Inspired by the recent new thread by Shari on driving up to San Francisco de la Sierra, I took some time this afternoon to scan more of the black and
white photos taken by Choral Pepper or of Choral Pepper with Erle Stanley Gardner, that she was going or did use in her Desert Magazine or in one of
her books. I will add these photos to join the others I scanned a while back and made a new web page to show them: http://choralpepper.com
Here are today's scans... and captions come from notes on back of the photos or from me:
JW Black examines a vaquero's spurs
Horno at Rancho El Barril (Villavicencio Bros.)
Turtle in Papa Diaz' pen, Bahia de los Angeles
JW Black examines a still to convert sea water to fresh, at Bahia las Animas Feb., 1966.
'Uncle Erle' tells a story to Choral Pepper and others around the campfire.
Mission San Miguel Arcangel, next to the Ensenada Highway (La Mision).
Choral Pepper, Frank Fischer, Erle Stanley Gardner, in San Ignacio.
Sam Hicks leads Erle Stanley Gardner to the Cave of the Serpent, Sierra San Francisco.
Cave of the Serpent
Cave of the Serpent
El Parral Cave
Gardner Cave as seen from the canyon floor. ('Gardner Cave' so named by Mexico's archaeologist Dr. Carlos Margain, was renamed 'Pintada' later by the
government, which is what the local ranchers called it before Gardner brought Margain to the canyon, by helicopter. Harry Crosby credited another
archaeologist with renaming the cave, a Dr. Clement Meighan also brought to the caves by Gardner. Meighan was from UCLA, and had authority from Mexico
City to investigate the caves.)
In April, 1967, Choral Pepper was invited by Erle Stanley Gardner to join him and others for the first blimp trip into Baja on the Goodyear blimp.
This is the parking area for La Bufadora... just missed seeing the spray!
This is the border wait at San Ysidro... brutal!
Well, I hope that was fun... and I like looking at places before development changes them.BornFisher - 3-1-2013 at 10:46 PM
It was more than fun. Thanks so much!!!!!ligui - 3-2-2013 at 07:42 AM
I will go through some more of her collection and add as I find any 'good ones'. I am glad you guys are enjoying them. Choral requested they go to me
after her death, so they could be seen by more Baja loving people. See the Baja historic interests and literature forum, here on Nomad also! I will
see if I can find somethings to bump up, of interest!bacquito - 3-2-2013 at 03:13 PM
Enjoy!Vince - 3-2-2013 at 04:09 PM
Outstanding photos! Thanks for posting them, David. There are not very many photos of baja taken from blimps around. Very rare.monoloco - 3-2-2013 at 05:05 PM
Great images and history.David K - 4-2-2013 at 05:45 PM
Thank you!
The web page http://choralpepper.com still awaits the additional photos... but I will find out soon when and let you know.
[Edited on 8-7-2013 by David K]liknbaja127 - 4-2-2013 at 06:51 PM
As aways, Great picts. love to see more!durrelllrobert - 4-2-2013 at 06:53 PM
What a difference 4 decades makes. Especially the SY border crossing and La Bufadora.bajaking76 - 4-19-2013 at 08:34 AM
Havent been on here for a while...that picture of - Horno at Rancho El Barril (Villavicencio Bros.) is from my Uncle's ranch. Thanks for pictures!David K - 4-19-2013 at 10:44 AM
Awesome! I bet you have some stories to share?shari - 4-19-2013 at 12:27 PM
thank for posting these DK, I LOVE Choral's desert boots! Man, she was one good looking woman eh!David K - 8-6-2013 at 07:17 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by shari
thank for posting these DK, I LOVE Choral's desert boots! Man, she was one good looking woman eh!
My pleasure Shari... Yes Choral wrote many books and magazine articles and she was a fine looking woman. It seemed Erle Stanley Gardner enjoyed her
being along on his expeditions (however, her husband Jack was also along... and after their divorce, Erle stopped inviting her along... unmarried
women shouldn't be around large groups of men being the thinking then).DocRey - 8-6-2013 at 08:30 PM
Thanks. Some super stuff.Ken Cooke - 8-6-2013 at 11:29 PM
Thanks for sharing, David!chuckie - 8-7-2013 at 03:45 AM
Thanks!wessongroup - 8-7-2013 at 07:52 AM
Those were the "camping" days .... thanks enjoy time travelmcfez - 8-7-2013 at 01:48 PM
GREAT stuff David!
Stanley Gardner...helicopter guy?David K - 8-7-2013 at 07:27 PM
Erle Stanley Gardner, the prolific pulp fiction writer best known for creating the fictional lawyer Perry Mason; Della Street, Mason's secretary;
private detective Paul Drake, Mason's favorite investigator; and Hamilton Burger, the district attorney with the worst won-lost record in the history
of fictional jurisprudence... See full bio »
Born: July 17, 1889 in Malden, Massachusetts, USA
Died: March 11, 1970 (age 80) in Temecula, California, USA
===============================================
From me:
Erle Stanley Gardner was the mystery book author who created the character 'Perry Mason'... The TV series of the 1950's and 60's played by Raymond
Burr (1957-1966) was what helped pay for the Gardner expeditions, including helicopters to explore the canyons north of L.A. Bay, and later the cave
art north of San Ignacio.
