Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@oldfartdeveloper

oldfartdeveloper/orphanage_trip_instructions.md

Last active June 26, 2017 18:30
Show Gist options
  • Star 0 You must be signed in to star a gist
  • Fork 1 You must be signed in to fork a gist
  • Save oldfartdeveloper/b6acc00a60663f0c9817 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Save oldfartdeveloper/b6acc00a60663f0c9817 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Download ZIP
Driving Instructions to Orphanage from Dianne's House
Raw
orphanage_trip_instructions.md

Driving Instructions to Orphanage from Dianne's House

These instructions can be accessed two ways:

  • As a paper handout; see Dianne.
  • As a PDF file in your smart phone. The iPhone, for one, has iBooks which can hold a PDF file in your smart phone's memory and access it. Once loaded, you don't have to have a live Internet connection; this is handy when you want to turn off access in México to avoid (expensive!) roaming charges.

Assumptions

Does everyone in your party have a passport? If not, now is a good time to go retrieve it!

  1. Starts from Dianne's house.
  2. Ends at the orphanange in Ensenada.
  3. You should preferably have a navigator reading these instructions.

Okay, let's go.

Trip Instructions

Here's an overview map of the trip:

overview map

You can see that I've broken this into two sections:

  • The border (McDonalds) at 1520 Roll Drive.
  • The drive in México to the orphanage.

The border - McDonalds

  1. Use the ways you already know to head south towards San Diego (on the 5 or 405; doesn't matter).
  2. After the El Toro Y (the confluence of the 5 and 405 freeways), continue for approximately 66 miles until you encounter the 805/5 interchange.
  3. Continue onto the 805 freeway.
  4. Continue driving approximately 26 miles until you see signs for the CA 905. Take this exit east. Sign for 905
  5. Continue driving approximatly 6 miles until you see Siempre Vive Road. Exit here. Siempre Vive Road Exit Sign
  6. Here's the map of the border area with a few notes on following instructions: border map
  7. At the intersection, turn right: Siempre Vive Road Intersection
  8. As you cross over the 905 freeway below you, on the right you will notice McDonalds. That is where we are meeting. McDonalds You get there by turning right on Roll Drive and turning into the parking lot.

You will see other members of the team parked there. Some things to consider:

  1. Breakfast: There is time for you to get something from McDonald's and eat.
  2. Restroom break: Use McDonalds's.
  3. If you haven't yet obtained Mexican auto insurance, you can do so on the other side of Roll Drive: Insurance
  4. Buy gas if you don't have enough to get back w/o filling up. I've filled up in Ensenada, and I didn't observe any adverse effects to my car, but if you're worried about it, buy gas here.
  5. Also, have about $10 available for tolls on the beautiful Ensenada Scenic Road. They take US dollars.

Drive to Orphanage (México here we come!)

If you haven't driven in México before

Relax. It's not that hard. The biggest fear I've seen in newcomers is getting lost. Fortunately, there are not that many turns to make on this phase of the trip, and this document makes a huge effort to make sure you make the turns you need to make.

Other observations:

  1. People drive much slower in México. Unlike the United States where we try to make the roads as safe as possible (and drivers get so bored they talk on their cellphones and cause accidents), roads in México are more primitive and you HAVE to pay attention (which is a GOOD thing). Fortunately, we're driving in daytime, and the landmarks you need to see are not hard to spot.
  2. Drivers are courteous in México; be courteous to them. I see much less reckless driving in México than in the states.

Turn off roaming in your smartphone

Unless you have international roaming, you could be hit with a really nasty charge on your next bill.

Besides, if you downloaded this document into your smartphone, you won't need internet connectivity anyways.

If you don't know how to stop roaming on your cellphone, then put it into Airplane Mode.

We're going to stop for customs first.

Ironically, we drive across the border and, in a hundred feet or so, will pull into a parking area and stop.

  1. We will go over as a group because Mexican customs wants to see us as a group. Don't go off on your own yet!
  2. Parking is crowded. If you can, pull in behind one of our cars to leave space for others. I'm amazed and heartened by how much everyone works together to provide space for everyone
  3. Don't worry, we don't pay anything. You have been given papers that explain everything; provide it to a customs officer if he asks (I don't remember the last time we were asked).

Okay, here we go:

  1. Turn left out of the McDonald's parking lot back onto Roll Drive.
  2. Turn right onto Siempre Viva Road (you have no choice; Siempre Viva Road is one-way here).
  3. Make a U-turn at your first opportunity.
  4. Turn left to merge onto the 905 freeway toward Otay Mesa Border Crossing.
  5. Proceed for approximately 0.4 miles where you will enter México.
  6. Here's where you enter: México entry Stay to your right in the "convoy"; you will pull right into the customs area.
  7. Since customs can take up to 30 minutes or so, you can stretch your legs and walk around.
  8. When the customs officials have finished processing, we'll be permitted to leave. At this time, if you want to "leave the convoy" to drive on your own for the remainder of the trip, then let Dianne know so we won't be searching for you.
  9. Merge onto Blvd garita de Otay and stay in the right lane.
  10. Take the ramp to turn right onto Blvrd De Las Bellas Artes.
  11. In about 0.7 miles the road will end at a "tee" intersection.
  12. At the tee, turn left onto highway 2: Mexican Hwy 2 Turn
  13. Stay on this road for about 0.8 miles where you will encounter a "freeway" intersection with a bridge you go over.
  14. Go over the bridge, and stay on the main road to Rosarito: rosarito
  15. In the same way, stay on the main highway, ignoring the left offramp 300 feet further down: ignore left offramp
  16. Stay on Highway 2 for approximately 2.7 miles.
  17. Continue onto Bulevar Rosas Magallon: magallon
  18. Continue for approximately 3.8 mi and watch for this offramp sign: rosarito ensenada offramp sign
  19. 1000 feet further down the road you will see the offramp. Take it: rosarito ensenada offramp
  20. Continue for approximately 7.4 miles and take the ramp on the left to Ensenada/Scenic Road: ensenada scenic road.
  21. On the scenic road, drive for approximately 22 miles, then look for where you will be forced to exit due to a road closure.

Ensenada Scenic Road Closure

The road is closed at at Kilometer 93 due to a massive landslide that happened a year ago.

Fortunately, there is a detour which we'll follow. So, let's move on:

  1. Take the Rosarito - Ensenada/Transpeninsular Highway/México 1 exit and then turn left on the free road. rosarito turn off
  2. Continue for 22 miles on the free (libre) road. This goes inland (away from the scenic road) and then comes back to it. Then merge onto Highway 1 towards Ensenada. reconnect to highway 1
  3. We're on the outskirts of Ensenada now; here's an overview map for the remainder of the trip: ensenada map
  4. Continue for about 4.5 miles and bear left onto Bahía de La Paz: bahia de la paz
  5. Continue for almost 2 miles and bear right onto Novena: novena
  6. Continue for 1.4 miles past the extra store on the right: extra
  7. Keep going straight. At the end of the block, turn right (Av Hidalgo): hidalgo
  8. Continue for one block, then the orphanage is on the right: orphanage The black metal gate will be open and you can drive into the courtyard.

Congratulations! Now, wasn't that fun?

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment