Trip Report.....(you have Mike H. and SallySouth to blame for this)

I pull into town,

Well David

Guess you've gotten it better than me.....I thought it was pronounced "zeet la le" at least that's what I think "Doc" told me..

Anyway, Mike H. read parts of my "ramblings" (while I visited them on my way north) and told me I should post them (I personally think they would be boring to anyone but me....Anyway, I just made this for us (the kids and I so they could have it for when there are older)

I apoligize in advance for the bordom to all, as I said before......BLAME MIKE H. AND SALLYSOUTH FOR incourging me! (you can just skip it!)

As I start unpacking

The kids are happy off runnning

Brendan showing Payton all the great stuff) I find that Phill and Corrie are here with their kids- Ellie is just a bit younger than Payton and they hit it off from the start, they are soon joined at the hip.

Soon everyone wanders off and I start un packing again, just as I'm wondering how I'm going to get the heavy coolers off the roof rack Doc. appears and just takes them off while holding a conversation (
Gosh I love this place!).....I didn't even ask for help.....he just did it!

Good stuff Deb...

Thank you Debra, not bored at all Keep them comming. We will be to camp Gecko sometime next year and hope to meet you all someday

Linda

October!

Well, you only have yourselves to blame for encourging me.

July 5th.

I had planned on going out to Las Animas this trip (never been before), but, with the 4 Runner not acting right I'm afraid to go alone, (41miles in desert dirt each way alone? , not a good idea with 2 little kids.)

So I ask David, he says "sure, I've never been out there either" (I give him one of my radios and off we go, he in the lead with Chris driving and Sarah and Andee in the back.

Las Animas is beautiful! I wish I would have brought our tent and supplies so that the kids and I could have camped a couple of days. We spend a few hours (David goes off on foot looking for that "Lost Mission", the kids and I play in the water, I also have a little 4W fun in the water, which David can't believe I'm doing.....Salt water EEK! This is what I bought this thing for, not looking pretty I assure him.)

There are hundreds of dead Giant Humbolt (sp?) Squid at the tide line, I ask Doc. (later) why that happens, no one seems to know, best guess it that they get lost for some reason and beach themselves. (I learn later from a fellow camper, a vet...that he thinks they are spawing similar to what salmon do here up north)

David wanders back (that Mission will remain lost for another trip) I swear, he will be on his death bed and his biggest "unfinished" in life will be that damn Mission!

We head back toward Camp Gecko and suddenly the truck just stops- I fiqure that something has come loose, David is too far around a bend and I can't get him on the radio, I pop the hood and sure enough the battery cable is off, I grab a rock and pound it back on...all is good, (although this will happen several times on the way back), she fires right up and off I go (I see David stopped a mile or so in the distance, is he looking for us? (or did he spot something that looked like a Mission? :mad

July 7th. If no one is interested in my car problems you can skip this part of this report.

July 7th. (forgot to add)

I have to back up here a bit to before dead car.

Phil, Corrie and kids (3), 4Baja, Beth (and sons Kyle and Cory) and Bergie had all gone into town. Phil and Corrie's kids went along on the Quads. Somehow the kids got separated from their parents. I'm at camp getting ready to go into town when the kids come flying in (way too fast) I'm yelling at them to "slow down!" They all start talking at once. They tell me that some "weird people" (one in a long wig and hat were trying to get them to their car. They were scared to death and didn't know where their parents were so they high-tailed it the 4 1/2 miles back to camp and me. I tell them that I'm going into town and they can follow me and we will find their parents, they ask if they can ride with me. (you know they are scared if they don't want to ride the Quads) Brook is worried that Dad is going to be mad, I'm thinking Mom and Dad are probebly in a panic searching for their kids! I find Mom Dad and the rest sipping "Maggies" at Guerromos!

In the mean time on the way into town with the kids I see a car stopped on the road, I stop to make sure they are okay, the kids in the back start yelling. "Debra, that's the car!" I see that the driver just had to make a potty stop. The people are Allah (she is the "scary person with the wig and hat........no wig, just "Bajaed hair") and Manual her husband, they live in Berkely and had taken a bus to the juntion and 'hitch-hiked" to Bahia. They explain that they were trying to ask the kids if they had rented the Quads (they wanted to rent some themselves) and to ask if they knew the way to Camp Gecko, we all had a laugh. This is when I returned the kids to their "Maggie" sipping parents and went off to lunch.

July 9th.

4Baja, Beth and boys, Phil, Corrie and kids Bergie (just about everyone I know, "Roddy Boy Camp") pulls out for home (I'm not sure but, they might have left early so that they didn't have to rescue me anymore At this point I'm so fed up with this rig if I'd had a gun I would have shot it and just resigned myself to live on the beach and eat clams and fish for the rest of our lives. Brendan and I would have been happy, but, my Daughter might not be too happy when I failed to return her daugher after the month I'd promised.

I'm sitting on my porch and having a cup of tea when Allah wanders by, I offer her a cup and we chat, I find out that while she was in collage in 1974 she and some girl-firends hitch-hiked down Baja and this was her first trip down since then. They don't have a good running car right now (who does ) they have 5 kids 2 out of collage, 2 still in, one is at Princeton! and an 11yr. old at home, (I admire their priorties!) But, Allah wanted to take this trip anyway, so they hitched, Manuel wasn't so sure of the whole idea, but, he was smiling (he'd never been before)

I tell Allah that I'm going into town and have to find a mechanic to fix my dying problem and if they would like they could come with me and I would take them to the store ect. but, first priorty was the mechanic, she say "great" and goes to find Manuel, soon we are off to town.

Damn Yellow- Tail! Every mechanic I go to find is out fishing! Sammy Diaz is in Ensemada. S**T! The last one is next to the gas pump (he's fishing also) I decide while I'm there to gas up, well you know I have to turn the engine off to get gas, imagine my luck, of corse I'm dead. It won't start and there is a line behind me to get gas. a Susuki and a motorcycle the guy in the Susuki wants to push me out of the way. "HA! HA!" No way Pal! this sucker won't go into gear unless it's running! (I'm thinking to myself) He has to give me a jump to get me out of his way. The then tells me to wait and gets his gas (he speaks no English but I have Allah with me) he shows me his business card, turns out he works at an auto electrical shop in TJ he tells me to follow him to his house out by the Turtle Rescue. With Allah transulating he tells me what he thinks the problem is, he needs to check for a short, worse case he says it will cost $100 guarenteed to fix. I'm way low on money I have just about that (I need to "Pay Pal" Doc.)but, I haven't been able to get on a computer or grab Doc. (Damn Yellow-Tail again!) I tell Allah "Just tell him fix it, I'll figure out the money thing later, just tell him I'm a bit short right now, but I'm good for it" She explains it to him "Marcos" is his name, he says okay and Allah leaves us to join Manuel and the kids that the turtles, he says it will take about 2hrs. he goes to work (I beg for agua, he brings me some I suck it down so fast it makes my stomach hurt)

My new "best friend" Marcos gets his volt meter thingie and starts poking around, then to my alarm he starts tearing my dash apart (he's smilling and nodding--, I'm not smiling and worried) he grabs some electrical tape and starts at this mass of wires under my stearing wheel (I just trying to feel comfort remembering the $100 guarentee!) Suddenly he says "Okay" looks at me and grins, pats my arm and starts putting my dash back together (this is a good sign) it took all of an hour. I try to convey that I'm going to go get the others and will come back to pay him, (it must have worked because he didn't tackle me when I went to drive off.)

The kids have been having a great time at the turtles (Manuel too, a big kid himself) We thank everyone and head back to Marco's, Allah does the talking, he tells her it will be $60 she says "But it took 1hr. not 2, she has these children and is low on money (I'm understanding what she is saying, I'm happey with the $60, he tells her $50, I shouve my hand out before I get embarresed with her haggling (the guy just saved my life!) I find out later from Doc. that I'd gotten lucky, Marcos wasn't supposed to be in town and my only other hope would have been Guerro Negro (3hrs. away with the kids alone in the desert? I don't think so!!!!

Marcos also told me to stop by his shop in TJ on my way home and he would go through my whole electrical system to make sure everything is okay "no charge" he tells me he will make a list to tell my mechanic at home what to do (In Spanish?) nice of him to offer though. He also tell me he will be here another week, if I have any problem send someone to fetch him (or radio him) and he will come to me. I give him my heart felt thanks and we are off, we take a trip to La Gringa to swim, Allah (out of her magic bag) produces tomatos, cucumbers oranges, onions and chile sauce (I didn't know this excurrision would be catered!) it was great, I would never have thought to put chile sauce on an orange (Payton age 5, ate it up!)

to be continued:

[Edited on 8-12-2004 by Debra]

On the way back from La Gringa

Debra - This is a most enjoyable trip report. Thank you for taking the time to write it. Leaves me with that wonderful sense of "being there", which then brings my own memories and Baja dreams and.... well, we all know that feeling.

Thanks everyone......

www.losvientosspaandresort.com

can't wait to stay there a night this fall. he has a great plan. gives me a reason to visit BOLA.:moon:

down the road, maybe a home on the airport taxi way, the owner bought all the land around and now owns the pista. you'll see their cherokee 6 with logo painted on the side down there a lot.

good people, met them at a bar in Bonita. Jesse Carbojal.

Yes, they do seem to be very good people Capitano

Deb,

I'm in so much envy of those of you that traveled to Baja before the HYW.

I've often said I was born too late (I'm just a 'youngin' Mike H. is OLD! I wish I would have had the chance to do that (although I'm sure I would have been miserable with the heat and dust! Still, it would have been a real journey! (not that it isn't everytime I avoid a wreck with some semi coming at me....in my lane!)

Later that night

July 10th. (I think, I'm losing track of the date)

Well I see there are 305 people reading so I'll continue.....

And I have to say, I have a new respect for Mike H. and David K. who take the time to type all this out to share with us all. This is hard work

Later the kids are off at the back groups place (3 or 4 camps had moved in the day before,....all friends and the people that the kids had gone on the boat with prior to the storm)......also the people that 4Baja had had a close call with a bottle rocket last 4th. of July while Scott was building his Palapa....anyway,

The kids are off at the back groups place, there is a party going on (I haven't been invited so I'm hanging back reading (and feeling just a tad bit lonely (I'm soooo "special" that I need a special invitation (must be menopause! LOL!)

Next camp I hear some really lovely music, I put my book down and listen, they are good, I applause--I hear "Thank- you" in English.

It's getting later and I'm hearing "happy Birthday" being sung at the back camp where the kids are,. then some 60's "Disco Music", I listen for a bit longer it's about 10:30pm and I decide I should go collect Brendan and Payton, I walk up and hang back in the dark, there is Payton center stage with Mellisa (age 7) all dolled up with skirts and glow sticks, head, wrists, waist ankels dancing up a storm to some Surpreams 60's tune. They are so cute I just hang back in the dark and watch. Several of the "adults" (Dads) are up there dancing with them, I come into camp and find a chair "HEY!" someone yells, "You've been missing the party, whre ya been?" I'm laughting so hard at Payton's sooooo serious face and booty shaking dance I can't answer.

Pretty soon one of the Dads says, "hey, come on you all" and gets the kids (and other adults) in a conga line, "Let's go wake up the neighbors!" off they go----it's Maria (Kevin's wife) and I left at camp, Matt (age 14) comes up to us and says "you two are the only sober ones" I laugh and say "I hope the kids are too
They come back from their "conga line" caroling and I drag the kids off to bed---Payton still wanting to stay and dance.

You Go Girl!

Not, not?

Looking for the "Lost Mission?!" Very funny David (read my trip report, I know your agenda! LOL!) It's okay my friend....just turn around and look once in awhile for "lost friends"

Yes... I drove back a mile and secured your battery cable with real tools... Not as intersting reading as you using a rock which lasted for what, 5 minutes on that road? But, I commended you for thinking like a 'Baja Gal' and using your head (or your rock?)!

David, Dear David....my friend,

Deb,

Great report Deb!

This LURKER is reading too.

Thanks everyone, glad your are enjoying ,,,

Mike, I haven't rewritten a word, it's straight from my journal, and I'm not afraid to write, just didn't think anyone would be interested (517 hits, guess I was wrong!) although I have left some stuff out (I do have to protect the "guilty", and there is always the threat of law suits!)

[Edited on 8-13-2004 by Debra]

July 11th.

Talked to my Mexican neighbors today and told them just how much I enjoyed their music the night before. They tell me that they have friends coming tonight and will be playing if I would like to join them later, I thank them.

I just kick back today, swim, take the kids snorkeling, easy relaxing day.

I get the kids fed, bathed and bedded down and settle down to try to catch up (on paper) the last few days. The music starts, but at the camp north (4Baja's old digs), must be the newly arrived friends of the Mexican neighbors. I listen for awhile and see that they have a nice fire going (just perfect for "Magic Rocks"). I decide to go over (with rocks), I sit down and get stung in the butt first thing, don't know what got me but it hurts! Never mind, I rub it and the music is good, "Ireane" comes out of the cabin right away, welcomes me and we chat, Ireane is (it seems starved for adult female conversation that I don't listen much to the music, very nice lady, someone I think I would enjoy getting to know better.

It's betting late and my Mexican neighbors are leaving in the morning so the music dies and I say good-night to Ireane, Ricardo asks if I will carry his guitar for him (I think it's a bit strange, he's not loaded down, and he has his friend but, I say "sure" and grab it--we start walking.

Ricardo: "May I ask you a question?" "Sure" I say

Ricardo: You really like my music?"

Me: "Oh yes, it's very beautiful"

Ricardo: "And I really like your body"

Me: "Well, thank-you, so does my husband"

Ricardo: "Oh, Okay" (smile, smile, bowing head) "thank-you (reaching for his guitar and a quick retreat).

I giggled to myself all night! They pulled out of camp before I got up the next morning.

I'm not sure what the date is today 15th. 16th.?

Brendan goes out fishing with Kevin's family, Payton, Mellias and her Mom Maria hang back at camp. Maria takes the girls kayaking, Brendan brings back no fish (guess it's clams for dinner tonight!)

I fry potatoes and the last of the Turkey burger that Beth left me, the kids gobble it up "This is good Mom, Yeah, good GRANMA!"

I'm beat and my rib is hurting again, the sunset is beautiful. "Please, Wind God, blow tonight".

Beach Bob is back a week early from his trip to SD, he comes by for a visit, guess things didn't go too well for him. We catch up on camp life the last few days and call it a night.

JUly 17th. (I think)

I wake up early and the camp is quiet, the kids are still sleeping and I'm relaxing with a cup of tea on my porch. The tide is very low and I notice Kevin and Maria's boat doesn't look right, I walk down and sure enough it's on the rocks. I look back at their cabin and I see Kevin stiring. "Hey Kevin, your boat!" "Is it on the rocks?", "yeap" We walk down to assess the situation, no hope of getting it loose so Kevin goes back for somemore muscle (I watch) Pretty soon here comes Scott and a few the the guys with plastic chairs and a cooler, I laugh to myself and head down with my own chair. "You guys give new meaning to the term Tail-gate party" (Maria is back at their cabin cooking breakfast) Kevin dissapears and soon returns with a Boogie Board piled high with a pot of scrambled eggs, plate full of pancakes, syurp and butter (let the feast begin). We all sit in the chairs in the water (the wives have joined us by now) and wait until the boat floats. Just as the "buffet table" is about to float away everyone finishes breakfast (good timing!) we stay on our chairs until they too are floating, with us in them.

Kevin, Maria and kids want to go to the turtle rescue place but, they aren't sure how to get there so I volenteer to lead the way. No turtles are to be cleaned today, but, we watch some high-schoolers make a video of how to disect a squid to prepare it for feeding to the turtles, the kids (teens) keep craking up, soon we all have a case of the giggles. Kim (the teacher) invites us all to go to a presentation in town later, Earth Watch (and Jeff, who I met at Herman's 4th. of July party a couple of years ago) will be there I'm told along with a lot of town folk and many of the "turtle people", sounds like fun so we decide to go. Back to camp, Me, Mine--,Kevin Maria and their's. Mike and Angie show up with some clams for me so I start cooking, just as I've about got dinner ready (no easy task here) Brendan and Payton show up asking if they can ride into town with the kids and parents. "We already ate dinner Mom, Maria gave us hotdogs" I look at my clam chowder (why do I bother cooking?) "okay, go ahead" I figure I'll clean up and catch up with them, by the time I get finished (and since Kim had said the presentation part would be only a few minutes, I decide to just stay at camp and relax, It's about 3hrs. later when they show back at camp (10pmish) Maria is concerned I've been worried "No", I tell her "I know they are in good hands", I thank her. "okay guys, teeth brushing and bed" No arguement, they are tired.

July 19th.

The kids are off boating early this morning, I clean up and tidy our "house". I decide to head into town (always needing ice and drinks) I get gas, (try to call Don again, no luck) I spot a propane BBQ at the flea market "how much?" "180", (about $16usd) "I'll take it!" Great!, now I don't have to hassle with the dang briquetts and ligher fluid

I get ice and drinks and a few grocerys and head back to camp, no kids yet, there is a pretty good wind, Greg is trying to kite surf, I'm watching him through bionoculars (sp?), he's not very good at it, looks more like a salt-water sitze bath happening to me.

Is it cervasa time yet? I go to the truck and check (my only clock) yeap! 1:15pm Ahhhhh, good! (sure glad Paulina taught me how to open a Pacifico with a cig. lighter, it saves so many steps ya know.

Think I'll grab my cooler and decide to return Bob's BBQ Grill he lent me. Bob's not home. What to do now? I know, I have a hot book and cold cervasa and a couch with a great ocean view......

July 20th.

Doc is still not back from TJ, I begin to wonder IF he will bet back before I'm totally out of money and the kids and I starve (oh well) we have a quiet day, me reading, swiming with the kids, It's all good.

Greg tells me he's had an email from Doc. (won't be back until Friday now, this is about a week past when he originally planned his return) Greg tells me not to worry, he has Docs. "slush fund" handy, if I need any money just let him know. This is a guy that doesn't even know me, guess Doc. must have let him know it's okay to give me what I need, and that I'm good for it, sure feels good to be in a place where I'm protected and trusted.

[Edited on 8-13-2004 by Debra]

[Edited on 8-13-2004 by Debra]

[Edited on 8-14-2004 by Debra]

#1

I did try that (telling the truck not to break down) too bad it listens about as well as my husband!

July 21'st

Looks like it's going to be another scorcher today. Isahia stops by, he says he thinks he met me here last year with my sister, I say "no, my sister has never been here", "you look familar" (he does to me too) It isn't until later that I realize that I probebly did meet him and my "sister" was MaryAnn H.

He says that they are going over the the Pacific side (he mentions Lobster) Sounds like a good idea to me, I take a look at my trusty AAA map and figure that it's probebly 2hrs., 2 1/2 max to Santa Rosalillita (cool Pacific air and the idea of getting some Lobster to BBQ !

"Brendan, Payton, Let's pack up", Brendan baulks, I stand my ground, "get in the truck!"

We stop in town for drinks and Ice, I've packed a lunch, we pull out of Camp at 9:30am, the truck is running so great (no dying problems since Marcos took care of it) I'm feeling great!

We get to the junction about 10:30am and there is a man sitting in the hot sun (no breeze today, it's HOT!) with a back-pack and a sleeping bag, I pull over, "Where are you going?", "Cabo" he says, "I can take you as far as the Santa Rosalillita cut off", "Okay, muchas gracias" (I'm thinking, I would never do this at home, I'm also thinking , Never not lend aid to someone in need in the desert (I've had to pass several on the way down because I was packed to the gills and had no room (it makes me feel good to be able to help, if just a little bit.)

Before he gets in, he offers me his hand and introduces himself, and thanks me for my "confidence" in him, I tell him my name and introduce him to the kids, as I do (for a second) I'm thinking "not a good idea Deb", Alfonso quickly puts my "second thoughts at ease (my first instinct was right) his English is pretty good and we chat (Payton soon falls asleep) Alfonso was born and raised in San Jose de Cabo, he had gone up the the Fox Studio to do work on a movie, I couldn't quite understand what, but, something had changed about the work for the movie, anyway, he was in TJ staying in a hotel (he had never been up north before) while there he left the hotel leaving his "paper" there and while in town a lady cop stopped him, asked for his papers (ID I guess) he told here that he would get them from the hotel, but, whe wouldn't allow that and arrested him, put him in a van and with several other cops drove around for hours picking up several other for no papers, drunk, or whatever, finally he was taken to "prison" where he spent 3days, when he was released no one knew what happend to the money he had on him when he was arrested (what a surprize!) So here he was trying to get home to Cabo, he had no idea where he was (if I understood right) he'd never been on the hi-way before "only down the Pacific") It had taken him 4 days to get this far! If I wasn't so low on money I'd have taken him all the way home (Good excuse to go to San Jose!)

I'm thristy so I pull over and offer him a drink, "I have cervasa, juice and agua, what would you like?" "Anything Senora", I can't pin him down (I'm having a beer, so I grab one for him) "muy freeo!", "Grasias Senora!" We chat awhile longer he again thanking me for my "confidence". Soon the turn off comes and I reluctantly drop him off, I offer him some water, he says "No, I'm fine" I see that he has a small bottle half empty showing form his back-pack (I think he doesn't want to "take" anything more from me, (I grab bottles from my cooler and "force" it on him) He takes both of my hands in his and bows thanking me. (Did I take a wrong turn and end up in Japan somehow?)

We go on to Santa Rosalillita, 15 miles, first 5 a "run way" the rest a great road (wish the road to Gecko was in such good shape! I wander through town and somehow decide to go the the south, there I find a cresent shaped bay with a huge white sand beach, we park, to the north I see sandstone caves and tide pools, I point them out to Brendan and soon he and Payton are over "tide pooling", I stay at the truck reading, it's breezy and cool (imagine! only 2hrs. from the searing heat of Bahia!)

The kids come over to the main beach and build a very impressive sand castle. It getting toward time to head back "Brendan, let's pack up", "NO MOM!, can't we stay?" (this from the kid that didn't want to come in the first place. We head into the village, I'm on a quest for Lobster, I find no one that speaks English but finally convey what I'm asking for. "NO" I figure it's out of season, Bob tells me later taht I could have bribed them, Had I ever gotten off my lazy Gringa Butt and learned the launguage I would have!

I check out the area somemore, I find the marina for the "Escalaria de Stupida" (as it's lovingly called by some, very nice rock (jetty) work, except I wonder how the heck are they fiquering on getting the big Boats they are planning for through that tiny opening, and? just where are they going to put the huge crane that it will take to lift them? Guess they have a plan, oh well....

We head back to Bahia and I manage to avoid (once again) the re-bar that ripped apart Beth's tire and rim (I took the dirt side road)

It's hotter than Hell when we bet back, I pick up my laundry from Jollie, get ice and head to camp, fix dinner then lights out (it's 7:00pm) The kids don't argue about bed time.

Almost forgot, when I get back all the lights are on on the dash, ck. battery, oil temp. ect, ect. S**T! I decide to deal with it "manyana"

July 22nd.

I decide I'd better go find Marcos (elec. guy) I know he's leaving to TJ and mught already be gone, when I start out the lights are out (did I have the motor off and the key on last night?), anyway, lights are off. Payton and I head to town to try to call her Mom (cell and home) no answer, we go shopping. We are enjoying the AC so I head back to camp, I pass camp, "you passed the turn to Camp GRANMA!", "YES, Payton, I know I'm going to show you the old jail, put you in it and take your picture", "GRANMA!, You are going to put me in Jail!?, Is it a REAL jail" I don't explaine all of the details, I'm sure she wouldn't understand about drunks and wife beaters) I tell here that there is a very old grave yard back there, she askes if we can go (maybe she has more of "GRANMA" in her than I realize (I love old grave yards), she asks me what the manes are on the crosses and I explaine to her about the Dagget family and how long ago they lived here, we gather some wood and head back to camp, Payton never stops asking questions about the Dagget family, I tell her what I can remember and say that I have a book at home that we can read next time she comes over to answer more of her questions, she is satified (thank God!), Where the heck is David K. when I need him?

OH man, Mike.....

You cry when they play the "Barney" song! (you know, "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family, with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say you love me too?" You know, the big purple guy>

Thanks though, Don just got home from work and chewed my butt! (he read my journal last nignt, he hadn't been interested in reading it until he saw me posting it on the board) "What were you doing picking up a hitch-hiker with 2 kids in the car!" Thank God I haven't yet finshed the last week of my trip where I pick-up 3 more, including the one I had to order out of my truck (he had obviously been drinking)

[Edited on 8-14-2004 by Debra]

That is sooooo true

Are you sure

Tucker (oh my GOSH!)

It fits, except for the day

Thank you for the trip report comment

I could be wrong on the date, it wasn't until Vanessa (Doc.s daughter) got back from TJ that I knew for sure what the date was (and that was several days later, I had to ask )

It does sound like the same guy, I hope so, if it was he was very close to home.

July 22nd entry: Dick Daggett

or here that photo is opened...

Great stuff!

Yes there is more

Debra.....

July 23rd.

I wake early (kids still sleeping)

I see a Panga come into Camp, no one is on the beach, (no show? late?) The Pangalero goes back out and runs around, about an hour later a Mexican family starts assembleing on the beach (the Pangalero stays north) I watch, more Mexicans show, Pangalero still not making a move to come in. MORE MEXICANS SHOW! I sit and count, 17! including several children under 7 (or so) and 2 "babes-in-arms" Several fishing poles and not a life jacket among them! I watch in amazment and worry, I say a prayer to St. Christopher (I'm not a good enough Catholic the remember the patron St. of idiots) The Pangalero picks them up.

Dolphins come into the bay, dozens, no further that just beyond Doc.s boat, they are feeding but a few jump and spin just for my amusment I'm sure. I think about waking the kids, but, I figure by the time I get them up the Dolphins will be gone, besides, they got to see some while out with Phil and Corrie's family the other day. They also got to see a Manta Ray fly out of the water. I've never seen that! They probebly need the sleep more.

Wow! I see the panga come back with (I think) all aboard, I breath a sigh of relief. I can see weather building at the Islands (I'm sure the Pangalero knows better than I)

Payton and Brendan decide to tidy up camp (I haven't been able to move very well today, back again) They do a very good job, Brendan is now sneaking up on birds with the binoculars (I smile to myself watching him and remembering he and Mike H. doing the same thing a couple of years ago),

Side note here: In the "you haven't lived catagory" until you watch Mike H. and Brendan (then I think about 8 or 9) on their bellys crawling, and crawling (for about an hour) sneaking up on birds to get a better look. Mike wrote a story about it, maybe he can be talked into posting it again? "Brendan's Song" it was a very sweet story, even my macho husband had tears in his eyes when he read it!

Payton is washing the dishes (she is going to rub the color right off of them!) She deserves another "bucket bath" tonight, she loves it, she has become a real Baja Gal, no longer afraid to put her face under the water, shower or ocean, she bathes out of doors (as long as I assure her nobody is looking, and she goes (E-GAD, TOPLESS!) She has a nasty rash "Chiken Pox" comes to mind, bUt it isn't traveling the way it should, also, she doesn't seem to be itching as much as I think it should, still, the ointiment I've put on her hasn't worked, it worked on my heat rash (first time) We'll see when Doc. gets back, in the mean time she enjoys her "bucket baths" "GRANMA!, THANK-YOU, this feels SOOOO GOOD! AHHHH"

She has been having such a good time, last night she had a "hormonal" (as we call it in the family, you would think she was 15, not 5 sometimes) After she was all bathed and I tucked her into bed she came crying to me "I miss my Mommmmmie", sniff, sniff, I just held her and patted her, soon she was fine and I tucked her back into bed, today all smiles and running, swimming fun (I heard her telling a new found departing friend that she would see her next summer (she turned to me and asked if she could come back again), I said "sure, if you want and it's okay with Momy and Daddy". She is the next generation of Baja Lovers in the making only 5 (almost 6) and I can't keep shoes on her, she has lost her "FOO FOO GIRLness" She is soooo proud? "GRANMA!, LOOK" her face is wet as she comes out of the water) I tell her Mommy is going to be so surprized when she doesn't cry while getting her hair rinsed in the bath, (she grins, HUGE!)

July 23rd. 6:30am

Doc. is back (I find out the real date from his daughter Vannesa) Quiet morning, it's overcast and cool (a welcome change) It rained last night, just a little. The Pangalero picks up the Mexicans again (only 7 this time" they head toward Smith with fishing poles. The kids are of playing, I'll take them to Las Hamacas for some pancakes if they ever return! Brendan especially loves the freedon he has at camp. He's older this year and I give him free rein.

11:30am Payton is at Brendan again (trying to kiss him" "just one more PLEEEZE" (he gives her a peck on the cheek) , "how about one on the lips?", NO WAY" Brendan says (she reminds me of her mother trying to kiss Dustin (my older son 5 1/2 yrs. younger that my daughter) Brendan is holding her in his lap while she giggles and keeps trying to kiss him, Brendan is trying to play his Game Bay, his patience with her amazes me. She wins the giggle fest, "Let's go swin" say Brendan (so much for Game Boy)

about 3pm

I see some people in a van with a pop-up trailer pull into the palapa next to the boat launch, they have WA St. plates, ask them whre they are from, "Bellingham", "Port Orchard" I say. They are Nickie and Scott and they have 2 kids , Elena 14 and Alex (about to turn 8) they come over a visit after they set up camp, I offer them a drink and we chat (Brendan builds a "magic rock" fire and the kids roast marshmellows while the grown-ups visit. Nickie asks if the kids can have pancakes wit them in the morning, the kids yell "YES!"

July 24th.

Nicki and Scott show up with pancakes, sour cream mixed with homemade rasburry jam (sure looks good, but, I don't like pancakes and am not a breakfast eater, the kids eat it up and ask for seconds. Neckie and I (with kids) head out for a snorkel, I've brought canned peas to see if I can lure fish (works great!) they didn't much care for the canned corn I'd tried the other day, soon I have a array of Angel Fish, yellow and black stripped things (I couldn't find them in the Marine life book we'd borrowed from Bob) in a feeding frenzy. Elena had complained that she didn't want to go (afraid of the "creepy fish", but she came anyway (14yr. olds! , complaining all the way) until I started pointing out all of the colorful fish, she quickly was having fun and later asked if we could go again.

The kids head back to camp and Nickie and I sit in our chairs in the water, soon Scott joins us, we float and enjoy the coolness of the bay.

Doc. comes in with a charter, they don't have but a few small Yellow-Tail and a bunch of bass and Nickie goes and asks the Mexican fisherman if she might buy a few, he tells her to take what whe would like. (she brings him a cervasa, Nickie has a new "best friend" he again tells her to take all she wants.

Nickie and Scott, again try and decide what to do (this was a several times a day theme!) This is their first trip to Baja and Nickie really wants to go to Mulege that was her main destination.

(I found out later while in town with her at the computer "cafe" that she had been researching web-sites) The way I found this out was I showed her Bedman's Magic Rock fire at David's site) "OH MY GOD", she says...that is one of the sites I looked at!" "that's the one that made us stop here!" I show her the group picture of us, (David, Me, Paulina, Nana, Bedman, Emma, Mike H. and Maryann, kids...I forget who else was in that pic.) and she says "I REMEMBER SEEING THAT!", I point out myself, she is stunned! She can't wait to go back to camp and tell Scott.

Anyway, if they are going to make a move, they may have to be home by the 10th., mother in law is coming, although she has been told not to. Nickie tells Scott he should go into town to call is mother and find out if she has bought a airline ticket. Scott pops another cervasa. Soon the phone call is forgotten. We have a pot-luck with the fish, and my "famos" Clam Chowder

Still nothing is decided about Mulege, we bed all the kids down and Nickie brings up that day after tomorrow is Alex's birthday and it would be nice if he got to have a birthday party with Brendan (they have been having a great time together.

(I'm reminded of a conversation I'd had with Brendan on Friday....As all of his "friends" were packing up to leave, Brendan say "Mom, all of my friends are leaving, I won't have anyone to play with", I say, "Brendan it's friday, wait until this afternoon, more kids will be coming into camp" this was about 9am, by 3pm Alex had arrived.

I suggest that maybe Juana would be willing to bake him a cake, Nickie says that would be great and maybe she would also cook us a birthday feast, I tell her that I will talk to Doc. and ask if it would be approitate to ask her. (Mulege is put on hold, at least for now.

July 25th.

Here's the group photo Debra mentioned

From Bedman's 2002 Photos in the Contributed Photos section of VivaBaja.com:

Magic Rocks in the campfire do this...

from Bedman's camera (2002 Baja Photos)

Gere you go, Bob

Well Mike

Thanks Mike...

Thanks David

for supplying the pictures, someday I'll learn how to do that.

Mike that was great - thanks a million for posting that at my request.Bob H

July 26th.

storylines and styles

This is a great thread...