David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Old Baja Guide Books and more... (I)
It was a good day for Baja books yesterday (my birthday)... after breakfast with my son at Sunrise Cafe, in Vista, we went to the two used book stores
in town. At the second one, they had a fine cond. copy of The Sea of Cortez by Ray Cannon ($7.95) and the grand prize: a fair cond. but rare 1973
'Baja Sea Guide' (for just $3.50)! I was jazzed!!
I was hoping to get a copy of Ben Hunter's 'The Baja Feeling' for a fellow Nomad, but it was no longer there...
I am still a ways away from matching the collection of Neal Johns, but I am working on it!!!
[Edited on 11-22-2004 by David K]
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Jack Swords
Super Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Nipomo, CA/La Paz, BCS
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Baja Sea Guide
Well, Happy Birthday David! The Baja Sea Guide has some excellent photos. Check out the one of Isla Benedicto erupting in 1952. He also has some
good historical references, so enjoy reading. By the way, there are some notable inaccuracies for boaters in this book, Jack Williams was a part of
its beginning, but bailed to make his own books due to those inaccuracies. Just the photos are worth more than the price.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Yes indeed Jack... The photos are worth it, but the book is a find as it is.
The last time I saw one was three years ago with Alejandra in one of those book stores... She spotted it first and bought it. Unfortunately, it is in
La Paz Bay with all of her other possessions (in her former floating home) lost in the hurricane.
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akbear
Nomad
Posts: 203
Registered: 8-23-2003
Location: Buena Vista BCS
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That is a good catch David. I bought mine new back in early '70's for $29.95 ! Only has small rip on dust jacket. Just looked at it, has certificate
for 112# sailfish I caught in Mazatlan in '85 & AAA Baja California Map also '85.
Happy Birthday & Happy Hunting !
Akbear
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thank you Mr. Bear! I know you have a Viva Baja sticker on a fishing boat in Alaska... If you want some of the new 'got baja?' stickers BajaCactus
made for me, send me your address again (u2u or email). Take care amigo del norte!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Another small treasure found...
Tom Miller's 'Eating Your Way Through Baja' c1986 was my latest aquisition for my Baja library. I knew Tom, so it was extra special.
He authored several editions of 'The Baja Book' which was the most popular Baja travel guide following the completion of Highway One's paving in Dec.
1973.
Tom and Shirley Miller created the Mexico West Travel Club and during the 1980's. Their Mexico West magazine was the way we Baja people exchanged
information, before the Internet!
Tom passed away from cancer several years ago. Shirley helped Discover Baja Travel Club get started, promoted Costa Rica travel for a while and now
lives in the Pacific Northwest, but still travels to Baja.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Today another good find: Jim Hunter's 'Offbeat Baja' c1977 an excellent guidebook to several off pavement trips... Including Mision Santa Maria, the
copper mine near La Gringa, the Seven Sisiters coast road, the far side of Concepcion Bay, and several more.
I had a copy for over 25 years but it is badly worn from use. This one was just $4 and in excellent condition.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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First Edition of the 'Baja Bible'
Here is the 1956 first edition of Gerhard & Gulick's Lower California Guidebook. I obtained it from an Internet used book source for $15. The road
south of San Felipe went to the sulfur mine then turned east and ended at 'Agua de Chale'. Mention of a new jeep road being constructed from Rancho
Laguna Chapala north via San Luis Gonzaga is made.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The Fourth Edition
of the book was 1967 and reprinted in 1970. I obtained a copy autographed by Howard Gulick in Nov. 1971. I had a copy that Howard autographed for me
when I met him with my dad around 1968... I was around 11 years old. That copy is probably lost, unfortunately.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The Fifth Edition
In 1975, Walt Wheelock (of La Siesta Press) offered to update the book to include the new highway and other peninsula changes. The title was changed
to "Baja" from "Lower" and Walt Wheelock's name replaced Peter Gerhard's, however Gerhard's historical data remained as before. Howard oversaw the
material and even went south to check Walt's data. Howard's maps were replaced with three removable folding maps that did correctly show the new
highway's location, but were smaller scale and less detailed than Howard's.
[Edited on 11-21-2004 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Cliff Cross' Baja Guide
Very popular in the 1970's was Cliff Cross' big Baja guidebook. Full of photos and fun to use maps that were hand drawn with a bird's eye view of each
area. The original guide was out in 1970. A second edition was out in 1972 with many good notes and additions. The final edition was in 1974 to
include the new highway. However, the maps were inaccurately altered to show the new highway (no new log was added).
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Off The Beaten Track in Baja was my favorite of Erle's books. I had Choral Pepper sign mine on one of the many photos of her in it.
Sounds like we know some of the same folks! I started a new thread in this forum to show autographs. This thread is starting to open slow from the
number of images already...
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Mood: Happy!
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What a great thing to find these books on used bookstore shelves for a song! Nice going DK.....never even seen "Off the Beaten Track" before, and the
AAA guidebook--that's a great find!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Off the Beaten Track in Baja c1967
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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This thread continues on Part II: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=7028
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