comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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Fate would have it.
Just got back from a Garage sale here in La Paz. First of all not much of a book reader, but came back with God and Mr. Gomez(Thank you Bernie), Baja
California by Ralph Hanc-ck and others, Reflections an Autobiography by Mama Espinosa, also Baja Legends by Greg Nieman, I Will read them all. I'm
sure a lot of you Nomads had or have read all of these but now I get to read about early Baja.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Keri
Super Nomad
Posts: 1393
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: La Mision, Baja Norte
Member Is Offline
Mood: muy contento
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What a score.
You are one lucky guy. God and Mr Gomez was out of print for along time but I think they did another printing in soft-back, It's one of my favorites.
I recommend it to anyone building a house in Mexico. Greg's book is great also. I haven't read Mama Espinoza's. Let me know what you think of that
one. Enjoy your great finds, k 
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Keri
Once said Mi Baja No Hurry No Worry and Bouncing Around Baja, both by Bernie were great too! Oh! Well, I'll have to remember not to give her a free
one the next time around. jejejejejejejeje
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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Keri
Super Nomad
Posts: 1393
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: La Mision, Baja Norte
Member Is Offline
Mood: muy contento
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Bernie Your books are great too.
I was just responding to the books he found. I'm sure he'll get your books next, k
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64476
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Page 134 in Greg Niemann's book, comitan... you will see a familiar name! 
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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God & Mr. Gomez
Just finished I would read a lot more if I could find books like that. No killing, no mystery, no compexities, I'll be thinking about that book for
awhile.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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Comitan
Good one heh? Read that years ago and still remember how much I loved it. And that was years before I built my home here in Loreto. Need more down to
earth , tongue in cheek, information like that.
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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DK
I thought you might show more interest in my post since you go to La Bocana all the time. Would like to know Is Mr. Gomez still there, the store or
family, the Houses, were more built, did you know Jack Smith and is that the person that was living in Los Barilles known as Jimmy Smith. Anyone can
answer these questions. I've also finished Mama Espinozas Autobiography, There I sure a lot of History in her life.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64476
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by comitan
DK
I thought you might show more interest in my post since you go to La Bocana all the time. Would like to know Is Mr. Gomez still there, the store or
family, the Houses, were more built, did you know Jack Smith and is that the person that was living in Los Barilles known as Jimmy Smith. Anyone can
answer these questions. I've also finished Mama Espinozas Autobiography, There I sure a lot of History in her life. |
Sorry to say it, but there are many La Bocanas in Baja and I have never been to the one west of Santo Tomas where Jack Smith had a place... The one I
have been going to recently is the beach west of El Rosario...
Like 'Agua Caliente' (Hot Water) being used for almost every hot spring in Baja, 'La Bocana' is used at many river mouths (where a river reaches the
sea).
'La Bocana' is also used at the mouth of a canyon... such as the canyon entrance in Arroyo San Pedro (between L.A. Bay and San Francisquito on the
original road) where there is a a Rancho La Bocana... and the valley outside that canyon mouth is Valle de la Bocana.
(Oh, and a ha ha back to you MeNo!)
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just dancing through life
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While Jack Smith and Jimmy Smith both lived in Los Angles before they happened into Baja the similarity ends there.
Don Jimmy was a motorcycle officer in L.A. County and was so severly injured that he took off for Baja after his retirement, married a Mexican lady,
and lived in San Ignacio and Los Barillas for most of the rest of his life. See his book, The Grinning Gargoyle Spills the Beans, for another great
tongue in cheek book and one without any murders.
Jack Smith was a writer for the Los Angles Times for years and his wife Demmy was the one who really wanted to seek the adventures of Baja. He died
about 5 years ago. I have every almost article he wrote about Baja as well as several of his original books ( we used to call them the how to bibles
of living and building in Baja) and the newest one that was re-released after his death.
Mr. Gomez was real and he passed away a couple of years ago.
Eli, the Baja Lady, who posts here is Don Jimmy's daughter and quite a writer herself.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
Member Is Offline
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Comi
The store and house is still there. The house is located between La Bocana (one of the nicest camping spots in Baja Norte) and Puerto Santo Tomas to
the north.
There are about 5 or 6 other homes built around Jacks original home using the same design mas o menos.
It's about an hour from the carretera and a pretty nice place to visit. One of the steepest launch ramps in Baja is at Puerto Santo Tomas but it's a
great place to fish!
Rio Santo Tomas meanders down the arroyo and through the campground, small dunes on the beach and if you can find "Elsie" she makes good tortillas
and cheese.
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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Thank you all for your replies, since reading that book I've gotten much more of an interest in Baja History. I've also finished Mama Espinozas bio.
It seems that she was part of the startup of the Flying Samaritans, being in El Rosario and speaking English, she met most of the early adventurers
heading south looking for lost missions, cacti, Dinosaur fossils.
[Edited on 10-16-2005 by comitan]
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64476
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by marvina
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
(Oh, and a ha ha back to you MeNo!) |
Please quit calling me that.
[Edited on 06-21-2005 by marvina] |
Why not? If it isn't you Tom, ... then why are you providing us with the exact same M.O. as MeNo? ie. insulting people who have done you no harm,
people you have not met, new people you have come here to exchange posts with, etc....
Tell us about yourself marvina... Do you want to be liked here, or just stir trouble? Why did you insult Bernie the first day a Nomad, and me the
second? You are acting exactly like MeNo... do you have ADD?
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just dancing through life
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Comitan
If you get Don Jimmy's book, The Grinning Gargoyle, you will find that he was one of the original guys who flew small planes all over Baja with
formula's, medicine, engine oil, and a bunch of other stuff. He and Mama were friends.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: In love!
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My first trip to Baja was to La Bocana area and then south along the coast, cutting back to Hwy. 1 on a very bad road. My girl friend and I met Mr.
Gomez and had lunch with his pigs near his tienda. I'll see if I can find the picture and scan it. Great times (the 70s).
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Spyderman
Nomad
Posts: 111
Registered: 10-12-2005
Member Is Offline
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Guess
Guess I gotta read it now too!
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