Baja Bound, Day Two

Scenic Desert Drive to San Felipe and Bahia Gonzaga

At breakfast in our Valle de Guadelupe motel, I asked Safira, our host, where we could find aciete de olivo (that’s olive oil), with the help of Google Translate! She directed us to Olibaja, one of the local olive oil producers and just a mile or so away. I bought 4 bottles for gifts and for myself.  It is possibly the thickest EVOO that I’ve ever tasted.  Muy Rico!

We then set off for San Felipe, via Ensenada. Ensenada had very few tourists but looked in pretty good shape. The local merchants were struggling due to the covid induced lack of customers. We bought a couple Mexican blankets which came in handy for the rest of the trip.  Leaving Ensenada with headed south-east through Valle Del Trinidad, past the turnoff to Mike’s Sky Ranch and through miles and miles of healthy, beautiful desert. Eventually passing through the military checkpoint just before meeting up with the Baja Highway 5. Lava’s head poking out the back window was generally enough to get us waved through without incident. We then rode Hwy 5 directly into San Felipe.

San Felipe seemed a shadow of itself. What was usually lively and active was dry and dusty with only a few people around. We’d hoped for a stroll on the Malecon but it was not accessible due to construction on the road.  We found a way to the beach, walked a bit and got outta town. We then drove onto Puertecitos, Bahia Gonzaga and Alphonsina’s.

Alfonsina’s is a resort hotel and restaurant at the beautiful Bahia Gonzaga. It’s also a monopoly. The same person owns the resort, the roadside store, the campground and probably the gas station, too. Everything is gated with tall chain link fencing so it seems more like a penitentiary than a peaceful Baja coastal destination. It’s decidedly NOT dog-friendly. It also shuts down early.

After talking our way past the gate guard, we ate at the waterfront restaurant. Dinner there was nice, on the deck, facing the beach.  Rowdy bikers were inside, celebrating something.  Shrimp with garlic for Fred, diablo-style for me.  Then out to the ‘campground’, which is right on the white sand beach.  At the tienda, we secured palapa #19.   The palapa was rundown but the beach location was fabulous.  The wooden outhouses were never anything but shabby and now they are disgusting.

We met some nice characters. At palapa #20 was a large family from the Imperial Valley. About a half dozen adults and a similar number of kids. They were clearly having a good time running around, chatting and grilling their meals. We chatted with them and they were very friendly.

We slept our first night in the new LC, with air mattress and other features.  The wind was up all night long; was not my most restful night, but not bad.  At one point, Lava decided to move from the passenger seat to my head.  His butt is soft, but heavy.  It took Fred’s help to unload him. Goodnight.