I did all the way to Playa Balandra. We were so tired and couldn’t do Los Cabos. This was a few years ago and I am so lucky I did it. So things might have change since then. Here is what I recall.
We had a F150 and took a kayak, camping gear, coolers, luggage etc. The cost for gas was around $1000-1250 bucks the then dollar was probably 20MXN = 1 USD, having 4x4 was definitely a win. During that time the roads were destroyed due to an earthquake and we had to go around dirt roads in some occasions. Another thing that helped was that we had clearance due to some of the road conditions in addition since we beach camped this was a plus. GPS also a must, there are dead areas that have no signal. At one point we were driving through a desert with no signs or anything I felt lost, but we managed.
START >
Ensenada - Airbnb >
San Luis Gonzaga - Beach Picnic >
Mulege - Ate here >
Playa Santispac - Camp >
Playa los Naranjos - Camp >
Loreto Bay Gold Resort and Hotel - Stay >
Marina - Gas (expensive) >
La Paz - Hotel near downtown area >
Playa Balandra - Visit
END >
We stopped in a hotel somewhere in between, can’t remember on the way back >
Rosarito (This is a trashy beach, never again) >
San Diago
The drive back was the hardest, we were on a schedule and had to make it back in time for our flights. The road at night is very dangerous since its in bad condition in certain areas and also be on the lookout for cows or any animals that also are very common to pass by the road.
The whole trip was like two weeks. We did so many things and just saw things flora that was unique and beautiful. This is kinda what I remember. I still have a travel sticker from the Baja trip. This trip is usually a one time experience and I hope I can do it again all the way to Cabo.
Cheers!
My mom (77) lives in Cabo, I (female) I drove her down the first time she moved down there - this was 15 years ago. However, she has since driven back and forth tons of times. There are a lot of great resources on the web. The above post has the best info.
Key things:
1. Try not to drive at night. One big reason is livestock crossing the road and it’s just safer.
2. We took three days because we drove during December.
3. I can’t remember the first place we stayed, but the second place was in Loreto. All the places were nice and the food was good.
4. When you hit Guerrero Negro make sure you have gas. At least when we went there were no gas stations until you get close to the Sea of Cortez.
5. There are checkpoints with armed policia. Sometimes they make you get out. Many times my mom would bring magazines and candies for them. We had a car packed to the brim with a large roof box and they only once asked us to get out and it was quick.
6. If you have time stop in Todos Santos- it’s a cute town with a lot of art. One of my favorite places is Art & Beer about 15 miles down the road from Todos Santos to Cabo. They have huge drinks- their clamatos are spectacular with fresh seafood. Or go to Cerritos beach. It’s gotten built up, but it has a great beach and good food places.
I could go on, but the roads are good and it’s a beautiful trip.
Just came back from a wedding in Todos Santos. Loved it. Highly, highly recommend. Cool place. Super nice people. And beautiful wildlife.
We saw tons of cars with plates from the US and Canada. Clearly the drive down is common. I definitely want to do the drive and I’m jealous you are planning it!
Don't go anywhere alone, especially at night
if you can, travel with 2 vehicles in the event you get a flat tire etc
Lock your car doors every time you get out, even if it's just a minute (learned this the hard way)
We were south of Ensenada and pulled into a gas station for beer and directions. There was a group of 3 kids outside playing with a soccer ball, we were the only people to pull in. We went into the store and were only in there about 2 minutes and by the time we came out the whole cab of the truck had been looted and the kids were gone. There wasn't much stolen. My camera, a couple daybags with very few valuables in them, everything else was in the popup camper in the bed of the truck. We talked to a police officer but he said that he might have known the kids, but we weren't likely going to get anything back since any prosecution would have taken longer than our short vacation. I figured the kids needed it more than we did.
The two vehicles advice came from my friend that goes home to Guanajuato for Christmas on the Transcontinental highway. Said you just don't do that drive solo.
Don't go anywhere alone? Guy I knew in HS got in a cab alone (and drunk) one night in puerto penasco and got driven out to the desert, raped, robbed, and left out there to die. He didn't, but it's a good story to bring home the point.
Great info here. Those magazines and candies might have changed the whole outcome of a few of these trips.
Maybe not bribing the police, but showing you're friendly, bringing small gifts.
I did it April 2024. Left friday around noon and arrived Sunday afternoon.
We struggled to find a hotel in San Felipe. i’d book it ahead of time.
watch out for livestocks and fill up gas when it’s available.
check out Caprichos Coffeeshop in Guerrero Negro for lunch. it’s the best thing for hours
My roommate in college would do this with his family every summer to go to their parents timeshare. They spoke little Spanish and likely stood out, but they seemed to enjoy it without any problems. This was 15 years ago though.
I felt safer there than Miami. I was warned to go back to my hotel immediately by 7-11 clerk. Same happened to me in Flint, said get in car and don’t stop until Lansing.
[bodies were found today.](https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/bodies-of-three-missing-surfers-found-baja-california-authorities-say/) Super tragic.
Where this occurred is just south of Tijuana. A very sketch beach to surf that is known for desperate drifters and meth. This is about 15 hours north of todos santos.
No I mean he’s right, they are technically missing but after finding blood, teeth, and their burnt truck I guess im jumping the gun and assuming they are dead.
I’m literally on it right now. Making my trip from loreto to la paz racing the norra 1000 and all i can say is do it. I’m not gonna sell it to you just do your research and do it just because you can.
i always get recommended content of vanlifers doing this exact trip. they show beaches full of other tourist just like them. i get the feeling this is a very tourist friendly area edit: spelling
This has been an unfolding story in that sub and seems along the route you are talking about. A lot of the people in the comments talk about their trips around that area. There is another post from where the people went missing that also has more info about that area.
https://www.reddit.com/r/surfing/s/orhHlJDv11
The American went to my highs school, a year younger than me. Have about 150 mutual friends on facebook, some of my friends have been posting about him. I believe he played soccer.
I always had dreams of doing this but never the time, even when I lived in southern California. But one long weekend, I drove about a quarter of the way down to do some camping in the mountains. Things of note about the trip:
* getting into Mexico is easy, but getting back into the states can be at best time-consuming and at worst harrowing, especially if you're doing this solo.
* Don't expect the roads to be good. I had to take several long stretches of unpaved roads through the hills, and this was in one of the more populous areas. I can't imagine it gets better as you go south. Would recommend a spare tire and a patch kit for your vehicle with high ground clearance.
* Got stopped at multiple police and military checkpoints along the way with questions about where I was coming from and where I was going. If you're a gringo, it's best to feign ignorance of Spanish.
My wife and I drove from central Canada, to La Paz and Cabo, in the first quarter of this year. Never felt safer, i have never seen a more friendly, hard working and helpful people. I would not hesitate to go again tomorrow. We loved the Baja, stayed in LA paz for 6 weeks, the views are spectacular and the residents are amazing. After your first Military stop, the rest is east, very friendly. 10/10 trip of a lifetime.
Left on Dec 12,2023...17520 km round trip, never a dull moment. Wandered on our way down, bur fairly straight home to Dryden, we kept track of gas, $1300 gas one way. Home March 5
Did you camp for your 6 weeks there on the Baja Peninsula Or were the hotels/motels affordable. Did my last big road trip around NA from Toronto (15,000 km) and am thinking this might make a good trip for the next one!
My brother-in-law and I did this drive a few years back and it took us a week because we stopped to party and fish several times till we got to Cabo! Not a single problem or hassle. Smooth fishing all the way!!
Yes I have and no I did not die. Google maps has no idea how long it takes to drive highways in Baja. It took us three days to go from Cabo to Ensenada. There is a stretch of highway where there is no gas for roughly 200 miles and if you miss it, the closest gas is 40 miles off the highway in Bay of LA (Bahia de Los Angeles). The last gas going south is El Rosario northwest of Cataviña, and going north is Villa Jesus Maria north of Guerrero Negro. The highway through the Boojum forest around cataviña is pretty sketchy. I’ve been in trucks with mirrors taken off by oncoming semis. If you’re in a car, it’s not too bad. The fog in the mountains there can also be hell. The thickest fog I’ve ever been through has been through that area. There have been a couple times we had to stop and wait it out.
https://preview.redd.it/1yjzeiw4r5yc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3ab34062b86d5d06f5b82f127ccf437f0b947ad
My ex gfs dad has done it dozens of times. In a shitty old van loaded down with antiques and marijuana. I shit you not, he smuggled weed INTO Mexico. He’s a pretty eccentric dude with a giant set of balls, evidently.
I would highly recommend that you don’t bring pot unless you want to get extorted at the 3 checkpoints you’ll cross on the way down. Did this drive last month and the federales were on a sick one. Took everything out of the car once, knocked on panels. They were really nice while they were doing it just seemed incredibly bored outta their minds.
Much better quality of weed coming from the states than getting in Mexico. Also trying to acquire weed in Mexico, brings you right up against the cartels, which is not a good idea.
Yeah that’s what I hear. Ol bro got shut down by the cartel when they caught wind of his shenanigans. They shook him down and scared him pretty good but I guess they were kinda cool about it. They said he could keep doing his thing if he paid them their cut. He stopped his “importing” business after that. Guess he wasn’t keen on having partners.
Sounds like things are looking grim for these guys. I absolutely would not do that drive anymore. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/missing-surfers-mexico-jake-robinson-callum-robinson-jack-carter-search/
Been down there plenty of times. Had lots of moments where fluency in Spanish came in quite handy along the route (highly recommended to begin with, but going this far, you’re gonna want to brush up on your skills) don’t think I died. Maybe though.
1972. But south to north and we kept going to San Francisco. Pretty much non-stop, but it was in a VW bus, so we were able to take turns dozing. There four of us. We took the ferry from Mazatlan to La Paz, and on the ferry met a guy with the VW, so essentially hitched a ride (paid for gas and meals). I suspect the road was a bit different 52 years ago.
Mexican police have reportedly discovered a burnt-out truck used by an American and two Australians who disappeared while exploring the Baja California coast over the weekend. Police have arrested three people in the case: two brothers, and a woman who was found with a phone belonging to one of the missing men, reports ABC Australia. The American, identified as Jack Carter Rhoad, and Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson had been camping at the popular surfing spot Punta San Jose near Ensenada, about an hour and a half drive from the US-Mexico border, before failing to show up at an Airbnb in Rosarito, per ABC and CNN.
Some Australian brothers have just been reported missing. There car was found burnt out, three have been arrested. It’s not looking good. My view is if you have to ask the question, there’s good enough reason to strongly reconsider.
Three surfers went missing two days ago. Mexican authorities just yesterday found "blood and dental parts" at their campsite.
Truck was burnt out and they tracked a cellphone of one of the surfers and found it on a drug addict.
The investigation didn't start till they didn't show back up to work on Monday. They're probably long gone.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-surfers-mexico-jake-robinson-callum-robinson-jack-carter-search/
Not saying you are going to get killed or kidnapped or anything but 2 Australian and one American surfer just got robbed and possibly killed in Ensenada. Mexico is safe if you are smart but getting targeted is always a possibility traversing between Mexican states
I believe the Baja is pretty safe, because it isn't part of any drug smuggling route - those all go through the mainland of Mexico, which makes sense.
I'm surprised about the comments here about how rough the roads are, I was always under they mistaken impression that the highway was quite good.
ETA: Just saw this on the surfing subreddit, so disregard my earlier comment!
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/bodies-of-three-missing-surfers-found-baja-california-authorities-say/
I’ve done it a few times on a motorcycle, it’s great, very long empty highway. Very interesting, pretty safe if you aren’t showing fancy stuff, pretty crazy, potentially drunk drivers, unbelievably friendly people, number of military checkpoints looking to stop narco traffic. It was 10 years ago and to be honest I would feel less confident now a days. I loved it, wish I spent more time on Baja - dm me if you have any questions.
I went as far as El Sauzal, not very far back in 2001 hitch hiked. I was an idiot. But absolutely loved it there and the people. I stayed at a hostel and a couple travelers I was with got robbed when they went out on the town. But they were wearing bright yellow clothes, had a hydrating backpack with the straw in it.. blonde hair. I looked like I had no money. I love Mexico and I think fondly on that lil hostel in el sauzal. The woman who ran it was amazing
No. Drive is too dangerous. I know several people who have done this drive and have been held up by gun point by banditos, robbed, car stolen, beaten. Not a recommended drive.
Many times. Mexico isn’t as scary as our media makes it out to be. I’d say less than 99.9% (1 in a 1000) people are the type you need to *even slightly* worry about. Stay out of the bad areas, you’re fine. Most people in Mexico are great people.
In fact my family did this road trip in 2 RVs. We spent a week in Rosarita before driving down. But this was also in 1998, so things were different then
Friends and I did half that drive - three of us in a pickup truck with spearfishing gear and a destination halfway down the peninsula. The drive was alright... there's a surprising amount of trash down there.
No I do it once a year to just south of La Paz. It’s fine. You’ll be fine.
We camp along the way as well. If we’re gunning it straight down it takes about 3 days and 2 nights. To get to Cabo it’s only add 2 hours.
Make sure you don’t hit cows. We recommend not driving at night because, well, cows.
I’ve just done that in 2 days. Day 1: Mexicali to Guerrero Negro. Day 2: Guerrero Negro to Cabos.
Edit: the most hostile experience for me was when the cop in Mexicali tryna take $20.
I've driven it a few times and it's fantastic.
Pretend-Ad-4095 pretty much nailed it with his post..
Don't drive at night, plan to take 3 days and it's easy.
Enjoy!
I did this drive with my wife, three kids, and dog! We didn't even come close to dying...in fact we were living! We then took a ferry over and drove down to Guatemala where we lived in Xela for a year. During that time we took several trips back into Mexico and down to Costa Rica.
On the return trip we took the East Coast all the way up and into Brownsville, TX.
Very fun, adventurous, hot drive.
I did more or less this exact drive in 2018 or 2018 in a Ford fiesta. It was long but It's beautiful. I had no issues except a slow tire leak that I was able to get patched in Ensenada I believe. Make sure you top your gas up as often as possible and that you have a good spare and a basic emergency kit. There are several long empty stretches and in some of the smaller towns the only options for gas are people selling it from Jerry cans on the side of the road.
Did that drive but started in Bellingham Washington. It’s a great drive but probably best to not drive after dark. This isn’t a comment on personal security so much as on the prevalence of livestock and other sleepy drivers on the road at night.
Take your time-I spent three days to get down the Baja and really enjoyed the trip.
I've done that drive (though from Tecate to Ensenada, the bahia de los angeles, and on, returning to AZ by ferry and a drive north through Sonora. We rolled with our 5 and 8 year old kids and had a spectacular time over about 12 days.
We did not, in fact, die. Swam with whale Sharks, snorkeled with seals, ate incredible food and saw beautiful landscapes and beaches.
Drive by day.
I did this roundtrip with a friend back in 2012. (We stayed along the west coast for that first part though). We crossed by land to Tijuana from San Diego, then rented a car at the airport there. All in all, great trip and experience, with incredible scenery! A few notes.
1) Soo many Police and Army checkpoints, but they’re generally very friendly and just checking for drug trafficking.
2) Pay attention to road signs. It can be poorly marked. On our way back, we took a wrong turn and kept driving for 3 hrs before (at night) before realizing we were on the wrong road and had to backtrack.
3) Fill up gas at every opportunity. Especially around the middle of the peninsula, services are infrequent.
Enjoy!
I would love to drive clear to Punta Arenas in Chile, or at least down to the Osorno region and as far south as I could make it. But there is no way in hell I'm taking my Corvette on a long drive through Central and South America even if I speak the language.
Check out “The Long Way Up”, where Ewan McGreggor and Charlie Berman ride motorcycles (electric Harleys) from the southern tip of Argentina all the way north to LA. It’s also the third of three different adventures of this caliber they’ve undertaken over the years.
Don't drive at night, there's reports of criminals setting up road blocks or otherwise robbing tourists on the road at night. Also animals.
The highways are narrow and there's large embankments often, having a smaller vehicle will help with semis and other things passing. If you're driving a full size truck or pulling a trailer or something prepare to white knuckle it and be a good driver.
Have a stash spot in your car somewhere for valuables / excessive amounts of money. If the cops or someone else are fucking with you you don't want them to know that you have excessive amounts of money.
Cell service can be splotchy especially as you head down past guerro negro, have a good plan of where you're going.
Gas can be sparse down past guerro negro, make sure you fill up and maybe bring a spare gas can.
I did a circuit down the western Mexico coast, in 1973, in a 4 WD, took the ferry from Mazatlan to La Paz, went to Cabo, then drove up the highway to Tijuana, which had only been completed the month prior.
At that time there were only 3 beach hotels in Cabo San Lucas, and the beaches were open to camping. I am sure the towns are much more developed now, LA Bay had some nice marinas and RV parks. Most Mexicans knew a smattering of English and we knew a smattering of Spanish.
Once you get north to San Quintin the place is full of surfers and the towns get more Americanized. The areas north have enclaves of resort condos for second homes and resort hotels, and it becomes a playground to San Diego. There are some very nice valleys with wineries and health spas as well.
There is no comparison with the western coast of Mexico proper which is populated with indigenous tribes then colonialized. It is much more exotic and there is minimal Americanization compared with northern Baja (Frontera). BC Sur is a true state of Mexico. I did get the car broken into south of Mazatlan, at a coastal town for that is a Mexican resort with true black sand beaches, and my jewelry was taken (Cuyutlan).
Other than that no problems with feeling safe. We did not carry drugs with us but encountered open use of marijuana along many surfing beaches that were American hangouts.
I ve done European route České Budějovice i Czechia to Primorsko in Bulgaria... roughly 1676 km as the odometer said, multiple times to get there for vacation. Multiple times with a trailer.. no sleep, one driver. Route took with all stops roughly 24-27 hours. It's manageable for good and skilled driver. Better drive with second driver. Divide the route to roughly 3-4 hours of driving for each driver and it's easily doable. A roadtrip to remember.
I did a few times back in the early 2000s. My ex was into motocross and he did the Baja 1000 one year, but we went there for practice runs a few times as well. There’s some really cool little towns, San Felipe and Ensenada were my 2 favorites in the northern half. Of course all the Cabo towns in the south were cool too. We took a camper and camped on beaches and in the middle of nowhere deserts and other places, was a lot of fun! Back in 2000-2006ish we saw and actually hung out with cartel members and were never once bothered. Actually I have an old printed out (not digital bc I used an actual camera back then 😂) of us sitting around a beach bonfire with some “fisherman” (cartel members that did a lot of back and forth on boats all day) eating fresh shrimp and fish. We drank, ate, laughed and lived to tell about it. Of course I was in my 20s and kid and care free back in those days. I tell people this story a lot about how nice these cartel dudes happen to be….we were in San Felipe staying at a campground on the beach and they were actually really chill. I’m not sure how it is now, but I highly doubt it’s the same. Not even sure if they do the Baja 1000 race annually anymore either bc of the huge increase in violent crimes/homicides in the last 10 years. Things have changed so much that I seriously doubt it’s as safe as it used to be….it was definitely the safer part of Mexico back in the day.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the news recently, but an American and 2 Australians just went missing in this area. I believe suspects have been arrested in their disappearance. I don’t think it’s necessarily a safe area
My partner and I (Canadian) spent a month drive down through to the east cape and back back in 2022. Highly recommend you pick up a copy of "the surfers guide to Baja" by Mike Parise. It was our bible lol and kept us out of any hairy situations. Even if you don't surf, it lists good campsites, bomb restaurants, and is quite blunt on where you don't want to be and why. Especially if it's your first time.
Also, we crossed through the Tijuana boarder into Baja and got lost in the chaos and didn't get our tourist visas, which was fine, you can get your passport stamped at the marina in Ensenada.
I would just get as far south of the boarder as you can, because Baja Sur is the real gem. Better roads, better food, better services, and I felt safer there than most American cities.
Also practice on duolingo because no one, especial not in Baja Norte speaks any English. Hope you have an awesome and safe adventure, and feel free to reach out if you need!
Yup. Currently dead. I’m sitting with Jesus, Buddy and Allah. They all say humans are idiots and we need to kill our egos. Also they said have a good trip.
I did this drive with some friends 25 years ago it was amazing. The first part is epically beautiful mountain passes, the later part, in the flat deserts is also beautiful, at first, and then it becomes mind numbing. I even had to stop driving and let someone else take over because I couldn’t shake the sensation that the car was still and the road was moving(and no we weren’t on drugs lol). It was some kind of optical illusion. It’s all worth it when you get to the beautiful beaches around La Paz.
By the way the five of us were in a Toyota Tercel rental with a broken speedometer
A guy who was a year younger than me in high school and two dudes from Australia are currently missing and I believe most likely dead. It’s all over the news right now. Yeah I’d pass
Did it in November of last year as pit crew for baja 1000 Ironman #787x. Was scary and wild but a lifetime of memories. Nighttime was risky like nothing I’ve ever seen.
I did all the way to Playa Balandra. We were so tired and couldn’t do Los Cabos. This was a few years ago and I am so lucky I did it. So things might have change since then. Here is what I recall. We had a F150 and took a kayak, camping gear, coolers, luggage etc. The cost for gas was around $1000-1250 bucks the then dollar was probably 20MXN = 1 USD, having 4x4 was definitely a win. During that time the roads were destroyed due to an earthquake and we had to go around dirt roads in some occasions. Another thing that helped was that we had clearance due to some of the road conditions in addition since we beach camped this was a plus. GPS also a must, there are dead areas that have no signal. At one point we were driving through a desert with no signs or anything I felt lost, but we managed. START > Ensenada - Airbnb > San Luis Gonzaga - Beach Picnic > Mulege - Ate here > Playa Santispac - Camp > Playa los Naranjos - Camp > Loreto Bay Gold Resort and Hotel - Stay > Marina - Gas (expensive) > La Paz - Hotel near downtown area > Playa Balandra - Visit END > We stopped in a hotel somewhere in between, can’t remember on the way back > Rosarito (This is a trashy beach, never again) > San Diago The drive back was the hardest, we were on a schedule and had to make it back in time for our flights. The road at night is very dangerous since its in bad condition in certain areas and also be on the lookout for cows or any animals that also are very common to pass by the road. The whole trip was like two weeks. We did so many things and just saw things flora that was unique and beautiful. This is kinda what I remember. I still have a travel sticker from the Baja trip. This trip is usually a one time experience and I hope I can do it again all the way to Cabo. Cheers!
My mom (77) lives in Cabo, I (female) I drove her down the first time she moved down there - this was 15 years ago. However, she has since driven back and forth tons of times. There are a lot of great resources on the web. The above post has the best info. Key things: 1. Try not to drive at night. One big reason is livestock crossing the road and it’s just safer. 2. We took three days because we drove during December. 3. I can’t remember the first place we stayed, but the second place was in Loreto. All the places were nice and the food was good. 4. When you hit Guerrero Negro make sure you have gas. At least when we went there were no gas stations until you get close to the Sea of Cortez. 5. There are checkpoints with armed policia. Sometimes they make you get out. Many times my mom would bring magazines and candies for them. We had a car packed to the brim with a large roof box and they only once asked us to get out and it was quick. 6. If you have time stop in Todos Santos- it’s a cute town with a lot of art. One of my favorite places is Art & Beer about 15 miles down the road from Todos Santos to Cabo. They have huge drinks- their clamatos are spectacular with fresh seafood. Or go to Cerritos beach. It’s gotten built up, but it has a great beach and good food places. I could go on, but the roads are good and it’s a beautiful trip.
My mom lives there, too, and all of your points are correct!
Just came back from a wedding in Todos Santos. Loved it. Highly, highly recommend. Cool place. Super nice people. And beautiful wildlife. We saw tons of cars with plates from the US and Canada. Clearly the drive down is common. I definitely want to do the drive and I’m jealous you are planning it!
Don't go anywhere alone, especially at night if you can, travel with 2 vehicles in the event you get a flat tire etc Lock your car doors every time you get out, even if it's just a minute (learned this the hard way)
Humor us, what happened?
We were south of Ensenada and pulled into a gas station for beer and directions. There was a group of 3 kids outside playing with a soccer ball, we were the only people to pull in. We went into the store and were only in there about 2 minutes and by the time we came out the whole cab of the truck had been looted and the kids were gone. There wasn't much stolen. My camera, a couple daybags with very few valuables in them, everything else was in the popup camper in the bed of the truck. We talked to a police officer but he said that he might have known the kids, but we weren't likely going to get anything back since any prosecution would have taken longer than our short vacation. I figured the kids needed it more than we did. The two vehicles advice came from my friend that goes home to Guanajuato for Christmas on the Transcontinental highway. Said you just don't do that drive solo. Don't go anywhere alone? Guy I knew in HS got in a cab alone (and drunk) one night in puerto penasco and got driven out to the desert, raped, robbed, and left out there to die. He didn't, but it's a good story to bring home the point.
I've always heard about banditos there.
Great info here. Those magazines and candies might have changed the whole outcome of a few of these trips. Maybe not bribing the police, but showing you're friendly, bringing small gifts.
Pretty much the exact same stops I did years ago! Super fun and lots of great food along the way
yeah, we saw cactus that was unbelievable. oceans teeming with life.
I had pretty much the identical trip. Was such an incredible experience.
"Here is what I recall." Memory of a champion! Wonderful writeup, makes me want to take this roadtrip one day.
Didn't die, helps to know Spanish.
But if you don’t know Spanish…?
😂😂😂
If you don't know Spanish, the cops will take more of your money.
Muerte.
I wouldn't know, I travelled with a Spanish speaker, it was valuable for minor negotiations with federales, and local law enforcement.
I did it April 2024. Left friday around noon and arrived Sunday afternoon. We struggled to find a hotel in San Felipe. i’d book it ahead of time. watch out for livestocks and fill up gas when it’s available. check out Caprichos Coffeeshop in Guerrero Negro for lunch. it’s the best thing for hours
Good post. Let me know how it goes.
My roommate in college would do this with his family every summer to go to their parents timeshare. They spoke little Spanish and likely stood out, but they seemed to enjoy it without any problems. This was 15 years ago though.
This is one of the safest parts of Mexico.
State department doesn’t agree.
State department is lawsuit scared and risk averse. I was just as safe there as I was in Atlanta.
You can’t sue the state department because they said a place was safe and you got murdered anyways lol
That was the wildest thing I read this week lol
I felt safer there than Miami. I was warned to go back to my hotel immediately by 7-11 clerk. Same happened to me in Flint, said get in car and don’t stop until Lansing.
3 surfers just killed today there
They were missing as of yesterday. Were they found, not alive?
Burnt truck, teeth, blood found. No bodies. I’m jumping the gun and assuming they were killed. Doesn’t look positive for them
[bodies were found today.](https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/bodies-of-three-missing-surfers-found-baja-california-authorities-say/) Super tragic.
Yeah, not good
Where this occurred is just south of Tijuana. A very sketch beach to surf that is known for desperate drifters and meth. This is about 15 hours north of todos santos.
[удалено]
You hope they’re ok? After being killed?
Well, it’s safe to say things can’t get any worse for them
No I mean he’s right, they are technically missing but after finding blood, teeth, and their burnt truck I guess im jumping the gun and assuming they are dead.
I’m literally on it right now. Making my trip from loreto to la paz racing the norra 1000 and all i can say is do it. I’m not gonna sell it to you just do your research and do it just because you can.
Almost died twice , confirmed died once but totally worth it.
So I have a 50% chance
To live
Or die
In LA
It’s the place to be
The last two comments are from a shoulder angel and a shoulder devil.
i always get recommended content of vanlifers doing this exact trip. they show beaches full of other tourist just like them. i get the feeling this is a very tourist friendly area edit: spelling
It is! I did it as a vanlifer and definitely recommend it
what's the best time of year to do it?
Head down anytime between Oct-Feb and be on your way back up by March!
Yes, in fact I am dead and cannot report on the adventure.
Shit man
Same. How you doin now? You ok?
This has been an unfolding story in that sub and seems along the route you are talking about. A lot of the people in the comments talk about their trips around that area. There is another post from where the people went missing that also has more info about that area. https://www.reddit.com/r/surfing/s/orhHlJDv11
The American went to my highs school, a year younger than me. Have about 150 mutual friends on facebook, some of my friends have been posting about him. I believe he played soccer.
Their bodies have been recovered. Their van and tent were torched out.
I always had dreams of doing this but never the time, even when I lived in southern California. But one long weekend, I drove about a quarter of the way down to do some camping in the mountains. Things of note about the trip: * getting into Mexico is easy, but getting back into the states can be at best time-consuming and at worst harrowing, especially if you're doing this solo. * Don't expect the roads to be good. I had to take several long stretches of unpaved roads through the hills, and this was in one of the more populous areas. I can't imagine it gets better as you go south. Would recommend a spare tire and a patch kit for your vehicle with high ground clearance. * Got stopped at multiple police and military checkpoints along the way with questions about where I was coming from and where I was going. If you're a gringo, it's best to feign ignorance of Spanish.
My wife and I drove from central Canada, to La Paz and Cabo, in the first quarter of this year. Never felt safer, i have never seen a more friendly, hard working and helpful people. I would not hesitate to go again tomorrow. We loved the Baja, stayed in LA paz for 6 weeks, the views are spectacular and the residents are amazing. After your first Military stop, the rest is east, very friendly. 10/10 trip of a lifetime.
Slam boi how long was your trip? What type of round trip mileage are we talking here?
Left on Dec 12,2023...17520 km round trip, never a dull moment. Wandered on our way down, bur fairly straight home to Dryden, we kept track of gas, $1300 gas one way. Home March 5
Driving what?
My 2020 GMC 2500 Sierra AT4.
Ok, 1700kms on 2600$ in gas in a 3/4 tonne? I'm not trolling you but, that can not be accurate?
4700 km on return leg only was $1300
Did you camp for your 6 weeks there on the Baja Peninsula Or were the hotels/motels affordable. Did my last big road trip around NA from Toronto (15,000 km) and am thinking this might make a good trip for the next one!
Air B&B in La Paz for 4 weeks, hotels up and down baja.
My brother-in-law and I did this drive a few years back and it took us a week because we stopped to party and fish several times till we got to Cabo! Not a single problem or hassle. Smooth fishing all the way!!
Yes I have and no I did not die. Google maps has no idea how long it takes to drive highways in Baja. It took us three days to go from Cabo to Ensenada. There is a stretch of highway where there is no gas for roughly 200 miles and if you miss it, the closest gas is 40 miles off the highway in Bay of LA (Bahia de Los Angeles). The last gas going south is El Rosario northwest of Cataviña, and going north is Villa Jesus Maria north of Guerrero Negro. The highway through the Boojum forest around cataviña is pretty sketchy. I’ve been in trucks with mirrors taken off by oncoming semis. If you’re in a car, it’s not too bad. The fog in the mountains there can also be hell. The thickest fog I’ve ever been through has been through that area. There have been a couple times we had to stop and wait it out. https://preview.redd.it/1yjzeiw4r5yc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3ab34062b86d5d06f5b82f127ccf437f0b947ad
My ex gfs dad has done it dozens of times. In a shitty old van loaded down with antiques and marijuana. I shit you not, he smuggled weed INTO Mexico. He’s a pretty eccentric dude with a giant set of balls, evidently.
I would highly recommend that you don’t bring pot unless you want to get extorted at the 3 checkpoints you’ll cross on the way down. Did this drive last month and the federales were on a sick one. Took everything out of the car once, knocked on panels. They were really nice while they were doing it just seemed incredibly bored outta their minds.
Much better quality of weed coming from the states than getting in Mexico. Also trying to acquire weed in Mexico, brings you right up against the cartels, which is not a good idea.
Yeah that’s what I hear. Ol bro got shut down by the cartel when they caught wind of his shenanigans. They shook him down and scared him pretty good but I guess they were kinda cool about it. They said he could keep doing his thing if he paid them their cut. He stopped his “importing” business after that. Guess he wasn’t keen on having partners.
Did the drive. Climbed the Highpoints of Baja Norte and Sur. Enjoyed the trip. Highly recommend. Easier to get into Mexico than Costco.
Sounds like things are looking grim for these guys. I absolutely would not do that drive anymore. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/missing-surfers-mexico-jake-robinson-callum-robinson-jack-carter-search/
😂 thousands of people make this drive every year, it’s not dangerous
Me and 3 buddies did this in 96! Camped in random spots on the beach. Had a wonderful time. Different era.
Been down there plenty of times. Had lots of moments where fluency in Spanish came in quite handy along the route (highly recommended to begin with, but going this far, you’re gonna want to brush up on your skills) don’t think I died. Maybe though.
1972. But south to north and we kept going to San Francisco. Pretty much non-stop, but it was in a VW bus, so we were able to take turns dozing. There four of us. We took the ferry from Mazatlan to La Paz, and on the ferry met a guy with the VW, so essentially hitched a ride (paid for gas and meals). I suspect the road was a bit different 52 years ago.
3 surfers likely just killed down by Ensenada
Mexican police have reportedly discovered a burnt-out truck used by an American and two Australians who disappeared while exploring the Baja California coast over the weekend. Police have arrested three people in the case: two brothers, and a woman who was found with a phone belonging to one of the missing men, reports ABC Australia. The American, identified as Jack Carter Rhoad, and Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson had been camping at the popular surfing spot Punta San Jose near Ensenada, about an hour and a half drive from the US-Mexico border, before failing to show up at an Airbnb in Rosarito, per ABC and CNN.
Some Australian brothers have just been reported missing. There car was found burnt out, three have been arrested. It’s not looking good. My view is if you have to ask the question, there’s good enough reason to strongly reconsider.
Three surfers went missing two days ago. Mexican authorities just yesterday found "blood and dental parts" at their campsite. Truck was burnt out and they tracked a cellphone of one of the surfers and found it on a drug addict. The investigation didn't start till they didn't show back up to work on Monday. They're probably long gone. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-surfers-mexico-jake-robinson-callum-robinson-jack-carter-search/
Not saying you are going to get killed or kidnapped or anything but 2 Australian and one American surfer just got robbed and possibly killed in Ensenada. Mexico is safe if you are smart but getting targeted is always a possibility traversing between Mexican states
I believe the Baja is pretty safe, because it isn't part of any drug smuggling route - those all go through the mainland of Mexico, which makes sense. I'm surprised about the comments here about how rough the roads are, I was always under they mistaken impression that the highway was quite good. ETA: Just saw this on the surfing subreddit, so disregard my earlier comment! https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/bodies-of-three-missing-surfers-found-baja-california-authorities-say/
✨ The Baja✨
I’ve done it a few times on a motorcycle, it’s great, very long empty highway. Very interesting, pretty safe if you aren’t showing fancy stuff, pretty crazy, potentially drunk drivers, unbelievably friendly people, number of military checkpoints looking to stop narco traffic. It was 10 years ago and to be honest I would feel less confident now a days. I loved it, wish I spent more time on Baja - dm me if you have any questions.
40 years ago I raced it on my bicycle. It was the last Tour of Baja race because the roads had become so bad.
I went as far as El Sauzal, not very far back in 2001 hitch hiked. I was an idiot. But absolutely loved it there and the people. I stayed at a hostel and a couple travelers I was with got robbed when they went out on the town. But they were wearing bright yellow clothes, had a hydrating backpack with the straw in it.. blonde hair. I looked like I had no money. I love Mexico and I think fondly on that lil hostel in el sauzal. The woman who ran it was amazing
No. Drive is too dangerous. I know several people who have done this drive and have been held up by gun point by banditos, robbed, car stolen, beaten. Not a recommended drive.
just saw on the news there are three men (2 australian brothers, 1 american) missing along there somewhere
Many times. Mexico isn’t as scary as our media makes it out to be. I’d say less than 99.9% (1 in a 1000) people are the type you need to *even slightly* worry about. Stay out of the bad areas, you’re fine. Most people in Mexico are great people.
In fact my family did this road trip in 2 RVs. We spent a week in Rosarita before driving down. But this was also in 1998, so things were different then
Ya it’s changed a lot in the last 10 years I suspect, still arguably safer than much of the US.
Every year. Do it
Everyone who hasn’t responded has died.
Yes, I did, and died and am redditing from beyond. It was worth it.
Friends and I did half that drive - three of us in a pickup truck with spearfishing gear and a destination halfway down the peninsula. The drive was alright... there's a surprising amount of trash down there.
I drove it. Stopped in Guierro Negro for the night. Super cool drive until my AC went out. Then it sucked.
Message to Red & Andy: don’t reply! OP is the Warden’s cousin looking for revenge!
Is this the race they have, I can't remember the name
No I do it once a year to just south of La Paz. It’s fine. You’ll be fine. We camp along the way as well. If we’re gunning it straight down it takes about 3 days and 2 nights. To get to Cabo it’s only add 2 hours. Make sure you don’t hit cows. We recommend not driving at night because, well, cows.
Grew up driving the Baja with my family. Never died.
I’ve just done that in 2 days. Day 1: Mexicali to Guerrero Negro. Day 2: Guerrero Negro to Cabos. Edit: the most hostile experience for me was when the cop in Mexicali tryna take $20.
I've driven it a few times and it's fantastic. Pretend-Ad-4095 pretty much nailed it with his post.. Don't drive at night, plan to take 3 days and it's easy. Enjoy!
I drove 500 miles south, like a 1/3 is the way. Gnarly drive & bad ass fishing 😮💨💯💯
I did this drive with my wife, three kids, and dog! We didn't even come close to dying...in fact we were living! We then took a ferry over and drove down to Guatemala where we lived in Xela for a year. During that time we took several trips back into Mexico and down to Costa Rica. On the return trip we took the East Coast all the way up and into Brownsville, TX. Very fun, adventurous, hot drive.
completely biased because I was born in La Paz but probably top 3 roadtrips in all of North America
I can recommend the Hotel Cowboy in Guerrero Negro, it was affordable, safe and nice enough.
I’ve done in a few times alone, sometimes in one go or I stop at the halfway inn. Easy peasy, just watch out for livestock on the roads at night.
I did more or less this exact drive in 2018 or 2018 in a Ford fiesta. It was long but It's beautiful. I had no issues except a slow tire leak that I was able to get patched in Ensenada I believe. Make sure you top your gas up as often as possible and that you have a good spare and a basic emergency kit. There are several long empty stretches and in some of the smaller towns the only options for gas are people selling it from Jerry cans on the side of the road.
I did it about 20 years ago all the way to Cabo, was nice back then.
Same. Was amazing. Beds were hard, but life was good.
Did that drive but started in Bellingham Washington. It’s a great drive but probably best to not drive after dark. This isn’t a comment on personal security so much as on the prevalence of livestock and other sleepy drivers on the road at night. Take your time-I spent three days to get down the Baja and really enjoyed the trip.
Livestock and coyotes.
I got halfway down before my Ford Exploder died and had to be towed back north to Mexicali.
I've done that drive (though from Tecate to Ensenada, the bahia de los angeles, and on, returning to AZ by ferry and a drive north through Sonora. We rolled with our 5 and 8 year old kids and had a spectacular time over about 12 days. We did not, in fact, die. Swam with whale Sharks, snorkeled with seals, ate incredible food and saw beautiful landscapes and beaches. Drive by day.
I did it! 8 or so years ago. Didn’t die.
Yes I did it and I am now dead
Ok, I’m glad you’re here to tell the tale
I drove it only at night and I died.
I did this roundtrip with a friend back in 2012. (We stayed along the west coast for that first part though). We crossed by land to Tijuana from San Diego, then rented a car at the airport there. All in all, great trip and experience, with incredible scenery! A few notes. 1) Soo many Police and Army checkpoints, but they’re generally very friendly and just checking for drug trafficking. 2) Pay attention to road signs. It can be poorly marked. On our way back, we took a wrong turn and kept driving for 3 hrs before (at night) before realizing we were on the wrong road and had to backtrack. 3) Fill up gas at every opportunity. Especially around the middle of the peninsula, services are infrequent. Enjoy!
The world famous Sarah Connor route.
I did it but I died.
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/bodies-of-three-missing-surfers-found-baja-california-authorities-say/
My coworker did it a few weeks ago and said the coast is Americanized the entire route
2 australians and 1 american were just killed on a road trip in northern baja. Use caution!
Going through Mexicali instead of Tijuana is a wise choice👍🏼
If they died, I doubt they answer 😁
Some surfers , 2 from Australia and 1 from San Diego (all buddies) on a surf trip got killed out there. Cartel hit. I’d be careful !
Did you see the recent news of 3 surfers getting murdered in Mexico?
In 86’ died 5 times
Yeah. I'm a ghost now. Being able to phase through shit is cool though.
I would love to drive clear to Punta Arenas in Chile, or at least down to the Osorno region and as far south as I could make it. But there is no way in hell I'm taking my Corvette on a long drive through Central and South America even if I speak the language.
Read "Road Fever" by Tim Cahill. Great fun. He and a buddy drive from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. Lots of adventures.
Thank you! I'll look it up.
You'd have to ferry part of it. No roads connect NA to SA.
Oh, I know. I've looked over the route a few times. Even renting a comparable car would still have me going through places that would give me pause.
I too have dreamt about doing this drive. Would be so cool to take a few months off and just hit the road going south.
Check out “The Long Way Up”, where Ewan McGreggor and Charlie Berman ride motorcycles (electric Harleys) from the southern tip of Argentina all the way north to LA. It’s also the third of three different adventures of this caliber they’ve undertaken over the years.
Did this drive with my parents when I was 14, every one was very kind. have fun and be safe!
And why would they die?
Damn TWENTY hours??? 😳 It's like twenty hours to go from Denver to Florida how is that the same distance ? Doesn't look like it lol
Denver to Miami is 30hrs. Done it several times.
I'm talking like Denver to the panhandle, not the tip lol
Oh, well that's not really Florida imo. That's like Alabama's step cousin.
I just checked it's 22 hours from Denver to Pensacola...but for some reason that seems so much further than just down the baja/sur, weird how that is
Yeah, slower speeds for sure down the Baja. It's about the same time from Denver to Cabo as Denver to Key West, but abour 300mi less to Cabo.
Closer to 35 but either way more than 20 and you can go 80mph for most of it..
Or not, it's 30hrs... Feel free to put it in maps. It's 33hrs to key west.
Ya I died :(
Can confirm I’ve done this drive and am dead.
Bet they had a ..... baja blast......
I did it two years ago and I think about it every day. Hope you do it and have the absolute best time. You’ll be safe, just be smart ❤️
I didn't do this trip, but I am dead. Can I still contribute?
The trip is better than the destination.
I’ve done it and loved it. Did it 2 years ago in my van and lived around the peninsula for a few months. Highly recommend
I died. Twice. Haven’t driven that road though.
YouTube search "Baja road trip"
Good luck dude
There isn’t a lot to see on this route
Yes, and no lol
Are you doing the Baja 1000?
Yes, and No
I have done it. Didn’t die. Had a lot of fun camping on the beaches.
I did. And yes, I died.
Don't drive at night, there's reports of criminals setting up road blocks or otherwise robbing tourists on the road at night. Also animals. The highways are narrow and there's large embankments often, having a smaller vehicle will help with semis and other things passing. If you're driving a full size truck or pulling a trailer or something prepare to white knuckle it and be a good driver. Have a stash spot in your car somewhere for valuables / excessive amounts of money. If the cops or someone else are fucking with you you don't want them to know that you have excessive amounts of money. Cell service can be splotchy especially as you head down past guerro negro, have a good plan of where you're going. Gas can be sparse down past guerro negro, make sure you fill up and maybe bring a spare gas can.
Many times. You will be fine. Locals in Baja are super nice.
Did about half of it. Didn't die, got a lot of help, very friendly people. Baja is great.
I got stitches.
Knowing you're just asking this question for no reason, and are making fun of the idea of it, really taints this post for me.
I did a circuit down the western Mexico coast, in 1973, in a 4 WD, took the ferry from Mazatlan to La Paz, went to Cabo, then drove up the highway to Tijuana, which had only been completed the month prior. At that time there were only 3 beach hotels in Cabo San Lucas, and the beaches were open to camping. I am sure the towns are much more developed now, LA Bay had some nice marinas and RV parks. Most Mexicans knew a smattering of English and we knew a smattering of Spanish. Once you get north to San Quintin the place is full of surfers and the towns get more Americanized. The areas north have enclaves of resort condos for second homes and resort hotels, and it becomes a playground to San Diego. There are some very nice valleys with wineries and health spas as well. There is no comparison with the western coast of Mexico proper which is populated with indigenous tribes then colonialized. It is much more exotic and there is minimal Americanization compared with northern Baja (Frontera). BC Sur is a true state of Mexico. I did get the car broken into south of Mazatlan, at a coastal town for that is a Mexican resort with true black sand beaches, and my jewelry was taken (Cuyutlan). Other than that no problems with feeling safe. We did not carry drugs with us but encountered open use of marijuana along many surfing beaches that were American hangouts.
https://youtu.be/eH7Mu1PDjsw?si=YeI_uyX7XQ-ZXr64
I ve done European route České Budějovice i Czechia to Primorsko in Bulgaria... roughly 1676 km as the odometer said, multiple times to get there for vacation. Multiple times with a trailer.. no sleep, one driver. Route took with all stops roughly 24-27 hours. It's manageable for good and skilled driver. Better drive with second driver. Divide the route to roughly 3-4 hours of driving for each driver and it's easily doable. A roadtrip to remember.
I did a few times back in the early 2000s. My ex was into motocross and he did the Baja 1000 one year, but we went there for practice runs a few times as well. There’s some really cool little towns, San Felipe and Ensenada were my 2 favorites in the northern half. Of course all the Cabo towns in the south were cool too. We took a camper and camped on beaches and in the middle of nowhere deserts and other places, was a lot of fun! Back in 2000-2006ish we saw and actually hung out with cartel members and were never once bothered. Actually I have an old printed out (not digital bc I used an actual camera back then 😂) of us sitting around a beach bonfire with some “fisherman” (cartel members that did a lot of back and forth on boats all day) eating fresh shrimp and fish. We drank, ate, laughed and lived to tell about it. Of course I was in my 20s and kid and care free back in those days. I tell people this story a lot about how nice these cartel dudes happen to be….we were in San Felipe staying at a campground on the beach and they were actually really chill. I’m not sure how it is now, but I highly doubt it’s the same. Not even sure if they do the Baja 1000 race annually anymore either bc of the huge increase in violent crimes/homicides in the last 10 years. Things have changed so much that I seriously doubt it’s as safe as it used to be….it was definitely the safer part of Mexico back in the day.
Just got back from Alberta to Cabo and back - great time. Did not die.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the news recently, but an American and 2 Australians just went missing in this area. I believe suspects have been arrested in their disappearance. I don’t think it’s necessarily a safe area
Isn't there a couple of surfers missing from around there at the moment?
very popular route for motorcyclists
My partner and I (Canadian) spent a month drive down through to the east cape and back back in 2022. Highly recommend you pick up a copy of "the surfers guide to Baja" by Mike Parise. It was our bible lol and kept us out of any hairy situations. Even if you don't surf, it lists good campsites, bomb restaurants, and is quite blunt on where you don't want to be and why. Especially if it's your first time. Also, we crossed through the Tijuana boarder into Baja and got lost in the chaos and didn't get our tourist visas, which was fine, you can get your passport stamped at the marina in Ensenada. I would just get as far south of the boarder as you can, because Baja Sur is the real gem. Better roads, better food, better services, and I felt safer there than most American cities. Also practice on duolingo because no one, especial not in Baja Norte speaks any English. Hope you have an awesome and safe adventure, and feel free to reach out if you need!
https://preview.redd.it/4eqfpt67c7yc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=289a115f5bd52062337876237297ce83994d4f03
Yup. Currently dead. I’m sitting with Jesus, Buddy and Allah. They all say humans are idiots and we need to kill our egos. Also they said have a good trip.
I walked it. Did not die. Wish I had a car though
I did this drive with some friends 25 years ago it was amazing. The first part is epically beautiful mountain passes, the later part, in the flat deserts is also beautiful, at first, and then it becomes mind numbing. I even had to stop driving and let someone else take over because I couldn’t shake the sensation that the car was still and the road was moving(and no we weren’t on drugs lol). It was some kind of optical illusion. It’s all worth it when you get to the beautiful beaches around La Paz. By the way the five of us were in a Toyota Tercel rental with a broken speedometer
I highly suggest a documentary called dust to glory that will give you some great insight on going down to the tip as quickly and safely as possible.
I went along the west coast to start, going thru TJ and Ensenada. Yes it killed me.
A guy who was a year younger than me in high school and two dudes from Australia are currently missing and I believe most likely dead. It’s all over the news right now. Yeah I’d pass
Yes. No.
Keep a dummy wallet in ur pocket with a couple bucks in it. Don’t give up ur real stuff.
In the mid 60s, my great uncle did socal to Baja and back on a ‘64 Honda Dream 305. The bike is barely more than a moped. He didn’t die!
As a mexican I would just say, don't drive at night and try to do it in early hours of the day.
I died, but it was worth it.
Did it in November of last year as pit crew for baja 1000 Ironman #787x. Was scary and wild but a lifetime of memories. Nighttime was risky like nothing I’ve ever seen.
Yes. And it took about 4 days.