BajaNomad

A Tale of Two Breakdowns

dasubergeek - 11-9-2015 at 03:45 PM

I decided, for whatever reason, to cross back into the U.S. at Ciudad de los Dentistas (ahem, I mean Los Algodones). On the way from Mexicali to the border crossing, I noticed a car quite a ways in front of me fishtail and then wobble onto the shoulder. I kid you not, three people stopped before I got there, all Mexican plates, all there to help.

I crossed the border (don't really need to do that crossing again, I'll use my SENTRI pass in the SENTRI lanes at Mexicali East or SLRC, thanks) and decided to head up to Palm Springs, since I'd never seen the Salton Sea.

A couple had driven a Jeep Wrangler down onto the shore, had broken through the salt crust, and become mired in the toxic muck that sits under the pulverized fish bones and salt. I walked over to see what was going on, and the guy told me he'd been digging his truck out for five hours and had given up and called a winch to come from Ocotillo, 70 miles away.

He asked me to go back out to the highway and buy him a gallon of water, and said people had just ignored him flagging them down. One car flatly refused, point blank, to go buy him a freaking dollar's worth of water.

I went back out to Salton City and bought them water and chips.

And this is why I love Baja, because the people in Baja haven't lost the art of not being, um, bass poles, if you know what I mean.

David K - 11-9-2015 at 05:26 PM

Good for you! :bounce::bounce::bounce:

You should post this in the thread about the guy renting a car and wondering about break downs.

Maron - 11-9-2015 at 05:46 PM

What a story, sad but true. Our experience is that the locals do it because they are kind, decent people. Most of the time it is difficult to get them to accept a tip for their time and effort.

Just one of the reasons we love Baja - her PEOPLE

alacran - 11-9-2015 at 06:19 PM

If you want to tip some body, because they deserve it, mention that it is for then kids, and or the gas.

alacran - 11-9-2015 at 06:32 PM

I live in Mulege, for over 10 yrs, a few yrs ago I decided to visit the beaches of Sta. Ines, I know the area, but I was driving a 4 x 4 and decided to go closer to the water.
When I decided to leave, with wife and 2 dogs, I got stuck in the sand, after trying for 2 hrs. I use my hand held radio and sent an S.O.S, i got a response from Punta Chivato, asking me from where I was, I said Mulege, the answer from the woman , was , get help from Mulege.
Thank you Pta. Chivato, I will not forget.

carlosg - 11-9-2015 at 06:49 PM

...well here's my two cents for whatever they're worth... but I sure relate to the Salton Sea guy....
Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  

…enjoying the view… ‘til we made it back to Buenaventura, moored the boat with the help of Nathan after about six hours of drifting, rowing, counseling children, sticking together and calling (yelling), blowing two whistles as loud as we could, waving hands and flags for help (our radio ran out of battery…&^@*?+!!!) …when it got dark we lighted four hand flares… NO DARN RESPONSE…!!! …we’re floating adrift right in front of Buenaventura... sh...!!! …but we finally made it!!! After we got out of the water and sat for a drink at the bar, I asked if our flag wasn’t visible ... as it was!!! or if our flares weren’t visible, Mark (Nathan’s dad) replied that he thought it was some guys just celebrating a catch and were just fooling around… YEAH!!! FOR SURE!!! FOOLING AROUND WITH AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS SIGNAL FLAG AND FLARES!!! …waving desperately out in the bay!!! …trying to catch these guys attention at Buenaventura!!! I would think anyone living or making a living near the beach or bay (a business owner...!?!?!?) should know better, it’s probably my own stupid perception, but that’s how I felt with me and my family in deep distress… but we made it… !!! A couple of years back (Oct. 2013) we rescued Nathan as he was fishing at the mouth of the bay just before entering Mulege… he had a broken motor as well but we didn’t disregard his call for help!!! Our Captain and friend, Alex Bukovekz told me: that boat hasn’t moved in a long time: they’re in trouble, sure enough then the distress flare came up and immediately Alex went to HELP!!! ....After the whole ordeal Mark asked me if we needed a ride back to Los Naranjos to which I replied: YES, okay he said, for two hundred gas money pesos Nathan will drive you home… I just wanted to get back and rest, so off we went (the one way trip is about 40 to 50 kms.) Next day we came by with the trailer, loaded the boat and back to Los Naranjos we went…

This was a huge learning experience for all four of us: we stuck together, kept our cool, prayed, enacted our faith and made it...!!! THANK GOD!!!...


http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=80569&got...

[Edited on 11-12-2015 by carlosg]

rts551 - 11-9-2015 at 06:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  
...well here's my two cents for whatever they're worth... but I sure relate to the Salton Sea guy....

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  

…enjoying the view… ‘til we made it back to Buenaventura, moored the boat with the help of Nathan after about six hours of drifting, rowing, counseling children, sticking together and calling (yelling), blowing two whistles as loud as we could, waving hands and flags for help (our radio ran out of battery…&^@*?+!!!) …when it got dark we lighted four hand flares… NO DARN RESPONSE…!!! …we’re floating adrift right in front of Buenaventura... sh...!!! …but we finally made it!!! After we got out of the water and sat for a drink at the bar, I asked if our flag wasn’t visible ... as it was!!! or if our flares weren’t visible, Mark (Nathan’s dad) replied that he thought it was some guys just celebrating a catch and were just fooling around… YEAH!!! FOR SURE!!! FOOLING AROUND WITH AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS SIGNAL FLAG AND FLARES!!! …waving desperately out in the bay!!! …trying to catch these guys attention at Buenaventura!!! I would think anyone living or making a living near the beach or bay (a business owner...!?!?!?) should know better, it’s probably my own stupid perception, but that’s how I felt with me and my family in deep distress… but we made it… !!! A couple of years back (Oct. 2013) we rescued Nathan as he was fishing at the mouth of the bay just before entering Mulege… he had a broken motor as well but we didn’t disregard his call for help!!! Our Captain and friend, Alex Bukovekz told me: that boat hasn’t moved in a long time: they’re in trouble, sure enough then the distress flare came up and immediately Alex went to HELP!!! ....After the whole ordeal Mark asked me if we needed a ride back to Los Naranjos to which I replied: YES, okay he said, for two hundred gas money pesos Nathan will drive you home… I just wanted to get back and rest, so off we went (the one way trip is about 40 to 50 kms.) Next day we came by with the trailer, loaded the boat and back to Los Naranjos we went…

This was a huge learning experience for all four of us: we stuck together, kept our cool, prayed, enacted our faith and made it...!!! THANK GOD!!!...


No call for that. Anyone on the ocean should recognize a flare as a distress signal. Glad you made it back. and then gas money?

Gulliver - 11-11-2015 at 03:10 PM

I have had such good experiences with the whole Bukovics family both Alex and his brother who runs the motorcycle shop in Mulege. Special people.

I hired Alex's 14 year old son to teach a young man from the foster home how to ride a motorcycle and the son was surprised to paid and to get his tank filled as well. He would have done it for free.

One of the many reasons i live there.

mtgoat666 - 11-11-2015 at 03:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  
...well here's my two cents for whatever they're worth... but I sure relate to the Salton Sea guy....

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  

…enjoying the view… ‘til we made it back to Buenaventura, moored the boat with the help of Nathan after about six hours of drifting, rowing, counseling children, sticking together and calling (yelling), blowing two whistles as loud as we could, waving hands and flags for help (our radio ran out of battery…&^@*?+!!!) …when it got dark we lighted four hand flares… NO DARN RESPONSE…!!! …we’re floating adrift right in front of Buenaventura... sh...!!! …but we finally made it!!! After we got out of the water and sat for a drink at the bar, I asked if our flag wasn’t visible ... as it was!!! or if our flares weren’t visible, Mark (Nathan’s dad) replied that he thought it was some guys just celebrating a catch and were just fooling around… YEAH!!! FOR SURE!!! FOOLING AROUND WITH AN INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS SIGNAL FLAG AND FLARES!!! …waving desperately out in the bay!!! …trying to catch these guys attention at Buenaventura!!! I would think anyone living or making a living near the beach or bay (a business owner...!?!?!?) should know better, it’s probably my own stupid perception, but that’s how I felt with me and my family in deep distress… but we made it… !!! A couple of years back (Oct. 2013) we rescued Nathan as he was fishing at the mouth of the bay just before entering Mulege… he had a broken motor as well but we didn’t disregard his call for help!!! Our Captain and friend, Alex Bukovekz told me: that boat hasn’t moved in a long time: they’re in trouble, sure enough then the distress flare came up and immediately Alex went to HELP!!! ....After the whole ordeal Mark asked me if we needed a ride back to Los Naranjos to which I replied: YES, okay he said, for two hundred gas money pesos Nathan will drive you home… I just wanted to get back and rest, so off we went (the one way trip is about 40 to 50 kms.) Next day we came by with the trailer, loaded the boat and back to Los Naranjos we went…

This was a huge learning experience for all four of us: we stuck together, kept our cool, prayed, enacted our faith and made it...!!! THANK GOD!!!...


I have always found that people that own bars are,... Well, let's just say they aren't top drawer! Just saying! They drink too much. They spend all their time with other alcoholics. After a few decades, their sense and morals are diminished.

Tioloco - 11-11-2015 at 04:29 PM

Goat-
For a man who paints with such broad strokes, one would expect you to have a better picture.