I Want To Be In Baja

I’m sorry I haven’t written in a long time.  Due the media publishing so much negative information, I felt like things had just gotten bogged down and decided to hold off.  This has not stopped my traveling to EL Dorado and just to let people know, although business has felt the impact by the economy, people are still taking one day at a time and it is still a wonderful place to be.  I went down in June, July, and August, and although the days are warm, it does cool off in the evening and  one can be entertained just by going out at night to enjoy the stars in the  sky.

Building continues at El Dorado ranch and I will come back from time to time to update progress at El Dorado Ranch.  If anyone ever has any questions, you can always e-mail me at nancy@ICleanUglyCredit.com (my US job) and I will be happy to assist you.

I have been asked about camping in the San Felipe area. Due to the construction of developments such as El Dorado Ranch and others, camp grounds and RV parks have been disappearing over the years. However, right in San Felipe, there is a campground
just south of the Malecon, next to Bandidos bar and restaurant. Called Campo San Felipe, it doesn’t have an office to pull up to, and I was not able to find a phone number or web site. There is a woman who is available around the grounds and all one has to do is pay her $30/night for a place right on the beach, or $25 just off the beach and they can stay as long as they like. There is a bathroom and shower on the premises and it appears to be clean.

Most of the spots have a shaded picnic table and there are trash cans around for waste. I didn’t get a count of the number of sites available but the day we checked it out (weekday) there were plenty of sites available and this was in April when the temperature is ideal.
The Malecon is only a block away and can be accessed by beach. Once people are settled in the campground, there is no need for a car to get around town. San Felipe has a wonderful Malecon that runs several blocks along the beach and there are many restaurants and shopping within easy walking distance.
For those looking to rent a house or condo, there are many available at El Dorado Ranch which is just 7 miles north of town. People who rent here have access to the pool, tennis courts, private beach and the golf course.

In spite of the media coverage, those of us who travel back and forth to the area realize that Mexico, and particularly the area around San Felipe area, continues to be a gentle and quiet area with no shortage of outdoor things to do.

As tropical storm Julio hits Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, San Felipe continues to bask in sunny days.  Protected by the Sierra de San Pedro Martir mountain range, San Felipe and the surrounding areas enjoy an average of  330 days of sunshine a year.  The highest point on the range, Picacho del Diablo rises to 10,153 feet and at times is covered with snow after a winter storm.  We have seen the snow from El Dorado Ranch, located between the mountains and the Sea of Cortez. 

At other times throughout the year, can watch the storm clouds get tangled up with the mountain tops, dropping rain on the pine and quaking aspens that cover the west side of the range.  Meanwhile, we are able to enjoy the show in warm sunshine, and know that our water source is being replenished by Mother Nature.  There are lots of other features about the Sierra de San Pedro Martir mountains.  Stay tuned for more information about this wonderful mountain range that provides more than you can possible imagine!

On the other hand, if you like storms and heavy rains, you only have to go as far as Punta Abreojos and Mulege to get wet. To learn more about Julio, you can read about it by going to www.TerraDaily.com.

How many people do you know head south in the dog days of summer?  There was a time when I thought that was crazy; until this summer.  Being an owner at El Dorado Ranch has meant more trips to the Baja and I have been surprised at how mild the summer can be.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still warm and you can still sweat.  But having so much open space, and sea breezes which tend to kick up in the afternoons, it’s much more comfortable than you would think.  Leaving Thursday from Mesa, it took 6 hours to get to the ranch where I promptly headed down to the Palapa bar for a margarita!  The next morning, I played golf with a friend, then spent the rest of the day by the pool.  In the afternoons, there is pool volleyball for those who want to participate.  What’s really nice is that the pool is large enough to accommodate a game and still have room for people who just want to be in the water.

Each morning, I took my cup of coffee up on the roof of the house where I was staying and watched the sun rise over the Sea of Cortez.  This weekend was especially wonderful because of the full moon.  At El Dorado, there is a full moon party on the beach at night.  But if you’re not a night owl, then you can watch the moon set over the San Pedro de Martir mountains to the west in the morning.  The picture above is from Sunday morning and between the quiet desert and the setting moon; it’s almost a spiritual experience!  Now that the dog days of summer are almost over, the weather here gets even better.  This is a part of Mexico no one should miss!!