Builds 2001 LX470 build LEGUSY
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- Thread starter
- #343
Day 4 found us excited to cover some distance driving on the beach. We were able to get access through a hotel gate from a security guard. Cruising along the beach was a ton of fun as the sand turned from firm to soft in the short distance that it dried out from the waves. We reached a point past where the bikes had charged up the steep sandy hills that ran into the ocean. Knowing the limitations of this heavy rig and our lack of backup, we enjoyed the return trip to the hotel for a reliable route off the beach.
I had tried to anticipate the next adventure on dirt out to the La Lobera Sea cave. I really couldn’t comprehend how cool it would be to drive right up to a large cave where the roof had collapsed revealing the secluded beach popular amongst sea lions. Sure enough, there were several sea lions deep in the cave swimming in the water and laying out on the beach visible from above. We also found more great views of the coast, and the facility of a sea culture farming operation.
I had tried to anticipate the next adventure on dirt out to the La Lobera Sea cave. I really couldn’t comprehend how cool it would be to drive right up to a large cave where the roof had collapsed revealing the secluded beach popular amongst sea lions. Sure enough, there were several sea lions deep in the cave swimming in the water and laying out on the beach visible from above. We also found more great views of the coast, and the facility of a sea culture farming operation.
- Thread starter
- #345
From there we traveled on to El Rosario for some Langosta(lobster) Burritos at the famous Mama Espinoza’s. We found a couple slackers enjoying the restaurant under the guise of moto mechanical issues. After enjoying a glorious meal, we tried to tighten up some loose and bent spokes on one of the bikes and took more of a load off the rider.
Full of food, fuel, and necessities from a nice local market we proceeded on towards the Valle De Los Cirios. This protected area is home to an abundance of varied cactus species. Some of which like the unusual Boojum tree are rarely found elsewhere. We marveled at the expanse of plants that appear ready to fend for themselves. As we discussed their unique characteristics, I hoped that our moto fellows did not get too close.
Full of food, fuel, and necessities from a nice local market we proceeded on towards the Valle De Los Cirios. This protected area is home to an abundance of varied cactus species. Some of which like the unusual Boojum tree are rarely found elsewhere. We marveled at the expanse of plants that appear ready to fend for themselves. As we discussed their unique characteristics, I hoped that our moto fellows did not get too close.
- Thread starter
- #346
Just as I started to feel safe from the cactus, I began to realize how treacherous the potholes of MEX1 are. The lanes on this road were just wide enough for the semis travelling it with no shoulder. Not only were there pot holes all over, but they were often very deep. I placed my trust in the venerable BFG Baja Champion tires as we came across several trucks driving very slow and even into oncoming lanes to minimize tire damage. The trucking here is obviously serious business as we passed the debris and memorials of numerous accidents. I drove patiently and realized that the truckers were courteous enough to signal when it was safe for me to pass. For many, there is or was, no other route.
We eventually rolled into the Hotel Mission Catavina a relative of the Santa Maria that we had visited before. The cats of Catavina were instantly begging for my scraps and while content checking on the 100, they cared not for attention. I had wanted to explore the nearby 4x4 route to the old Mission Santa Maria, but was overwhelmed by another opportunity to relax. 129 more miles behind us.
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- #347
Day 5 brought more great weather to the open courtyard of the unique hotel. Once again, we loaded up, wishing good fortune to our moto hombres and farewell to the cats. I drove along the winding roads through the scenic valley and off pavement towards the Mission San Francisco De Borja Adac. Upon our Arrival, we met Jose, a proud caretaker of the ancient mission grounds. We walked and browsed the respected site and thanked Jose for his efforts to preserve such history. He asked to buy some of the gasoline that we had to spare and told us a bit about his family while filling his jug. For some time, San Borja was the furthest mission to the north and the base for much exploration.
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- Thread starter
- #349
With continued curiosity about the various cacti and how primitive life was sustained in these areas, we navigated the dirt roads towards the rock art of Montevideo. Driving down the canyon of red rock walls in search of rock art started to seem a bit familiar. Yet the many aggressive cactus reaching out to touch my truck reminded me otherwise. There were some overhanging areas with numerous colorful pictures drawn on the rock, some of which are reported to be up to 10,000 years old.
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- #350
From rock art to rock music, we moved on towards Bahia De Los Angeles. I took a quick drive out see a turtle sanctuary that I had heard about, but found it ruined after big storm that hit a few years ago. Many of the roads and residents had repaired and rebuilt, but the mosaic sign and empty pools had been abandoned.
We arrived to find our moto associates with some rough tales of the day. Unfortunately one of the riders wrecked hard and had a very swollen wrist to show for it. We grouped up and stayed at some local houses on the bay and we helped to sort our tough guy out. With a good ice pack, solid splint, and Ibuprofen, he was back in service. A close by restaurant fed us well and we had another great evening soaking in the excitement this trip had to offer. Another 182 miles covered.
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- #351
Day 6 got us up on our feet and ready for more. We checked on our moto troopers and rigged a moto throttle to work well with the splint. Off again, we passed a sign to resume race speed toward the south end of the Bay of LA. Before long, we found the road rutted and turning softer as the Baja champs flung muddy rain into the air. With every thud from the mud, I throttled out of the soft stuff and onto a better track. It was a bit tricky finding a route that eventually got us access to the bay. A local resident opened the gate and gave us 2 hours of play.
Again we lucked out and had the place to ourselves. I hear that we took some chances making this trip in the off season, when it is typically colder and rainy. The locals told us that it has been wet weather before our arrival and more was expected. I was glad to have the shelter of my 100 in case rough weather hit especially when compared to the exposure of a moto. I walked barefoot into the cold water of the bay before spotting the dolphins breaking the surface.
Heading out, we found the HI RD that kept us out of the mud and along a different track back to pavement. Before long we turned off at El Crucero towards Calamajue finding ourselves going the wrong way on a marked section of racetrack. The whoops had forced us into a slower pace to prevent from bucking my only transportation and with no room to pass an oncoming vehicle, we decided to turn back and take the main road to Coco’s.
From there we sped along the washboard until we floated along, watching out for the occasional hazards to Calamajue bay and back. The road through to Gonzaga bay was under heavy construction bringing value to a durable suspension with adequate ground clearance. We drove in along the airstrip to the accommodations of Alphonsinas, positioned right on the beach of another amazing bay. While the sun set, I used the binocs to watch the pelicans dive into the sea for a meal. Along with dinner came drinks and stories late into the night. There went 186 more miles.
Again we lucked out and had the place to ourselves. I hear that we took some chances making this trip in the off season, when it is typically colder and rainy. The locals told us that it has been wet weather before our arrival and more was expected. I was glad to have the shelter of my 100 in case rough weather hit especially when compared to the exposure of a moto. I walked barefoot into the cold water of the bay before spotting the dolphins breaking the surface.
Heading out, we found the HI RD that kept us out of the mud and along a different track back to pavement. Before long we turned off at El Crucero towards Calamajue finding ourselves going the wrong way on a marked section of racetrack. The whoops had forced us into a slower pace to prevent from bucking my only transportation and with no room to pass an oncoming vehicle, we decided to turn back and take the main road to Coco’s.
From there we sped along the washboard until we floated along, watching out for the occasional hazards to Calamajue bay and back. The road through to Gonzaga bay was under heavy construction bringing value to a durable suspension with adequate ground clearance. We drove in along the airstrip to the accommodations of Alphonsinas, positioned right on the beach of another amazing bay. While the sun set, I used the binocs to watch the pelicans dive into the sea for a meal. Along with dinner came drinks and stories late into the night. There went 186 more miles.
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- Thread starter
- #352
On Day 7 this early bird caught the sun rise, and I filmed it for a timelapse too. We took our time lounging around on the beach before hitting the road for a short and very scenic drive up the coast. We passed plenty of cool beaches that looked like they would be nice to camp on. Moving into San Felipe we found the skeletons of large concrete hotel structures that appear to be abandoned short of completion. It begs the question to why someone would spend so much to fall short of the finish, but maybe there were unforeseen obstacles that resulted in the best laid plans going to waste.
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- #353
Upon reaching the point where we originally started unloading the motos, we recognized another beachfront establishment with everything as we left it. In need of gifts for our favorite people at home, we set out to stretch our legs on the boardwalk. Amongst local crowds listening to popular live music, we found plenty of shops to bargain with. After a good meal with our moto hooligans, I dumped my fuel cans into the tank and prepped for the long next day driving. With the last bit of time on this shallow beach in Mexico the tide rose a long ways in the starlight. This short day we only traveled 100 miles.
- Thread starter
- #354
Day 8 was an early rise as we hit the road well before dawn. Passing through my last military checkpoint was the most thorough, but still barely an inconvenience at all. They usually only asked where I was coming from and where I was going to, with the occasional peek in the rear side door window. The soldiers were quick and friendly enough that we were on our way in no time. We got lucky crossing the border to the US in good time as the scenery quickly changed. We continued to follow the moto culeros(a term of endearment at this point) and their trailer making only quick pit stops. After 15 hours of driving we finally made it the 849 miles home.
Legusy performed incredibly well through the entire trip. I had no problems with it that needed to be addressed. The 100 is a great vehicle for a trip like this, especially in the off season with plenty to do out of the water. I drove it hard and probably should have had more mechanical sympathy, but it kept cruising well. It was consistently smooth and comfortable even on the long drives (at least from the driver's seat where I spent all my time in the vehicle).
Some trip Stats:
Total distance driven- 2600 miles
Mexico distance- 1130 miles
Time driven- ~68 hours
Fuel burned- 216 Gallons.(thats a lot of liters and pesos)
Avg fuel consumption- ~12MPG
Data recorded- over 100Gigs
Here’s a clip of the overall tracks.
Legusy performed incredibly well through the entire trip. I had no problems with it that needed to be addressed. The 100 is a great vehicle for a trip like this, especially in the off season with plenty to do out of the water. I drove it hard and probably should have had more mechanical sympathy, but it kept cruising well. It was consistently smooth and comfortable even on the long drives (at least from the driver's seat where I spent all my time in the vehicle).
Some trip Stats:
Total distance driven- 2600 miles
Mexico distance- 1130 miles
Time driven- ~68 hours
Fuel burned- 216 Gallons.(thats a lot of liters and pesos)
Avg fuel consumption- ~12MPG
Data recorded- over 100Gigs
Here’s a clip of the overall tracks.
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Epic, thats a fantastic journey.
Great pictures
Great pictures
- Thread starter
- #358
Thanks guys. It was a ton of fun, and that's why I want to share it with you. I enjoy putting this trip report and build thread together. If you want to see more, I should have another video from it here at some point.
