surfer jim
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Registered: 8-29-2003
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Camping..and "neighbors"...
Reading a thread about camping at PETES in S.F. and other campers come by and camp close by even though place has lots of open space...this always
happens to me both in Mexico and the U.S. (not just in campgrounds either) and can't understand why this happens...I feel like a magnet at times...no
one around for hundreds of yards and yet people will come and park within 10 feet....what's up with that?...does this happen to others also?...
[Edited on 10-14-2004 by surfer jim]
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jrbaja
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It's called Paranoia
when the gringos do it and it's called "new friends" when the Mexicans do it !
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bigzaggin
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Mixed feelings on this one...
'cause of course you want some measure of solitude BUT you don't want to be self-righteous Baja guy waving the
"do-you-know-long-I've-been-coming-down-here" flag either. Please shoot me the day I become that grumpy loner on a Baja bluff scowling at "these
disrespectful kids with their rap music" who walk within 200 yards of my campsite.
If people greet me with a smile and want to share a few stories campfire side, I'm usually okay with it (in Baja anyway. In CA I have a lower
tolerance - higher risk of frat boy weekenders).
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jrbaja
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TA DA !!!
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Dave
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
Please shoot me the day I become that grumpy loner on a Baja bluff scowling at "these disrespectful kids with their rap music" who walk within 200
yards of my campsite.
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Nah, just shoot the kids. Or if you think that's a bit excessive, shoot the boom box. The first option is better because they could always buy a new
box.
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MrBillM
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Back when I camped out of my Landcruiser, I was the guy that went as far as possible down
the beach to be alone so I don't understand this group thing, either. Of course, over the
years more than one person has called me antisocial.
A neighbor of mine in Baja once commented that the really big difference between Gringo
campers and Mexicans was that the Gringos would spread out all over the beach, but the
Mexicans would camp butt to butt with complete strangers and socialize. Over the years
I've noticed that to be mostly the case, but from what you say, that is becoming less
common.
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viabaja
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Ah Ha! Another good subject!!
It's called "Baja Manners" in which many Gringos ignore and of course as Bill said - Mexicans don't care about.
If I'm camping on a 3 mile stretch of beach I don't want some one else camping 100 yards from me. If I enjoyed the "herd" mentality, I'd stay in the
States & camp at a State Beach with 500,000 other people 2 feet away.
This has happened to me several times on Shell Beach. Usually I'll wander over to them and say something to effect of "You know, the majority of
people come here for solitude to get away from the rat race in the states. This is primitive camping here where we dig a latrine hole for bathroom
facilities, take our clothes off & wash in the ocean, go cast fishing along the shore without bumping into you." Do you really want to see all this?
Usually they get the message and move. Some don't and then I usually move.
It's always, and I mean always the Americanos who do this. The Mexicans will always stay in campgrounds that provide facilities.
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jrbaja
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The tragic part is
that I live here and travel all over the peninsula regularly. But when I point out the usual behaviour of the gringos, because I see it on a daily
basis, I am called anti american by people who are lucky if they vacation here 2 or 3 times a year.
To me this shows that these attitudes and lack of manners/ respect are pretty unlikely to change.
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Dave
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OK:
One poster says it's the gringos that camp next to each other. Another says it's Mexicans.
One says it's because gringos ignore manners and Mexicans don't care about them, (manners).
Another says when gringos camp near each other it's out of paranoia and when Mexicans do it it's to be friendly.
Question:
Since both gringos AND Mexicans practice these behaviors, what makes one group's behavior correct and another's incorrect?
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jrbaja
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Alcohol, quadrunners
and bad attitudes.
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Dave
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Which?
The Mexicans who drink, drive quads and have bad manners, or the gringos who do the same?
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BajaGrrls
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I'm by no means an expert, having only camped once in Baja, but my experience was the Mexicans were the ones racing quads up and down the beach and
throwing beer bottles against the rocks. My take on it is, people will be people. It's their country, not ours. I hear a ton of hypocrisy on this
board. Ultimately, I'm of the mind set, live and let live. I agree with Bigzaggin, when I become a grumpy old lady that let's every little thing bug
me, it's time to check out. 
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MrBillM
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Behavior
The One holiday period in San Felipe where you get to see a large number of
both Gringo and Mexicano campers is the Easter Break. The majority of the
Gringos are there the first part of the week and usually by Thursday there
is almost nothing but Mexicans. Having witnessed 20 or more of these celeb-
rations, I've found the Mexicanos to be better behaved, go to bed earlier
and play better music, although it seems that lately the Rap, Hip Hop, jungle
music is making itself known among them. Maybe it's the Pochos who are
bringing it down. The only thing that makes the Gringos welcome is their
willingness to buy the $2.00 beers, etc. The Mexican campers tend to bring
EVERYTHING with them so they're only good for the daily camping fee.
Unfortunately, neither group feels any inclination to clean up their trash.
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bigzaggin
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This entire thread....
speaks to the "bitter retreat mentality." You see it in far NorCal too and with boaters on the Channel Islands... the paranoid notion that "they"
(meaning the "soul-less masses," predictably said to drive "their SUVs" and use their "flockin' cell phones") are
plotting to encroach on "your" precious hideouts. Snoo-zer.
Heard you threw out your back on the jobsite. Hope you win that alimony thingy. Damn yuppies flockin' up everything!
Makes you wonder...would you rather spend a nite with team SDSU blasting 50 Cent on the Salsipuedes bluff or a nite at solitary Pete's with 20 evenly
spaced Archie Bunkers?
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pappy
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one time, we were the only camp on the bluff, when along comes some gringos.pulled in right next to us and statrted to set camp(and i mean right nexto
us like we were in a parking lot) we politely explained how we like being there for the solitude, etc.they moved down at a comfortable
distance.anymore, i will just move.i don't mind company, but not right next to me within elbow rubbin' distance.i guess they must feel safer bring
closer...
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Mexray
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Pappy, I think you're right...it's the camping newbies, and their insecurity that causes them to tend to 'nestle' right up to another's campsite -
I've seen it time after time. Also, these kind of 'party crashers' are usually the 'drunken sailor', loud boom-box playin', trash throwin',
muffler-less bike riden' kind of campers....whats up with that! Can never figure it out! They also usually dont have a clue about their own
behavior! I'm told that walking around nude, and peeing on their tires sometimes makes em' move... ....works for me!
Probably everyone posting here would set up their camp away from others - we always try it that way, unless we're with a pre-arranged group, of
course, or find some 'new' friends that invite us over to share a cool drink.
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Respect, Togetherness, and Privacy
Even when we (Baja Nomads) camp together... we give each other space! Here is our group camp at Nuevo Mazatlan last February... We come together with
our camp chairs to sit around the fire, talk, smoke cigars (some of us) then retire to our private camp sites.
All you can see, here is Mexray's set up... My tents are two tree rows over to the right, Mike Humfreville's was two to the left, GeoRock's was beyond
Mike's. Edie H, Surfer Jim, and Bob H's were across the road and seperated as well.
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Packoderm
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Its always a good strategy to set up camp far enough away from other campers so that they can't hear you fart durring the night.
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tim40
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We love it when people choose to camp next to us....we don't enjoy it when they want to transport the worst of all social basic manners. I don't care
what setting it is never okay to curse f-bombs within ear shot of smaller children....and foremost be respectful of the Romans that arrived
first....follow their lead...if they appear to be the all night parties who blast music (sometimes we are when we don't have the kids) and you are,
great join in...if not respect that they may want a little quite and space from living in the big city of 11 Million...
When searching for the end of your rainbow you only have until dusk....
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