BajaNomad - Mexico Highway One with book tapes

Mexico Highway One with book tapes

Osprey - 6-10-2007 at 09:58 AM

Haven't been back to the states in 12 years so I've been missing some things you all take for granted. Had somebody bring down an MP3. I'm hooked up with a stateside library to access/download books on tape. Any Baja travelers use em when they travel some of the barren streches of the road? Can you still drive safely and enjoy the books? My first try manana a Los Cabos.

Paulina - 6-10-2007 at 10:01 AM

I think it depends on the driver. I like books on tape, makes the drive seem much shorter, and I can do both, listen to the story and still pay attention to the drive. I guess if you can multi-task, you'll have no problemas.

P<*)))><

Cap - 6-10-2007 at 10:01 AM

never done it in mexico but they are great for road trips up here

Al G - 6-10-2007 at 10:17 AM

If it had a "easy" pause button it I would give it a try. The problem is there are many people who cannot walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. (mostly in SF bay area)
At my age, I would have to test if I am still as good as I once was.
Trans 1 is a dangerous place, but is getting better.

DENNIS - 6-10-2007 at 11:04 AM

I have trouble concentrating on driving with audio entertainment. That includes the radio. I tried the books but, I can drive for an hour and not hear a word.
Then again, after 50 years of driving, I've never had a wreck, not even a small one.

Natalie Ann - 6-10-2007 at 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Al G
The problem is there are many people who cannot walk and chew bubble gum at the same time. (mostly in SF bay area)

Yep, Al, I'm one of those Bay Area people who in her old age has become multi-tasking disabled. (Knowing that you are from the greater Bay Area, I have to wonder about you too.

)

I can drive with music - I sing along with the best of 'em. But a book on cd - no way. Pretty soon I'd be 'seeing' a movie of the book... and like I said, I no longer multi-task.

I wish you good luck with this journey to Cabo, Osprey. But this first time out you might want a friend to ride shotgun - for safety's sake. I like your stories, wouldn't wanta lose you to books on cd. :no:

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 11:28 AM

i drive ALL THE TIME listening to books
i like them so much i can't read anymore :lol:

i have listened to tapes and cd's and mp3's

the mp3's are actually the best because
the entire book in on one disk not 12

your tape/CD player does have to play mp3's though

it's like going to the movies ALL day
you really NEED to get a good book on audio it well worth the price

Al G - 6-10-2007 at 11:41 AM

Quote:

Yep, Al, I'm one of those Bay Area people who in her old age has become multi-tasking disabled. (Knowing that you are from the greater Bay Area, I have to wonder about you too.)
I can drive with music - I sing along with the best of 'em. But a book on cd - no way. Pretty soon I'd be 'seeing' a movie of the book... and like I said, I no longer multi-task.

I wish you good luck with this journey to Cabo, Osprey. But this first time out you might want a friend to ride shotgun - for safety's sake. I like your stories, wouldn't wanta lose you to books on cd. :no:

You are right Nina, :lol

I don't chew bubble gum).
After thinking about it I don't think I will try,(way too dangerous in Bay Area) but I like the Ideal of passing the time on Mex 1...a lot of time between vehicles. Hence the need for a easy pause button.

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 11:53 AM

try john grisham's the testament...outstanding

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 11:54 AM

or 99% of the books read by Dick Hill :light:

Osprey - 6-10-2007 at 12:01 PM

I used to play book tapes in my truck/jeep when on the road in Nevada and Utah. I loved the tapes read by the authors because I like the idea that only the author can give the words the meaning he intended i.e. yelling, whispering, inflections, etc.

That said I really like the ones narrated by Martin Sheen - not crazy about his political antics. No response required or expected.

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2007 at 12:03 PM

he WAS the president... :lol:

oladulce - 6-10-2007 at 12:42 PM

I'm usually the pasajera and audiobook librarian in the family. I don't think we could do the drive anymore without some stories. We turn them off thru Ensenada, San Quintin etc where there's lots of stimuli though, and start the first one at Santa Tomas on the way down.

Used to rent them but can't find any good rental places anymore so I try and buy used ones from Amazon or ebay or the outlet centers book stores since new ones can be pricey. I've wanted to start an audiobook exchange with someone for years because we had so many and recently sold a bunch on ebay just to clear out the closet and make room for new ones. I haven't done any online downloads of audiobooks because of the cost, but it's good to have that option for when we live in BCS and won't have delivery available.

The story is important, but the reader can make all the difference in the world.

I enjoyed " The Number One Ladies Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith. The narrarator does great voices and foreign accents and the stories are no blood and violence tales of life in present day Botswana and the main character sort of an Andy of Mayberry-type lady who solves small-town mysteries and problems as a private detective.

Other pretty good ones are the Randy Wayne White "Doc Ford" series, and Lisa Scottline's legal mysteries ("The Vendetta Defense" had a great reader and even the unabridged version at 10+ hours made the desert fly by ).

I could use suggestions for some new ones- any favorites?

[Edited on 6-10-2007 by oladulce]

bajamigo - 6-10-2007 at 05:07 PM

I was once driving from Palos Verdes to my job in downtown LA, listening to "Lonesome Dove." When I reached LA, I realized that I had absolutely no recollection of the drive, as if I'd slept through it.Books on tape tend to be too engrossing, if that's a fault. Now I just tune into old-time radio on XM, which doesn't involve too much gray matter to listen to but is diverting enough.

Bedman - 6-10-2007 at 06:36 PM

I have to chime in here re: Books on tape.

A great place to get used ones is the Salvation Army, Goodwill and or thrift stores. I've found hundreds of tapes and C/d's in them all for a fraction of the original cost. Usually $1.00 each.

Now don't go spreading this info around, they'll raise the prices.

Bedman

Paula - 6-10-2007 at 08:16 PM

Books on tape don't pull my attention away from my driving, but driving (or almost any activity) keeps me from following the story.

We have a set of Prairie Home Companion cd's that are great for driving-- light, humorous spoken word interspesed with songs and "ads". Perfect for people like me who like midwesten humor and hokey music :lol:

wiltonh - 6-10-2007 at 09:32 PM

We use MP3 books all the time when traveling. We have put an MP3 player in the dash and have listened for many hours. The worst issue was having a very good book almost cause us run out of gas.

There is a very interesting site on the internet if you are interested in old books. Books go into the public domain if they are older than about 1923. There is a volunteer reading site that has about 300 to 400 books on it. They can all be downloaded for free. Here is the URL:

http://www.librivox.org

We have had many happy hours by download books and burning them to CD.

Wilton

Ken Bondy - 6-11-2007 at 05:57 AM

We are addicted to listening to books in the car. At first we used CD's but now we buy the books on iTunes (excellent library) and download to an iPod. ++Ken++

burnrope - 6-11-2007 at 11:22 AM

I listen to books on cd when on road trips, I'll usually listen to each cd twice before changing it because of the times I space out or have have to pay attention to the road. I highly recommend Jack Kerouac's "On The Road" performed by Matt Dillon. He really brings the book to life, it's unabridged so you hear every word as the author intended. Truman Capote's remark about Kerouac's writing always brings a smile to my face. "That's not writing, that's typewriting." Also Kerouac predicts 9-11 in "On The Road" during a trip that took place in 1947 and was written about in 1949.