Van Tramp adventures 2018

[Ballenxj]

Thanks for inviting us along to share in your travels up and down the west coast areas, as well as Death Valley. I enjoyed your previous travel thread too.
Funny that you two lost access to your one and only can opener by blocking the drawer shut with the bed. Live and learn, at least to have more than one can opener.  
 Also, I hate it when phone companies advertise unlimited, then give you limited.
 I think you two need to come up with a different name for Big Blue. Something like Big Ain't Blue? Not anymore, anyway.
Anyway, Happy Trails to Mr and Mrs Tramp. Will continue following vicariously.

 

[duncanshannon]

Awesome stuff! This is my first Captains Log thread to follow... and it seems like a great one!

 

[Van-Tramp]

Bahia de Los Angeles
BY [size=small]VAN-TRAMP · PUBLISHED JANUARY 24, 2018 · UPDATED JANUARY 24, 2018[/size]

[size=large]We barely made it before the sun began to set, taking about 9 hours to make the drive from Ensenada to Bahia de Los Angeles. We were actually up and rolling before the sunrise, knowing we had a lond day of driving ahead. It didn’t help as much of the main highway was covered in massive pot holes, slowing us to a snail’s pace for hours at a time. Kerri did have a planned pit stop along the route, at a local restaurant that is known for their lobster burritos (crazy, right?). Even though she was still feeling no-so-great it didn’t stop her from gobbling down that burrito. She offered me some, and I gladly declined. I did finish off her beans and rice though, so yum.
Making the long haul in a single day allowed us to spend two nights at one of most memorable campsites in our previous time down here – Campo Archelon.  Last time around we pulled into a nearly vacant campground, with only two others, tent or car-camped nearby. This time the place was full with vans, cars, tents, and small trailers occupying nearly every spot possible. Great business for the owners, but we were hoping to score a nice quiet palapa along the beach and relax for two days. Instead we had to settle for just beach-front (no palapa) for the first night… oh the horror. The second day we were able to move to a palapa where we had a tick more privacy and could shelter from the wind a bit.

While we had waterfront property we took the time to air up the new Advanced Elements tandem kayakand take it our for a maiden voyage. We didn’t get far, thanks to the wind, but we were happy with the way it moved along the water and most importantly, that we seem to be able to handle a tandem without it turning into a fight. I’ve heard so many stories of tandem kayaks ending in divorce for many couples… so far all it well for us, after only 20 minutes at sea. Anyway, I am really looking forward to getting this guy out on the water in a place we can do some snorkeling. It will be a blast to kayak out from shore, jump overboard with our snorkeling gear, and explore away with the kayak floating above us with a picnic (and beers) onboard when we want take a break. That’s the dream anyway, hopefully we get to do it.

The two days passed pretty quickly, with a lot of lounging around, reading, and trying to keep the dogs entertained enough to stop barking and whining every moment they were awake. Byron is having a rough time adjusting to having to be outside all day. Just not enough room in the van for him to get his 20+ hours of beauty sleep a day inside, so instead he sits outside making pigeon and dinosaur sounds trying to convince us he is so near death that we MUST let him inside. ALL-FRICKEN-DAY. Moose on the other hand, just wants to be free of his leash to join to roving gangs of Mexican dogs that get to wander the streets the entire day. He did meet a female dog that wanted to play badly enough that she tolerated his attempts at humping her to no end. She really messed the poor guy up; somehow getting him to go into the ocean (he hates water) and got him so hot and bothered he could not sit or lay down for a half hour after their meetup.
Unfortunately, we are back to the big city as of Monday afternoon, having left Bahia de Los Angeles in the late morning on Monday to make the final 3 hours of driving to Guerro Negro where we settle in for the work week, then off to see some whales next weekend – something we were unable to do last time here.
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[Van-Tramp]

Guerrero Negro
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/guerrero-negro/

[size=large]Just a few hour drive South from our beachfront camping in Bahia de Los Angeles in the saltworks and fishing town of Guerrero Negro. We have been here before (twice) last time through Baja, and both times wished we could move on right away. The town is not pretty, nor is there scenery around that is worth seeing. There is little in town worth doing or going too either. But, Guerrero Negro is a necessary stop – primarily for the cell signal through the work week, but also because of Kerri’s favorite taco truck in all of Baja is parked right down the road. [/size]
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[size=large]So, yea, we have spent the last four days parked in a hotel parking lot. Super exciting stuff. The dogs haven’t been happy either.  Hey, at least we have had shore power during this time. Finally allowed me some time to get back on the laptop to tinker on some ideas. It has been since October since I’ve had the time to sit behind my laptop and do something productive.
We suffer through these days only to get past them. On Saturday we roll 45 minutes South (15 miles) on a rough dirt road to camp on the edge of the lagoon. Here we will spend a few no-net days camped so we can finally take a tour boat out to see the whales that come here each winter to birth their babies. If we are lucky, we will get to meet a baby whale as well. Either way, the time in the hotel parking lot will be worth it in the end.[/size]

 

[Van-Tramp]

Fishing for baby whales
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/fishing-for-baby-whales/

We happily left the tacos and city-life of Guerroro Negro on Friday afternoon, after a quick trip to the laundromat, fuel station, water station, bank, and grocery store. It was a late departure for sure, but we were only planning to move 40 minutes down the road to Laguna Ojo de Liebre on the banks of what should be a world-wonder, if you are asking my opinion. The lagoon is a annual destination for Gray Whales who migrate from the cold waters around Alaska to come here to birth and raise their babies, at least for a few months. For a few hundred pesos one can board a tiny boat and go see the whales (babies too) up close and personal, and that was exactly what we planned to do since we missed out on the adventure on our previous trip here.

With the late arrival – just before sunset – we setup camp (aka, parked and opened our doors) at a lone palapa. The dogs were able to run around for a bit, which they both desperately needed after a week leashed to the van in a gravel parking lot. Happy dogs makes for a happy Van Tramp. Kerri and I settled in to watch the sunset and a quick meal at the restaurant on site where the TV was playing a most enthralling Mexican drama. I have no clue what it was or what it was  about, but not knowing what is being said sure makes it a ton more dramatic. We couldn’t help but to watch, making up our own dialog as we did. Afterwards, back at our palapa, we sat out and enjoyed a few drinks before calling it a night.

We returned to the restaurant in the morning for Huevos Rancheros (our first this time in Baja) and decided to jump in the next boat heading out on the lagoon. A 3 hour tour (ha! seriously!) of the lagoon proved to be one of the most amazing things one could ever witness. Not just in Baja, but on the planet. Whales, whales, and more whales everywhere you looked. Some just swimming along with their newborn while others seemed to be gleefully playing a game of who can jump the furthers out of the water. It was easy to get whiplash with all the head turning.

The boat captain motored us back and forth between numerous groups of the monsters so we could get our videos and photographs, but we knew the real attraction is the possibility of being able to reach down and touch one of the whales – baby whale preferred. For our group, it happened right towards the end of our tour. Eventually running across a mother whale so proud of her newborn baby that she just had to show it off… even if it where to tiny humans. When the momma spotted us nearby, she pushed her baby up on her snout, out of the water, and swam it right to our boat. There she spent the next few minutes socializing with us, ever so gently avoiding contact with the boat (not half her size) and lifting the baby up for us to see. There really are no words that give it justice, just do it if/when you have the chance.

I kept the camera rolling while Kerri tried repeatedly to actually make contact with either of the whales, but they stayed just out of reach of her T-rex arms (I’ll pay for that last jab). It was all good though, we still got to play with whales this time in Baja, and it was worth every peso and all the miles of pothole infested roadway to get here.

A few videos at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/fishing-for-baby-whales/[/SIZE]
 

 

[Van-Tramp]

A weekend at the beach
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/a-weekend-at-the-beach/

[size=large]We still had a few days of our weekend before having to go into town (Mulege) for the work week, and we were going to do all that we could in that short amount of time. Off to the beach for us… which is an easy thing to find in Baja, being surrounded by water on three sides at all times. Instead of revisiting the same places we were at last time in Baja something different was in order.[/size]
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Leaving the lagoon full of whales, we pointed Big Blue South for a few miles only to turn back to the West some 60 miles down an uncharted-to-us road to drop in to the town of Bahía Asunción – a small fishing village on the Pacific side of the peninsula. We only had a few hours before the sunset, so we quickly drove the town to see if anything caught our eye and worthy of a walk after we setup camp. Nothing really stood out, and to be honest, even the campground seemed a bit on the skeezey side. The place had a small building that served as a bathroom, shower, and library… complete with an old futon that smelled of some dead animal. Kerri thought it was cute. We stayed anyway – since it was the only place in town. It turned out alright though. After a few minutes of being parked we were enjoying the sounds of the water crashing on the beach below the van and coming to agreement that the place was actually not bad at all, minus the futon. We had beach-front property, and the place all to ourselves. The dogs even got to play on the beach a bit.[/size]
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[size=large]After the sun had set, we attempted to walk to the nearest restaurant – only a few blocks away – and repeatedly got lost. It didn’t help that I was feeling pretty non-confrontational and allowed Kerri to dictate our path… after she had had a cocktail (she can defend herself if she ever decides to write any blog posts. Until then…). After a mile or so walking down residential dirt roads we returned to our starting point – a Pemex gas station – where I asked a local who pointed to a building only a few yards away. Of course, there the restaurant sat, practically within arms reach. We ate, after a good amount of exercise.[/size]
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[size=large]We were on the move pretty early the following morning (now Sunday), on our way towards Mulege. It was a few hours of driving on Mex1, passing through San Ignacio, then through the Three Virgins volcanoes and lava field, and finally through Santa Rosalia. Our destination, another new-to-us camping location just a few miles North of Mulege, lay down 10 miles of gravel roads, but with Big Blue’s new monster-tires we were not afraid at all. We started down the road, and within just a few feet regretted it. The washboard was some of the worst I’ve been on, and the rocks were too large to up the speed to just glide over them. We turned back within a half-mile, deciding not to risk some mechanical issue for a single overnight stay.[/size]
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We settled on going to a spot we both knew and enjoyed last visit, Playa Santispac, where the beach camping was second to none, and the margaritas are legendary-mean. Although we officially only had a single night to stay we ended up staying two and driving into Mulege the Tuesday morning (early) to start the work week. The one day and two nights at Santispac was spent reading, walking the beach, a short paddle around the island just off our beach, more reading, buying some tamales and shrimp from a local, eating at the beachfront restaurant (twice), and having more then our fair share of those abusive margaritas. It was all good![/size]
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[size=large]When we first arrived at Santispac, Kerri – ever the ‘eat-anything’ type of person – was walking up to the office to pay for our two nights and a complete stranger invited her over to eat shrimp. The easy-to-kidnap-girl accepted the invitation and ate shrimp with strangers while I stood at the van with two dogs trying to figure out what is taking her so long. Eventually she returned to tell the tale. Later that evening, at the margarita place, she introduced me to the strangers who she ate shrimp with and they turned out to be a couple I had met the previous weekend at Campo Archelon; a slightly younger couple from Canada (so they were no threat at all!) who were on a multi-month road trip in their little red Ford Transit. We spent those two nights partying it up with this other couple (John and Jenna, BTW) and had a great time. John and Jenna were the first people outside our friends that got the full tour of Big Blue’s interior, and free Kerri-cocktails to boot.[/size]
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After somehow surviving two nights with those margaritas, we left early Tuesday morning to get to the cell signal in Mulege for the work week. It was a successful weekend at the beach, for sure. I think we will do it again this weekend.[/size]

 

[Munky]

I wish I was at the beach right now!

Moderator Note: edited the quote out to be kind to those with low data and using phones.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Playa Escondida
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/playa-escondida/

[size=large]Since my last post, we did spend the “week” in Mulege at our favorite little campground just outside of town. It allowed us to restock our supplies, withdraw a few pesos from the bank, and get in a much needed shower (each, of course). Since we arrived on Tuesday morning, and left again by Friday afternoon, only three nights were spent in town before we skipped and headed back out to the beach.
It was only another one and a half miles further down the bay from where we stayed last weekend, but it was a whole different adventure at Playa de Escondida.[/size]
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When we arrived late Friday the sun was already deep in the sky. With the half-dozen or so palapas already taken, we had our pick of anywhere on the more secluded but no-palapa-beach which suited us well (considering our dogs bark at any movement within a quarter mile). I gave Big Blue a quick flick of reverse gear and a crank on the wheel to place our rear doors right up to the water then mashed the brakes. A moment later  the engine was shut down, the side and rear doors open, and we were pulling out the Tecate’s… we were beach-camping again![/size]
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[size=large]As our neighbor (some 50 yards down the beach) came over to say hello, the sun finished its day and the light was quickly dissipating. It was in mid sentence that Kerri stopped and says, “hey, I think that is the bio-luminescence in the water!” (I leave it to you to read up on it, it is cool) and the three of us walked over to the waters edge and tossed rocks and sand into the water to irritate the local plankton, which causes the glow. It was very much like the Northern Lights to me, just so out of this world yet right here in front of my face! Of course, it was impossible to capture it on an iPhone, so instead I offer you a google-images link to many examples of what I experienced.[/size]
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The mornings of each of the three full days we were at the beach we kayaked out to nearby islands. The islands were small, and mostly rocky, homes to many a seagull and pelican. Down below, in the water, tons of small fish and stingray swam into and out of their rocky-homes. Each day we brought our snorkeling gear out kayaking but with the water temps somewhere in the 60-degree range we stayed out of it until the final morning. It was on that final day that we chose to kayak out to Coyote Island and when we rounded to the South-Eastern side we could not help ourselves anymore, pulled over on a small rocky beach and put on the snorkeling gear for a half hour of fun – and freezing – in the water swimming among those fish and stingrays.[/size]
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[size=large]The afternoons were spent lounging, reading, and relaxing as best we could… it wasn’t an easy life at all. The dogs played in the water a lot of course, but never enough for either to stop their whining and complaining about lack of food/affection/freedom/etc.[/size]
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[size=large]Each evening we would fix up a meal and cocktail to watch the sun set, then hope that the bio-luminescence would return. We were planning to get back out in the kayak in the glowing waters, but the second and third nights were a bust. Even though we were planning to leave the beach the following morning by 7am, we left the kayak inflated and ready to go for our final night. The glow was minor, but it was there, so we took the chance and set out on the water well after the sun had set and hours before the moon was to rise. We paddled around in the bay, splashing and just having a good time picking on the plankton to make them glow. Kerri is quite the plankton-bully, continuing the meanness for a half our before I pointed us back to shore, ending our stay at Playa Escondida. We were up and driving away at 7:15 AM to make it into Loreto to start Kerri’s work day on time, and another work week back in a city.[/size]
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[ratfink56]

Thanks for this terrific thread. I'm done working forever the end of April. Gonna drive around Baja looking for an area to retire. Just started working on my van and can't wait to hit the road. Readin this has been very inspirational.

 

[closeanuf]

How's the paint job holding up?  Are you still satisfied with it?

 

[Van-Tramp]

How's the paint job holding up?  Are you still satisfied with it?

It is doing great. Gets lots of attention. This weekend I drove the van down a dirt road with trees on both sides that would have scratched the paint off any car. The Monstaliner came out without a scratch on it.

 

[Van-Tramp]

To Blaha for Carnival
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/to-blaha-for-carnival/

Last time through here – Loreto – I considered the town very ‘Blah’. It wasn’t small enough for my liking or big enough to have much in it. This time around my feelings have changed a lot. I’m really not sure what has changed my opinion of Loreto, but it is happening. So why did we come here if it was underwhelming to begin with? Carnival!
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Not really, but yes. The little Carnival festivities they have here in Loreto are much like the county fairs from my childhood. In 2016 we were just lucky to stumble onto it, but this time we made sure to be here during this weekend, at least for a single night. I know what you are thinking, “a county fair isn’t worth driving 2 hours and hanging around an entire week for”. You are correct. It is not the carnival itself, but a specific taco stand that had to be tackled.[/size]
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[size=large]See, last time we didn’t know the Carnival fair-type-thing was down here that night. We ate a large dinner and set out for a walk along the water and just happened upon it. We were already beyond full-stomach-capacity but I went in for a taco anyway and it was the best taco in all of Mexico, guaranteed… not worth debating. However, we were both too full to eat any beyond the teaser, argh![/size]
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We have talked about that taco for two years, so when we had the chance to return on Carnival weekend to maybe stuff a few of them down our faces… yea, we drove hours out of our way, stayed in a cramped gravel parking lot, and waited around for 4 days for them. The tacos were worth it, O. M. G!!![/size]
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We then left Loreto without a phone call, or a thank you, or even a “I will call you later”. We were done with Loreto now that the tacos were in our tummy. I leave you with the following mouthwatering temptations… Tacos al Pastor for the win![/size]
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[johnny b]

Well I know what I'm having tonite!
My neighborhood Taqueria/Bar does a pretty good al pastor and even has the cebollitas, although not as big.
They've also won best Margarita 2014-2017 in the City Paper (DC)....but that's not why I go there.

[for anyone visiting DC area...Taqueria el Poblano...3 locations...Arlington/Alexandria]
http://www.taqueriapoblano.com/

 

[Van-Tramp]

[font=Arial, Georgia, sans-serif]You guessed it, more beach camping[/font]
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/you-guessed-it-more-beach-camping/

[font=Arial, Georgia, sans-serif][size=large][size=large]We have been living in partial weeks lately – a few days in town where we can get a cellular signal for work, then Friday night through Monday night we head out to whatever beach rubs us the right way that weekend. Four nights we spend on the beaches, leaving early Tuesday morning to make the drive back into town, only to leave again Friday evening to return to the beaches. That is a lot of time to spend offline for these two Internet junkies, but after a few weeks of doing it, it is becoming very natural.[/size][/font][/size]
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[font=Arial, Georgia, sans-serif][size=large][size=large]This past weekend was the first one in which I felt fully relaxed, even with little to nothing to really occupy myself (something I am not good at). It was a slightly shorter weekend on the beach since we stayed Friday night in Loreto [size=large]for the tacoshttp://www.van-tramp.com/wp/to-blaha-for-carnival/ though. Still, two full days of doing a whole lot of nothing felt great.  Oh, we did pull the kayak back out on the water for a paddle around the island immediately off our little spit, probably doing no more than a mile in the water, but otherwise it was a whole lot of sitting around.  I came prepared with a new book to read (Ready Player One) which didn’t survive the weekend. A bag of Dorritos (Mexican Dorritos are so much better than the American version), a few Tecate, and even a Coke or two kept me company while I completed my task of reading through the book, with the above view any time I looked up.[/size][/size][/font][/size]
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[font=Arial, Georgia, sans-serif][size=large][size=large]During these times of minimal exertion I find myself becoming a much more social person, actively seeking out others and striking up conversation for no other reason then to add some extra flavor to the day’s recipe. This is new to my life, as only a few years ago I went out of my way to avoid all people and was extremely socially inept. With practice, right? On the first day at the beach I was talking with our neighbors on the beach and eventually invited them over for some of Kerri’s cocktails. It’s a lot of fun to be in a van yet still be able to offer and provide something as sophisticated as cocktails (in which Kerri deserves all that credit, I just do the drinking). A near-full-bar in a van is a totally unexpected thing I would imagine.[/size][/font][/size]
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[size=large]This beach happens to be one of the very same that we came too in 2016. Kerri’s dog – Byron – fell in love with this beach back then, and he seemed to recall it well, even in his elderly state. He was in the water as often as he was allowed, then would come lay in the sand beside the van until he was dry enough to warrant another excursion into the water. For his age (coming up on 14 years) he sure has a lot of energy at the beaches.
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[highdesertranger]

very nice. you guys ain't going to want to come home. highdesertranger

 

[Van-Tramp]

Finding more to explore
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/finding-more-to-explore/

[size=large]When we first decided to come back to Baja, we thought we would just pay for a month or two to stay in our favorite town in Baja, in an extremely picturesque campground – Don Chano’s Campground. From there we would venture out for the weekends, and return for the four-day work week. It took a few weeks to get all the way down, and when we did we found the campground had expanded, got more expensive (as has everything it seems), and got a whole lot more crowded. Once again, it holds true that returning to a location is never as good as the first time around (as pictured below).[/size]
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[size=large]Don’t get me wrong, it is still a great place, just not what we were expecting from a home-base during our stay. There are tons of other places we can explore in Baja, so we have been. For example our home these past few days; just another half-mile down the road from Don Chano’s is a beach on the Sea of Cortez. On that beach is a few palapas, a lighthouse, and a couple tiny restaurants. It is here we moved too to get a little more open space and the sounds of the waves knocking at our door. And, so far it appears to be a free-camping location, saving us 200 pesos a night (that is a lot of tacos my friend).[/size]
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[size=large]The weather has not been picture perfect the past few days. We even got what passes for rain down here in Baja – just a few drops. The clouds come in strong in the mornings, and even though the forecast calls for clouds and rain, by mid morning they usually clear up. Still, the temperatures are in the low 70’s so I am keeping my shirt on and the last of my farmer-tan for now, at least for another few days.[/size]
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The local dogs have already come by to welcome us, which really ticked off Byron for a few minutes. Moose asserted his dominance with a few growls and the much larger dogs accepted who was boss my laying on the ground in a submissive posture. Moose really didn’t know what to do with that, so he walked away to pee on a rock.[/size]
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[Van-Tramp]

Riding the Coyote
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/riding-the-coyote/

[size=large]After leaving our free camping just outside of Mulege, we had a few errands to run (refill water, gas, and fridge) before we could set off for the beach for the weekend. Unfortunately, the amount of time this took meant we could not make it to the beach we intended before the sun had set. With only a few rays of light left, we pulled into the trusted Playa Santispac, the northern-most camping area on the Bay of Conception. Here we simply rode out the darkness… although we did grab another mean-margarita and a meal at Armando’s on the beach. My meal consisted of an extremely well prepared concrete-quesadilla, at least if felt like concrete through out the night! Lesson learned.[/size]
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[size=large]By morning, early morning, we were coffee’d up and ready to roll out to the beach we intended to stay the weekend; Playa Coyote.  Playa Coyote and it’s waters, is where Kerri was hoping to spot some Whale Sharks. Unfortunately, with the additional crowds in Baja this winter, the camping areas were packed… and I mean packed! Big rig after big rig, with a few van sprinkled in to fill in every possible inch of the sand. We turned around, choosing to head back to our trusted Playa Escondida a few miles up the road. No big rigs there![/size]
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We arrived to a nearly empty beach – just how we like it – and pulled into a spot that looked to be just right for us… and promptly sank the rear tires into the sand, argh! This was the first time we got Big Blue stuck in Baja, and only my second time since he has been my stead (since 2010). The first time, way back at Slab City, taught me not to even *try* to get out. Applying any throttle only makes things worse, so this time around I put it in park right away and set out to build a ramp with our leveling blocks. Back in December Kerri sold me on bringing these blocks under the guise of their dual purpose of levelers and a way to get unstuck from sand. I’m happy I agreed, because it only took a few minutes of moving forward a couple feet, repositioning the blocks, moving another two feet, another reposition, and finally drive right out of the sand. It was all pretty uneventful in the end. We moved over a few van-widths and did not sink in this time, so we setup camp and paid up for the three nights we would be staying.[/size]
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[size=large]Saturday consisted of nothing more than relaxing, drinking, reading, and setting up the kayak in preparation for an early Sunday paddle for a return trip to Coyote Island. We had failed to step foot on the island when we snorkeled here last week, and that was about to change. The only real exercise we got was helping a VW bus get unstuck from the sand. I’m just happy I wasn’t the only one.[/size]
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[size=large]Once Kerri was sufficiently caffeinated on Sunday morning, we set out for the 1.5 mile paddle out to the island. In no time at all (actually a little over 20 minutes) we were pulling into Coyote Island’s tiny crescent shaped beach. We walked around, exploring the 100 yards of beach that was all our own. It was at this time that the concrete-quesadilla decided it wanted out of my body – at least from the proper end. That’s fine… this old bear has pooped in the woods many times. Problem was, we had no TP! Not even a single tissue for cleanup after the deed. I was reaching for some dry grass when Kerri mentioned the much softer appearing kelp here on the beach. I knew there was a good reason sea-weed existed! Thank you Kerri.[/size]
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[size=large]After defiling the island, we left. Returned to camp and spending the rest of Sunday – and all of Monday now that I think about it – just being lazy. Sitting around, reading, eating, throwing the ball around for the dogs, and occasionally having a Tecate or two was the name of the game. Not a bad weekend, except…[/size]
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[size=large]… except, we have done this before. A few times now, in fact. It was Kerri that brought it up, “I don’t think I can just sit around on a beach much longer”. I was thinking the same thing for the past 24 hours but didn’t want to bring it up. Baja, as awesome as it is (and it truly is) seems to have run it’s course with us already. The nomad in our blood is screaming out for something new, and it can not be ignored. Our plan has always been to come down to this part of Baja and hang around on beaches until we got bored, then head back up to the USA. I think we were both surprised when it appears that time is approaching.[/size]
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The mountains are calling[/size]

 

[masterplumber]

You might want to wait a bit for the mountains. It was -1 in my driveway when i left this morning, and had snowed again. East of Monument, CO.

 

[Van-Tramp]

You might want to wait a bit for the mountains. It was -1 in my driveway when i left this morning, and had snowed again. East of Monument, CO.

Yea I bet it is cold in CO. SoCal wont be so bad, and that is where I am headed in a few more weeks

 

[Van-Tramp]

Final days in Mulege
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/final-days-in-mulege/

[size=large]Instead of returning to our normal spot in Mulege, we went to an old favorite in search of something different then beaches and the same tropical campground in town. Located a few miles outside of town, down a sparsely populated dirt road, is a farm slash RV park. We know it as “Ray’s” but it has since dropped the previous owner’s name from the signage (Ray passed away a few years back). We were looking for some peace and quiet, away from all the other American and Canadian nomads in Baja this year. It also helped that we knew this place had a great shower, a large open grassy area, and ample orange trees for as much free fresh squeezed orange juice as we could handle.[/size]
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Upon arrival there were already a half dozen other rigs parked in the RV park area. Big ones too, and spread out just right so each rig commanded not just their own RV space, but all the others directly beside in all directions. This effectively blocked off all the spaces in the RV park, unless we wanted to camp under the awning of a 40 foot Class-A, or step out onto the poop-hose of a monster 5th wheel. It may sound like I am complaining (I do that a lot) but I was all too happy to see them clustered together, allowing us to take up a spot at the far side of the property, along the fence line, all by ourselves, hundreds of feet from the nearest next camper. We don’t need no stinkin’ hookups![/size]
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[size=large]It was good to have some distance between me and anyone else this week. Although I quit smoking cigarettes back in 2009, for the past few years I started smoking a pipe. This started as a very occasional activity, like sitting around a camp fire once or twice a week. Over the recent years, it slowly escalated to a daily occurrence, and recently turned into something I was doing a few times each day. By the beginning of this year I knew the inevitable had to be done – to quit smoking again. I did not have enough tobacco to last the entire trip in Baja, and the day before arriving at Ray’s was my final smoke’s worth of tobacco. The pipes were then thrown away and for the second time in a decade I was a new non-smoker. The next week would not be a good time for anyone within a few hundred feet of me. I get quite grumpy for a few days after my final smoke.[/size]
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