the rest of the universe.
Some simple rules my friends and I follow for safe trip.
1. Never drive at night.
2. Never drive tired.
3. Never have even a beer on the road (duh?).
4. Never pass on a blind curve (or even a not so blind one).
5. If you think it won't happen to you, Murphy will be tempted to make sure it does.
After a last day of sailing, check into the nearest motel and start back at the crack of dawn. This is not just my advice, 60 mins had a piece on sleep depravation -- scary. You think you are OK and can stay awake? Med. studies say otherwise. The toll plaza at TJ has a huge sign that says it all: No maneje cansado (don't drive tired). The Rte 1 has no shoulder and a 3-10 ft edge drop along much of its length; in a 2 secs doze you could be upside down and in a wheel chair for the rest of your life. Is it worth saving $20 - $30? Think what just your incidental medical bills will be. You will be well rested and in a better mood. Consider it insurance -- the cheapest you can buy. Besides, if you arrive at la linea around 9 am it will be far less busy.
So forget the newspapers, and take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror -- you owe it to anybody driving with you, and especially your family.
If you choose to ignore this advice, you will be in good company. Wards full of good company. Unfortunately, I know too many of them and many who belong to one of those crosses.
My take: Mexico is one of the safest places to drive: the traffic is far lighter than the USA. The wind is usually better and the waves awesome. The crowds? Non-existent. No rangers or billboard of rules. Just go with a friend who can swim and camp at a managed campground.

[tomg]

This thread seems to be focused on northern Baja but for what it is worth, I just got back from La Ventana and the wind was cranking. Just a small shore break but plenty o wind. I heard the crime is very low compared to more northern areas.

A heck of a drive (someone told me it is 25 hours from LA!), the most direct route is to fly to
La Paz, second option is Cabo. Many low key beach houses and near free camping on the beach. Gear, beer and great food. All you need.

[wyattmiller]

I just finished driving from La Ventana To Berkeley Yesterday. Ate breakfast In El Rosario, stopped at a couple killer taco joints in northern Mexico and everything seemed just as safe as it does every time I have driven through mexico (2-3 times a year for 7 years). Don't believe all the scary hype. If you are not a cop or carrying bricks of coke you shouldn't worry. New Orleans has a higher per capita murder rate than TJ. We even drove all night long.

Calmate people CALMATE.

The F*&!ing boarder patrol guys were the meanest scariest mo fo's we saw the whole ride up. Protect and Serve my anus.

[dvCali]

[stilladdicted]

OK - sounds like the same ol sh*t.

I got pulled over in TJ at 0600 for going the with the flow of traffic. Next time down, rolled through at 5 mph, cars wizzing by me, and was not bothered. Lesson learned.

I drive a jacked up van that screams AMERICAN. I'd be interested in a caravan to PSC over spring break, or perhaps any other week between then and early June.

Should we start a thread for caravans?

thanks.

Mike

[D-wo]

[MalibuGuru]

Great idea. Make sure to include time/date parameters such as Thurs. 27th feb/ Meet at boarder insurance stop between 5-6pm. Would probably want other info like fast driver or slow, whether cell phone works in baja, do you want to stop in Ensenada or San Quintin, or drive through.

This would save alot of frustration. Maybe iwindsurf would be willing to set up a travelers log for baja/maui/gorge. It could include ride share, gear transport, flights, etcetera.

[windsrf]

I drove once, in 2001. Am considering second trip but probably next Jan. Meanwhile, acquaintances had vehicle burgled roughly 2 months ago while they were in the "insurance/border" stop, I believe in Ensenada. Advice would be to never leave vehicle unattended in populated/border area. David