The Legend’s Journal

Monthly Field Notes from Baja

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to The Legend’s Journal.

This month we're sharing a few stories from the trail, putting another piece of gear to the test, digging into a colorful chapter of Baja history, and highlighting one of our upcoming adventures. We hope it gives you a reason to slow down for a few minutes and spend some time in Baja, even if you're a thousand miles away.

Thanks for following along.

Cheers,

Nathan W. Stuart

STORY FROM THE TRAIL

The Van That Faithfully Broke Down Every Time!

Anyone who knows me knows I don't mince words when it comes to Fords. Which is a little ironic considering I always seem to own one. Most of these strong feelings trace back to this vehicle: a 1990 Ford Econoline with the legendary 7.3 diesel. Not so affectionately dubbed Scooby.

Now I know what you're about to say: "Those things are bulletproof!" My response is that they were probably talking about the turbo version...AND you don't have the luck I do.

To Ford's credit, I have made more stories driving this van around Baja than I could have with almost any other vehicle. I'm going to try to tell the story of Scooby through a series of rapid-fire breakdowns in some very remote corners of Baja and hopefully explain why, despite my feelings about Ford, I actually came to enjoy breaking down down here.

The first big breakdown happened in the Sierra Juárez. A friend and I woke up to not one dead battery, but two (as diesels do). At the same time the radiator decided it no longer wanted to hold water. I had jumper cables, but when I go camping outside of work trips, I travel pretty light. Some would say underprepared. I prefer to think I lean heavily on the generosity and resourcefulness of the local Mexicans who have bailed me out more times than I can count.

So off we went with a water bottle in hand, looking for the nearest ranch. Sure enough, they helped patch the radiator hose well enough to get us moving again and gave us a jump start. Not too bad.

The second breakdown happened east of Colonet on the way up the creek toward Rancho El Coyote. There was quite a bit of water, at one point reaching the front bumper. No problem... except Ford had thoughtfully run the engine's air intake from the top of the engine all the way down below the passenger-side headlight.

Scooby hydrolocked.

For those not mechanically inclined, that translates to water getting sucked into the cylinders. Game over. We didn't get towed out until the following afternoon. Scooby needed a new engine.

The third time, (Yes, this is starting to look a little masochistic) I was hauling a trailer full of tent platforms from Ensenada to Cataviña when just past the gas station in San Vicente the transmission decided it had done enough work. I still had to get the material to Cataviña, so I rented a food delivery truck in San Vicente, finished the job, and had my mechanic tow Scooby back to Ensenada.

Fourth breakdown. Heading from Ensenada toward San Felipe, the alternator started failing. One nice thing about a older diesel trucks is that they can keep running with a dead battery being completely mechanical. The downside is you slowly lose your lights. Just past Valle de Trinidad, the sun disappeared right along with my electrical system. I pulled out my headlamp, and we limped all the way into San Felipe with one tiny light leading the way. If you ever need a good auto electrician in San Felipe or a good head lamp I have recommendations for both.

The fifth story actually started with a pothole. On the way to Bahía de los Ángeles, I hit one hard enough to launch my magnet mounted Starlink into orbit. I slowed down to retrieve it after reentry, but a semi truck got there first. What came out the back looked like a Starlink that had gone through a wood chipper.

No sense stopping now.

A friend and I made plans to surf the west coast the next morning. A few miles down one of the lesser-traveled dirt roads, the front passenger wheel simply fell off. Bearing, brake caliper, and everything. Apparently the pothole had done a little more damage than I originally thought.

This time we had no Starlink. Mike started walking until he caught a ride south while I stayed with Scooby. Two days later we had the parts, the wheel was back on, and somehow we still made it to the coast in time for the swell. If you want the full, much funnier version of that adventure, it's on YouTube.

The sixth and final memorable breakdown (and keep in mind there was at least one more engine replacement and two more transmissions, but those stories are just too sad) came on the way back from Scorpion Bay.

We rounded a corner and found a semi truck taking up a generous portion of MY lane. I moved over as far as I could without leaving the road... until I did. The rear tire dropped off the pavement, I overcorrected, and suddenly Scooby was sliding sideways toward the trailer. The rear swung into the truck's lane just a split second after it passed us.

We sat there for a second, thankful to still be alive.

Then the alternator died.

As the sun set, we limped into Bahía de los Ángeles using two headlamps this time instead of one.

I still don't have many nice things to say about Ford.

But looking back, every one of those breakdowns led to meeting someone new, finding help where I least expected it, or ending up with a story that's far better than one where everything worked perfectly. Funny enough, I don't remember the uneventful trips nearly as well as I remember the breakdowns.

But that didn’t keep me from selling Scooby.

I bought a boat. Stockpiling new stories as we speak!

Got a trail moment of your own from a Legends trip? Hit reply, we read every one, and the best make it into a future dispatch.

GEAR WE TRUST

TieGear Tent Pegs and Guy Ropes

Price: From $50 - $250

If you've been on one of our trips and we've spent any time on the beach, you've probably seen me drilling in TieGear Tent Pegs and tying everything down with their Guy Ropes.

I've used them on tents, awnings, and just about anything I don't want leaving the ground. Baja winds have a habit of changing direction every few hours, so a secure camp isn't just nice to have—it's the difference between sleeping through the night or chasing gear down the beach at 2 a.m.

My ability to get a full eight hours of sleep is directly connected to how well our camp is anchored to the ground. These are one of the few pieces of gear I won't leave home without.

Years Tested: 3

Miles Travel in Baja: 26,000

Would We Buy It Again? Absolutely.

Discount Code: LEGENDS10

LULLABIES, LEGENDS & LIES

The Highway Man of Baja

Arturo Grosso is a treasure chest of stories. From his wealthy Italian father marrying a beautiful Indigenous woman, to his alleged connections with parrot smugglers, to his habit of challenging passing travelers to foot races, and usually beating them, it's hard to pick just one story.

But today we're going to focus on what may have been his greatest contribution to Baja, its roads.

To tell that story, we have to go back to 1892, when Arturo Grosso was born in Santa Rosalía. He likely would have grown up there if it hadn't been for the unrest surrounding the Mexican Revolution. Concerned for his family's safety, his father moved them north to Calexico, California. That decision would shape the rest of Arturo's life. When he eventually returned to Baja as a young man, he spoke fluent English and had deep friendships with Americans on both sides of the border.

As a young man, Grosso joined the Mexican Army and was stationed on the mainland. According to family accounts, he became frustrated with the way some fellow soldiers spoke about Americans and eventually went AWOL.

This is where the story gets interesting.

While making his way back home through Hermosillo, he happened to run into Abelardo L. Rodríguez, picture a Dick Tracy-era mafia don turned politician. Rodríguez was then Governor of the Northern Territory of Baja California and would later become President of Mexico from 1932 to 1934.

There weren't many people living in Baja in the 1920s, and if your sister happened to be Mama Espinoza, another Baja legend, it was even harder to stay anonymous.

Rodríguez recognized Grosso immediately.

According to the story, he told him, "I know you're supposed to be in the Army right now. I'm not going to do anything, but you owe me."

Grosso made it home.

Then, in 1925, Rodríguez came to collect.

The favor wasn't small.

He wanted Arturo Grosso to build roughly 250 miles (400 km) of road from El Rosario to El Arco through some of the most rugged and inaccessible country in Baja California. If that wasn’t bad enough, they gave him a 1924 Ford, half a dozen workers, picks, shovels, and one year to finish the job!

Against all odds, they did it.

Much of today's Transpeninsular Highway (Highway 1) would later follow the route first carved through the desert by Grosso and his crew more than a century ago.

In 1955, the Baja California government offered a 10,000-peso reward to anyone who could create a road connecting San Felipe with Laguna Chapala, linking the Gulf of California to the peninsula's main north-south route.

By then Grosso was already in his sixties and apparently didn’t have much going on because he accepted the challenge!

Armed with dynamite, determination, and little else, he blasted a vehicle route through Puertecitos, Gonzaga Bay, and south to Laguna Chapala. The trail became infamous for its steep climbs, deep ruts, and the three brutal mountain passes known simply as The Three Sisters.

For decades it was considered one of the toughest roads in Baja.

Long before either highway was paved, Arturo Grosso was out there with a handful of men, hand tools, and an old Ford truck, creating the routes they would eventually follow.

So the next time you complain about the drive to Gonzaga, just remember, Arturo didn't have the road, he had to build it first.

FEATURED EXPEDITION

Southern Baja Adventure
October 11-16, 2026

The road less traveled... at the very end of the peninsula.

This six-day, off-the-pavement expedition starts and ends in Cabo and takes you far beyond the resort zone. Traveling through remote sierras, turquoise waters, and rugged coastlines, this all-inclusive journey is designed for those who want real overland travel without sacrificing comfort. Expect challenging terrain, chef-driven meals, and long days exploring places most visitors never see.

No rig of your own? No problem. We offer fully equipped 4x4 overland rentals for all of our adventures. Contact us for availability and details.