La Ventana... Start planning

Mark · Wed Sep 30, 09 2:54 pm **La Ventana... Start planning**

Put this on your calendar!

dustin awesome · Since 23 Jul 2009 115 Posts Stoked

HELLZZZ YEAH!! This will be my first time to La Ventana. And Im super stoked to go Im leaving Dec.27 and am going to be there until the last of January! Laughing

Im really looking forward to perfecting my kite skills! (remember your training, danielson). Wink

Im totally going to show my support!!

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Oct 01, 09 1:48 pm

For sure you'll be super stoked (especially since your dustin awesome)

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

NACHO LIBR'E Twisted Evil

windmlv · Since 08 Jun 2008 11 Posts pacific northwest New Member

Just arrived in the beach in LaVentana (Sept.29) after driving down from Victoria,BC. I posted this on our local kiteboard/windsurf forum but know that a lot of friends from OR/WA drive down as well.
Thought this might be of interest to others driving:

Just arrived in laVentana today and thought that a road report might be helpful for those coming down later or just thinking about it.
I5 through Washington and Oregon were uneventful but watch for lots of "road work". That must be a sizeable stimulus check.
It seemed like one long "road work" area.
California must be the poor one as it is most in need of road work but has little.
Parts of I5 California were great but a lot is plain nasty. Especially, for us in the slow truck lane! Going up the "Grapevine" and through LA is the worst.
A good time to check your suspension and tires is before you leave.
Some of the potholes really hurt. Gobble up "Smart" cars, they do!
I stayed at rest stops and "Flying J" gas stations as they have lots of room. The Travel centers of America gas stations have lots of space as well. I always stop or spend the night at "Harris Ranch". Approx. 3 hours before LA on I5. They have great food and Free WIFI from anywhere in the parking lot. Good for last minute road/weather checks.
If you want to time your drive through LA, there is a convenient stop at a Walmart with a Camping World next door in Santa Clarita, near Six Flags.
The exit is for "Lyons Ave."
This time I drove through LA at about 10am on a Saturday with no slow downs. normally, I wait until midnight and then go through when it is relatively quiet. At the moment I think I5 has a detour in the middle of LA during the night hours so best to check if going then.
Stayed at the only rest stop on the other side near Oceanside. tried the Oceanside harbour which is very nice but it was full as it was Saturday.
Left Oceanside at 5am to time my border crossing at Tijuana for daylight at about 6:45. No problems but even though I received the "green light" they inspected the registration and VIN number. 5 minutes and I was on my way. I follow the signs to the Ensenada Toll road (about 110 km long). Exit right just past customs (first exit), follow the famous "fence" and onto the toll road.
Wow, best $15 ever spent! A beautiful morning, hardly any other cars and smoooth pavement after LA.
Just south of Ensenada is Manadearo, it has about a 3km detour of the "rattle your fillings" kind. Did I mention, check your suspension?
From there it is easy going through a lot of towns until ElRosario.
For those that know, they took out the 100 "topes" on the south end of town.
I made it to Guerrero Negro the first day which is kind of long but in daylight!
From there to San Ignacio, you start to notice all the greenery from hurricane "Jimena". And "greenery" brings out the cattle on the road!
Santa Rosalia and Mulege were hit quite hard.
The road is good though. just rough in the "vados".
A couple of short detours.
The next night was in Ciudad Constitution. The AC quit and it was 40c and I couldn't see as the perspiration was running from my forehead into my eyes. Found an ac shop in town at 4. At 6, I was on my way. Got to love Baja, no appointment, parts numbers etc. just fixed and better than ever!
Quite a bit of hurricane damage and flooding in Constitution as well.
The road was good though.
The next day was only 3 hours to LaPaz and then over the "hill" to LaVentana. The "bridge" at the edge of LaPaz going to LaVentana is finshed finally sort of. The road to LaVentana has some great potholes as normal but the last few km in are the worst. That suspension thing again.
Took my time and it was 6 days, with almost a full day in salem OR.
Diesel in the States was about 2.75 to 2.89 @ US gallon.
In Baja it is 7.70 pesos @ litre.
Camp fees in the main camp for this year are 100 pesos @ day (about $8CDN). That is for the front row, the other rows will likely be 80 pesos @ day.
Forgot to mention that you should stop at the border into Baja to obtain a "tourist" visa for about $20US, good for up to 6 months.
You will also need Mexican car insurance as ICBC doesn't cover you once you cross the border. We use Lewis and Lewis in LA (online) and have done for ten years now. ICBC does give you a refund for your time in Mexico if you apply for it with "back-up" documentation.
I guesss that means this is our 10th winter in Baja!
It is 33c at 8pm.
Buenos noches.
martin

Definitely a stepped up military presence on the Baja highway this year. More armoured vehicles out and about.
Went through 4 or 5 military checkpoints but was only given a cursory inspection once (must be the old guy innocent look ).
Just waved on through.
The immigration/food inspection at Guerrero Negro is interesting. It is at the border between Baja north and Baja south. They check for your "tourist visa" and for fruit and vegetables and sometimes meat. it seems that it depends more on what the inspector's wife told him to bring home that morning. There is also a charge of about 20 pesos to spray an insecticide under your vehicle. They used to do it by hand now it is like a carwash. Lovely smell for a while!
I went through at daybreak (barely) and the inspector didn't even get up from his chair, just waved me on through. No insecticide, nice.

dangerD · Since 27 Jun 2005 223 Posts Bingen Heights Stoked

I for one am Not looking forward to that sketchy and dangerous drive.. through LA! The rest I can't wait for!!!!!
good 411, thanks