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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
Member Is Offline
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My uncle was a corporate pilot and had taken his boss to Guaymas for a couple of years and he and my parents had the wild idea to drive down. They
eventually made it and the following year, 1957, they decided it was safe to take my sister and I along. The first night in the trailer park where I
was sleeping in the station wagon with the windows down a little, I could hear a Mexican musician singing the most enchanting and beautiful music.
Right then and there I decided I was going to spend a lot more time there. That has certainly been the case and we bought a house last year.
We still can not understand why we are not as excited about going to our house in Colorado, which is a beautiful log house right on a lake in the
mountains, that is not nearly as exciting as it is when we pull up to our Mexican house. In fact we are usually "emotional toast" when we first see
the Sea of Cortez on the Santa Rosalia grade.
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
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Moved to San Diego from Miami in 1984 and have been going down to Baja ever since. Three trips down to the end and back... and many many more
excursions to other different areas. We love Gonzaga Bay, Bahaia de Los Angeles, Mulege, La Purisima and La Paz, not necessairly in that order.
Still a lot more to see, that's for sure.
Can't beat David K's post though - wow.
Bob H
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Skeptical
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While still in high school in West Los Angeles (University High....AKA Uni Hi) in the 1950s, I was going to TJ for the bull fights, the tequila and
other sordid activities. 
In the early 1960s I started roaming the whole of mainland Mexico. Once I waterskied from Puerto Vallarta to Mismaloya. That was when Richard Burton
and Liz Taylor were making The Night of The Iguana.
I luckily abandoned/escaped So. California for the greener pastures/politics/values of Northern Ca. in 1959. But I transgressed to San Diego for the
early 1990s to be of help for my mother in her final years. There, I taught ESL at San Diego State University, USD, Aspect in La Jolla and UEI. My
Mexican students expressed appreciation for my knowledge of their country. I couldn't have asked for more satisfying feedback from these hard working
students. It enabled me to help make their economic lives better as they assimilated into our culture to work their way up to better jobs and higher
pay. We also taught practical life skills as they pertain to life in The United States.
Upon retirement I beat a hasty retreat to my hermitage in the mountains in No. California. ( It is damned smoky right now but fortunately, my house
was saved when I called in a lightning strike, two weeks ago in the tall timbers right across the canyon.)
It wasn't until 2004 that I traveled the length of Baja. That was when I contracted to have my casita built in Mulege. Until then, I had always known
I would explore Baja, but somehow never got around to it. My attitude was: It is so accessible to California that I could go anytime. The big
deterrent for me was that I would have to pass through the hell that is L.A. and Orange County traffic to get there. Now that I have the casita in
Mulege, I bite the bullet, hold my nose and try to get through SoCal as fast as I can.   
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bajalera
Super Nomad
Posts: 1875
Registered: 10-15-2003
Location: Santa Maria CA
Member Is Offline
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First drove to La Paz in 1963, stayed there for 5 years except for two 2-week trips back to U.S. Most memorable trip was to Cabo San Lucas in 1972 on
the old dirt "highway," in a '68 Mustang fastback,with my three teenagers substituting for 4WD.
\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" -
Mark Twain
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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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Wow, you made that trip in a "Mustang"???? Now THAT is impressive!!!!
Way to go!!!!
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65300
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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1972 would have been a lot of the old original Baja dirt main road! My dad and some of is dentist buddies did the trip that year in his 4WD
Suburban... Pavement south was about San Quintin, but he went down the gulf side past Gonzaga as much prefered route than through Laguna Chapala dust!
The paved road north from La Paz reached Santa Rosalia in 1972, and they were working on the section to San Ignacio, he reported.... it reached Cabo
in 1970 going south from La Paz.
San Quintin to Santa Rosalia the last section to get done, pretty much all in 1973... and for Lera to do that in a Mustang is incredible!!!
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Mango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 685
Registered: 4-11-2006
Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
Member Is Offline
Mood: Bajatastic
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I've spent most of my time in the mainland. I'm a relative newcomer to Baja.
The first time I went to Mexico was in 1996 or so, I took the bus/train from Oakland, CA to Oaxaca and back by myself. I spent about a month in
Mexico on that first trip.
It was quite the experience. I was glad to have taken the train from Puebla to Oaxaca before the rail line was abandoned. IMO it is better than the
Copper Canyon train ride.. but that might have had something to do with all the Carta Blancas I had along the way.
I've lost track of the times I've been back to Mexico since. I few years I've spent almost 1/3 - 1/2 of the year just traveling and living in various
places. The last year and a half I have been holed up in Mexicali with mi novia from DF whom I met in 2004 on a lonesome jungle road en route to this
waterfall in Chiapas..
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Bajafun777
Super Nomad
Posts: 1103
Registered: 9-13-2006
Location: Rosarito & California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Enjoying Life with Wife In Mexico, Easy on The Easy
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First started going into Mexico with my parents as my dad was a vegetable grower in Texas so in winter months when snowing in Amarillo off he went to
Laredo to grow melons. We took trips into Nuevo Laredo off and on which was back in 1961, I was just a little kid that loved looking at all the
colorful stuff and eating the fresh hot bread baked there!! Then on to Yuma Arizona growing crops there and trips into San Luis and like Mango I was
in my very start of teen year working in the fields with friends and going into Mexico on weekends when I was suppose to be with friends for the
weekend. Well, wait a minute I guess I was with friends of sorts and then on to Brawley California for growing more crops and into Mexicali and over
to T.J. for those fun hard all night hard parties and back. Look back on those trips and it is a wonder we ever got home alive, as we were "young
dumb and looking for fun" (clean this saying up to be able to post it here as most of you hard runners of the times know). Life slows us down to
where we really get to know the culture and people which I have since I got married in 1975 to my current wife and we both enjoy the down South
experience and never stopped going to Baja and Mainland we drive it, fly it, and have even cruised it in boats. My three sons have all enjoyed it and
made me pay for the sleepless nights I gave my parents at times, as the saying goes the "payback is a B_ _ _ _" but they and we survived and all
doing great. All three of my sons like Mexico and go on their own as well as joining my wife and me down South on vacation when their work schedules
will allow. I will soon retire living down South as much as possible but now instead of my 5th wheel that I thought I would live in I am thinking of
just renting a small apartment or beach house for 3 or 6 months at a time and float around Mexico enjoying as much as I can while I can. Take care
amigos y amigas de Nomads. Later---bajafun777
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jodiego
Nomad
Posts: 319
Registered: 2-16-2007
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: ever hopeful
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Started out going to TJ in the 70's, then got real brave and ventured to Rosarito and Ensenada. Started camping at Alisito's, LaFonda in the 80's
until it got so crowded on weekends you could hear the person in the tent next to you passing gas. Moved farther south to Cabras and San Quintin for
waves and camping. Started going to Punta Rosarito in the 90's. They're so much to see and do that I'll probably never get to all the places I would
like to visit. That's why I enjoy all the shared experiences from all you Nomads. Keep the stories coming. Viva Baja!!!
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