Stuck at home - Baja books

Trying to keep the stir-crazy in check looking at my bookshelf at old Baja books.

Of course I came across Into A Desert Place but couldn’t believe it was 32 years ago!

Graham was winner of Adventurous Traveller of the Year Award in England. Can you imagine how those Brits felt about and guy walking a couple of thousand miles in Mexico with a donkey?

I don’t even remember how I found out about his adventure and book but maybe through the the Baja Bush Pilots.

Also kind of crazy how he inspired another Nomad to do the same walk with a donkey.

So I think that I will again read his book and have a virtual journey down Baja.

Graham began his 1980s adventure story writing with stories sent to the San Diego Union and Mexico West Travel Club newsletter... and eventually Discover Baja Travel Club newsletters.

With the Internet in play from the 1990s, his second and third book story was shared on Amigos de Baja and eventually Baja Nomad, which was mentioned in his fourth book.

1988 (Hardback edition)


2001:


2003:


2008:


Graham is on an adventure right now, self-isolating.

Erle Stanley Gardner Books

I have always enjoyed Gardner's Baja adventure books! Going to the desert and exploring Baja was his way to clear the mind to dream up new Perry Mason story lines.

Gardner used his TV show and book sales income to finance his 1960-1968 Baja expeditions in which he would bring several friends who were each specialists in their field but all shared a love for camping. Erle paid for everything and even talked a helicopter company to provide copters to explore the canyons of Baja, seeking palm tree filled canyons, giant cave art locations, and lost missions!



















Other Gardner adventure books not in my collection:

Hunting Lost Mines by Helicopter
Host with a Big Hat

Quote: Originally posted by paranewbi

Any of Daniele Reveles's books of short stories centered on Tecate. Or Franz's 'The People's Guide to Mexico'. Both of them you can just open at any point and take up reading. I think DK has a copy or two of Reveles's books for free.

Yes, I got a large box of Daniel's book, Guacamole Dip, from Harry Crosby as part of the truckload of books that Sunbelt delivered to his home last year... Books that 92 year-old Harry had no desire for!

I gave away about half of them to anyone who drove to my home (a lot went to Geoff of Baja Bound who will give them away at their Christmas parties, etc.).

Now with social-distancing, no more personal pickups here, for now. HOWEVER, I still can go to the post office! I sell Reveles's book and Crosby's books for under 50% of their list price. They are all new books. Go to www.oldmissions.com and scroll down, below my mission book, to see and order.

I also still have several of Mike Humfreville's Baja book from 2006, published only months before he went on to the "other place" we all will go to!

Camp and Camino in Lower California by Arthur North. A great travel log of Baja in 1910.

Quote: Originally posted by philodog

Camp and Camino in Lower California by Arthur North. A great travel log of Baja in 1910.

That is the 1977 reprint of the book, originally published in 1910.
Sadly, they didn't even read the book before creating the cover! The trip was actually in 1905 & 1906. The reprint has many added photos and notes from Dr. Michael Mathes.

Here is the original 1910 edition:

Quote: Originally posted by vacaenbaja

The Long walk to Mulege By Howard Hale if you can find it. Also any of the stories in John Hiltons Baja Travel series book Hardly Any Fences . You can find some of them by putting John Hilton at the top of this page under SEARCH tab. Happy reading about Baja's yesteryears.

I really enjoyed this book and have read it a couple times... A couple of WW-I vets walk to Mulegé in 1921. The book was published in 1980.



Hilton's works:




http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=28749
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=64703

Log From The Sea of Cortez

Republished over the years with different covers but an amazing book of not only the adventure and the voyage with observing and gathering specimens, but also the philosophical take on the relationship of the ocean and the heavens.

One of my strongest memories of my first night camped on a remote Baja beach was the incredible sky above like I had never seen before.

“....the knowledge that all things are one thing and that one thing is all things—plankton, a shimmering phosphorescence on the sea and the spinning planets and an expanding universe, all bound together by the elastic string of time. It is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool again.”
― John Steinbeck, The Log from the Sea of Cortez

Quote: Originally posted by bajarich

I just re-read "In to a Desert Place" again this spring while camping on the beach near Agua Verde. My copy was signed by Graham when we met at the now gone Ecomundo palapa. I had just read the "Journey wiith a Baja Burrow" book and my wife and I had kayaked from Santaspac over to Ecomundo because Graham had mentioned it in his burro book. We were talking to the owner when Graham walked in much to our surprise. He was on a trip to visit his burro. I wish I could post the photo of me having a beer with Graham, but it is a pre digital print in an old photo alblum that I don't have access to right now. Graham presented us with a slide show a couple of days later. It was truly one of my fondest memories of Baja. I still have my Baja Burro book that I can read again.

Graham is a true gem and anyone who has met him or been privileged to hear him tell his story or see his slide show is indeed fortunate and you will never forget it. I met Graham in 1990 at his slide show and have since attended several as well as had him as a guest at our Viva Baja events (2000-2006).

Here are a few photos of Graham...

Feb 2000: San Clemente Pier meet -up (sitting with Mike & Mary Ann Humfreville):

Graham rode with me from San Diego to San Clemente for this first time meeting of many Internet Baja enthusiasts. 'elgatoloco' and wife Barb were there, too. (as were 'M', Ferna de Tijuana, and more)
It went over so well, I was encouraged to create future meet-ups, and Viva Baja was born.

Oct. 2000, Viva Baja 1 (sitting with 'M'):


May 2001, Viva Baja 2 (sitting with 'BajaMur'):


Feb. 2002, Viva Baja 3 (with pilot Larry Hahn of BajaDreams.com):


Feb. 2003, Viva Baja 4:




Nov. 2006, Viva Baja Cactus:



Roger ('rogerj1') listens to Graham and Elizabeth ('Baja Angel').

Graham's website: www.grahammackintosh.com

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca

Can someone tell me a little about Portrait of Paloma? Thanks.

It is a novel from Harry Crosby... he gave me a full case of them from the publisher last November, with the other books I have been giving away or mailing.

I began reading it, but novels are not my thing and so I won't try and rate it. Once this virus is over, they are free if you come here. Otherwise, I offer them at less than wholesale, to U.S. addresses, simply to cover postage and handling.

Here is the back cover with some details...







[Edited on 4-13-2020 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG

A few favorites: "Long Walk To Mulege" mentioned above is a great true adventure story. "Almost An Island" by Bruce Berger. He is a very good writer. I especially liked his description of the 1991 Eclipse (I motorcycled down there in July 1991 but that is a story for another post) and the chapter Earth Day With The Governor where turtle soup was served. "Land Where Time Stands Still" by Max Miller Journey Of The Flame by "Fiero Blanco." A great read. "The Forgotten Peninsula" by Joseph Wood Krutch There are, of course, many others but those are the ones that draw me back for re-reading in times like these.

In Max Miller's 1943 book:

Quote: Originally posted by KurtG

A few favorites: "Long Walk To Mulege" mentioned above is a great true adventure story. "Almost An Island" by Bruce Berger. He is a very good writer. I especially liked his description of the 1991 Eclipse (I motorcycled down there in July 1991 but that is a story for another post) and the chapter Earth Day With The Governor where turtle soup was served. "Land Where Time Stands Still" by Max Miller Journey Of The Flame by "Fiero Blanco." A great read. "The Forgotten Peninsula" by Joseph Wood Krutch There are, of course, many others but those are the ones that draw me back for re-reading in times like these.