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zforbes
Nomad
Posts: 334
Registered: 4-11-2005
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living the dream
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Amigos de Baja and Nomads
Fairly often I see references to the old Amigos group, usually accompanied by fond memories and regrets about the groups demise. I am curious to know
more about Amigos, since it seems like many of that group now are Nomads. Let me be clear that I am not interested in gossip or the blame game. I want
to hear how Amigos got started and a little about their history and their legacy to current Baja afficionados. Can someone fill in the newbies (self
included) about Amigos? Thanks, Zoe
\"You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.\"
Swedish proverb
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64858
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hi Zoe,
Like here on Nomad, I was a big poster on Amigos de Baja (www.bajanet.com) ... I add that old url because the forums at Baja Quest took the name 'Amigos de Baja' (in bad taste I feel) and use it now for
their forums.
Amigos, like Nomad allowed conversations about Baja and between the people on Amigos who love Baja... Amigos means friends and the hosts of that forum
really enjoyed that we on the Internet actually became personal friends via the organized parties and group camps... They were Eric, Trish and Earle
(who is als a Baja Nomad member)... and they attended my Viva Baja events and M's BBBB parties...
As Amigos got more popular, some the the old timers thought the newer members changed the site from a fishing and trip report forum to a party line of
sorts and often ragged on M for her BBBB party invites or me for whatever.
However, Eric told me in person he really liked that we were making friends with Amigos de Baja!
They retired the forum in 2003 as it was just too time consuming and Doug (also an Amigo de Baja member) had upgraded his Escapist.com forum in 2002
to the style you see here now and was the natural new home for the Amigos... However a few may have gone to the other forums, or visit them all...
Doug's Baja Nomad forums is by far the most active and complete forum on Baja... and the most fair to everyone.
Here's a photo of Eric and Trish at Viva Baja #2 (Doug is in the background with his daughter on his knee):
Here's Earle (Eric's dad)...
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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To me, the memories are somewhat bittersweet. While I appreciate all the effort that Earl and Co. put into it on the Amigos board, the old style
software was very prone to being monopolized by a single cause. It was similar to the software on Metcalf's site, but I believe it did have some
archival capabilities. Maybe not.
But for a long time, it was the ONLY real source for what was going on down there for working stiffs like me. That generally made it worthwhile,
except at times when it was being monopolized.
As far as the personalities go, I think most of us have mellowed since then.........or, we're better at sitting on our hands.
With a single exception, the Nomad experience is much better, IMO. That's all I'll say about that.........
Duck and cover might be in order, though.
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fdt
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4059
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Tijuana, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Yeah, what if it all goes right
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Freds = Preschool
Amigos = Elementary
Nomad = somewere between junior high or high school
Some will go on to college/university, some will drop out and just go to Baja. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. 
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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zforbes
Nomad
Posts: 334
Registered: 4-11-2005
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living the dream
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Thank you all for the history and personal insights. Yes, I had picked up on some mixed feelings, which I now understand a little better, but the
overall legacy seems pretty positive to an outsider.
\"You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.\"
Swedish proverb
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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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Z
I waited for David to answer because he has the most knowledge of the Amigo's board. He is the guy who introduced me to that board and he is the one
who brought most of us over to Doug's Place.
I have very much enjoyed both boards and apparently did not appreciate the divisions that some felt existed on the Amigo site..................In fact
I wrote a poem about the loss of that 'home'...............I'll try to dig it up and send it to you.
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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zforbes
Nomad
Posts: 334
Registered: 4-11-2005
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living the dream
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Thanks, Bernie, I'll look forward to it.
\"You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.\"
Swedish proverb
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
Member Is Offline
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I think there were many positives to AdB. I especially enjoyed the weekly fishing reports on Amigos. I also met some really cool people along the
way. The Matomi Adventure comes to mind.
Unfortunately, there were too many egos involved at times. It still amazes me how people will hijack a post instead of simply answering the question.
Oh well-
Zac
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Hi Zoe,
Like here on Nomad, I was a big poster on Amigos de Baja (www.bajanet.com) ... I add that old url because the forums at Baja Quest took the name 'Amigos de Baja' (in bad taste I feel) and use it now for
their forums.
Amigos, like Nomad allowed conversations about Baja and between the people on Amigos who love Baja... Amigos means friends and the hosts of that forum
really enjoyed that we on the Internet actually became personal friends via the organized parties and group camps... They were Eric, Trish and Earle
(who is als a Baja Nomad member)... and they attended my Viva Baja events and M's BBBB parties...
As Amigos got more popular, some the the old timers thought the newer members changed the site from a fishing and trip report forum to a party line of
sorts and often ragged on M for her BBBB party invites or me for whatever.
However, Eric told me in person he really liked that we were making friends with Amigos de Baja!
They retired the forum in 2003 as it was just too time consuming and Doug (also an Amigo de Baja member) had upgraded his Escapist.com forum in 2002
to the style you see here now and was the natural new home for the Amigos... However a few may have gone to the other forums, or visit them all...
Doug's Baja Nomad forums is by far the most active and complete forum on Baja... and the most fair to everyone.
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Yes, the world according to David, the "Big Poster" 
[Edited on 2-24-2007 by Roberto]
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
With a single exception, the Nomad experience is much better, IMO. That's all I'll say about that.........
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Tell us more.
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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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Bajaboy
As you apparently have I have come to expect a few to hijack posts and in a few cases not even know they are doing it...........I just end up staying
away from their posts and that seems to work.
Still the positives far outweigh the negatives...........What is that old song about 'accent the positive and eliminate the negative and latch
onto......................
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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The Sculpin
Nomad
Posts: 401
Registered: 9-3-2002
Location: Back in the Saddle
Member Is Offline
Mood: Riding into the Sunset, looking for a sunrise.
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Against my better judgement, I will weigh in here.
I first stumbled into Amigos around 95 or 96...at the time it had been up and running about a year or so. The people on that board really knew about
traveling, living, and playing in baja, and the typical "new kid" seemed to come to the site with lot's of experience. Because of that, alot of the
banter was either fairly detailed, full of baja jargon, or had a sense to it that you really didn't have to describe too much of what you were talking
about because most had already been there or knew about it. I remember a thread that dealt with a particular nasty stretch of dirt road from Conejo to
Pastora. Who the hell goes on that road!?!?! Well, we had a great discussion, and I haven't seen a word about it since! I think that's the first time
I really talked to Cornell.
I digress....when "the new crew" came on, there were some that felt that the tone of the discussion was less about baja, and more about creating
opportunities to meet in baja - kinda like a travel/social club. That's why M caught so much grief about those damn BBBB's (oops!), and , well DavidK?
Bless his heart it was a train wreck waiting to happen! I mean, fisherman don't talk about fish spots, and surfers don't talk about surf spots, and
back then, there just wasn't much written about either! That's why Eric's reports were so great. It was a great little secret.
Anyway, change has to happen or else you die. The internet has chnaged, baja has changed, and, well, you get the point. I mean, to actually use an
internet chat site to arrange events in a place you love, well, that was unimagineable! Looking back, it all seems pretty silly.
However, I still prefer to be a crumudgeon........especially in baja....
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by HookAs far as the personalities go, I think most of us have mellowed since then.........or, we're better at sitting on
our hands. |
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Hahaha.
Heh.
Good one, Hook.
Anyway, I agree with the curmudgeon, er, Sculpin. Things change. You remember the guy (Duncan, maybe?) who posted about a secret surf spot in Bahia
Soledad? He refused to disclose the location, but did say that he'd found a huge white shark carcass there.
That sort of b.s. was what the Amigos board fun.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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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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Here is a poem (?) that I wrote with the demise of Amigo's Board
Amigo’s de Baja
People with a shared dream
But with many facets
Lovers of the Ocean and Sea
Those who would find Missions
Or the cold and cruel deserts
Tonight you freeze
Tomorrow your blood boils
Those who take off
Down seldom used trails
Boots an hats
Scuffing the sand
Temperatures rising
A land apart
Comfortable at the ocean
The desert barely endurable
Mountains cold and pure
Amigos de Baja
A home that captures people
And makes them friends
Baja Ladies and Gents
People
Sharing the oceans
The missions and deserts
Struggling upon the mountains
Sharing
Bahia de Los Angeles
Mulege
San Ignacio
San Felipe
And TJ too
Here was home all safe and secure
A place to go when tired and blue
Make ready for a trip
Stop and refill your tank
Find a new pal
Share his thoughts and feelings
Amigos de Baja
A place that welded us together
So that we cared for each other
Even though we had separate
And different needs
Somehow in this safe and happy haven
We all found a way to fulfill ourselves
Our home has been destroyed
We are exposed and hurting
There is a need to reach out
To touch each other
To hold hands
And share our needs
We desperately need to find a way
Bernie Swaim
September, 2003
The way was provided by Doug Means and his BajaNomad Board soon after I wrote this piece.
Things seem to get a bit rocky every now and again but most of us still share a common love of Baja and its people. Hopefully that love for this
wonderful land will allow us to work together, to understand our differences and build on those areas where we share a common desire.
Perhaps in this way we will not have to go looking for another new home any time soon.
PAZ
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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Bedman
Senior Nomad
Posts: 523
Registered: 9-4-2002
Location: Orange County, CA.
Member Is Offline
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Amigos De Baja
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3512
Registered: 8-27-2003
Member Is Offline
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Thursdays were very special back then: 1) I'ld find my copy of WON in the mailbox, go grab a beer and read Fred Hoctor's column. 2). Open Amigos
and read the fishing report - every last word of it. 3) Go over to the board and read everyone's response to the week's report and catch up on all
the news and trip reports.
God - I still remember the report of someone hooking a dodo that dove under the boat and came up the other side and then jumped over the boat -
fishperson (whomever it was) did the only thing he could - with rod in hand, jumped in the water, swam under the boat coming up on the other side,
climbed in and kept reeling.
Thursdays just aren't the same..........
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zforbes
Nomad
Posts: 334
Registered: 4-11-2005
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living the dream
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Great stories and pictures
That really personalizes the Amigos for me. When was that group picture of taken? Can any of you identify yourselves? You look like a happy lot.
\"You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.\"
Swedish proverb
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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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Santiago
I still have copies of Baja HaHa and a CD of 'Fishin' with Fred' that I sell for his widow.................Heck I have to because he helped me with my
first book and I owe him.
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: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
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Jim,
I think I remember that same dorado post. I wondered how he was able to keep his tension tight. Those were the days. Doc Abraham used to fax me the
fish report from town, then I would in turn fax it to Earle for him to post on the board.
I might be bold enough to suggest the reason we all 'got along' in the beginning was because we really didn't know each other back then. Everyone
played nice for a while...
Evolution happens.
P<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
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Although I didn't post a great deal I visited Amigos almost from it's inception. I stayed away from the politics and wasn't really aware of much of
it. I loved that website. I had a really hard time understanding and accepting it's shutdown. Bajanomads never seemed as good to me for a long time. I
liked the joke of the week that was published every Thursday. The webmasters actually put a great deal of effort every week into that website. They
had contests every week based upon pictures of remote locations you were supposed to identify. Rather than wait for posts about baja news the
webmasters themselves published it. It wasn't just a discussion forum. Not all the members migrated to bajanomads (David Eidell) and I miss their
intelligent input.
I have grown to like bajanomads now as much as amigos. The ability to download pictures is a big deal for me. The landscape is so beautiful how did we
ever get by just talking about it all those years.
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