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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Sharks, I'm warning you, if in chapter 3 you describe in gorey detail about surviving on some disgusting animal entrails or weird Baja bugs I'm
turning you in to the Writer's Guild.
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3837
Registered: 2-9-2004
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Not to hijack - but did anyone cath the Discovery channel Man vs. Wild yesterday? He was in "northern Mexico" - and at the end was crossing Laguna
Salada and made it to the coast. IMO, a lot of manipulation with reality in order to create the program (e.g., "skunks are good eating"; he rigs a
snare, snares the skunk, cuts off his head, but then does nothing with it - doesn't eat it). He walks across Laguna Salada mid-day complaining of the
heat, with no hat on. etc. etc.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64947
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I saw it another time... funny how he gets to the Sea of Cortez without crossing any roads (Hwy. 5 or 3) or seeing people? Yes, a set up to show what
'could be' if in the desert...???
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
Sharks, I'm warning you, if in chapter 3 you describe in gorey detail about surviving on some disgusting animal entrails or weird Baja bugs I'm
turning you in to the Writer's Guild. |
Uh sorry Osprey that WAS the last chapter.
That rock there looks like about the same size Roger.
First thangs first tho. I always wanted to fish a river like this one. As soon as that storm passed I was on it. I did have some lures so it's not
like I wasn't prepared.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Back to the story
Drying out
I have never been caught up in an arroyo that was flooding. It was a scary situation. I remember how Hurricane John destroyed the area in just a
couple hours of heavy rain. I kept thinking how secure I usually feel in my truck. Today was an exception.
The whole bottom of the canyon floor was now moving with fast water. It must have been moving 30 mph there where it was narrow here between the
canyon walls. Was this place formed from these exact type of events? Me thinks so. Water was just running off the rock walls everywhere and formed
waterfalls wherever it had an opportunity to.
This can't last long I told the dog who kept looking out the rear window. That made me nervous. The last time he did that something bad happened. I
immediately jumped out of the truck to try to eye the cliff looming overhead. I was afraid all the water was going to loosen more boulders. I really
couldn't see anything up there. There was practically no visibility so I just went back in the cab and worried some more. The water was a good 5 ft
below our little perch . Would that be enough? I kept my eyes peeled on the edge of the flow.
We sat there for 2 hours before the clouds disappeared and the bright sun broke through directly overhead, What a glorious sight indeed! We felt
safe, well safe from the flood anyway. The whole place looked different with a veritable river cascading down the gentle slope of the desert floor. I
walked back to take a look at the place where we spent last night. Good thing we up and moved. The water had inundated that place and was still 4-5
feet deep right there where we camped.
Wasn't much we could do. I thought about pitching the tent near the truck but it would have been a rediculous idea with all the rock so I opted to
camp in the truck that night. Not much fun but I know how to arrange everything to make it cozy. I have many amentities to keep me entertained. I
popped a movie in the laptop grabbed a snack and spent the evening stuck in the truck.
The next morning I awoke to find the swift water had turned to a small creek. Wow, what a difference a day makes! Today was dedicated to resolving
my situation. Either I find a way to negotiate the exit with the truck or I spend today preparing for the hike out tomorrow. I was not going up the
cliff again. I figured the worse, that my sat phone would not work when we did break free of the canyons' impedence.
The big rock that fell behind my truck had diverted the raging water around it causing a huge hole to form in front of it. As it swirled around the
rock it deposited a large amount of sand on the downriver side of this rock making an even larger obstacle in the old track. In fact it looked a whole
lot different around there now.
That was to my advantage however and I could now turn the truck around in that sandy camp spot if I back up the hundred yards. It had grown to a
considerably larger sandy beach . I wasn't sure if that would matter if I turned around since I was still trapped regardless of the direction I was
facing. I knew there was no use to trekking further east up the track. I just felt better if I were facing out of this damn place.
So I did, I got the beast turned around and I inched up to the hole and boulder. As I gazed closer at that rock and hole it almost looked like I
could go over there and with a little digging and coaxing maybe that rock would fill the gap. What did I have to lose if I failed. That is if I didn't
get hurt or killed trying.
Just in case I packed up a good 2 days of supplies and my gear to hike out in case my plan with the rock failed. I first had to excavate that hole to
accomodate that big sucker if I could only dislodge it and roll it into an appropriate hole. The sand was wet and heavy but was easy to shovel. I
worked for hours and eventually got out the tape measure to help me gauge my progress. I must have removed two yards of sand before I was content with
my hole. The dog loved it. He was playing in the tailings of my excavation with great appreciation.
The next step was to reveal the backside of the object that had become a sand hill. Probably another yard or so of material was removed before most
of it was cleared. I was beat from all that work. Now I just had to figure a way to push it or pull it into the cavity I helped create. I still needed
to apply some serious thought into moving this roadblock.
I was able to set up a great campsite before dusk. The spot was nice and flat now with newly deposited sand. I made a meal of salami and cheese
sandwiches, something Buzz adores. It was a beautiful night and I also knew if I stayed another day or portion thereof I would be obliged to stay
even one more day. I sure wanted out bad.
next: The big push/pull
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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baitcast
Super Nomad
Posts: 1785
Registered: 8-31-2003
Location: kingman AZ.
Member Is Offline
Mood: good
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This is great stuff Sharks,can,t wait for the push/pull
Rob
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LOSARIPES
Nomad
Posts: 283
Registered: 8-14-2008
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Can't wait.!!
Aripes
God bless America
and Baja tambien
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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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Bump---------still waiting---------donde es?
Barry
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Sharks, I love a mystery but I know you made it out alive to tell the tale and besides no body can ever starve in the desert because of all the sand
which is there.
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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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Sand---------------yummy!!!
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
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Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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Corky. I know your somewhere out of Mulege, 'messin'" around.!!! You must have maybe gone up the arroyo past the orange groves, and then up another
canyon?? Am I close???? don't have my 4X4 anymore to "go see" Besides, You had the adventure, and I can "live it" through this serialed episode.
great adventure. Hopefully the end is coming soon, so I can have Wendy read it. At the same time, Corky. Merry Christmas to you and all the other
Nomads!!!!!! Phil & Wendy
[Edited on 12-17-2008 by Phil S]
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
Sharks, I love a mystery but I know you made it out alive to tell the tale and besides no body can ever starve in the desert because of all the sand
which is there. |
Osprey! Might be a little too subtle first read for some!
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Story delayed due to imclement(unfreakingbelievable) weather. Gotta make it to town somehow today! Another round of intense weather on the way. 
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Hang in there George, there IS a twist.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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schwlind
Nomad
Posts: 362
Registered: 8-30-2008
Location: Daytona Beach, FL/San Antonio Del Mar (Colonet)
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Shark....
On the edge of my seat.. waiting....
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Stuck in Baja
The big yank
I slept like crap that night. I kept envisioning different scenarios playing out. Man, I shouldn't have drank that French Roast so late last night.
Whatever, I still had to do something to rescue myself and the dog. It was early. The sun came up rapidly as I hurried to attach a heavy lift/tow
strap around the boulder then to my front tow hooks
I was going to lay out some slack and try to dislodge or rather launch that puppy forward and into it's new resting place. One time I watched a tow
truck "launch" an auto out of a raging river up a steep bank and onto the road with one swift motion. It was quite impressive. I was going to attempt
the same I thought. Just gas it and see if it will go.
I hit the end of 25 ft with a resounding "THUNK". I was happy the airbag didn't deploy and everything smashed into everything else in the bed and in
the cab and I was fortunate not to have gotten whiplash at the sudden stop.
I couldn't understand why it did not budge that rock much. It wasn't that big...or was it? I was afraid to really goose it.
Ok, I didn't do that yank the way I'd seen it before and like in martial arts, momentum and inertia carries a move through. That's the whole idea.
I needed more running room to pull this trick off. Also the correct method utilizes a snatch block anchored about halfway between you and the stuck
vehicle, or in this case, the stuck boulder. Next you need to have enough slack to get the thing to catapult.
If done correctly you can perform an amazing feat launching a big object.. It took me a couple hours of fartin' around till I was ready for another
attempt. I excavated some more sand from beneath that damn behemoth. I was getting tired of this whole ordeal.
I gave it full throttle this time and when I hit the end of the slack it just broke off the tow hook on the drivers' side. OMG and now what?
I got out and evaluated my progress. That rock did move a little, perhaps an inch, maybe more. I'll give it another pull with the other hook alone I
thought. What if that fails me?
Who cares anymore I'm sick of this game. My calm controlled demeanor was not to be this morning. I wasn't in a panic but everything just got harder
and more intense as each attempt failed to move that sucker.
It almost seemed like it was nailed down. I really underestimated it's mass and forbidding personality. It got very personal, me and that rock. I had
a name for it. I called it the "Crazy Mother ". I meant it!
It was driving me crazy. Three more tries failed to move it more than a couple inches. I was peeed. I swore at the mother. It talked back. I swear it
did!
No, it really did! It was freakin talking to me. I thought I was losing it big time. I was sitting there exhausted, in the pit I spent the last two
days digging.
It must have been a miracle because the voices I heard were not of the rock but those of a truckload of vaqueros searching the arroyo for the "gringo
loco" that was seen heading up the canyon days ago. The five of them all wearing cowboy hats, a sign of integrity.
They were all smiles when they saw I was alive. They were especially interested in my rig and my approach to getting out.
"Senor" the sturdy lean cowboy whispered, "We will help you get out"
I was honoured by his gesture. I told them my story about the rock and water rising and my attempt to scale the cliff. They knew I was crazy then.
You could tell by the way they raised their eyebrows at one another.
I invited the men to join me for supper and they accepted. I was eagar to share with my saviors. I pulled out all the good stuff. We indulged on food
I prepared "a la desierto", Buzz was just in heaven. He couldn't get enough of these guys and would go take a pee with each one and every time.
I felt pretty good but what's the plan tomorrow I asked? Flaco said they would camp overnight here and help me get that boulder in the hole and me
and my truck out of there. Gawd, if only he were right!
We partied for many hours that night. I felt a sense of confidence not obvious the last couple of days. We talked about the place here and the
legends handed down over many generations.
I listened intently how Jesus told of the "Madre de Canon"
As the story goes; a weary lost traveler was subjected to a violent storm raging down the canyon only to be pushed from harms way by a spiritual
guardian. The spirit was said to be a descendant of a cave-painter talker that inhabited these places thousands of years ago.
I felt pretty silly and insignificant after hearing this. My pompous exploring could lead to pompous exploitation. I had an epiphany that night.
I thought ; whoa, here I am screwing around on an ancient pathway and heavy stuff has happened and has given me great pause. It's weird but that
night, I forgot all about my shlt. Forgot all about my truck. Forgot I was stuck. Forgot about all kinds of stuff.
I guess it was a miracle of the Madre de Canon. The next morning my new friends used their old pickup truck and some sturdy steel poles to help me
move that big rock into the hole. It took another 3 hours of filling and leveling to facilitate my escape to freedom.
These men were a class act. Friends without conditions.
I remember looking over to one of my heros as I was parting and it's what he said that made my hair stand on end.
In Spanish he said something like: "Did you ever have the feeling someone was looking over your shoulder around here?"
I turned to him and said "what did you say?"
He looked across my shoulder at the looming rocks above and whispered:
"Este Madre de Rocas Locas"
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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Great story, Sharks! Thanks.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Corky1
Nomad
Posts: 416
Registered: 11-22-2003
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Great story Sharks!!!
I know you must have some pictures???
Corky
 
\"Keep The Rubberside Down\" |
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The Wonderer
Junior Nomad
Posts: 69
Registered: 10-30-2003
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Great story! Thanks for sharing.
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Great work pal. Now you need an agent: "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" played well but I just don't know about "Oregon Corky and The Big Mother
Rock". How about "Life and Death in The Devil's Box Canyon".
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