Hurricane Odile
 

I only saw the news, so this is not firsthand account, but just be aware of the hurricane that recently hit Cabo on the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. Sounds like it won't be a great place to stay for some time. The news was primarily discussing the tourists stuck there, trying to get out, so did not mention the ferry or anything else.

Just wrote this for anyone planning to go that way, or through that way on the way north. Obviously, ask locals who live close by before finding out the hard way :helpsmilie:. It might not even be that bad if you were not planning on staying...

I heard some news reports too ... some tend to inflate and inflame. A friend living in La Paz verified Cabo is a mess but La Paz, while beat up and flooded faired much better, and will return to normal fairly quickly. Cabo will take years to recover.

Some La Paz Hotels were gaffing tourists coming over from Cabo who were trying to get back to the US. A doubling and tripling of rates. Typical. Only bus service was available for a day or two, but I believe La Paz airport is ... more or less ... now operational.

Most Hotels (very few) in La Paz may have lost power the first few days, but were more or less operational. But parts of La Paz were flooded.

Cabo was completely ruined ...reports claim staff and management ran away like Hell from fancy Hotels, left guests to their own devices. NO HELP. :thumbdown: But in a way, can't blame them, they ran away to save their own families who were in far more danger. A real miracle no one died during the whole thing.

The Mexican Military came in and helped out, flew lots of tourists up to Tijuana or to Mazatlan. I heard there were at least 4000 tourists in Cabo when storm hit. La Paz has maybe 1000 or less.

My guess is La Paz will recover quickly, Ferry service will be normal as weather permits (as always), so tourists will have few problems once things settle down.

Note that the Storm flooded and washed out the main road in Baja in a few places, so there may be some delays, standing water or mud. Should be cleared quickly. Water soaks into the Desert quickly, couple days of heat, it all will be gone in sandy sections at least. Wash outs should not be too bad on a bike or 4x4.

Use caution on dry lake beds, mud can be like quick sand. You will never get out of it without help if you get stuck. Avoid for at least a month or more.

!Que le via bien! :scooter:

Thanks for verifying! I just wanted those who had no idea due to being on the road to be aware if they were planning to head that way from either direction. I figure most people here wouldn't be staying at the fancy hotels, but as you mentioned, the roads might be impassable for a few days. I have never been down there, but I do believe there are very few north/south, if only one, road on the peninsula.


I hear you on the staff running away! I work in a state prison (as a teacher), so things would ironically be different due to a more likely disaster to strike here in southern AZ, say, an earthquake, as we are expected to stay and help out the officers, just as when I worked in schools, we were expected to stay and help out with the children. But if I was working in the private sector, especially in a labor-unfriendly, business friendly state like Arizona, I would quit and run home to be with family! Damn the customer, lol!!

The nice thing about Baja is if the paved road is out ... and you're on a decent dual sport bike, often times you can just head out across the Desert, following one of the many old race routes.

Not big touring bike friendly but OK on my DR650 for lots of it. It's slow going but if you know how, it's easy to work your way round wash outs/diversions and closures and get back on paved road once past the devastation.

My guess is the road is already totally back in service. Once the Mexican military gets involved ... things happen fast. Lots of Tourist dollars at stake as NOW is the beginning of HIGH SEASON for Tourism and the Mexicans
(and corporations) can't afford to miss the whole season. But my guess is
popular Cabo is OUT for this season at least. No worries, no travelers I know ever went there anyway. Way too expensive. :thumbdown: