BajaNomad

Self agrandizing trip repost for newbies

weebray - 11-25-2018 at 10:11 AM

I was going to answer to David that cuagama is Baja slang for a liter of Tecate but since that link seems to be broken and I spent valuable brain cells recalling past advise; I (again) offer this for the new to Baja crowd.

"My very first visit to Baja California was a two week adventure to nowhere. I had no plan and stuck to it. The first couple of days were spent in a sort of crazed stupor shaking off the devils of "freeway CA". I had no help or prior expectations. The first day I watched a VW in front of me swerve violently to the left to avoid one of the most decreped pick ups I had ever seen going about 10 mph. LA bay? I had never heard of it so I took the road. About 5 mi. in (still at freeway speed) I passed a curious site - a man with a long pole with a red rag on it waving it in the air. That's pretty random methinks. Over the crest and hard on the brakes to avoid a truck parked in my lane WITH HIS TRANSMISSION on the ground on the road. Holy Jesus this Mexico driving is really something. Spent a few days in LA bay, met some mellow people. They showed me how to dig clams and took me fishing in their little skif (named "half pint") After an incredible day fishing we were racing, at about 3 mph, back to shore we ran over something, took the motor clean off. The horror turned out to be one of the funniest adventures in my life. We spent a few days of "mellowization" including great meals on the beach and ballenas, my first introduction. Later, proceeding at a more proper gate, we stopped along the way and explored the land as well at the little tiendas and people. We found a sweet spot on the beach in Conception bay, more friends, more fish, more ballenas. It turned in to the most relaxing and enjoyable vacation we had ever spent. Time flew by and we were late returning necessitating driving at night. We quickly learned you can drive at night and 1) The cool breeze is super and 2) You can see the traffic coming from a long way. But, you need to slow down to avoid outdriving your headlights and eschew the ballena between the legs. Later - I live here."

David K - 11-25-2018 at 11:23 AM

The other thread was working for me this morning, so I added this post of yours to it so it all stayed together. Thank you for your response!

sancho - 11-25-2018 at 01:17 PM

The 1st trip, to me was the best, wide eyed, the oddities
found now where else. Bussed down '82 or so, sunrise decending the Santa Rosalia grade, got me hooked. All before internet,
no before any info, all adventure. Losing the outboard made me remember a Fred Hoctor story, panga fishing LA bay,
returning to the beach, panguero said something, after
picking himself up off the beach, after a launch over the bow, the result of a 20mi. an hr.
beaching, did he realize the Spanish phrase he missed
must have been 'hold on'


shari - 11-25-2018 at 04:17 PM

C'mon...lets here the funniest story ever about what you ran over in your skiff...I could use a laugh today!
agrandizing....hmmm....new word of the day...how do you pronounce it? where is the accent?

advrider - 11-25-2018 at 05:38 PM

Awesome stories! Keep them coming...

weebray - 11-26-2018 at 08:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by shari  
C'mon...lets here the funniest story ever about what you ran over in your skiff...I could use a laugh today!
agrandizing....hmmm....new word of the day...how do you pronounce it? where is the accent?


It's an English word meaning self-serving. I felt a little guilty reposting, it felt egotistical. Sometimes I get caught up in how clever I am. I have been accused of being a sesquipedalian.