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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
   
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Gypsy
I know I just I could not resist
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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Loretana
Senior Nomad
 
Posts: 825
Registered: 5-19-2006
Location: Oregon/Loreto
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Mood: alegre
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I was a big fan of Zorro, too.......
My first trip to Baja was in 1972 with my boyfriend Frank Sampedro who took me to Ensenada and to Hussong's the first night!
Five Margaritas later I was hallucinating, but the joy of that first sight, smell and sound of BAJA is still close in memory.
I couldn't wait to see the rest!
And actually, Frank was as good looking as Zorro!! 
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
   
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Gals
So damn glad you are responding...a few of you will remember way back when I encouraged you all to add your thougth to this board...
Happy you are now doing it with relish!
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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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3812
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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My first memories of baja was from the early 60s, maybe 1964. My mom and I went with my Grandfather to Ensenada to go fishing. We stayed at Papagayos,
the first house on the right hand side as you drive in the gate.
I remember fishing in the bait tank by pulling open the sleeve of my sweatshirt so the fish would swim up my arm. My shirt eventually got too wet so I
went topless. I remember being frustrated when the fish would fall between the slats of wood on the deck of the boat.
I remember dinner in the restaurant, dancing with my grandpa by standing on the toes of his shoes. I loved the music that was played on the marimbas.
I was just tall enough to stand just below them and look up through the wooden bars.
I remember going to La Bufadora and picking out a small sombrero that had a donkey woven on the front with pom poms around the edges. I also got a
pink donkey pinata that hung on my closet door for many, many years.
It took a long time to get there, sitting on my mom's lap in the front seat of Papa's caddy, looking up through the windshield at how many stars
lived in Baja. I sat in the backseat for the ride home because I needed to be next to my pinata. My hat was in the back window.
I also remember San Felipe in the 70s, my dad did some motorcycle races there. The sand dunes were fun to slide down. My mom was so excited when
"fancy bathrooms" were built on year, and I was embarrassed when she needed to take moving pictures of them. I was allowed to choose only one thing in
the small pottery shack, so I chose a brown, shiny plaster bulldog that had hot pink sequins glued on for eyes.
In this photo I am sitting on my mom's lap in the restaurant at Papagayos with my Grandpa looking on. I am also fishing in the bait tank in my red
rubber toed tennis shoes. These photos as well as the lures, old pesos and bottle of Bufferin were found in my Grandpa's tackle box after he passed
away.


I still have my hat.

The hat I did not choose.

P>*)))<{
edit: added photos
[Edited on 5-1-2012 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Sallysouth
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1835
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Capo Beach
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Mood: missing Baja...
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Quote: | Originally posted by Mexitron
Ensenada 1964----six years old...I remember the taste of real Mexican food for the first time ( as opposed to Taco Treat in South Pasadena...).
Everyone seemed happy except for my 3 year-old brother who got tired of walking and sat down in the middle of of the crosswalk and cried and wouldn't
go any farther. Poor Mom. | A crosswalk in Baja in 64?
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
     
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Quote: | Originally posted by Loretana
My first trip to Baja was in 1972 with my boyfriend Frank Sampedro who took me to Ensenada and to Hussong's the first night!
Five Margaritas later I was hallucinating, but the joy of that first sight, smell and sound of BAJA is still close in memory.
And actually, Frank was as good looking as Zorro!! 
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After "5 margaritas" I bet "Frank" WAS "Zorro"!!!! 
Barry
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
   
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Paulina
Ah! Yes...All the stars that graced to night sky's in Baja.
Please see your U2U's
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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GrOUper-GAr
Nomad

Posts: 107
Registered: 1-9-2010
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--Camping at Puertecitos 1973--
Me & My Brother on our "1st trip To BaJa".
This planted the seed for both of us.
I remember how bouncy the road was in the back of our Dads dodge cargo van(no side windows). And Also How many "bezillion" shells there was in
Puertecitos.
The coolest memory I have from this TR!p was accidently running into flat-track racer DAVE ALDANA on a ride... He was a Legend to us already(see movie
"On Any Sunday"-1971)
We knew him from Ascot Park in Gardena,CA (where our Pops raced every Friday night)
-Gr0UpER
(Paulina, it's like Deja vu all over again, but I wanted to join in)
! PrEFeRiR!A eSTaR eN baJa !
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David K
Honored Nomad
       
Posts: 65278
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Awesome subject!
I was pretty young (7 1/2) in the summer of 1965 when we drove to San Felipe, Puertecitos and on to Gonzaga Bay in our Jeep Wagoneer pulling a tent
trailer. My earliest positive memory was the harsh rugged land, the rough roads, and the white sand beaches with warm sea water lapping at the coast.
I was most impressed with my mom and dad, they seemed to let nothing scare them. Some drunk(?) gringo at Puertecitos said, "You can't go any
farther... the road ends here!"
On our return trip north, we tried to find the recommended beach area of 'Agua de Chale' (today's Nuevo Mazatlan), but missed the road east from the
sulfur mine and got on the old southern access road to Percebu. At that time, Percebu was a fieherman's camp and the men there were all very kind to
us, inviting us to camp with them and showed us their catch. An octopus tentacle was placed against my mom's arm and she was startled by the suction
cups firm grip... I remember that as if it was yesterday! At night, the fishermen took out cloves of garlic from a jar and placed them around their
cots... to keep away rattlesnakes!
Those are my memories of my first Baja trip...
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24baja
Senior Nomad
 
Posts: 952
Registered: 2-3-2009
Location: Grants Pass Oregon/Bahia de Los Angeles
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Mood: Wishing we were in BOLA
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Mine was in June of 1989 and the cardboard housing development south of Ensenada towards the Blowhole. Until I saw how people lived in Mexico, I
thought I had grown up poor. This being said, I had never met a more interesting, kind and friendly group of people and when I first saw the Sea of
Cortez at San Felipe I was lost forever. It took me until October of 2005 to get my husband to go to Baja, now he can't get enough of the fishing,
people and scenery. We plan on retiring there in 1365 days.
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Marc
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 2802
Registered: 5-15-2010
Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
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Mood: Waiting
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Was December 1979 in La Paz and then New Years Eve in Los Barriles. Rang in 1980 with a lobster dinner. At 12:00 crazy Mexicans were shooting off
their .45's in the air. I was with my second wife. I will look for pictures. She was a tall and blond and the mexican guys followed her everywhere.
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3812
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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Grouper Gar, thanks for adding your photo. It adds to the magic, I think.
Regarding your riding outfits, you were so lucky your parents bought you real leathers. I had to wear the denim kind with sewed in padding on the
hips. They had a yellow stripe down the side. It was the old, "you'll out grow them" excuse. Your bikes are cool too, I started on a Suzuki 70, moved
to my mom's 90, then to my dad's 400 ( I had to prove to him I could pick it up). The sand dunes in San Felipe were the best learning grounds.
I hope more photos can be added. Thanks for this thread, Bernie.
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
   
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Hey! Pauline
No Thanks to me it was Jaime's idea and I think you all hit a home run.
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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805gregg
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1344
Registered: 5-21-2006
Location: Ojai, Ca
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I was 9 in 1957 we drove down PCH, (no freeway back then) and went to TJ, I was amazed that people lived like that, comming from a tract house in
Hawthorne Ca. We got our pictures taken on the Zebra Donkey and probably bought trinkets. An eye opening experience for me to see that the rest of the
world didn't live like we do.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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Mine wasn't very soulful. 1962 on liberty from the Marines at Pendelton. It was my first taste of adulthood. There was adventure, excitement,
...drunkenness.
Young cannonfodder bonding together while..."this time Juicy Lucy she take it allllll the way down. Come in ladies and germs......
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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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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Vgabndo
Hi, My friend...have hot heard from you in a while...what you have to share should be shared...So please do so.
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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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
     
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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10 years old and stayed a weekend at Gaviotas with a friend and his parents. saw my first dried grunion on the beach then. i lost my Padres cap out
the car window northbound around pta bandera (trump condos) just south of la joya turn off. i remember that day every time i drive past.
next, 9th grade ('79?) ditching Collier Jr High to go surf
Popotla and Baja Malibu with Marty Jensen and Jerry Leach. RIP Jerry!
it's been a struggle with my addiction ever since....
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
     
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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Paulina
that is a great stash that Gramps left. i have a similar lure like the red/white one except mine has a propellor on the nose.
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Baja Bernie
`Normal` Nomad Correspondent
   
Posts: 2962
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: Sunset Beach
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Mood: Just dancing through life
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Wow
Looking at these responses caused me to think...No mention of the mountains, desert, bays, Sea of Cortez, nor even of the wonderful beaches...nor the
wind and the silence...
No, most of you cut right to the quik and spoke of the wonderful folks who make Baja totally worthwhile and to me that is a wonderful and magical
thing..
Jaime and I thank you for sharing.
PS I also had some instant memory's of the ZEBRA
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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David K
Honored Nomad
       
Posts: 65278
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Quote: | Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Looking at these responses caused me to think...No mention of the mountains, desert, bays, Sea of Cortez, nor even of the wonderful beaches......
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You missed my reply Bernie...?
"My earliest positive memory was the harsh rugged land, the rough roads, and the white sand beaches with warm sea water lapping at the coast."
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