Rancho Santa Ynez Ines)

I am a new member and currently working on a new book detailing the past significant events and noteworthy people that have visited and/or worked at this ranch.

I would like to hear from anyone who had any personal contact with Josefina Zuniga (past owner), Bill Stroppe, James Gardner, Mickey Thompson, or any other racers during the period 1967-1975 when the long races were held.

If you know of anyone that has photos of the ranch during those years, please contact me.

Thank you all

I landed at Rancho Santa Ines numerous times in the mid to late 70's. I will root through my photos and see what I have. Here's one image I always liked, my Baron at the end of the Santa Ines runway:



++Ken++

[Edited on 12-5-2007 by Ken Bondy]

Hi Steekers (good handle),

I sent you a couple of emails after we met... one re. the Ynez/ Ines question... I need to dig up the email from Marv Patchen who details why it is spelled Ynez by the ranch owners... Marv owns a cabin on the ranch, as you know.

Welcome to Baja Nomad, by-the-way!

It is spelled "Ynes" on the Baja aeronautical chart CH22 . So we have four variants, Ynez, Ynes, Ines, Inez. Probably should vote on it

What's funny Ken, as they seldom seem to care about spelling of names in Mexico, as long as it sounds right! I am sure we make a bigger deal of it, since we like to make maps that are accurate... or close!

Marv and Aletha's Patchen's second Baja book is called 'Baja Outpost' and is about their Santa Ynez cabin and the log book entries from their cabin guests... Graham Mackintosh being one of the most frequent, as he loves going to Mision Santa Maria and the area.

Sunbelt has that book on a special sale for only three dollars: http://www.sunbeltbooks.com/store_article.cfm?articleid=1674...




[Edited on 12-6-2007 by David K]

Back to Santa Ynez

A letter from Marvin Patchen to me asking if the correct way was Ynez or Ines, etc. I am still searching for another from Marvin that had even more details and stories from Santa Ynez:

Subject: Re: Ynez
Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2003 23:41:57 -0500

David....more: when I first went to Santa Ynez in 1968 it was Ynez and although there was a Catavina on some map there was nothing there. The ranch was the only thing there except a small ranch house by the dip in the road just before you got to Santa Ynez. Some old maps have Inez and some Ynez.

Oscar does not own the ranch. Fred Hampe owns it. It was willed to him by Josefina.

I don't recall if I said in my other E mail that Fred Hampe built the road to the mission.

Marvin

Photo of the Santa Ynez restaurant window (May, 2007):

Marv and Aletha in Feb., 2005:



Marv's Baja racing helmit, a new use:



More photos from our weekend with the Patchens at: http://vivabaja.com/patchen

Before about 1985 when the USDEA convinced the Mexicans to prohibit the sale of airplane gas everywhere but at government airports Rancho Santa Ynez was a frequent stop for us as we went to and from Alfonsina's. We bought gas from a barrel on the back an old truck driven by Francisco and Ysenia, his sister. We went down to the cantina to order and rode back up the hill with them.

We needed the gas because our old Cessna didn't have the range to fly down from the US and then take off from Gonzaga Bay for Tijuana and then divert to Mexicali if TJ was socked in.....you couldn't get the WX down there...no radio..no flight services, of course.....no way to find out what was up to the north until you got to altitude (about 8000 feet) and got another airplane coming south on the radio with a WX report.

Flying to Gonzaga Bay then was an adventure because you were never assured of getting home on time...or at all...in a small plane because of the WX or because of mechanical problems. A lot of us got pretty good at improvisation in the air and some of us have flown sick airplanes....and sick people sometimes....out of Baja in situations that today sound dangerous...but they were just the way things had to be so we didn't think of them that way. Rancho Santa Ynez was a most important place to go if you needed an alternative landing spot.

That alternative was needed on any flight during the full or dark of the moon because Alfonsina's runway was covered by water then. We couldn't land until the tide went out and the runway dried out. So we landed at Santa Ynez and took a nap under the wing until the runway dried out.....usually had some bueno comidas at the cantina too.

We also flew up to Rancho Santa Ynez for water. There was no fresh water at Gonzaga Bay for most of us....a "goat well" at Papa Fernandez but it didn't produce enough for everyone. It was a five hour trip by truck to Rancho Santa Ynez for the water but it was an 8 minute flight. We filled our five gallon jugs from the well behind the cantina...the water came up in a bucket that was full of old and dried paint...but it tasted good! We drank the water only....not enough for bathing. If you use hair conditioner on your body in salt water you leave the ocean without much salt on you...don't need fresh water.

We took Francisco y Ysenia for their first airplane ride...they wanted to see La Mission in Palmas Canyon just down the mountain from Rancho Santa Ynez....neat place and the source of all the palm fronds we used for thatched roofs then. It was very hard to get up into the canyon by the old mission's ruins to get the palm fronds but it was the only decent source we had. The roads were too lousy to think about a long trip to Guerro Negro or places like that for the fronds as they do now.

Once in while the Santa Ynez runway was covered with tarranchulas which were there, I guess, to stay warm. If you buzzed it low they would scatter. Ditto the goats and horses.

We always tried to land up hill....to the east...and take off downhill to the west unless the wind was really strong against that. Rancho Santa Ynez was, is, the only paved runway between San Felipe and Bay of LA.....before they closed the downtown runway there in about 1983 due to an accident it was the only paved strip between MMSF and Loreto (MMLT). But, we didn't care....Bush Pilots in Baja generally don't need...or even want...a paved strip. Dirt is better....easier on tires and more fun.

But...flying in Baja is a whole other subject in which there is a whole bunch to know and most of which is boring to kiwis.

Great story!!!! Thanks Bonanza Bucko!

Found another photo of Rancho Santa Ynez from 1999... Mur photos me on the quad, heading to Mision Santa Maria!




[Edited on 12-6-2007 by David K]

Happy Times: High Res. Satellite Image!

Bump... 'steekers' (Michael) will likely meet up with the Nomads going on the Matomi run Feb. 17th... He is building a home at El Dorado Ranch north of San Felipe and is racing a Score Lite 1835cc buggy in the San Felipe 250.

A really nice guy... I have been helping him a tiny bit on his new book project and introducing him to you all... So, please welcome 'steekers'!

Photo of 'steekers' (tallest), Dave Deal, David K:

Bummer, I'm hosting a Joshua Tree 4WD run that weekend... You guys have fun out there!

Runner - that rings a bell, was it from Jimmy's book? My copy got loaned and now somehow is lost and MIA.

Well, I never read Jimmy's book (alas)

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike Runner - that rings a bell, was it from Jimmy's book? My copy got loaned and now somehow is lost and MIA.

No need to be bummed, order Jimmy's book TODAY! Baja Bernie has them and all sales income goes to Jimmy's widow, Lupe... http://www.mibaja.com

[Edited on 2-6-2008 by David K]

It has been quite awhile since this subject has been mentioned. I have a renewed interest today after speaking to Josefina's niece Connie and hope to post some interesting pics. At 80 plus herself she has a lot of energy and good conversation left in her. She also told me about a "professor" that was doing a documentary on the Missions in Baja and David K flashed into my mind...so David, we need to talk.

I will start with one photo for now to see how good I am at attachments. Guess the year of the car and Josefina's age?



[Edited on 3-11-2015 by steekers]

[Edited on 3-11-2015 by steekers]

[Edited on 3-11-2015 by steekers]

Always an overnight stop for us

[Edited on 3-11-2015 by SFandH]

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Cool photo steekers! 1953?

The back of the photo was imprinted with June 1956 but the car is likely early 50s and the memory of my source is a little foggy.

Quote: Originally posted by brewer

I have a photo of the ranch truck to dig up. It was a power wagon/wreaker with the way they spelled "Inez" and w/ J Zuniga painted on the door. It ended up outside P.Final. Hurricane Odile almost buried it. Also, rumor is Fred Hampe dozed a road from La Turquesa to HWY 1 as a short cut from the Chapala road. His house on the hill at P. Final just sold and is being finished up. As a kid, we would always stop at Rancho Santa Inez and camp in the open area. Man it gets cold at night up there! Josefina was always there in the kitchen cooking us those cheese enchiladas. She was always nice and happy.

Quote: Originally posted by brewer

That's what I understand too. Josefina wanted a road to HWY 5 from Rancho Santa Ines. So she could get to P Final easier. She owned it. It was too much for the government to undertake, so she received a paved road into her rancho.

Quote: Originally posted by brewer

His house on the hill at P. Final just sold and is being finished up.

Rancho Santa Ynez 1982

My mom, dad and I would always stop for beer and tacos passing by on our fishing trips to Laguna Manuela.

Josefina & friend Jan 1927

Another treat for all you Nomads...amazing to me these precious old photos are still intact! Guess which one is Josefina?

From Marvin Patchen's 1981 'Baja Adventures by Land, Air, Sea'