BajaNomad

The Police really are helpful!

beachbum1A - 8-10-2013 at 09:09 AM

Every year a friend & I take a fishing/camping trip together, camping just off some beach and fishing from our 13’ tin boat or from shore. He drives his Suzuki Samurai and tows a 4 foot square enclosed utility trailer – I drive my Suzuki Sidekick and tow our tin boat.
This recent trip was to Punta Morro Santa Domingo, about 7 miles west of Jesus Maria and 25 miles north of Guerrero Negro.

Driving down there (about 120 miles from our destination) Jim develops an over heating problems in his Suzuki Samurai.
Only able to drive 5-10 miles b4 it overheats and we have to stop, cool down and add water, then repeat!
We limped to within 40 miles of our destination but it's almost dark and we haven't eaten and need to find a place to spend the night (which we hadn't planned on).
The Gods are smiling on us as we find a cheapo motel AND a restaurant nearby and spend the night there. I believe it was in the small community of Punta Prieta. Next morning we make it to our destination and set up camp on the beach.
Then we drive into the tiny community of Jesus Maria and stop at the Police station to ask them for a recommendation for a radiator shop, perhaps in Guerrero Negro some 25 miles away.
Next think I know there are 3 cops, outside, examining the engine in Jim's car! One suggests the water pump is bad. Another taps on the thermostat housing thinking that the thermostat is stuck. After a bit one on them puts his fingers into the fan blades as the engine is running! IS HE NUTS! The fan slows down and literally stops! Wow! He then explains that the problem is with the fan, that when the car is moving the incoming wind is stopping the fan from turning and then the engine overheats because the blades are stopping the wind. Really? Ummmmm…….

This one cop tells us to follow him to his nearby house - which we do. He changes his uniform shirt for a tee shirt and starts taking the fan apart. Has 2 Pit Bulls chained up nearby plus 2 other mongrel dogs sniffing around.






He drags out a electric welder and proceeds to weld 2 small pieces of re-bar to the fan! Then he puts it all back together. While this is going on his wife (I presume) is washing clothes in a washing machine that is outside their house and on a wooden pallet with a long orange extension cord to it.

It's all back together and he proclaims that it is fixed! OK, how much do we owe you? $100 pesos!! IS HE NUTS! Jim can't believe it so he gives the man $200 pesos and the guy doesn't understand why Jim feels is doubling the amount. We drive away shaking our heads and drive back to our camp. And of course the damn thing worked perfectly all the way back to Ensenada. Crazy huh!! Only in Mexico......

[Edited on 8-10-2013 by beachbum1A]

P1050101.JPG - 48kB

beachbum1A - 8-10-2013 at 09:13 AM

Forgot to post this picture from the man's back yard as he was repairing the fan.

P1050103.JPG - 49kB

woody with a view - 8-10-2013 at 09:29 AM

cool story from a laid back place!

Howard - 8-10-2013 at 09:46 AM

I stopped by that delegacion municipal, police station, back in May looking for directions to Laguna Manuela. They went out of there way explaining how to get there and had a smile on there face the whole time. It instantly reminded me of "the old days of Baja" and it also reminded me of why I love Baja so much.

TMW - 8-10-2013 at 09:49 AM

That's great. That's one of my favorite places to fish too.

DavidE - 8-10-2013 at 09:59 AM

When I encountered an especially amicable "modulo" or tiny commandancia, I would make an effort to bring them a case of made-in-USA Coca Cola not because it is better but to them it is "exotic". They remember this stuff for years.

beachbum1A - 8-10-2013 at 10:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
When I encountered an especially amicable "modulo" or tiny commandancia, I would make an effort to bring them a case of made-in-USA Coca Cola not because it is better but to them it is "exotic". They remember this stuff for years.


That's a great idea David. My friend was thinking of taking down a nice canned ham that they could heat up and share with their friends or family. Maybe both now!!

DENNIS - 8-10-2013 at 10:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
When I encountered an especially amicable "modulo" or tiny commandancia, I would make an effort to bring them a case of made-in-USA Coca Cola not because it is better but to them it is "exotic". They remember this stuff for years.


I thought Mexicans didn't care so much foe US Coca Cola, given the different sweetness. They make their's with sugar from cane...... the US uses sugar beets. [I think that's how it goes.]
Maybe they use the US stuff for interrogations. :o

shari - 8-10-2013 at 10:28 AM

thanks for the positive baja tale...actually that fan problem is very common...most of the time, they take out the thermostat and then weld the fan so it is direct...works for us! excellent price and good for your bud for tipping him...central baja is great for displaying that OLD BAJA culture...people are very friendly and quick to help.

DavidE - 8-10-2013 at 10:30 AM

Actually the USA stuff is full of Archer Daniels Midland CORN SYRUP

And in my humble opinion GARBAGE

But it's something different to the cops and they'll enjoy it but secretly think afterward "I prefer Mexican Coca Cola"

But it's the THOUGHT that counts. Most Bajacalifornianos have never tasted USA Coca Cola. You bet they'll glance at the label written in "Ingles". I sure as hell would not tell the cops it's better than Mexican Coca Cola. It's just the novelty.

Wanna another example?

Sometimes WALDO'S carries made in Canada, canned soup. Try it. You'll soon see just how big a screwing the USA soup canners have been giving the public for the last 100 years. Canadian processed foods are light-years superior in quality. Like Canadian Robertson drive threaded screws. Phillips drive? You have to be joking. The Canadians are smart enough to make affordable hand tools, like the ones that have the wolf head emblem on them.

-Enough Gossip

DENNIS - 8-10-2013 at 10:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
And in my humble opinion GARBAGE

But it's something different to the cops and they'll enjoy it but secretly think afterward "I prefer Mexican Coca Cola"

But it's the THOUGHT that counts.


My THOUGHT is they would prefer a box of Tecate Roja. Why go all that way to give them a box of GARBAGE?

Paulina - 8-10-2013 at 06:32 PM

It's always an adventure with Jim! We love to hear him retell the highlights of his journeys. Thank you for sharing this one.

P>*)))>{

Barry A. - 8-17-2013 at 08:03 AM

Great story!!! Thanks, Beachbum.

Barry

vgabndo - 8-17-2013 at 10:34 AM

NOT, I repeat NOT a good idea to disable the fan clutch on a Sidekick. The extra stress is very likely to cause a failure of the bracket which holds the the fan, fan clutch, and idler pulley. In my case, when they came off they destroyed the radiator. 50 km north of Loreto.

Three weeks and $1700. later, I got the POS home.

Search under my user name and "I can laugh now" for the four part horror story.

BajaBlanca - 8-17-2013 at 11:24 AM

What a wonderful story!

I like the IDEA of bringing something from the states or canada as a little memento. It says that you thought of them when you were mucho far away. And they surely will never have a chance to go north.

You can always add the Tecate, right?!?!

Baja ingenuity

Whale-ista - 8-17-2013 at 02:28 PM

Great report on Baja kindness and ingenuity. Thanks for a good news story.

Clearly, when you live/work far from traditional repair shops, this is the sort of skills you need to develop in many Baja towns.

For those who go to San Ignacio (town and/or lagoon), Maldo Fischer of Campo Cortes is descended from a German "Fischer" who jumped ship in Sta. Rosalia during WWI and made it to San Ignacio where he married into a local family. The family also operates a small shop on the square, across from the mission, on the northwest corner. Maldo's father used to greet visitors there. I'm not sure if he's still around? If so he'd be in his 90s by now.

How did a Fischer wind up in San Ignacio? The US had asked Mexico to embargo all German ships during WWI, including commercial freighters. The 1st Fischer was a merchant marine and welder, who escaped after staying 2 years aboard ship in Sta Rosalia harbor.

To this day Maldo takes great pride in his ability to manufacture his own parts and tools and do repairs to cars, tents, cabins, pangas etc. at Campo Cortes. (I certainly benefitted from these skills to repair my various cars and trucks, after bouncing down 50 miles of dirt road to get to his camp when the pavement ended at town.)

I like to deliver supplies to his camp when I travel down to see the whales. He runs a great family operation and always makes people feel welcome.

Barry A. - 8-17-2013 at 02:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by vgabndo
NOT, I repeat NOT a good idea to disable the fan clutch on a Sidekick. The extra stress is very likely to cause a failure of the bracket which holds the the fan, fan clutch, and idler pulley. In my case, when they came off they destroyed the radiator. 50 km north of Loreto.

Three weeks and $1700. later, I got the POS home.

Search under my user name and "I can laugh now" for the four part horror story.


True, but in an emergency-----------------it WILL most often work. Have them replaced when you have the time.

I converted all my "clutch-fans" to solid-fans for the vehicles used in Baja before I ever went down. I have had too many "clutch fans" fail north of the border. The only down-side that I have noticed is slower heating up to operational temps, and the wind-noise whine of the solid fan which you get used to, especially in Baja. :lol:

Barry

luv2fish - 8-17-2013 at 05:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
How did a Fischer wind up in San Ignacio? The US had asked Mexico to embargo all German ships during WWI, including commercial freighters. The 1st Fischer was a merchant marine and welder, who escaped after staying 2 years aboard ship in Sta Rosalia harbor.


Not to hijack the thread, but is there any chance that these people were N-zis ???

bajaguy - 8-17-2013 at 06:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by luv2fish
Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
How did a Fischer wind up in San Ignacio? The US had asked Mexico to embargo all German ships during WWI, including commercial freighters. The 1st Fischer was a merchant marine and welder, who escaped after staying 2 years aboard ship in Sta Rosalia harbor.


Not to hijack the thread, but is there any chance that these people were N-zis ???





Nope.

WWI was from roughly from June of 1914 with the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. to November, 1919

The National Socialist German Workers Party (N-zi) was established in February of 1920 and grew in power and influence from then.

I doubt of a German sailor who jumped ship during WWI would even know or have involvement in The National Socialist German Workers Party.....unless he was a member of A Partido Nacional Socialista Mexicano during WWII.

acadist - 8-18-2013 at 08:27 AM

Rather than US Coca-Cola bring AW root beer, now there's a treat :light:

DENNIS - 8-18-2013 at 08:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by acadist
Rather than US Coca-Cola bring AW root beer, now there's a treat :light:



Or, a couple of "In 'n Out" burgers and a chocolate malt. :yes:

Drive fast.

wiltonh - 8-18-2013 at 07:28 PM

One year we found our selves at Jesus Maria near dark. We had run out of gas and some locals helped us get enough to make it to the filling station. We filled up and then went to the police station to ask about a safe place to park for the evening. The policeman on duty told us that we could park next to the city square which is next to the station. He told us that the station was open all night and they would watch out for us.

If we are in that area, we often stop for the night and do some shopping at the local store.

vito - 9-17-2013 at 11:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Howard
I stopped by that delegacion municipal, police station, back in May looking for directions to Laguna Manuela. They went out of there way explaining how to get there and had a smile on there face the whole time. It instantly reminded me of "the old days of Baja" and it also reminded me of why I love Baja so much.

vito - 9-17-2013 at 12:01 PM

reminds me of when I got my truck stuck at laguna manuela I went to the police station and they took me Back to my truck and help me get it out!
my family stayed at the station and they put cartoons on for my children wile they waited

durrelllrobert - 9-17-2013 at 06:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
Actually the USA stuff is full of Archer Daniels Midland CORN SYRUP

And in my humble opinion GARBAGE

But it's something different to the cops and they'll enjoy it but secretly think afterward "I prefer Mexican Coca Cola"

But it's the THOUGHT that counts. Most Bajacalifornianos have never tasted USA Coca Cola. You bet they'll glance at the label written in "Ingles". I sure as hell would not tell the cops it's better than Mexican Coca Cola. It's just the novelty.

Wanna another example?

Sometimes WALDO'S carries made in Canada, canned soup. Try it. You'll soon see just how big a screwing the USA soup canners have been giving the public for the last 100 years. Canadian processed foods are light-years superior in quality. Like Canadian Robertson drive threaded screws. Phillips drive? You have to be joking. The Canadians are smart enough to make affordable hand tools, like the ones that have the wolf head emblem on them.

-Enough Gossip


Don't know what Waldo's sell a can of Canadian made soup for but in Alberta Canada the cheapest can of domestic soup is around $4 at the supermarkets.

durrelllrobert - 9-17-2013 at 06:46 PM

Thanks for the good news post Bruce. Jim never mentioned any of this to me. Next time I'm heading south I'll be sure to stop at the police station in J-M and drop off something for them.

beachbum1A - 9-19-2013 at 08:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
Thanks for the good news post Bruce. Jim never mentioned any of this to me. Next time I'm heading south I'll be sure to stop at the police station in J-M and drop off something for them.


Thanks Bob, I'm sure they will be most appreciative. I'm thinking of dropping off a canned ham on my next trip south. They're more like friends now...