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MexicoTed
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Why Americans Should Be Thankful for Baja, Mexico
Our Latin American neighbor remains the last bastion of total freedom outdoors
By: Wes Siler, Outside Magazine
By all accounts, Im a red-blooded American male. I drive a lifted truck. I ride a fast motorcycle. I shoot guns. I go camping. I harvest my own meat.
Im listening to Van Halen while I write this. But a lot of the time, this place just doesnt feel like home anymore. If its not somebody telling me
how to live my own life, its somebody judging someone else about theirs.
So, for the past year, Ive been running off to Mexico. Last week, my friends and I even celebrated the most American of holidays there, holding our
annual outdoor Thanksgiving on a beach in Baja. While we were talking about what we were thankful for this year, something about doing that down there
just felt rightright in a way that doing it in America wouldnt have. I think this is why.
Baja Is an Off-Road Paradise
Want to know if its okay to take your truck, motorcycle, or ATV off-road somewhere in Baja? It is. Its that simple.
Obviously, sticking to dirt roads, trails, and beaches is the best idea. Not only does doing so mean you stand less of a chance of getting stuck or
breaking your vehicle, but it also prevents damage to the environment. Plus, leaving a trail is often mechanically impossible. What makes Baja special
is its vast number of trails and dirt roads. Locked gates are virtually unheard of.
That freedom to explore allows you to choose your own adventure. My approach is simply to find a beach that looks good on Google Earth, figure out a
way to get to it, and then find a way to get down onto the sand once Im there. If that formula doesnt produce a good camping trip, you can always
move on to the next beach.
In Baja, Solitude Is the Norm
In the United States, beaches where you can take a vehicle are the exception, and youll almost always share them with dozens of other people. In
Mexico, odds are youll have it to yourself.
If you dont want to camp on a beach, you can camp in the mountains, jungle, or desert. And youll be alone there, too. If not, just go a little
farther.
This year, we opted to make our little Thanksgiving on-road accessible so a few people without trucks or the wherewithal to navigate through the
wilderness could join. We ended up in an organized campground. We had it to ourselves.
This ability to get away from people is inherent to the draw of doing stuff outdoors. So a place that makes finding solitude easy is inherently a
better place to play outside.
Mexico Is Full of Friendly People
Ive been all over the United States this year: upstate New York, the White Mountains, rural South Dakota, the Washington woods, mountain towns in New
Mexico, and a lot of places in between. One thing thats been bugging me is that the typically friendly encounters youd expect have been absent,
replaced instead by polarization, judgment, and suspicion. I hope its temporary, but rural America, in particular, just hasnt been feeling like
home.
Know a place where I havent had a single conversation about politics? Where I havent heard a single racist epithet? Where I havent witnessed gay
people being disparaged or worse? Where I havent had to stand up for anybody based on their race, creed, or religion? You guessed itsouth of the
border.
Sit down with some locals there for a beer, some tacos, or a smoke, and youll talk about where to catch fish, what to catch them with, where theyre
from, where youre from, what their kids are doing, and what they hope theyll do. You know, the kind of conversations youd expect to have in a small
town with normal people. At least thats my experience.
Need help in Mexico? Just ask someone. Contributor Chris Brinlee Jr. burned out his clutch while stuck in the sand on a beach I sent him to in Baja.
The price for both tow and repair? The $100 or so he had in his wallet, plus a pair of Ray-Bans he was wearing to make up the difference. And the
mechanics wife cooked him tamales while he waited.
Last Wednesday, after a sandstorm destroyed our tents, we were invited into a familys home for a big breakfast of eggs and hot dogs. They didnt have
much but were happy to share it.
In Baja, the Food Is Fresh
Mexico has some of the best fishing in the world. On Saturday, my friends and I caught 30 yellowtail. We gave some to the guy who took us out in his
boat for $100, put a few on ice to bring home, and, with the aid of beer and flour, turned the rest into fish tacos that we ate right there on the
beach.
Driving along and find yourself hungry? You dont stop at a McDonalds for sugar and saturated fat. You stop at a roadside taco stand where a
grandmother cooks to order. Theres typically very little protein available at local stores in rural places like Baja. Instead, they sell the
ingredients you need to turn the protein you catch yourself into a tasty meal. That sounds like an ideal arrangement to this proponent of scoring your
own wild-caught meat.
Mexico Is Just a Little Bit Dangerous
Here in the United States, the most dangerous thing most people do is drive their cars. Something they dont tend to pay attention to, regardless.
Take your eyes off the road while driving in Mexico, and odds are youll careen over a cliff, blow out your tires in a pothole, or run into a black
cow at night. As a tourist, youre actually less likely to be the victim of violent crime in Mexico than you are in the United States, but that
doesnt stop the country from having its own little tinge of danger.
Military checkpoints dot the highways. News stories about cartels kidnapping tourists pop up every few years. You hear rumors about corrupt cops,
bribes, and carjackings. But in reality, its the emptiness of Baja that represents the only real danger. Head way out in the middle of nowhere, and
there are no hospitals, no ambulances to take you to one even if they existed, and no one to come along and help you if you get hurt.
Personal Freedom Still Exists There
Youre responsible for your own safety in Mexico. Just like anywhere, thats more about not slipping and falling or having a car accident than trading
gunfire with banditos.
While pulled over at one of the military checkpoints, my dog and I hopped out of the truck so some soldiers could search it. One opened my door, found
the big knife and can of bear spray I keep in that pocket, waved them around in the air while making Rambo jokes, and then interrogated me with gusto
about the capability of the winch mounted on my front bumper before smiling and telling me to have a good day.
Want to camp somewhere in Mexico? Go camp there. Want to stroll through a small town with a big knife on your hip, a cowboy hat on your head, and your
dog off-leash? No ones going to stop you. Want to catch a fish? Hope you brought bait. In Mexico, at least in the rural places, no ones trying to
tell you what to do. Your ability to conduct an activity safely and without damaging the environment is up to your skill and intelligence, not a sign,
a cop, or a social justice warrior. The only thing you cant do in Mexico is bring a gun along.
And to this American, that freedom is something that just feels right.
Why am I telling you all this? Hopefully, it will encourage you to keep an open mind, to visit, and maybe even to help spread the word that Mexico is
a really neat place.
Right now is a great time to visit. In the wake of Donald Trumps election, the peso has plunged to an all-time low, and crossing the border may not
always be as easy as it is in its current, wall-free state. Its cold here. Its warm there. And nobodys going to ask who you voted for, I promise.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2140026/why-americans-should-be-thankful-baja-mexico
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BooJumMan
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:/
2nd article I've seen this year out of Outside Magazine where the author "discovers" Baja and decides it would be best to publish an article on how
awesome Baja because it is so uncrowded, yet at the same time tell everyone to go. I just don't get it.
In that pre-Google Earth and social media epoch, The Code was adhered to. It was based on a simple verity: if a locale had been transformational for
you, and you had put the hard yards in to get there and to learn it, to know it, why in god�s name would you broadcast the news, thus ruining the
future experience not only for yourself, but for future adventurers?
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nandopedal
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Quote: Originally posted by BooJumMan  | :/
2nd article I've seen this year out of Outside Magazine where the author "discovers" Baja and decides it would be best to publish an article on how
awesome Baja because it is so uncrowded, yet at the same time tell everyone to go. I just don't get it. |
No worries Mr BooJumMan, vast majority of americans are afraid of big narcoland.
\"There are many dangers in Baja. The most serious of which is not going.\" Christophe Noel (EXPO)
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tiotomasbcs
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Lawyers, Realators, and Travel Writers... Outside has done other features on Baja; East Cape Surfing. Kinda like shooting yourself in the foot!
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David K
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Thank you, Ted, for sharing the article!
Merry Christmas amigo!!
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by BooJumMan | :/
2nd article I've seen this year out of Outside Magazine where the author "discovers" Baja and decides it would be best to publish an article on how
awesome Baja because it is so uncrowded, yet at the same time tell everyone to go. I just don't get it. |
Most Writers selling pieces to travel mags like outside are lucky to get $500 pay for a fluff travel article like this. That's why you see the same
old travel tales again and again. The low pay for travel articles doesnt allow for research or thought much beyond a couple hours of googling.
I think portraying baja as empty desert for unregulated offroading and beer drinking while car camping is patheticly shallow. If i had a subscription
to Outside, i would consider not renewing. Prettly lame editors to be publishing such fluff.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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David K
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Goat, why don't you submit an article teaching us the 'correct' way to have fun in Baja?
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MMc
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I have never understand this mentally. It's one thing to share over a campfire it's another to post on the web, so any search engine can put people on
it.
| Quote: Originally posted by BooJumMan | :/
2nd article I've seen this year out of Outside Magazine where the author "discovers" Baja and decides it would be best to publish an article on how
awesome Baja because it is so uncrowded, yet at the same time tell everyone to go. I just don't get it. |
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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AKgringo
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I am in Goat's corner on this one! The more people coming south thinking it is wide open, screw the rules, will lead to more closed areas.
The writer alluded to responsibility, but did not seem to encourage it.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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LancairDriver
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It's best to remember that many parts of the US used to be this way and are no longer. Popularity and publicity bring people. More people change the
scene forever, usually not for the better.
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fishbuck
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Yes he forgot to mention all the rattlesnakes and scorpions. Also the bandits and crooked cops.
There that should undo the damage
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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DanO
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| Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck | Yes he forgot to mention all the rattlesnakes and scorpions. Also the bandits and crooked cops.
There that should undo the damage |
And the Tarantula Hawks. 
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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BooJumMan
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Also the bees and wasps! I've been swarmed by bees a couple times now that I think about it.
In that pre-Google Earth and social media epoch, The Code was adhered to. It was based on a simple verity: if a locale had been transformational for
you, and you had put the hard yards in to get there and to learn it, to know it, why in god�s name would you broadcast the news, thus ruining the
future experience not only for yourself, but for future adventurers?
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BigBearRider
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Not a good idea to bring a big knife.
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David K
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I just wonder why it was okay for you to learn about and go to Baja, but not okay for anyone else to?
In the end, it will be good roads that bring all kinds of people and not magazine articles.
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by MexicoTed | Our Latin American neighbor remains the last bastion of total freedom outdoors
By: Wes Siler, Outside Magazine
Know a place where I havent had a single conversation about politics?... You guessed itsouth of the border.
Want to camp somewhere in Mexico? Go camp there. Want to stroll through a small town with a big knife on your hip, a cowboy hat on your head, and your
dog off-leash? No ones going to stop you.
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I have had lots of conversations about politics in Mexico, same as USA, Mexicans like to talk politics as much as anyone else.
And strutting around with a big knife on your hip is odd in most towns,... and in some towns will get you arrested.
I mean, really, what dum ass Thinks it's important to go to town with a big knife on their hip? Leave the knife in your car. Crikey!
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Sweetwater
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | I am in Goat's corner on this one! The more people coming south thinking it is wide open, screw the rules, will lead to more closed areas.
The writer alluded to responsibility, but did not seem to encourage it. |
That would make at least 2 of us. The more folks abuse privileges, the quicker they are revoked.
| Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver | | It's best to remember that many parts of the US used to be this way and are no longer. Popularity and publicity bring people. More people change the
scene forever, usually not for the better. |
Money has played a huge role in the US losing access to public lands. I know that many private ranches in Wyoming and Montana have successfully closed
off access to what used to be available. It's one of my yuuuge concerns about the Trump regime, Utah currently has a law suit to take Federal land and
is notorious for selling it off to private developers whether they exploit it for energy/minerals or for private real estate. I'll be watching
carefully to see how this goes.
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
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sancho
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DK, put away your slingshot, you could never hit Goat anyway.
Not everyone embraces offroading, nor the idea Baja is
there for desrespecting environment or the culture. That
was cheap, carrying a knife, a little respect is called for.
It is not there for the Desinguished Gringo Tourist from NOB to grace
it with it's presence or it's pesos. Since it's the Holidays
and all, I think you should include Goat on your Happy Birthday
Wish List
[Edited on 12-13-2016 by sancho]
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David K
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It was a simple request...
Goat was putting down the article, so I asked him for his theory on what's right.
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DENNIS
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[rquote=1059830&tid=85130&author=Sweetwater
That would make at least 2 of us. The more folks abuse privileges, the quicker they are revoked.
A little bit of aggressive law enforcement would go a long way as well.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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