BajaNomad

Who can tell me about these photos?

David K - 8-7-2004 at 07:38 PM

Or, what book they are found in?



[Edited on 8-8-2004 by David K]

Grasshoppers

Barry A. - 8-7-2004 at 07:44 PM

In the top photo, those are Unkle Earle's (Earle Stanley Gardner) grasshoppers located somewhere in Baja, probably either north or south of Bahia de los Angeles.

David K - 8-7-2004 at 07:48 PM

Yes indeed, and I hope you are not angry that I am raising your 'Baja Fever' BEFORE you leave for Canada!!! Canada??? Jeeze, my truck wouldn't know how to drive that far NORTH!:lol:

bonanza bucko - 8-7-2004 at 07:49 PM

Those dune buggies look like the "Burros" that were designed by Earl Stanley Gardner as pre runners for the first Baja 1000 races.

We had one that we bought from an old time racer at Alfonsina's in about 1979....might have been Ed Wills but I don't remember for sure. Anyhow, it is on a shortened VW frame, has an aluminum body and was a pretty good rig. Ours finally rusted out and had to be towed back to USA for restoration which never happened...it finally rusted down to just about nothing but the aluminum body and was hauled off to the junk yard about five years ago. In the meantime we bought and restored a "Rail" and another buggy that belongs on the street and not down there....it's currently rusting out at Alfy's.

El Coyote Bay

Barry A. - 8-7-2004 at 07:51 PM

The second picture is of El Coyote Bay, a sub-bay of Bahia Conception. Both photos can be found in Uncle Earle's "Off the beaten track in Baja", published in 1967. Notice there is no development on El Coyote bay-----pristine!!!! Barry

David K - 8-7-2004 at 08:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bonanza bucko
Those dune buggies look like the "Burros" that were designed by Earl Stanley Gardner as pre runners for the first Baja 1000 races.



Because I do know the answer, let me just clarify that JW Black of Paradise California designed them and Erle and his companions used them in Baja. They were called 'Grasshoppers', and they were not used to pre -run any race... at least by Erle. He loved exploring Baja, specially the palm canyons north of Bahia de los Angeles and north of San Ignacio.
Please enjoy my web page of photos from the Gardner trips that are not in his books, given to me by Choral Pepper: http://choralpepper.com

Oh, and Bucko... I am enjoying the emails you are sending me regarding the guy running for president, thanks.

A Baja truck in Canada

Barry A. - 8-7-2004 at 08:08 PM

David----I suspect that I am going to get a lot of ribbing in Canada when they see my rig all outfitted for running in Baja with winch, cab over running lights, big tires and wheels, etc. but it is just something we have to do-----never been up there before, and maybe we will never go again. If it rains, I suspect that my truck will melt, and I am sure that I will. Gotta do something while waiting patiently for fall.

BBucko mentions "Burros" designed by ES Gardner----that does ring a bell, but not sure what they actually looked like. The "Grasshoppers" were built by J.W. Black of Paradise, CA which is up here in my neck of the woods. I wonder if he (JW)is still around? I would bet that he built the "Burros" too. Barry

David K - 8-7-2004 at 08:47 PM

Yes, last I heard JW was building houses in Yuma! Another member of the Gardner gang is Bruce Barron of the same area in Northern California and he still operates a guest ranch. I talked with him by phone about the lost mission location a couple years ago and he just loved talking about Baja!

bajalera - 8-7-2004 at 09:31 PM

That doesn't look like El Coyote to me. The old road came directly from the interior, without passing anything like that inlet in the foreground, and there were palms and mesquites on the beach even in the '60s.

bajalera

[Edited on 8-8-2004 by bajalera]

David K - 8-8-2004 at 10:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.

BBucko mentions "Burros" designed by ES Gardner----that does ring a bell, but not sure what they actually looked like. The "Grasshoppers" were built by J.W. Black of Paradise, CA which is up here in my neck of the woods. I wonder if he (JW)is still around? I would bet that he built the "Burros" too. Barry


There was the 'Burrito' (little burro) which was JW's Pak Jak scooter with smaller tires. The Pak Jak had a big 'tractor tire' in the back.

I would have to agree Lera

jrbaja - 8-8-2004 at 10:47 AM

That doesn't look like Coyote to me either.
Maybe they had as much trouble sorting pictures as I do!

San Francisquito maybe?

[Edited on 8/8/2004 by jrbaja]

Here it is...

David K - 8-8-2004 at 11:13 AM

Today's Playa Santispac, just north of El Coyote... Photo I took from Capt. Mike's plane.. the mountain and coast match.

Santispac or Coyote??

Barry A. - 8-8-2004 at 11:24 AM

In those days the entire area between Punta Pedrita and Punta Ojitos Negros was considered "El Coyote", from what I remember, and even further south was sometimes included. This might explain the confusion. But David is right, that photo is Santispac. Barry

Playa Santispac...

Mexray - 8-8-2004 at 11:32 AM

That indeed looks like Santispac in the background...the lagoon in foreground is 'fed' by a small hot spring flowing from a mud pit that is out of sight to the left of the picture...I.E. the spring is between the mangroves and Hwy 1, that's on a bank about 10 meters above.

The hot spring isn't real hot, and not in a great location for soaking...maybe wiggling your toes in the mud would be more like it!

I'd be willing to bet the Bahia waters off the beach there is almost as warm as the spring, this time of year...it's so shallow way out there, that is gets mighty warm during the summer!

From way above...

David K - 8-8-2004 at 12:57 PM

Thanks to Satellite Man, http://www.wvvinc.com/Baja.htm

JESSE - 8-8-2004 at 01:37 PM

The Playa is Santispac for sure.

Wow, what a great photo from high up

Barry A. - 8-8-2004 at 02:53 PM

You can see Santispac with the naked eye in that photo, and even see the lagoon that David's (Gardner's) photo shows in the foreground. From the aerial photo, it is easy to see why they called the whole area "El Coyote" as it looks like one big bay, at least to me. Barry

Debra - 8-9-2004 at 02:08 PM

That also looks like Santispac to me, in 1997 we spent several weeks camped at the little cove (watch out during the full Moon, it floods) The bay is so warm that I spend several nights after mid-night swimming, and that was in Dec.! :biggrin: