Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
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Baby Boom
Boom!
My first trip to Baja California was a fly-in trip in 1969 to what is now the village of Los Barriles. I don?t remember any buildings in the little
place except the one we stayed in; a round brick place with 4 rooms. For me it was love at first sight and I hoped from that day forward no body
would come along and ruin it.
I felt that strange insular feeling about all the villages I visited for fishing and fun over the next 30 odd years. For a long while those precious
spots I loved so much, San Filipe, Mulege, Loreto, Los Barriles seemed frozen in time. My trips were only possible two or three times a year when I
had vacation time and money enough to travel.
Now that I?ve been retired here in La Ribera for over ten years I have time to reflect on those visits and compare times past to current conditions.
Things have speeded up ? on my last trip to or through Mulege there were 4,500 people in the town. Loreto boasted 12,500. I think the last time I
whizzed through San Filipe there were about 6,000 folks. Ten years ago there were about 1,900 people in this little village ? now, about 3,000.
The news today tells me that U.S. Baby Boomers are turning 60 now at the rate of 7,900 every day. Those that are already retired have average
retirement income of $4,243. 91% of them own at least one home so if they live in the western U.S. they are building staggering equity ? enough to
come down here, crash through all the stumbling blocks, pay all the fees, suffer all the costs and have plenty left over for trips to Costco and
pitchers of Margaritas made with Sauza Commemorotiva.
The whole thing comes at a bad time for me. I can?t drink anymore. So I?ll just have to soberly suffer and complain. While I?m at it I?m gonna
reread all my old Baja books so I can bore the hell out of any newcomers with tales about me and Indians and the early priests.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Complaining is part of the human condition, but I wouldn't wish sobriety on anyone..... and I doubt you are boring to either newcomers or oldtimers.
Like those caissons, I hope you just keep rolling along. Godspeed.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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Osprey---
The average retirement income you quote ($4,243)----is that gross monthly income?
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
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Barry, I think it is. You won't need that much and you have my permission to quit early, bring less down here with you. We'll just have to hope
Pemex will not use the fact that they found bizzillions of barrels of new oil to raise the price of propane again (almost $45 a big bottle now).
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Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
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Ahhh, but the memories Osprey....sights and sounds of Baja that others will never see, or hear, or feel....
You were blessed mi amigo! Capt. G
I was blessed similarly in the N/E, fishing Montauk Point, Rhode Island and mostly, the beautiful and bountiful Lower Cape Cod beaches....sights,
sounds and smells that live in me for the rest of my days....lucky men.
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Just dancing through life
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Osprey
That's why guys like you and I write. We have a need to capture those sights, sounds, and smells that Captain George speaks of. Those things that we
will never lose, but that will be lost before the next wave of people wander into our wonderful Baja.
Many of us on this forum have been truly blessed with the many years we have been allowed to mingle with the amazing brown people that have made us
welcome in their country.
Write on my friend for you do it so well and the kids who are coming need to know about that which has passed.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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