BajaNomad

More Erle Stanley Gardner Trip Photos from Choral Pepper

David K - 9-16-2005 at 10:49 AM

Before I go to Baja today, here is a little more from the Choral Pepper collection that has not been seen before, in public anyways...

The other photos I have scanned to date can be viewed on the special web site I made: http://choralpepper.com

This first one is 'Uncle Erle' at the Las Flores train engine, long before it was moved into Bahia de los Angeles' town plaza.

[Edited on 9-16-2005 by David K]

David K - 9-16-2005 at 10:51 AM

Here's the famous author with a furry friend... A wonder if any Perry Mason episodes had a cat as the prime suspect???

rpleger - 9-16-2005 at 10:55 AM

Thank you for the fotos.

b-tchen

David K - 9-16-2005 at 10:56 AM

This was how turtles were kept until being trucked north, on their backs.

Choral Pepper wrote this on back of this photo:

"Mexican fishermen truss the turtles to keep them from flopping out of the corrals. When not in transit over water, the turtles are kept on their backs and will live for about a month out of water. It's a cruel business, but the turtle meat is good!"

Cincodemayo - 9-16-2005 at 11:11 AM

David...
While in Mulege in 1980 we saw about 35 turtles numbered on their bellies upside down waiting to be slaughtered at the Serenidad...after many cervezas we almost broke them free till we saw a few local cooks wielding machetes.

David K - 9-16-2005 at 11:21 AM

Here's one more before I head out the door!

Mision Santa Maria and one of J.W. Black's dune buggies or 'Grasshopper' as he clled them.

Have a great weekend everyone... if you are going through El Rosario, stop by... if we aren't out exploring... maybe I will show Baja Angel the Las Pintas site?

jide - 9-16-2005 at 03:07 PM

Thanks for the pictures, David!
Where was the first picture taken? El marmol?

Ken Cooke - 9-16-2005 at 04:51 PM

I was fortunate enough to see several vintage Baja photographs taken of an Earle Stanley Gardner expedition at the Temecula Valley Museum.

Gardner traveled with several 4WDs, w/secretaries, and I believe his typewriter. And I feel like I can't travel to Baja w/o my two Chihuahuas!:lol:

BillB - 9-18-2005 at 11:42 AM

David:

Do you know when that photo of the Mission was taken? Notice the erosion under the door. Looks about the same as it did this April!

For any serious ESG fans... most of his Baja papers, photo's, etc. were donated to the University of Texas in Austin.

Bill

David K - 9-22-2005 at 10:54 PM

Jide: as the caption states: Las Flores (just south of L.A. Bay)... That railroad went about 5 miles south to the base of the mountain where an areial cable tram brought the gold ore down the mountain side from the San Juan Mines at the top. Here is what the railroad line looks like near the end (terminal)...



Here is the elevated railroad line (that's Doc from Camp Gecko)...



Here's the terminal platform where the giant cable wheel once was, and where the ore buckets dumped the ore into the train cars... in Las Flores the ore was processed into ingots of gold or silver...



Here is one of the ore buckets in the canyon leading up to the mines at 4,000'! The L.A. Bay museum has some of the original equipment on display.



More photos and GPS at http://vivabaja.com/402

David K - 9-22-2005 at 10:57 PM

Here's Sarah on the railroad line the following year (4-2003)

David K - 9-22-2005 at 11:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BillB
David:

Do you know when that photo of the Mission was taken? Notice the erosion under the door. Looks about the same as it did this April!

For any serious ESG fans... most of his Baja papers, photo's, etc. were donated to the University of Texas in Austin.

Bill


Hi Bill, I am going to say about 1964 +/- ... that was when most of the photos that Choral gave me where taken, when she began traveling with Erle and company...

There is going to be an Erle Stanley Gardner festival in Temecula in November... I have been asked to do a presentation there on the many photos I have... I will announce it later on Nomad...

Sharksbaja - 9-22-2005 at 11:44 PM

David, have you ever clumb up to the mines? Are they accessable? Open?

David K - 9-23-2005 at 08:20 AM

No, Doc was willing that day... But, I was out of breath (out of shape?)... Actually it is quite a long climb up that canyon to the top of the sierra. It is one of the places I want to see.... supposed to be lots of stuff still there...

The other way is southeast from Mision San Borja... Neal Johns and friends tried to drive in but a tire issue (BFGs?) stopped them! See photos at http://vivabaja.com/neal




[Edited on 9-23-2005 by David K]