BajaNomad

the CLaM Man

GrOUper-GAr - 2-24-2011 at 10:11 AM

Does anybody remember the CLAM MAN ?

I ate My 1st CLAM TACO HERE !!!:P:P:P:lol:

the CLAM MAN story:
Pasqual "Cruz" Guerrero was a smiling, personable old man who, in appearance, looked like an escapee from the lunatic fringe. In the 70's and 80's, Cruz was often seen with a gunnysack of butter clams slung over his shoulder, calling out his product like a circus hawker, his kind eyes a sharp contrast to his wild hair and desert-profit beard.

The Clam Man's restaurant, which in the portmanteau way of many Mexican businesses, was also his home. It was and still is instantly recognizable to anyone who drives down the main street of town. More than reflecting the rustico influence of small-town Mexico, it voices the profound influence the sea had upon this man's life. Halos of shells and whale-bones wreathed the walkways, windows and entrance to the place. A plethora of signs, splash-painted by hand, announce the virtues of clams to the uninformed. The fulcrum of the claims about clams was what the Clam Man often insisted when he tried to sell you some. "They make you horny." With five daughters and three sons to his credit, who are we to argue?

this texT was taken from San FeLipe Myths & Legends. for More
http://www.blueroadrunner.com/myths.htm

CLAMMAN.jpg - 45kB

GrOUper-GAr - 2-24-2011 at 10:56 AM

Dick(rip) and Lana

ClamManSign.jpg - 47kB

David K - 2-24-2011 at 01:41 PM

Sure!

scan.jpg - 48kB

David K - 2-24-2011 at 01:53 PM

When we drove into San Felipe, Pasqual (The Clam Man) would wave from his barber chair.

bigboy - 2-24-2011 at 02:10 PM

I met him probably in 1968 while camping on the beach in town. I asked him about his excellent English and he told me he spent many years in Chicago and even went to one of the universities there!

David K - 2-24-2011 at 02:14 PM

GrOUper-GAr - 2-24-2011 at 07:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by GrOUper-GAr
It was and still is instantly recognizable to anyone who drives down the main street of town.



Does the place really still exist?
(Maybe one of his Kids runs it?)
I would love to re-visit and feast on the Authentic "Clam Taco"
...or get one of those fabulous T-shirts.
Sh!T, I'm just Gonna Send in my $6.95 plus 6% sales tax for being a CA resident(haha), and wait....... .... ...
and wait...

monoloco - 2-24-2011 at 07:57 PM

Hey, didn't he have a commune in Oregon?

bagwan_rashneesh.jpg - 17kB

David K - 2-24-2011 at 07:59 PM

The building still has (last time I looked) the Clam Man painted on the side... on the right, between the arches and the traffic circle. Long abandoned...

Read about him here

mcfez - 2-24-2011 at 10:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
The building still has (last time I looked) the Clam Man painted on the side... on the right, between the arches and the traffic circle. Long abandoned...


http://books.google.com/books?id=35WQOduN1F4C&pg=PA80&am...



[Edited on 2-25-2011 by mcfez]

Stickers - 2-24-2011 at 11:29 PM

Here we are buying clams one morning on the beach. He made you pay him a buck if you took his picture and spoke perfect English.

Clam 1981.jpg - 48kB

David K - 2-25-2011 at 07:56 AM

Great photo... now that extra large sand dollar I can believe is real, too!

David K - 2-25-2011 at 08:01 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcfez
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
The building still has (last time I looked) the Clam Man painted on the side... on the right, between the arches and the traffic circle. Long abandoned...


http://books.google.com/books?id=35WQOduN1F4C&pg=PA80&am...



[Edited on 2-25-2011 by mcfez]


That link takes you to Google Books online and is the chapter from Greg Niemann's book (Baja Legends) on the Clam Man. It is where the photo I posted came from... Here is a shorter, direct link:


The Clam Man chapter in Baja Legends

mcfez - 2-25-2011 at 11:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Stickers
Here we are buying clams one morning on the beach. He made you pay him a buck if you took his picture and spoke perfect English.


Yes....these huge Silver dollars are for the taking....at Shell Island. fact is...I have hundreds measuring 18 inches and up.