Mulege "When Did?"

Who knows for sure?

Here are the pages from Gardner's 1967 book:







I am pretty sure the photos were all taken early in 1966.

[Edited on 12-30-2011 by David K]

WOW,,more,more

okay, I/m back home and one great source for Baja facts is Greg Niemann's 2002 book: Baja Legends... on page 200 are the details of Punta Chivato...

Please add Greg's book to your Baja collection! Here is a small sample of the information inside:





Order from Greg, along with his other great books, at: http://www.gregniemann.com/

Hey, this is a fun and nostalgic quiz, DavidE , glad you made it for us.


It's also a quiz where I happen to know the answers, but they were far too easy for me. I was present ...and relatively alert....when most all those events happened and I knew/know all the people involved. I wouldn't spoil the fun of the guesses to come...as I love these historical quizes, too.



Wait...One I 'will' answer now is:


the Second question:

The electricity stay on 24/7?

Answer: Never...if fails constantly. (A slight exaggeration, yes.....but very slight.)

Was out for 14 hours last week...No, not a record.


No answers, but Here are some anecdotes from those times.


The territorial prison close (the year?)

I was at the Serinadad the night when two unruly stateside drunks left in a taxi, which took them into town..where eventually they got into an altercation with the driver, who was roughed up pretty good. The two drunks were arrested and thrown into a cell at the old prison, handcuffed and foot-shackled. They spent mucho tiempo there (many months) before being sent off to Mexico City..where the federal judge sentenced them to 6 years at hard labor. Too harsh? No...justice was served and a harsh example to others was set.

This was a wee bit 'before' 2011.



The electricity stay on 24/7?

Hah...that one I already answered, and everybody else living in Mulege will concur, I'm sure.



The big ice house on ice house rd. open?

I recall buying my first huge block of ice there...two filled a coffin we had built for an amigo to be transported a little ways....cost about 6 pesos or 75 cents (12.5 MP to 1 USD). I have some old photos of the interior works from back then...and the smell of ammonia almost made me pass out. Mixing drinks with the chopped ice was mandatory...and you had to get used to the salty taste....kind of like a Baja Rite of Passage. To this day I sometimes add a grain of salt to certain drinks...cuz it brings back those old memories.



Danny Ortega close his bakery?

Ah, Danny!...I liked Danny a lot and vice versa..we were very good friends....I well remember his propane burns, having boatdrinks, and miss his voice and presence when he was fishing in his favorite spot out by The Mine...in his Luhrs cabin cruiser We would raft up a few boats and talk about our fishing....and 'other things' we all liked. He made very good bread and a few great birthday cakes for mi corazon...Bon Voyage, Danny, wherever you are cruising.



El Candil restaurant open?


The original...A long, long time ago...back then the Martinez operators were a bit different and had ties to other enterprises. Mateo (Matt, wounded ex-Navy Bay of Pigs fiasco vet) became fast friends with the clan and helped the family out by overseeing the renovation and remodeling of the older and decrepid place. Matt's father died in Arizona about this time and left a considerable amount to Matt. Being Matt, he donated a hefty sum (well over 50 grand US) to repair, brighten up, and re-open the 'new' El Candil. He was also a great saloon decorator/artist and his sense of style and character is still evident to this day. (Would be nice to see some momento of him today..but nada..a little sad, but us oldtimers remember him for all the community donations he made. A true Baja legend and affecianado.)

I once asked him.. Why so generous, Matt?

He said..'Hell, I've always wanted a place to go for a free beer.' Nuff said...and I understood his feelings. He made the El Candil a happening place after that re-opening. Mulege got a new nightclub and we all had many fun times during his lifetime. Sadly, Mateo had a heart attack on his sailboat anchored in front of mi casa in 2005..and fell overboard. His lifeless body washed up near my seawall.

Knowing Matt's gruff side well, I believe he would have wanted me to cut him up for chum, but of course I couldn't do that. I had way too much squid left in my freezer. Then again, he might have liked being stuffed and set on a stool in the Candil.



Lavamatica Claudia open?

Hmm...well, I used to trade that couple a fresh-caught cabrilla for doing my weekly laundry. The pavement still smelled fresh. The cabrilla were everywhere...! ..and so were my clothes.


Hotel Borrego de Oro close?

As the government closure was related to allegations of a shady nature.... (smelling of perfume and gunpowder)... I know absolutely nothing and have never visited that place in my entire life....unlike my twin brother.



CFE replace those twisted tree power lines with concrete posts between Sta Rosalia and Mulege?

Most of those twisted beauties now adorn the railings and balconies of many homes built by Raul L. in the late 80's and 90's.

About the same time, my buddy, Jake, 'received' a few hundred metres of some excellent telegraph wire, that he used for a ham radio antenna setup he had built for his mountain-side home behind and above me at Coyote Bay.

He was very proud of the time he contacted Tokyo on some very low power. He was thus...Ichi-ban. Seem to recall him saying 2 or 5 watts?, I forget. Hey, back then I just shouted ......or lit up something smoky.



The inexpensive (subsidized) ferry service to Guaymas.

Ah, now that time and cheap transport I miss terribly. In the early 70's, I was often to be seen in my pickup camper w/boat...next to hundreds of drivers and their rigs in Guaymas on the mainland, sll og ud lined up at the loading dock, eager to drive aboard the ferry which would drop us off in Sta.Rosalia about 12 hours later. That is..God willing and the capitano was not being entertained too much....or if a wild wind came up. Note: Never, I say Never, enter the cloisterd and stuffy steerage class salon on any ferry when making a rough crossing. Whoa...Pee-Yoo!


That ferry was the best way for me to reach Mulege back then..coming straigt south from my Dakota Baja...about 2200 miles. My ferry rate for a full-bed, 1-ton pickup with 11.5 ft camper and 20ft boat behind was a whooping $50 US..and that included a 'stateroom.'

Hah..a ribald memory. Trouble was , that 'stateroom' was supposed to be a private room...but was usually 2 sets of bunkbeds..and that was slightly embarrassing when the damn door opened, the overhead lights came on, and...WHOOPS!... some couple was staring wild-eyed when they spotted another couple 'active in bed'.


Back then, a beautiful senorita named Evangelina ran the Guaymas ticket office. A little birdy at dinner one night told me her hobby was collecting music boxes. I began collecting them, too..every year on the way from ND to Guaymas.

Thus, for some reason, when I showed up in the ticket line, she would motion me ahead of a lot irate-looking drivers. I would say out loud when going up to Evangelina..

...'Thank God, It's about time, I've been outside waiting for 2 weeks now.' That saved me from mob violence many times.

"Gracias, mi novia."



Jeff Alvarado close restaurant "La Reina"?

Jeff and Lupe..don't forget Lupe. She was a gem. It was technically notin Mulege, though. It was a roadside cafe in Ejido San Lucas, closer to Sta. Rosalia.....but hey, it's all the same neighborhood. Got some classic old photos of our sun-fried & crazy crew with that couple..both there and with Jeff's father Bill, at the PC hotel...(sshhh)..and Bill's other son, too.



The first reverse osmosis water plant go into operation?

And welcome that water was! After a couple weeks of drinking it..and then taking a sip of the regular town tap water ..which we had been happy to drink for the last 15 or so years...well, all I can say is..."We are ALL lucky to be alive!"



The CONASUPO go out of business?

It did!?!? Well, how about that? I'm still calling that grocery store behind the Fire Station the CONASUPO. Things just happen overnight around here...

Jeez...guess I had too much coffee...that was rather long. But it's your fault, DavidE...and I am way too nostalgic. Be looking forward to reading all the answers.






[Edited on 12-31-2011 by Pompano]

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DAVID K

hola,just found your viva baja site,,and now,, Im, gonna be late for work,,"work,,the curse of the fishing class" great site !! K&T

Quote:

Originally posted by David K Quote: Originally posted by capt. mike uh.....i think the Chivato hotel was built/developed by Lou Federico and Don Johnson, no? its all in his book, "One Hell of a Ride". don't recall Dixon Collins - but then again i don't recall much anyway... hahahah. Who knows for sure? Here are the pages from Gardner's 1967 book: I am pretty sure the photos were all taken early in 1966. [Edited on 12-30-2011 by David K]

Was there in '09


[Edited on 12-31-2011 by Marc]

[Edited on 12-31-2011 by Marc]

Great Thread. I love this stuff.