Heading back north, I stopped back into the Rivera del Mar campground for several days. One of my favorite Baja towns, I met up with several overlanders. A young Swiss couple in a diesel Toyota rig, a couple from the Netherlands who had gone around the world on their two motorcycles (see Mytickettoride.com ) one guy from Torrey, Utah on his motorcycle who was heading to the mainland afterwards, another young couple on their bicycles who were just finishing their trip from Canada to Cabo. Went snorkeling with the Canadian kids over at the golf course resort area known as Nopolo, had several great lunches and dinners and just relaxed in the not-too-small but not-too-big town that was the original mission capital of the Baja. Clean rest rooms, ok wi-fi and the owner charges $5 per person with no hook-ups so it was cheap as can be!
Cabo San Lucas
After three nights in the truck with Pam, we checked into the Pueblo Bonito Sunset, a timeshare jsut north of town that we had traded into for a week. Laying by the pool, walking by the beach, eating at regular restaurants and then watching sunsets pretty much summed up the week. After ten days I dropped Pam back at the San Jose airport and drove pretty much the same route back up the Baja, through Los Barriles, Santa Rosalia, La Paz, Coco’s Corner and San Felipe, crossing back through Mexicali once again. Happy trip 🙂 
Cabo Pulmo / Arbolitos / Los Frailes
After picking up Pam at the airport in San Jose and loading up on a few things at Sorianas super-mercado just south of the airport, we headed back up to Barriles to see the same old friends, spent a night on the beach again at Playa Norte before heading down to Cabo Pulmo, Arbolitos and Los Frailes. We set up camp in Frailes, being free, did some average snorkeling, bought a great fish, cooked it on the Coleman stove/grill and then did some great snorkeling at Arbolitos, including seeing a giant sea turtle on the way back to shore. While we camped for free at Frailes, maybe we should have paid 50 pesos (about $3) to camp at Arbolitos and have use of the bathrooms and (garden hose) showers. But, the nights were clear, the stars were out and the price was right!
Los Barriles
Passing by the beautiful Bay of Conception – where I have stayed before – stopping in at River del Mar in Loreto to use the internet I made it to the Campestre Maranatha on the outskirts of La Paz for a quick night.; Been here before to this cleanly run RV park/camp for kids so I do not have any pictures. About $15 with full hook-ups which I did not need, clean rest rooms, wi-fi and a pool. Next day onto Los Barriles to see old friends at the East Bay RV Park that we had met five years ago on our first trip down the Baja in the big, 38 foot diesel with a tow car. This time I camped just north of the Play Norte RV park on some free beach site in the wash. This is where the privacy tent, Porta-Potty and solar shower came into play. Spent 3 nights here, played beach volleyball Monday, Wednesday and Friday, had Christmas dinner with the old friends in East Cape RV and caught some free wi-fi while having great food at Smokey’s on the (mini) main drag.
Coco’s Corner
After a quiet night in San Felipe and another equally quiet night in Bay of Gonzaga (at only $5 for the night) I headed down the new pavement until coming to the end of the road. After that, it’s about 10 miles of washboard to Coco’s Corner, inhabited by a legless man that wanted to get away from the cold weather some 20 years ago, and then another 10 miles of bladed rock to get to the Trans Peninsular Highway No. 1. After finding a flat tire in Santa Rosalia and the only recommended RV spot/hotel being closed, I continued down to Mulege where I got a spot at Hotel Cuesta Real for about $10 for the night, with use of one of the hotel rooms for shower and bathroom.
San Felipe
Crossing on the east side of Mexicali was simple enough and after getting everything in order I made my way for San felipe. Kiki’s seemed to be the place that many others had gone to so I headed that way. Small enough, very clean, good restrooms and wi-fi and backing up to a clean beach, the price was about $25 per night with a covered ramada. 
The Ranger set-up
Prior to leaving I bought some 16 inch I-Joists (they are lighter than a 2×12 and taller) and built a sleeping platform in the back of the Ranger. Thankfully, I have a 7 foot bed, as I am 6’3″ tall. The 16 inch I-Joists fit almost perfectly to the height of the side rails, allowing me to slide the 3/4 inch plywood right over the sides for further support. The 16 inch height also allowed me to slide several bins and the privacy tent and canopy under the platform for great storage. I only built the platform 5.5 feet long, to allow room for the cooler and Porta-Potty. When I camped I took out the Porta-Potty and placed it into the privacy tent. At night I would put the cooler right at the foot of the bed, bringing the sleeping platform back to 7 feet to accomodate my sleeping pad and sleeping bag.
Baja in the back of my Ford Ranger 