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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
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Pompano,  At one time it was plastic bags rather than paper bags. Save the trees etc.,! We're getting buried under tons of plastic bags, on land and
sea.There're a lot of trees going to waste in the mountains around here, they're
dieing from some sort of bug.
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Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
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Pompano, one of these days....we gotta meet.
problem is , we will be coming in the summer months only....July into October...
would love to show you those bunker spoons!
Labs, they don't get more special than that.
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
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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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SMOKE!
We look off to the southwest and see a pillar of smoke coming from flame-engulfed buildings. This being the 'general' direction of Asuncion, we can
only assume this to be the unfortunate results of the current rampant crime spree going on there.
We had earlier made plans to visit this much-lauded paradise...but at the sight of this turmoil..??
I said: 'I propose we cast votes on our future direction and policies concerning Asuncion.'
Pompano: I vote to go come hell or highwater...I hear the fishing is terrific and there's a chance of a party with shari and juan.
Hilary: First, what is the definition of 'on'?
Barack-O: Do you think that might just be a barbeque? I love ribs.
[Edited on 5-22-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
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come by way of Punta Abreojos
look up el Vikingo y Devorah! We have six retired Marine Sargeant Majors and fourteen attack dogs..
A very dangerous area..we will keep you sake, ya big baby!
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
....John Mc. mutters..."You can now marry your gerbil up there, too."
Barack-O: Do you think that might just be a barbeque? I love ribs. |
I am rolling on the floor laughing - this is toooo funny !! 
[Edited on 5-21-2008 by Diver]
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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antelopes, interlopers, and foxes.
Hoo boy those interlopers! There's a regular exPLOsion of 'em in Montana these days!
And had you thought of leaving Hillary in San Francisco de la Sierra? She might have passed the time asking just who knew the way to San Jose, and
pondering which way the plastic bags were blowing and how to use them to her advantage-- as in Barack can't win the plastic bag vote, and so will
lose the election for democrats...
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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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HUMOR BREAK - No interlopers left...
Well, dang...We drove clear across the vastness of the Great Vizcaino Desert without spotting a single interloper.
Interloper factoid: The whole herd sold out in California, bought Montana ranches, sport feathered Stetson hats, stuffed their feet into
2-sizes-to-small lizard skin boots by Gucci, and, by God, freed the livestock. The streets of Bozeman are a sight to behold these days. I go there
for the sushi and badminton.
My aunt Mabel says she made uncle Gus quit telling the roadhouse boys the tale about the newbie interlopers who bought their Yellowstone River bottom
land for $25 million.
Gus chews , y’know, and she’s afraid he’ll laugh-choke hisself to death..
"Well boys, I took them San Fran dudes down to old Mabel's garden patch and showed em that dad-gum green pepper that looks like that there
Lance-boy at the beauty shop. They couldn't get their checkbooks out fast enough! Them fellers sure do giggle a lot."
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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VIZCAINO
Closing on Viscaino
We drive across the new bridge which eliminates the very dangerous hairpin curve that has claimed so many lives over the years. I can recall driving
south when there were 2 crosses there...going north the following spring there were 7. That was 1980. The curve was finally discontinued and the new
bridge has been in use for some time. A true life-saver. A ‘good news’ item.
Another ‘good news’ item. We pull off the Baja Road into the Pemex station at Viscaino top off.. and spot this always welcome sight.
A TRAILER FULL OF RECYCLABLES.
Keep those trucks rolling, hombres...there's still a huge supply waiting.
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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VIZCAINO FUEL STOP
Here is yet another 'good news' item about Baja.
Have you seen the new fuel pumps?...pretty classy..lights, sound, etc. For a minute I thought I was standing in front of a Double
Diamond slot at Harrah's.
..and...
The low price of fuel! ..diesel and gasoline are now the best bargains of Mexico.
I just returned to Baja recently after a month-long trip through southern California and Hawaii. I put on about 1500 miles driving to destinations in
California and saw the rising pump prices. Seemed like the next pump was always 25 cents a gallon more than the last.
Hawaii was over $5 for diesel at the marina. Station prices were around $4.50 or so. The US is not as high as some places in Europe and Asia, but
closing rapidly. Australia is over $7/gal. A barrel of crude is selling for $135 ... the last time I looked. It could be $150 by next week..and $200
by mid-summer. Diesel prices are driving up food production and transportation costs, resulting in higher prices at the grocery store. Farming
expenses are going through the roof.
Time for one of the hybrids, maybe? Who knows one that will pull 14,000 lbs?
Flashback - fuel prices: I remember going on a bass-fishing trip down to Toledo Bend, Louisiana way back in 1971. I pulled into a
Shell Oil to see that regular gasoline had skyrocketed up to almost 40 cents a gallon! Going back a few more years..college freshman days...1961. Gas
wars amongst certain retailers: 15 cents a gallon and the gas was pumped by gals in cheerleader outfits, wearing roller skates. Ah..those were the
days.
After being gouged at all those diesel pumps, it was a relief to come back to Baja and still find this bargain. See below the diesel pump at Vizcaino
a few days ago.
..and it's nice to be back home in Baja.
[Edited on 5-23-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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LUNCH BREAK - HIGHWAY AT VIZCAINO
And here we are....
I was so hungry by now that I could eat a horse.
Seeing no signs saying Carne de Caballo, we settled for this one, Restaurant Martitha. A good, family-style eatery just across the highway from the
Pemex station.
.
[A typical breakfast (desayuno) for me is huevos rancheros. I am in a decades-old rut, but I still order this great dish..in search of the world's
best perhaps? Being a eat-with-your-fingers guy at heart, I love to roll up a warm, freshly-made tortilla, and use it to spoon up the refrieds, eggs,
salsa, rice, avacado slices, papas, and anything else that comes within range. Few dogs benefit from my table scraps.
Other orders ranged from hamburgers to chicken tostados. It was very tasty and we would go again.
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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THE BAJA EXPRESS
Hilary commented, “All this stopping in these small villages so close together reminds me of the old TRAIN campaign days back in Arkansas. And Hey..
I wanna tell ya, I had a ball being Governor. It was better than toga night at a sorority house.”
I think ',..wha..'
Well, I accommodate her seemingly muddled flash-back memories.. plus....we are all eager to get back on track ...so let's get
crackin'.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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'Interloper' spotted.
A nagging feeling had been bothering me for some time now. Hilary just didn’t seem like her normal self. I turned to ask her what may be the
problem and caught her in an unguarded moment. Whoa! Hey.. An Interloper! OUT!
Bilary bows out..vows to return.
And then... there were 2.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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VIZCAINO - SAN IGNACIO
On the road again.
Lots of tomato and other farming operations have sprung up in the area south of Vizcaino.. and getting larger every year. Let’s hope the underground
water holds out. Hello to more plastic...and more ‘topes’. A northbound motorhomer was killed soon after the first large tope was installed.
Way down the road....Off to the east are the lofty mounts of the Sierra de San Francisco, where we have taken a mule-trip in the past. Truly a step
back in time visiting a remote ranch with blacksmith, leatherworks, and helped to collect mesquite honey..ummm.
Southbound...About a day’s mule ride..or a short hour by ‘train’...from Vizcaino, we come to San Ignacio, a stark contrast to the desert landscape.
A palm oasis in the desert aptly describes this tranquil place. The freshwater lago, courtesy of the underground river, is a great place to spend a
day or two. Years ago we would gig for large frogs here. Great supplements to our wild game dinners with quail, dove, and duck.
.
.
Earlier hunter/gatherers, the Cochimes, called this place Kadacaaman, ‘Red Grass River’.and you can readily see the red stuff growing on the lagoon’s
shoreline. A side note: Years ago we once stayed at the Kadacaaman Motel in Vizcaino....a nice experience, if my memory serves me well.
We also used to come to San Ignacio for some great c-ckfights and festivals. Always a tad cooler than Pta.
Chivato and Conception Bay for us.
This oasis was first ‘discovered’ in 1719 by those persistent donkey-riding padres. This one being Jesuit Father Francisco Maria Piccolo and his
mount, Speedy.
The zocalo adjacent to the 17th century mission, San Ignacio de Loyola is ringed with welcoming India trees, large and shady. One of my favorite
squares on the peninsula. We used to camp there enroute in the early 70's and always had many friendly visitors.. including the padre who we helped
install with a walled veggie garden.
.
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If in the area, stop by and check out the museum...lots of info on nearby.aboriginal rock paintings and great artifacts of early mission life in Baja.
Mas ballenas! No, not the Pacifo kind...sigh.. Off to the west is San Ignacio Lagoon, another great gray whale location...also camping, shore
fishing, and beach-combing. Although this year the camping seemed a little too noisy and crowded in late March-April.
All in all, San Ignacio itself is a most pleasant place to visit...or stay awhile.
.
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
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Pompano,
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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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The Three Virgins
Getting out of that hot locomotive, we jump back into the pickup and drive south of San Ignacio towards the distant Tres Virgenes on the horizon.
These mounts have long been a landmark for all types of travelers.. cars, boats, planes, and donkey riders alike.
The recent geothermal electric-generating plant attracts many interested visitors. A good resource to tap, courtesy of Tres Virgenes and already
supplies power to the area.
.
.
This area is a geologists dream...great place for a college field trip. The volcanic activity is still happening as one notices the steam vents
around the base of the mountian/volcanos. The lava beds and flows are evident alongside the highway.
Hey...did you just feel a rumble?
.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65069
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Online
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Roger, can I convince you to drive out that paved road to the geothermal plant project at the base of Tres Virgenes and do a report for us?
There was a sign indicating a motel in there, when we passed by last July...
This would be real interesting to see the operation and facilities!
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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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Sure, David. I saw that sign myself on this trip and almost took the detour, as I couldn't recall seeing the 'motel' info before. I will next time up
that way.
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
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I never realized until now how much Bill Clinton looks like Ellen DeGeneres.
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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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I agree, Igor...the resemblance is uncanny...you don't suppose.?..naw.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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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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‘CUESTA DEL INFIERNO’ DEAD AHEAD!
Mexican truckers dubbed it that...and rightly so. It's like dropping into Hades.
.
Time to stop and check the brakes.
This curving grade just 5 miles north of Santa Rosalia has had so many nicknames over the years I have lost track. We have called it:
'73 - 'What the?..Kids! Jump for your lives!'
‘74 - that son-of-a-b-tching grade (blew an engine)
‘75 - El Diablo
‘80's - Jakebrake Slide, DeadDrop, Whiteknuckle Canyon, and Move Over A-Hole Pass
‘93 - that son-of-a-b-tching grade (blew a tyranny).
My main problem is always the fact that I am usually pulling a heavy trailer of something or other. I always envy those ‘unfettered’ souls sailing
past me up the mountain...or zipping down without a care..actually enjoying those sharp curves! Thoughts over the years: ‘Why did I have to bring
this damn 30' sailboat?..or that Bertram twin diesel..or a 32' fifth wheel with 102 pairs of ladies high-heeled shoes?’
There are more auto, truck, and trailer parts at the bottom of El Diablo than have been sold by Napa Auto.
An especially exhilerating sight is coming around a curve and seeing a flare smack in the middle of the road. Your right foot smashes through the
floorboard onto the blacktop as the doors open and the passengers bail.
And...you see odd things on that hairy grade almost every trip. I once came around the last downhill S-curve to see a rolled green
pepper truck on it’s side. The flat area next to the truck was mounded with it’s cargo...and had a couple shoppers on it already. I drove past to
the first pullout and went back to score some roadkill myself. Baja Road Rule #8 - Never pass up a rolled pepper truck.
I hope that climb/drop section never changes. The grade always commands attention...and gets me..excited.
..Hmm.. I think I will rename it..Viagra Hump.
[Edited on 5-27-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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