December 25, 2023
San Ignacio, BCS, Mexico

The road south from San Felipe (Mex 1) leads past a number of good size “resorts” that seem to have been started, but never completed.  Far enough out of town to be on cheaper land, I suppose, but also not very convenient to getting into town with a car.

Farther south the road is about a mile west of the coast and you can see many stretches of a single row of homes along the beach, but no infrastructure like markets, restaurants, or gas stations.

I ended up spending the night at La Poma, just north of Bahia san Luis Gonzaga.  There was a restaurant there, but my habit before moving into uncharted territory (that may lack restaurants) was quickly becoming the purchase of an entire flame-broiled chicken with tortillas and salsa, so I skipped the restaurant and ate in.  Ten bucks per night for a palapa right in the beach and no hookups. 

It was a pleasant enough afternoon, but I was awakened at about 2300 by wind and cranked in the awning.  The rain started about 90 minutes later and then the thunder and lightning after another 90 minutes.  I finally gave up at about 0300 and simply got up.  It continued for another 3-4 hours and was still raining whenI left.  The gate I came in through was flooded so I had to find another way around.

A smart person would likely have waited a day or two for things to dry out.  I made the drive anyway.  SW through the mountains were numerous areas of rockfall.  I was told this isn’t typical and was likely due ot the storm.

There were also numerous places with water in the road, though none as deep as this one (maybe 12″).  Note this is not some backwater road, but MEX-1, the main route south through Baja.

Two nights in Guerrero Negro proved uneventful.  There are whale watching tours there, but it is still a bit early in the season and I hope to do that on the way north in a couple of months.  I think that two nights there in one lifetime is more than enough.

I headed south for San Ignacio on Christmas eve.  Figuring there would be nothing open that evening or all the next day, I looked for a chicken place in GN, but couldn’t find one open.  The only town of any size between GN and San Ignacio was the improbably named Villa Alberto Andrés Alvarado Alrámburo.  Where I spotted a place with smoke.  Could it be?  Yes!  Pollo asado!

Perfecto!

San Ignacio was an exceptionally pleasant surprise.  On fresh water, it is a palmy oaisis in the middle of the Sonoran desert.  Small, cute, pleasant, and not too touristy.  Okay, maybe a little, but decidely not crowded.  The best description I’ve found is here.

The main part of the town is a picturesque little square facing the largly intact historical mission.  The campground is a 5-minute walk from the square, along which you find horses, a donkey, chickens, and numerous dogs.  The campground dogs escort you to town and back.  I had lunch that first day on the square and was joined by a local cat.

About 1300 on Christmas Day, a horrible siren blaring/PA-talking racket kicked off and I ventured to the road to see what was, apparently, an annual San Ignacio Christmas tradition.  The arrival of Santa Claus.  Con Policía (con peros), y bomberos, y Santa!  And apparently also with some odd green Christmas creature – the Grinch one might pressume.

Finally, a gallery of photos in and around beqautiful San Ignacio, BCS.

The area is also known as a launching point for tours of cave paintings that date back as far as 10,000 years.  They run somewhat pricey all-day tours, but I was unable to arrange one due to the holiday.  I’ll try that (as well as whale watching) on the way north later in winter.