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David K
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Feb 2019 Trip for a TV show: America Unearthed on again June 16, 2019. 1 pm on Travel Channel. YouTube link added.
Edit, showtimes announced: https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/america-unearthed/episod...
What a rush!
Not just that it was exciting... but that it was go-go-go, too!
A friend who writes about desert history and mysteries was contacted to help make part of a TV show episode about one of his interests. This friend
knew I had some photos of a place in Baja related to this subject, so he told the producer about me. After a couple of months and getting the details
worked out, it was time to film the episode.
The Baja portion of the show is the final part of the three areas they visit in this one episode, so if we are lucky, it will make up about 15 minutes
of air time. I can tell you that the host and crew LOVED Baja... and the food, of course. The photography and video opportunities were great, despite
the on and off rain of the three days of shooting.
I was a passenger but much of the time it was the host and I in one vehicle of the three plus the Mexican film liaison/ fixer with a security guard
for us and the equipment (just in case?) and a third Mexican who made sure the cast and crew had water, snacks, etc. between the meals.
Before you ask, no, I can't publish the name of the show or the host or photos of them until about a week before it airs and that is estimated to be
in early summer. I can tell you that they loved Baja so much (and they have been all over the world) that they will push it to be near the top of the
list, but the ultimate decision is up to the network.
I will (naturally) announce the details when I can and I will add the photos that I can't right now. For your interest I am sharing now what I can, I
hope you enjoy that much and will come back when I can share more.
Here is my experiences and a few photos:
On Saturday afternoon, they pick me up in the San Diego area at one of our kid's homes and we drive to Otay Border. I am wired for sound and the host
and I are recorded talking about the site and they included some border crossing/ immigration issues (I did not want to get political so I try an be
neutral but say I hope that the border remains open to all legal crossers always, or something to that idea... I hope they edit it out! The producer
is giving us instructions over the two-way radio from another van since there are cameramen in the seats behind the host and I in our van.
The Mexican 'fixer' leads us to the U.S. customs area for an export permit for all the media gear and then we cross into Mexico for the Mexican
customs import permit. This takes a long time as there is a long wait to get in front of the officer. No inspection is made of our vehicles, as they
trust the 'fixer' apparently. As I said in my Road Report post, the fixer told us to just stay with the vans and that we did not need to get tourist
cards since we were not leaving Baja Norte, and I did question her about that. It was about 5:00.
We had rooms at the Marriott in Tijuana. I think it was close to 7 pm.
After getting settled, we all met back up in the lounge and had drinks and got to know each other a bit more. Four of us (included the host and I)
moved on to the restaurant in the hotel and a few went walking to a recommended place, around the block. The food was good, and the drinks were even
better, lol. The Paloma was a biggie.
Early start the next morning (Sunday) and I recommended a stop at El Mirador (Salsipuedes area) with the view south from way up above the sea. The
fixer agreed. I also suggested Mission San Vicente and Mi Ranchita restaurant at the turnoff if it was near lunchtime. I met resistance from the fixer
on that but only because she wanted to take us to Parcela 12, south of San Quintín! I totally agreed to that plan! They really were focussed on the
subject of the show and not add any extra mission stuff (ahh).
Well, at El Mirador the host and media crew were blown away by the view... we had a sunny time and then a downpour, which we waited out, and then more
shooting. The host and I had a few lines to say... There were scripts for us to follow but we could do them in our own style or make changes if the
producer okayed them, lol.
El Mirador Photos:
In Ensenada, we stop at a Starbucks (following the fixer) and then head on...
As we spent so much time at El Mirador, we had lunch in Camalu at a place called Papa's (I think) on the east side of the highway. It was good. No
Parcella 12 this time!
The sun was getting low and they wanted to shoot it, so we pulled over south of El Socorro and before the highway swings inland for El Rosario.
The host offers takes my photo.
San Quintín volcanoes, in the distance.
The drone camera is used a lot!
We arrive at El Rosario about 6 pm and I talk to Antonio (Baja Cactus) on the phone, he was expecting us earlier and finally left to get to San
Quintín for a matter (I was hoping to show them the missions and museum, with Antonio getting on the show, too).
The rooms are great and we walk next door to Mama Espinoza's Restaurant, which was a hit (they serve Margaritas and Palomas and shots). I had the crab
soup (Caldo de Jaiba) recommended by Udo and it was great. The host eyed it a lot and ordered that when we returned for lunch the following day.
Monday (President's Day):
We have an early start, a 6 am departure. Mama's doesn't open until 8 am and offered the night before to make burritos for the road. Nobody wants to
do that so we have granola bars or just wait to eat until lunch.
There was a lot of rain in Baja this month and one mud hole had to be charged through (all of the vehicles are 2WD). A big puddle between Hwy. 1 (KM.
121) and the mission had to be driven around with the head producer getting really uptight about scratching these rental cars!
The gate to Mission San Fernando is locked now but I knew how to get the key and permission from the landowner. I will give those details when I can
add to this report.
This is the same cattle gate I came across in June 2017 but now has a chain and lock added sometime before November 2018. There was no gate in 2016 or
all the years before, back to 1974 when I first visited this location. Some people lived at San Fernando on and off to 2005 or so.
Past the mission, the road got overgrown enough that the producer did not want to drive any closer. It is just 3/4 mile from the mission to the
petroglyphs, where they wanted to film. So we all walked the rest of the way. The giant cardón and boojum trees blew them away! We got filmed walking
and taking... had to rewalk the same stretch at least four times doing the lines over as well as getting drone footage... all well before reaching the
cliff. It is very very interesting to get a look at how these adventure shows are filmed and seeing all the things that you don't see on the show. The
crew from the U.S. consisted of several people doing sound, camera, production, and the host. You only usually see the host and the guest (me in this
case).
The petroglyph cliff in full sun (that didn't last).
I showed you all many good photos of this site in my 2017 TRIP #5 Report.
Rain came and went before we were done. But, it was a wrap and they loved it all! Back to El Rosario we went and got there about noon.
We didn't stop here, but this place (Loncheria El Faro) was really good for all three meals of the day when I ate there a few times in 2017.
Mama Espinoza's was back to being a well-run ship with fair pricing and good service and good food.
Looking towards Baja Cactus from Mama Espinoza's on Monday.
Antonio came to Mama's to meet us. I also had dropped off ten copies of my book as a donation to help raise money for his Desert Hawks Emergency
Rescue Service. Please buy my Baja California Land of Missions book at his motel, front desk, to donate to Antonio's efforts. I believe he asks a
reduced price for them. https://www.facebook.com/HalconesdelDesierto/
The drive was mostly wet, but the sun popped out after the construction zone in Santo Tomás for a great rainbow!
Price of gas in Ensenada at a Chevron station.
The peso to dollar exchange ranged from a low of 18.00:1 to a high of 19.15:1. The bank at the border was about 18.50:1.
OK, so we were back at the Marriott for Monday night and had a great time in the lounge and the host gave me a toast and I reciprocated with a toast
to such a great and professional crew who were so much fun to work for and travel with! They want to return!
We had a super easy border crossing at Otay, following the fixer into Mexican customs using a gated back way. She got the exit papers pretty quickly
and we could get into the northbound U.S. line through a gate, just a couple car-lengths from the border booths. Only the one van full of equipment
had to go to secondary (for paperwork) and the other two vehicles drove on across after presenting our passports and a look inside the back hatch of
our van.
We waited for the third van at a gas station and after saying goodbyes, I got on a Lyft to return to where my Tacoma was parked (my stepson's home).
The crew had a flight to catch.
I look forward to telling the rest of the story and showing the photos of the crew and host as soon as I can.
EDIT: Scroll down to see new photos I couldn't share before...
[Edited on 6-7-2019 by David K]
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BajaBlanca
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Wow, what an experience and what a great report!
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advrider
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Can't wait to see the finished product! What an adventure you had...
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gueribo
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Thanks for the photos. Very pretty.
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SDROB
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Good report. Looking forward to the rest. Thank you David!
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fishbuck
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Thanks for sharing.
I have stopped for that rainbow a few times.
"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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Meany
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Thanks Dave Good Read.....
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David K
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You guys are welcome!
When the show airs and if you watch it, please don't give me too bad a time if I look goofy or say something odd... LOL
They wanted me to act natural but not be monotone... show expression... so, I am 'acting' a little bit!
I am very curious to see how it gets edited and knowing what is involved and how many people create this show, who are not typically seen.
I was really happy when they were so blown away by both the El Mirador viewpoint and the huge cardón cactus and the petro site in general. They do so
much for just a few minutes of actual air time.
I was told I had to wear the same shirt all three days of shooting because it needs to seem like just one day so the flow of the story remains without
the people watching getting sidetracked about seeing different clothes over the few minutes of this part of the episode. It is cool that the part I am
in is the final part so the other two locations are leading up to the Baja location.
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chuckie
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OK OK OK
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55steve
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Ha! You were doing much the same as our crew. We left Monday for a mostly still photoshoot session for Bestop products for 2018/19 Jeeps. We shot
the first day at the beach at Camalu and yesterday at the beach at Colonet & San Vicente.
We were on the coast at San Vicente and needed to get the sundown shots. It was a somewhat tough journey through the hills & mud in the dark back
to SV. We had reservations at the Cortez in Ensenada and after a somewhat lengthy wait at the construction south of Santo Tomas we arrived around
9:30pm.
The crew probably has around 10,000+ photos to edit to arrive at product for the customer. I'm sure glad this isn't my project!
Zero vehicles at the tecate border crossing at 9:30 this morning.
Here's some random shots at La Curva car wash & Camalu - I have some decent shots on the beach west of San Vicente & Colonet that I'll try to
post up later.
 
   
[Edited on 2-21-2019 by 55steve]
[Edited on 2-24-2019 by 55steve]
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David K
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VERY COOL, STEVE!!!
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Ken Cooke
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Congratulations on the new project David!
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David K
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Thanks, but I am done now, it was a three+ day gig as a guide and guest on the show. I had a lot of lines to say in the show, not all things I would
talk about so with a little acting, so it sounds more fun.
I will be most curious about how it is edited from 3 days of shoots to 15+ minutes of air time. The Baja location shots are one of three locations in
North America being used for this one episode of the show.
I just want to say how nice the host and crew all were. You watch a TV show for years and to meet them in person is great and to see how a show is
made. I will share a lot more and more photos when I can, about a week before the show airs... perhaps in late June.
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TMW
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What a great experience for you to be involved with. Love the rainbow.
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David K
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The photos I couldn't show you before!
Committee Films, the show's producer, asked that I not give out the name of the show or name Scot Wolter or photos that show the crew or Scott until
the air date was announced.
I was picked up in La Mesa and mike'd up for any conversation that might be used between Scott and I. We were in three vehicles, two vans and one Kia
sedan (which will be made to look like the car Scott and I are riding in, but we are really always in the van except for a short scene as we come to
the parking spot near the petroglyphs and both get out of the Kia.
Until I switch places, I am back with one of the cameramen...
The crew is 6 people: The Head Director (& owner of Committee Films), Field Producer, Director of Photography, 'B' Camera, Assistant Camera, &
Sound Mixer. These are people you don't see in the show, typically... Just Scott and his guests (both referred to as "The Talent"!). In addition,
there were three Mexican Film liaison personal: The Fixer, a security guard, and an assistant who kept us in snacks and drinks between shoots. For the
Mission San Fernando locked gate issue, I contacted Ed of Baja's Best in El Rosario, so he was hired to obtain permission from the property owner and
get the key for the now locked gate, about a mile east of the mission.
While waiting at the Otay border Mexican customs for all the permit paperwork to get processed (about 1.5-2 hours?), Scott takes a selfie of us:
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David K
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Scott (on camera while we are driving) asks me about the border issues with all the migrants, and I hope that gets edited out! We have rooms at the
Tijuana Marriott that (Saturday) night and again on Monday night, heading north. We stay at Baja Cactus, El Rosario on Sunday night... Everyone loved
Baja Cactus and preferred it over the Marriott!
So, on Sunday we drive south and I suggest they should stop at El Mirador for the view... they were so thrilled that they did a shoot there and Scott
and I exchanged lines about the Viking legends.
NOTE: They have a script outline they want me to read about a Viking legend on Tiburon Island. It is not one of my historical research stories.
Sound mixing and other equipment is impressive!
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nandopedal
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I am surprise those people either were not interested or don't know about a similar sketch (Pictograph) in the Jacumba Wilderness Area, it is tucked
almost against the border line which makes it very hard to visit
the Border Patrol always turns you around before you get there. If anybody ever interested 32.63019,-116.005283
\"There are many dangers in Baja. The most serious of which is not going.\" Christophe Noel (EXPO)
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David K
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Most of the time, I am in the front seat and Scott is driving. Two cameramen are sitting behind us, cross shooting as we chat with each other.
We stop as the sun sets and film there... this is just before the highway curves away from the sea, near El Rosario:
Scott and Committee Films are from Minnesota and don't see cactus too often! They were blown away by the cardón and cirios!
A drone is used a lot!
That's the Head Director operating the drone.
The crew getting into the Baja Feeling!
The Mexican Film Liason, her aid, and the Director bringing the drone in.
Getting some shots in... I think this was on Monday, on the way from El Rosario to San Fernando...
Here's the Kia, that the show will show as the car Scott and I are driving:
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by nandopedal  | I am surprise those people either were not interested or don't know about a similar sketch (Pictograph) in the Jacumba Wilderness Area, it is tucked
almost against the border line which makes it very hard to visit
the Border Patrol always turns you around before you get there. If anybody ever interested 32.63019,-116.005283 |
I told them and there was an issue with Border Patrol availability to see it safely. The government shutdown was part of the reason for the shortage,
I think? There are many many mysteries in the desert!
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David K
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At the petroglyphs...
We did a few takes on the walk from the car to the cliff, plus a drone flyover, where the drone noise prevents recording our speaking. The giant
cardón along the way blew Scott's mind!
One of the crew, was in Baja once before, helping with a Baja 500 race team. The rest of the crew was their first time.
We had to pause and take cover as a downpour interrupted filming. It was a wet President's Day!
They all loved the location! Only in Baja are there such cactus and landscape, next to history!
It was a great experience and I am glad I could finally share the rest of the story!
It will be interesting (to me) to see how they edited 3 days of filming down to 10-20 minutes of air time!
The Baja part will be the third part of the 1-hour show on May 28, 2019, Travel Channel, 10 pm Pacific and Eastern:
Arizona
El Centro
Baja
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