David K
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Remembering Herman Hill, by Paulina (Baja Bound Newsletter)
Just published in the new Baja Bound newsletter, a nice article about Herman Hill... Thanks Paulina!
http://www.bajabound.com/bajaadventures/remembering_herman_h...
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Tioloco
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Was a funny funny guy. Definitely a stranger to no one. He had some neat stories and was happy to let you buy him a cold drink. 
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Paulina
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Thanks David for posting my article about Herman. We took a drive out to Las Flores a couple of days ago, scouting out a spot for him as he wanted to
be buried there. My plan is to have a memorial service for him come December when more folks will be in town. Maybe an early morning coffee and story
time out at Las Flores. I'll have more info as the time nears.
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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David K
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Wonderful! I am glad to have met him and he was indeed one of the colorful characters of L.A. Bay, now joining with Beach Bob and Mike Humfreville.
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bajacalifornian
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The connection between reason and emotion, with Nomad reads and favorites that follow . . .
if you follow me,
Shines brightly with recent posts from BajaGringo, even David K (me being schooled daily about commentary in this particular medium).
Today, another target of my attention, Paulina . . . and her willingness as many, to learn the soul of fellow people.
American by birth, Mexican by choice.
Signature addendum: Danish physicist — Niels Bohr — who said, “The opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth.
Jeff Petersen
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BajaBlanca
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Nice tribute!
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bajabuddha
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Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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I had the honor of reading his book a few years back... always regretted not having met the man. There's a cross-word 'word' that I think best
describes him; he's a 'oner' (one-er) meaning 'one of a kind'. Since finishing the book, every trip over the Cataviña stretch looking east at the B
of LA mountain areas I think of him prospecting, and some of the yarns he wove. A true pioneer and adventurer; a 'poor-man's Hemmingway'.... just
not 'poor' at all in any sense of the word.
La Buena Vida, y La Vida Loca.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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Martyman
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Very touching article Paulina. Met him a few times...a character he was!
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elgatoloco
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Paulina, Very nice tribute. You were lucky to have such a Baja 'dad'. We only spent one afternoon at Herman's with you guys and it was fun to sit and
listen to him talk story. It was obvious that he had a long interesting life with enough stories to fill a book or three.
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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Fang
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I seldom post, but I just read Paulina's tribute to Herman Hill & felt compelled to post at least one more time.
I started my adventures to Baja in the early 1940's when my dad took us to the San Felipe & Ensenada area for 2-3 weeks each summer. We many
amazing folk & never forgot the experience.
Among those who really made an impression on me in later years was Paulina. Allthough I had never met her until the BBB get together s of the
1980-1990's she left a lasting impression on me and those who had their first encounter with her.
She was full of enthusiasm & ready to help in any area without being pushed to do so. Not only was she proactive, she had the most prodigious
artistic abilities one could image . She did all of our group banners using only those supplies we had on hand and they were as professional as you
could hope for.
I monitor this site quite a bit, but always read with interest any posting by Paulina. She is the true Baja aficionado.
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David K
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Nice indeed! Paulina always made an effort to attend my Viva Baja events and M's BBBB fiestas of the 2000-2003 years.
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Paulina
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The link originally posted no longer works. Here is a copy of the article I wrote about Herman.
Herman Chester Hill Remembered
“I’ve got electricity, a hot shower and a television set!” he announced, followed by, “heh heh heh!” that slow staccato laugh that I would learn to
love.
Herman Chester Hill was a constant in Bahia de Los Angeles from the late 1980s until his passing on December 6, 2013.
When I first met Herman in 1992, it was quite by accident. He was a stranger who saw this mom and her young son walking past his modest home in
Guillermo‘s campground. My son had his fishing pole over his shoulder, we heading out to catch our dinner off the Villa Vita jetty. “Come back and
show me what you catch” he said, followed by that flirty catch phrase that I would hear him use repeatedly on others, for such things were a luxury in
Bahia at that time.
The last thing I wanted to do was go back to that fresh man's house, but my son caught a nice halibut and was insistent. I am glad I listened to my
three-year-old boy that day.
Herman has been my Baja dad and my children's grandpa ever since. He has been many things, as I would learn over the past 22 years. Some of his
adventures and occupations were believable, others were a bit questionable, and if you knew Herman, you knew not be surprised.
I was not surprised to know that he was a gambler, loving the Keno boards at his favorite casino, the El Cortez in Las Vegas. He was a rocket
scientist one day, a census taker the next as he interviewed hotel guests under the palapa at Guillermos. One summer afternoon I had to swim out in
the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez to find him under his straw hat, where he was a climatologist that day, as he claimed to be conducting
experiments as to how long it took to drink a margarita while floating in the sea of Cortez.
He was a blue eyed, red headed son, a loving brother, an uncle, a husband, a father. He was a Seaman in the Merchant Marines; he also served in the
Navy during WW2. Herman was very patriotic. He never lost the love for his country, as evident every year at his hot dog and apple pie party when the
July 4 holiday rolled around. He was an avid miner, a gold prospector, often taking to the deserts around Bahia for weeks at a time in search for, as
he would say “Jez -you- way gold.”
Herman was happy to act as a guide, sharing his knowledge of the ancient petroglyphs, the desert plants and their medicinal uses, how to track and
look for signs of animals or areas to avoid. He loved to point out the rock formations, the wonderful “leaverite” that would have his guests elated at
holding something valuable in their hands, to laughing as he would then add, “leave ‘er right where you found it, it’s worthless.” He was a friend to
the lost or as often happens in Baja,the stranded. He had an open door, a cot for the night, a pot of beans and something cold to quench the thirst.
Herman loved to entertain tourists with his tales of people and places, his risqué jokes and old Navy songs. Every day was his birthday. He was a
storyteller from the beginning. A published author, writing short stories for the Nevadan in the 1970s, as well as his pride and joy in 2008, Baja’s
Hidden Gold: Treasure Along the Mission Trail. That book was a work in progress; I can tell you that, after many, many hours of reading his hand
written notes under the dim light of his propane lantern after the town electricity had gone out. Many thanks to his friend Roger Silliman
(contributor) who was the one to make Herman’s dream a reality, a friend to finally put Herman’s stories of his interesting life, prospecting perils,
Jesuit treasure hunting, and local Bahia lore into paperback book form.
If you visited with Herman during the warmer months, you could find him in the early mornings enjoying coffee with the sunrise, over looking the sea
under Guillermo’s palapa. Later in the day you probably sat at his red picnic table on his patio, maybe dodging a few humming birds here and there.
You may have joined him in a game of cards, a tour of his garden, maybe a cold beer and a story or two. In the winter, Herman would be warmly closed
inside, happy to turn down the volume to the western playing on the TV as you walked through the hanging wooden beads that hung in the door to help
keep the dogs and the flies out.
On Friday morning, December 6, 2013, Herman closed and locked that door for what would be the last time. He planned to attend a birthday party in
Ensenada on the following day. The accident logbook on the Caminos Federales desk in San Quintin showed that Herman went off the road at Km 199 +100m.
Sadly, the accident happened on Friday and was not reported until two days later, on Sunday December 8. We can only hope he did not suffer. From the
amount of skid marks at this location, it appears this deadly curve has been a problem for others as well.
Herman was an icon and will be missed by many, townspeople and visitors alike. His legacy has left a mark on in the original mining display from Las
Flores, which he helped to construct at the Museo de Naturaleza y Cultura. Herman lives on in our stories now. His family has graciously allowed
Herman’s cremains to return to Bahia, to be a part of the history of this beautiful place, where he loved to be.
As he would always sing as I drove away from his house, "Good night Irene, good night Irene, I'll see you in my dreams..."
In addition, I would answer, "Happy Birthday, Herman!"
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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BajaGeoff
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I got the link updated Paulina. That was one of the pages that didn't get switched over when we launched the new Baja Bound website...it's all there
now though!
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Paulina
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Thank you, Geoff. I appreciate it very much!
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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