capitolkat
Senior Nomad
Posts: 510
Registered: 3-9-2006
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Great Nomads in Sta Ignacio
As some of you know we have taken the plunge and drove down to La Paz to spend a year. We took two weeks to cross the country and visited friends in
TN, MS, TX, NM, AZ and CA and went trick or trating with our grandson in Northern CA. The into Baja and had a great night at BAja CActus.
Then about 10 km from Insugentes the car started sounding funny and we stopped and had someone to look at it. He thought the radiator was leakiing and
causing the brakes to slip so small emergency repair was done to get us on our way. But,no releif and bout 12 km out of Sta Ignacio it got really loud
and I was looking for a place to pull over. Found one and aice Mexican couple stopped and said they would send a tow. and about 30 minutes later here
comes Jose witha huge tow truck and took the Jeep in its cradle only to have a wheel come off at about 10 MPH in the first 200 yards.
Its a funny experience to look out and see your wheel passing you in the highway. Come to find out the lug nuts had all worked loose and the last one
got us to the pull off . so move the tow truck to the back and start over. Emergency repairs in Sta Ignacio by a great guy Raul Chang and Jose. No
parts but made the ones they had work and then we went to Rice and BEans for the night only to run into our first new friend.
Bajame from this board was in the bar using the wifi and talked to us about the town here life , our lives , margaritas and philosophy. She then took
us on a tour of the town where we met another Nomad- Juanita. Juanita has become the town historian and had a wonderful old adobe house with lots of
historical pictures of Sta Rosalia, Sta Ignacio, and the area. She was a classy lady who told us aobut her passion for the town and its history.
The next morning while we waited for the repairs to be completed Bajame came back and took us on a tour of Gary and Terry's yurt houses. Wha ta nice
place next to the river and what nice people. They were harvesting the dates and it was fun to see the technique for getting the clusters on the
ground by sliding them down a wire. WE got back to Raul's to see that the shock had been broken when the jeep dropped and Jose was fitting a used
shock from something that was close to our need onto the car. Noon on the road to Loreto.
Next day into La Paz a day late and richer for the experiences in Sta Ignacio and the grat Nomads there. Thanks Bajame and Juanita -- While I wouldn't
want the troubles again I sure would like to visit your town again.
Norm
Life is too short to drink bad wine
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ckiefer
Nomad
Posts: 258
Registered: 12-12-2007
Location: LaJolla
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Great story Norm....thanks for sharing!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Great story. Thanks.
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tiotomasbcs
Super Nomad
Posts: 1837
Registered: 7-30-2007
Location: El Pescadero
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What about the Mexicans?! The guy who sent the tow truck! The driver and then La Llantera--they can make parts? Oh yeah!!  Local people are real Nomads, too!! Andale & Arriba.
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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Yeah, sounds like it was the local Mexicans who saved you....the "Nomads" simply helped you pass the time.
Remember, you are the "guests" in Baja
Glad it all worked out...
Don't believe everything you think....
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
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Mood: Skeptical
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Norm,
Great story and I'm glad the mechanical stuff worked out. I am always amazed by the stories through my years of travel all over Mexico, of the
ingenuity they call on to improvise parts and make them work.
Maybe you could give the name of the garage or how to find the mechanics in San Ignacio that helped you. It would be good information for Nomads to
have and it would be a nice gesture as a way to pay back their kindness.
While stopping overnight in San Ignacio last year, I too met Bajame. She was eating at the same restaurant on the plaza where I was eating. I
initiated a conversation and we had a brief chat. If people don't always remember names, they always remember my big dog, Paco. He was there by my
side.
Best of luck with your year in La Paz, and give us periodic reports of your adventures and la vida.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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Yes, those are all really nice people. And last time we were there Bajame loaned me what has become one of my current favorite books, "The Glass
Castle."
San Ignacio is always one of our favorite places.
Really happy your mechanical problems were solved, and while I am sure you wish it did not happen, it did give you the chance to see a beautiful place
and meet some great people, both the Mexican locals and the ex-pats.
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capitolkat
Senior Nomad
Posts: 510
Registered: 3-9-2006
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Moto
I did give credit to all the great people who helped us both Mexican and Nomad board members. In fact I gave a great guys to both Raul and Jose in my
message as well as mucho thanks to the folks who sent the tow. Ease up guy. I appreciate all everyone did for us and what could have been a real
bummer was in fact an experience we cherish for the people we met. I have Raul's card and will post his information as soon as I find it.
For my part all the folks who came to our aid were classy and real amigos- Norm
Life is too short to drink bad wine
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13237
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Juanita is the best !! Just stopped by and woke her forn her siesta last Friday to buy Graham Macintosh's book NEARER MY DOG TO THEE ...
Bajame - I haven't met her ??? But if she lives in San Ignacio, I have heard of her since my neighbor's brother is her right hand man ....
my sister used a great mechanic a couple years ago when she had serious car troubble - I sure don't remember his name, but he was located somewhere
near the BAJA OASIS hotel ... same mechanic perhaps ??
you better keep a journal of your experiences !! if getting to la paz was any indication - you will have mucho to write about ....
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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Welcome to the neighborhood!! What you & Mrs. Capitolkat experienced on your way south....the good & the bad....is pretty typical of how
things go here....bad luck & you meet good people who are willing to help.
You have any questions about how things work in that place yer renting, you know who to call!
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
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Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Thanks Norm, always does my heart good to read a positive report about San Ignacio. May you have many more trips down the Peninsula.
Sara
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