I was a bit worried about what I might find heading south on Ruta 5, as a number of folks suggested it was bad.  Dori and Mena, Canadians I met at Campo Uno, had started down the road, but turned around, and took the long way around, back north to Ruta 3 and across the mountains to Ensenada and Mex 1, the main highway in Baja.  But Billy from Campo Uno said I would be fine, even if it was slow going at times, so I figured, what the heck, I was in no hurry, my adventure had just begun.  Well, I obviously made it, and while some of the detours around bridges washed out by a recent hurricane were not too bad, the southern-most stretch, south of Coco's Corner and before joining Mex 1 in Laguna Chapala, sucked.  There were short stretches which were actually worse than anything I experienced on the Carretera Austral in southern Chile, South America, and that is saying something.

After a quick stop in town, in San Felipe, more cash, ice and diesel, I heading south.  Initially, the road was great, as actually the worst part was on the southern edge of town.  There were a few detours around bridges washed out by a recent hurricane, and while the damage was often impressive, the short detours were fine.  I would be very concerned if I tried this drive after rains, as the detours were always through the arroyos, or washes, which flooded during the hurricane to cause all the damage in the first place, so they would be impassible if it rained.

Made it easily (well, with a few bumpy and dusty detours) to Puertecitos, which included a stop at a great roadside bar, Cowpatty.  I camped at Octovio's Camp just on the northern edge of town.  The place was pretty deserted, both the campground and town, and I paid $200 pesos for a spot on the beach with a small palapa, pit toilets (which were on the edge of being gross), and nothing else, just me, and a few fishermen.  While the cost is only a little over $10US, this turned out to be expensive, given what you get.  I paid $150 pesos at other campgrounds, and got clean, flush toilets, showers (even hot on occasion), and occasionally WiFi (which generally sucked, but this turned out to be what you get in Baja).   It would be the next day which would be a real challenge, especially after I decided to make a run for Bahia de los Angeles, many kilometers away.  And, had to avoid the one rule everyone repeated, don't drive after dark in the Baja.  It would be a long day.

The drive down Mex 5, or Ruta 5 as I call it, was easy, and the scenery was wonderful.  Often mountains loomed on the horizon to the west, more rock and hills to the east, before finally getting a view of the Sea of Cortez, or Gulfo California.  The landscape was often draped in flowering lavender plants, and while it is all desert, it is always beautiful in that dry, tan-colored sort of way.  Cacti began to spring up, different species though the giant saguaro are my favorite.  This drive includes some of the driest parts of the Baja, but still a wonderful trip.  The road conditions were good, at least to San Felipe, though beyond that, I had already heard that conditions change as you head south out of San Felipe.  I also got to experience the first of what would turn out to be many: an army check point.  They all carried automatic rifles, were not that friendly, and never smiled.  They asked me to get out of the van, and open the back doors.  They poked around a bit, checked under the mattress, but no worries and I was soon on my way.

It took about 3 hours to get to San Felipe, nice little town of maybe 17,000 people.  I went straight to the malecon (waterfront promenade, kind of like their version of a boardwalk), checked out the view, and had my first Mexican beer, think it was a Modelo, with a lime, refreshing.  The exchange rate is pretty favorable, maybe $18 to $19 pesos to the dollar, but some things are pretty cheap regardless.  I paid $30 pesos for that first beer, which in US dollars is a little over $1.50.  I think I can handle that.  There is also a bank in town, so I was able to get some pesos.  I really believe that it is best to have local currency, even in Mexico where most places will take US dollars, as you get a better exchange rate if you leave it up to a bank, and not some vendor or bartender.  For example, I ended up in a bar with some folks from the campground my second night in San Felipe, and drank a "few" beers.  Initially, they asked for $25 US for 5 beers, but when I asked about what it would be in pesos, they said it would be $320 pesos, or about $3.20 per beer.  I'll stick to pesos, local currencies are always the way to go.

There are a few campgrounds in and around town. I ended up at Campo Turistico #1, or simply Campo Uno, mostly because it was at the far northern end of the town.  Simple place with palapas, basically beach shelters stacked one after the other, rocky beach, but nice, a very mellow place.  A few folks stay there all winter, including Billy, a house painter from Washington, who also sings, and plays a mean 12-string guitar.  I also met Dori and Mena here, a couple from Montreal, Canada, traveling with their dog, in a small camper/trailer.  They were especially interested in my Sprinter, and what I had done with the conversion.  Check out their YouTube page, Adventures of Dori and Mena (or something like that).  It was fun to meet them and chat, exchange notes on where to go, what to do, always looking for more information while traveling.  This turned out to be a better than average campground, $300 pesos per night, for pretty tight quarters, and, no hot water, though they did have flush toilets.  There was WiFi in the main building, a small restaurant, but it was slow, and did not always work.  I stayed two nights, and had fun.  I biked a bit, exploring town, and got my paddle board out, Garth from South Africa/UK really enjoyed that, but the water was cold, and the wind always picked up during the afternoon.  And, it got chilly at night, downright cold on the second night, even cranked up my little propane heater (thanks Chris).  The second night, Billy played a local dive Gringo bar, a few of us went for dinner and a few beers, was a fun night.  But I needed to head south, so after two nights, I was on my way. 

Survived the border crossing into Mexicali on Hwy 7 South, east of the main (and new) border crossing.  I pretty much blew through, though they were backed up going the other way, US ICE agents doing everything they can to prevent the current national emergency, the uncontrolled flow of drugs and criminals from the south.  You no longer need a vehicle permit if you are just traveling in the Baja, just a stamp in the passport in immigration and you are on your way.  The path through Mexicali was great, signs directed me easily towards Rt. 5 and San Felipe.  I was on my way, heading south into the Baja, another adventure had begun.  Baja California, more than simply a place, its reputation suggests it is more of a state of mind.  I hope so, I am ready, I am excited.

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Time for another adventure, time to hit the road in my van.  For this adventure, the plan is pretty simple.  I will drive to California, USA, then cross into Mexico around Mexicali, and drive south, into Baja California, Mexico.  I will again mostly camp in my van, hopefully along the beach, Sea of Cortez along the eastern coast, and the Pacific Ocean along the western coast.  I will drive, hike and bike, paddle and swim (if possible, it is winter down there), and take lots of photographs.  Hopefully you will follow along on my current adventure, Viva Baja!