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| Field tested on Pacific Crest Trail, Lytle Creek CA. |
Months after returning from my 2019 overland adventure in Mexico I found myself heading south again in 2020. Crossing from Mexico over to the US border in late August 2019 my off-grid travel continued through TX., CO., UT. AZ.,
the Grand Canyon as well as CA.
deserts, Death Valley, Mojave,
plus Yosemite,
The Sierra National Forest
and a remarkable place called Carrizo Plain National Monument (San Andreas fault line). All of which I enjoyed exploring immensely while overlanding in my kitted Land Cruiser.
With all this adventure it was not without some needed mods upgrades and long over-due maintenance to my rig.
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| Cruiser Outfitters strikes again | |
Besides the usual upgrades like a complete suspension lift (3" OME, including Nitrocharger shocks, rear HD coil springs, front torsion bars, SPC upper control arms, IFS lower ball joints, Slee diff drop) cruiseroutfitters.com 5 new tyres LT285/75R16 126/123R Falken Wildpeaks A/T3W and a host of maintenance issues, AISIN comprehensive timing belt kit, water pump, starter, cooling system hoses, Tee's and housings which again all proved to be worth there weight in gold and cost just about as much.
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| My brother checking fitment, Thanks Bro! |
The one that completely stands out is the total upgrade and mod for my solar. Both with a upgraded 20amp MPPT solar controller charger and a newly added exterior compact Renogy 100watt
renogy.com fixed panel on a fabbed off-grid bracket. This bumped my overland capabilities and lifestyle to the next level. The controller was easy but the fabricated mounting bracket for the fix mount panel, that's rich and that's where my ingenious brother knocked it out of the park as they say.
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| powder coated ready for a solar panel |
After a few short days my brother welded a form fitted bracket that attached to the already available mounting anchors where the OME stock rear spoiler mounted on my
1999 100 series TLCruiser. Now on my trip south this single mod will be the most beneficial of all. (
Before I only had a folding 200watt Dokio panel that I could deployed only when camped, and still do for longer stays).
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| mounted shovel and solar panel with adjustable angel mounts |
Lets just say that I can now camp for days if not weeks and not have to run my engine to top my batteries, plus the fact that when I'm parked and not camped I'm keeping my batteries charged.
"Thanks Bro!!" and
"Thanks "Solar Buddy" (patent pending, not sold in stores).
The following 19 pics are from my adventures exploring National Parks, Monuments and some cool ass shit, from TX to CA in 2019 prior to my 2020 Baja adventure.
With mods, upgrades and maintenance done I field tested my kit it in the deserts of
CA., before heading south for the
Mexican border, crossing at
Tecate. With a quick visit to
Baja Travel Club discoverbaja.com in
San Diego for car insurance and my immigration papers
(FMM), then a stop at the border
Banjercito for my vehicle temporary import permit
(TIP) good as gold and off I go!. First stop, busy
Ensenada, only for the fish tacos from
"Tacos Fenix", some of the best ever!!
Daylight burning I searched for my first nights camp just a few km from the
La Bufadera,
Mi Refugio Campground. A little spot on the bay half filled with old-time expats and well-weathered trailers or is it well-weathered expats and old-time trailers. Hmmm! I parked next to the swing-set and was very comfortable for the night. From there traveling further south on
MEX1 to
Camalu via remote muddy track along the coast where people gather and bag rocks from the shore according too size,"its a job!".
Adel's Ranch Converted Bus Camping and Casitas https://fr.airbnb.ca/rooms/24266820 was my next camp a wonderful young couple carving out a small ranch and camping destination for travelers.
I was invited to share their dinner, with them and two other travelers on motor bikes. Five of us huddled in their modest little Casita warmed by the wood-fired stove. We ate fresh made tortillas, beans and vegetable grain rice, talking story, politics and laughing with a bottle of Zin from none other than Grocery Outlet (my contribution). Second day on the road and already its proving to be a epic trip.
Further south on
MEX1 there was lots of beautiful scenery slowing my roll, camping along the coast. Taking off-cambered dirt trails to remote coastal cliffs, sea lion dens with rock arch formations. As
MEX1 heads south away from the
Pacific coast I was heading to
Bahia de los Angeles, on the
Sea of Cortez a favorite spot from my last trip south. Windy, I camped at several different places to get out of the weather.
Leaving
BLA after a much needed shower and shave (
$2.us) at
Campo Archelon campoarchelon.com once a turtle sanctuary now with a new hip cafe (
fresh buttery croissants, yes!). I took the
San Borja Rd heading to the 17th century
Mision San Francisco de Broja Adac to do some spectacular remote desert wheeling and camping among the endemic
Valle de los Cirios (Dr. Seuss-looking, boojum trees). This scenic 47km dirt track through this vivid desert landscape deposited me back on
MEX1 heading south to
Guerrero Negro on the
Pacific Coast just across the
BCS state line.
Camping on the cliffs-edge of the
Pacific at
Campo Pesquero next to a rickety rusty lighthouse powered by a single 12v battery and a solar panel. I watched in awe as the pods of whales in the distance were blowing their spouts,(
Thar-She-Blows!!) very cool but also very windy. It was a gale force that night and my
RTT raddled like it was deployed on the fwy going 70mph. Next stop
GN for some crazy-good legit fish tacos,
Tacos El Muelle he remembered me from last year and still had my
Jefe's Original sticker on his wall.
Damn!!...
Cruising around
GN there are hundreds of birds a fantastic place for birding, also the most unfortunate decomposing beached baby whale. Camped on the waters edge down the salt pond road a small coyote was trying his or hers luck at catching sandpipers feeding in the tidal flats, with no luck the little fella moved on. In the am again I made a stop at
Tacos El Muelle for some, you guessed it, fish tacos and the local Panaderia for well just look. Bingo!! Continuing south winding away from the
Pacific Coast on
MEX1 to
San Ignacio a super cool little village on the river, (
see previous post "San Ignacio Making Friends Land and Sea").
Pushing on I camped about 23kms further next to a ancient lava flow. I wanted to explore
Volcan las Tres Vigenes but the road was gated and locked. From there
MEX1 continued through the curvy
Sierra Santa Rosa Mountain to the town of
Santa Rosalia on the
Sea of Cortez. An old mining town and port filled with rusting heaps of old mining equipment and smelters. Not the most scenic area for sure with plastic trash from the near-by toxic dump swirling in the air by the strong off shore winds. Refueled I checked my phone for a signal and pressed on
MEX1 to
Mulege just 39km south along the
Sea of Cortez.
When traveling this part of
Baja there is only a few roads so you seem to run in to the same travelers heading the same direction. With
Mulege under heavy winds and clouds of dust I decided to push on along the coast towards
Bahia Concepcion. This area is popular with little coves and pockets for beach camping with spectacular views. I chose a spot in-between
Playa Santispac and
Playa Coyote called "
Last Free Beach".
With the wind charging from the NE I camped with a wall of mangroves at my back determined to wait out the relentless wind. Here is where I hooked up with a couple of like minded young travelers from the
Portland area. We had connected and camped a couple of nights prior, swapping stories. As it turned out they joined me for several nights camping just in time for the wind to subside at
"Last Free Beach" really not the last free one its just called that!.
Mike and Shan Shan were driving a duel-cab
Toyota Tacoma fitted with a
Alu-Cab Canopy Camper Alu-Cab.com so we hit it off immediately talking story drinking wine and chillin in the afternoon sun. Their time was due to return back to states as we said our good-byes. I remained camped at this peaceful beach for about 7 nights without the slightest fear of not having full powered batteries from my new solar set-up, off-grid!!
"Yeah, Solar Buddy!!"
With only 17 days into my overland adventure it has been outstanding. The day was beaming as I jumped back on
MEX1 while
rubber-necking heading south to
Loreto.
Hope to see you on the Trail!!..
🚙.....
Leaving BLA after a much needed shower and shave ($2.us) at Campo Archelon campoarchelon.com once a turtle sanctuary now with a new hip cafe (fresh buttery croissants, yes!). I took the San Borja Rd heading to the 17th century Mision San Francisco de Broja Adac to do some spectacular remote desert wheeling and camping among the endemic Valle de los Cirios (Dr. Seuss-looking, boojum trees). This scenic 47km dirt track through this vivid desert landscape deposited me back on MEX1 heading south to Guerrero Negro on the Pacific Coast just across the BCS state line.
