Baja and Back - 1977 FC31

[Terry Neal]

Great pictures Brent. Thanks for sharing your experience. We hope to
make that trip one of these days. Hope you left some beer & tequila
down there for the rest of us...

Terry Neal
Bozeman, MT
82PT40 6V92TA
74FC34 6V53T



Brent Swartzentruber wrote:

> I finally found time after returning from Baja to post a few pictures
> from the trip. This was the first big trip for our new FC31 (bought
> in November).
>
> Here is the link if you would like to view a few select pics
> http://www.pbase.com/bajaroad/fc31_in_baja&page=all
> <http://www.pbase.com/bajaroad/fc31_in_baja&page=all>
>
> The FC31 was great. I'm very satisfied with how it handled the
> narrow roads and occasion offroad excursion.
>
> It took practice making room for the trucks traveling
> the opposite direction on the narrow road, but after a few days I
> felt pretty good about it, although I recommend getting your estate
> in order before traveling the Baja 1 - there were plenty of Near
> Death Moments (NDM).
>
> Got caught one evening driving after dark. I definitely don't
> recommend that, especially on the narrow sections. Wanderlodge,
> tired eyes, narrow road, and big trucks with bright headlights don't
> mix.
>
> Before the trip I was worried about going down the steep grades (no
> aux braking on the bird), but it was no problem - just had to keep it
> in a low gear.
>
> I've been down to southern Baja five times and never hand a single
> problem with the authorities, but while parked near a park in Santa
> Rosalia the cops came by and said some stuff I didn't understand and
> asked for my license - d'oh. Apparently they didn't get enough for
> Christmas (it was Christmas day). My wife, her sister, and sister's
> boyfriend were heading to the famous French Bakery up the street
> while I watched the Bird and the dog. I had given my wife a 2-way
> radio, so I was able to talk to her and have her return quickly to
> the Bird - she speaks fluent Spanish. After a few minutes of arguing
> back and forth, the cops finally gave up and let us go. They were
> trying to give us a ticket for parking on the wrong side of the road -
> they were clearly lying and my wife wouldn't accept it. I never
> gave them my license, which I've been told not to do. Never pull you
> Wanderlodge into Santa Rosalia or Muleje because the road are narrow,
> lacking clearance and one-way. Where we parked was barely off the
> main highway, which seemed reasonable but there was better parking
> right off the road just a bit further south.
> I had just the opposite experience in San Ignacio. I was parked near
> the mission in apparently the wrong place (see pic), but in this case
> the cop asked me to move and pointed out a more suitable location. Ya
> never know. Otherwise, the military personnel at the check points
> were generally friendly and didn't hassle the gringos.
>
> Parking at the edge of the Sea of Cortez, tires only a few feet away,
> was pretty awesome. Doesn't get much better. The road into El
> Coyote Beach is very tight with a jagged rock bank on one side and
> the sea on the other, but she squeezed in fine.
>
> We took a chance going out to a remote surf location (Punta Conejo) -
> 10 miles each way of one-lane dirt road. We were told by some we
> couldn't make it in the bird, but the FC31 handled the road and the
> arroyo crossing without a problem. The water was warm, the surf was
> great, and the Bird was stocked with cold beer and tequila - what
> more could we want.
>
> Getting to my sisters place in La Ventana (below La Paz) required
> driving on another tight dirt road. I wasn't sure we'd make it but
> again the FC31 pulled through without much trouble. The FC31 is a
> capable Baja rig.
>
> Can wait for the next trip
>
> Brent
> 1977 FC31
> Ventura, CA
>
>



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