BajaNomad

Fate would have it.

comitan - 10-15-2005 at 12:02 PM

Just got back from a Garage sale here in La Paz. First of all not much of a book reader, but came back with God and Mr. Gomez(Thank you Bernie), Baja California by Ralph Hanc-ck and others, Reflections an Autobiography by Mama Espinosa, also Baja Legends by Greg Nieman, I Will read them all. I'm sure a lot of you Nomads had or have read all of these but now I get to read about early Baja.

What a score.

Keri - 10-15-2005 at 12:17 PM

You are one lucky guy. God and Mr Gomez was out of print for along time but I think they did another printing in soft-back, It's one of my favorites. I recommend it to anyone building a house in Mexico. Greg's book is great also. I haven't read Mama Espinoza's. Let me know what you think of that one. Enjoy your great finds, k :yes::yes:

Keri

Baja Bernie - 10-15-2005 at 12:26 PM

Once said Mi Baja No Hurry No Worry and Bouncing Around Baja, both by Bernie were great too! Oh! Well, I'll have to remember not to give her a free one the next time around. jejejejejejejeje

Bernie Your books are great too.

Keri - 10-15-2005 at 12:57 PM

I was just responding to the books he found. I'm sure he'll get your books next, k:tumble::yes:

David K - 10-15-2005 at 02:57 PM

Page 134 in Greg Niemann's book, comitan... you will see a familiar name!:spingrin:;)

comitan - 10-15-2005 at 06:00 PM

God & Mr. Gomez

Just finished I would read a lot more if I could find books like that. No killing, no mystery, no compexities, I'll be thinking about that book for awhile.

vandenberg - 10-15-2005 at 07:52 PM

Comitan

Good one heh? Read that years ago and still remember how much I loved it. And that was years before I built my home here in Loreto. Need more down to earth , tongue in cheek, information like that.

comitan - 10-16-2005 at 08:46 AM

DK

I thought you might show more interest in my post since you go to La Bocana all the time. Would like to know Is Mr. Gomez still there, the store or family, the Houses, were more built, did you know Jack Smith and is that the person that was living in Los Barilles known as Jimmy Smith. Anyone can answer these questions. I've also finished Mama Espinozas Autobiography, There I sure a lot of History in her life.

David K - 10-16-2005 at 09:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by comitan
DK

I thought you might show more interest in my post since you go to La Bocana all the time. Would like to know Is Mr. Gomez still there, the store or family, the Houses, were more built, did you know Jack Smith and is that the person that was living in Los Barilles known as Jimmy Smith. Anyone can answer these questions. I've also finished Mama Espinozas Autobiography, There I sure a lot of History in her life.


Sorry to say it, but there are many La Bocanas in Baja and I have never been to the one west of Santo Tomas where Jack Smith had a place... The one I have been going to recently is the beach west of El Rosario...

Like 'Agua Caliente' (Hot Water) being used for almost every hot spring in Baja, 'La Bocana' is used at many river mouths (where a river reaches the sea).

'La Bocana' is also used at the mouth of a canyon... such as the canyon entrance in Arroyo San Pedro (between L.A. Bay and San Francisquito on the original road) where there is a a Rancho La Bocana... and the valley outside that canyon mouth is Valle de la Bocana.

(Oh, and a ha ha back to you MeNo!)

Baja Bernie - 10-16-2005 at 09:11 AM

While Jack Smith and Jimmy Smith both lived in Los Angles before they happened into Baja the similarity ends there.

Don Jimmy was a motorcycle officer in L.A. County and was so severly injured that he took off for Baja after his retirement, married a Mexican lady, and lived in San Ignacio and Los Barillas for most of the rest of his life. See his book, The Grinning Gargoyle Spills the Beans, for another great tongue in cheek book and one without any murders.

Jack Smith was a writer for the Los Angles Times for years and his wife Demmy was the one who really wanted to seek the adventures of Baja. He died about 5 years ago. I have every almost article he wrote about Baja as well as several of his original books ( we used to call them the how to bibles of living and building in Baja) and the newest one that was re-released after his death.

Mr. Gomez was real and he passed away a couple of years ago.

Eli, the Baja Lady, who posts here is Don Jimmy's daughter and quite a writer herself.

Comi

jrbaja - 10-16-2005 at 09:31 AM

The store and house is still there. The house is located between La Bocana (one of the nicest camping spots in Baja Norte) and Puerto Santo Tomas to the north.
There are about 5 or 6 other homes built around Jacks original home using the same design mas o menos.
It's about an hour from the carretera and a pretty nice place to visit. One of the steepest launch ramps in Baja is at Puerto Santo Tomas but it's a great place to fish!
Rio Santo Tomas meanders down the arroyo and through the campground, small dunes on the beach and if you can find "Elsie" she makes good tortillas and cheese.

comitan - 10-16-2005 at 09:34 AM

Thank you all for your replies, since reading that book I've gotten much more of an interest in Baja History. I've also finished Mama Espinozas bio. It seems that she was part of the startup of the Flying Samaritans, being in El Rosario and speaking English, she met most of the early adventurers heading south looking for lost missions, cacti, Dinosaur fossils.

[Edited on 10-16-2005 by comitan]

David K - 10-16-2005 at 09:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by marvina
Quote:
Originally posted by David K

(Oh, and a ha ha back to you MeNo!)


Please quit calling me that.:barf:

[Edited on 06-21-2005 by marvina]


Why not? If it isn't you Tom, ... then why are you providing us with the exact same M.O. as MeNo? ie. insulting people who have done you no harm, people you have not met, new people you have come here to exchange posts with, etc....

Tell us about yourself marvina... Do you want to be liked here, or just stir trouble? Why did you insult Bernie the first day a Nomad, and me the second? You are acting exactly like MeNo... do you have ADD?

Comitan

Baja Bernie - 10-16-2005 at 05:24 PM

If you get Don Jimmy's book, The Grinning Gargoyle, you will find that he was one of the original guys who flew small planes all over Baja with formula's, medicine, engine oil, and a bunch of other stuff. He and Mama were friends.

Neal Johns - 10-16-2005 at 08:30 PM

My first trip to Baja was to La Bocana area and then south along the coast, cutting back to Hwy. 1 on a very bad road. My girl friend and I met Mr. Gomez and had lunch with his pigs near his tienda. I'll see if I can find the picture and scan it. Great times (the 70s).

Guess

Spyderman - 10-17-2005 at 08:36 AM

Guess I gotta read it now too!