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bajaboolie
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Posts: 277
Registered: 9-24-2007
Location: Aptos, CA/Mulege
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Drive-down traditions
I'm currently in the "It's all I can think about" phase before my drive down to Mulege (a week away!!), dreaming about the fresh tortillas from any
tortilleria and Camelitas at Villa Jesus Maria.
What are some of your traditions (food or otherwise) on the drive down? Are there any places you wouldn't skip on the way down? Anything I shouldn't
pass up? I was grateful to learn about Carmelitas a few years ago.
Bajaboolie
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Paulina
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What a fun question, that I don't think has ever been asked on the board. If I'm mistaken, I'm sure someone will correct me. Our drive south
traditions have morphed over the years with the passing of time and the growth of children.
Some of our tradions driving as far as Bahia de Los Angeles are: (further south is a whole other list!)
Leaving the Punta Banda area pre-sunrise listening to James Taylor. By the time we got to the Santo Tomas area the sun would be in our eyes, his
"Mexico" song would be playing and we (the kids and I) would be singing along to the top of our lungs as we crossed our fingers for no big rigs as we
started up the grade.
El Rosario, diesel fuel, bathrooms and maybe a potato burrito to go from Mama's.
We also liked to stop at the cave paintings before Catavina and hike to the cave.
Then we would stop at the mercado on the left before the La Pinta hotel to buy Coca lite and some semillas del sol then on to La Pinta to use the
bathroom and buy a bar of Hershey's chocolate from under the glass counter.
We stop in for a quick visit with Oscar and Matilda at Rancho Santa Inez.
We mark the Rock Mountain as only 45 minutes until the turn off. It was also the 50 k mile b-day of our truck a long time ago, so we have to remember
that.
We make the turn off to Bahia de Los Angeles and stop at the very first pot hole we find and pee in it. (Debra can vouch for this one. I think we made
her hold to the tradtion also) Now that they've paved the road, we have to hold it till we come to a certain turn out to do our duty.
We then pop in Fred Hoctor's cd "Fishin' with Fred" and sing along with Fred..."a fisherman's life is a good life indeed!" Then we'd have to explain
to the kids that he really didn't use a gold fish for bait.
We honk at Mia's ranch.
At the view of the islands we pop a cervesa, and toast to a safe drive.
We stop at my dad Herman's house, then hit Martha's store, then honk at Mike H. as we pass the cemetary, then wave at the pangueros at the Diaz fish
cleaning station as we head out to the trailers.
You have me waaay homesick now for a drive south myself. I can't wait. Our traditions continue as we continue south from Bahia, but those are for
another time.
Have a safe trip and welcome to the board, by the way.
P.<*)))><
Edit: trying to rid my post of that sad face that attached itself to my post!
[Edited on 29-9-2007 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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bajajudy
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We havent drive down in over three years but one rule we made was
"Dont get to Ralphs in Chula Vista before 6am"...they will not sell you adult beverages before 6am.....I have not a clue at what hour this ridiculous
blue law starts but trying to hit the border early puts you at Ralphs just when you cant buy your supplies.  
I guess that is more a necessity than tradition.
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oladulce
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The first audiobook starts at Santo Tomas and the stories take us thru the desert. In Baja Sur we play "name the next microondas station".
Returning north involves a series of multiple stops. After the first night on the beach at La Perla last week , we floated in the lovely water, and
walked the cats on the beach for as long as we could. Then, I thought I could see the mainland just before the Santa Rosalia grade so we had to pull
over and confirm with binoculars and take photos. Up a little farther, we had to pull over and check again.
A few miles further is where we like to stop at the base of the Virgines, get out and listen to the absolute quiet, and just look up in awe.
Usually it's about this stop that we fess up that we've stalled about as long as we can and we've got to get moving if we want to keep our jobs.
But in just a year and a half, ( about 4 trips more) and we'll never have to return North again. Yipee.
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BAJACAT
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MENUDO at San Vicente
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Paulina
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| Quote: | Originally posted by oladulce
.... we'll never have to return North again. Yipee. |
The tradition I can't wait to begin. Congrats, and may time pass quickly for you.
P<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Diver
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Our traditions on the way south include a quick stop at the Bufadora turnoff for jarred olives and peppers.
The bakery in Santa Rosalia; 2 ATM's in town and lots of fun shopping.
Breakfast at Saul's just south of Mulege'.
Sunrise on the point at El Requeson.
Dawn fishing launch at the Serenidad.
Margies at the pool bar at Serenidad before the pig roast on Saturday night.
And take a drive up into the hills for a different view of Mulege'.
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bajaboolie
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Location: Aptos, CA/Mulege
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Paulina
Leaving the Punta Banda area pre-sunrise listening to James Taylor. By the time we got to the Santo Tomas area the sun would be in our eyes, his
"Mexico" song would be playing and we (the kids and I) would be singing along to the top of our lungs as we crossed our fingers for no big rigs as we
started up the grade.
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Oh yeah, music adds another dimension! For each year we seem to have different theme songs. They are either related to Mexico or not. The first
year we brought our daughter down, we listened to "Livin' la Vida Loca" (about a thousand times because she couldn't get enough  ).There was "Deep in the Heart of Texas" last year, and this year she says
she wants to listen to "South of the Border" by Autry. I've been in a Jimmy Buffet kick lately, so that will make the list.
Every time I play a song we attached to in Baja it brings me back...
Bajaboolie
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Paulina
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Bajaboolie,
Music takes us to where we long to be. The other morning I got up early and tip toed down stairs to where my daugher (12 yrs.) was making her lunch
for school. She had the cd player plugged in and was singing along to a Jimmy Buffet cd. I smiled knowing that baja was in her heart and mind that
morning and that we had done something right.
You've got your daughter on the right track.
P.<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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BajaBruno
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Mood: Happy
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This is a memorable thread. I hope it continues. Thanks to all for sharing your treasured moments on H/W 1, instead of the terrifying ones.
BTW, Baja Judy, I feel the same about that blue law. It starts at 6AM in California, but at least you don't have to buy your adult beverages from
some stodgy government employee like you do in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and a few other states I could miss.
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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Osprey
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First business stop on trips south from Las Vegas to Loreto was a market in El Centro to get pesos from the Chinaman. Once the peso was so bad I
bought 1,000,000 pesos. Raced to San Filipe, stopped for gas and booze (just for the 2 of us, enough to make every last person in Fresno pass out --
for about $20 bucks). Unair the truck tires at Puertacitos, air em back up at Lake Chapala, blast on to the GN for the night, next early bright race
to Loreto for 10 days or so of fun, sun, fish. Almost the same routine going home but slower, happy, sun baked, lighter in the bolsas. One trip,
hotel room, food, booze, fishing (4 of us) = $1,750,000 pesos= $530 bucks. Not really a rictual, sorry.
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Our Jesus Maria stop now includes popping some fresh oysters and slurpen em down then across the street to Cassandras for a visit with Sirena's
boyfriends mama....Juan has traditional pee stops and these rarely vay uness they are occupied(they are secret/sacred like the surf spots) a meal at
Martitas in Vizcaino is a must...great huge heaping quantities of wonderful food, large menu and very clean with excellent service.....and the San
Ignacio store is where we do all our shopping, they have everything real cheap and fresh.
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bajaboolie
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Yes, Osprey, the drive home has a different feel...happy and satisfied.
I never knew about the 6AM law...can't imagine how it makes anything better.
I'm really enjoying reading everybody's traditions. 
[Edited on 9-29-2007 by bajaboolie]
Bajaboolie
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woody with a view
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| Quote: |
these rarely vay uness they are occupied(they are secret/sacred like the surf spots)
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shhhh....this one's a secret, also and rarely occupied!!!!
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Bajagypsy
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We drive like crazy in our pj's, pack a small cooler full of snacks and then spend the night in San Deigo. Wake up early and hit Tijuana before
8:00am after that, it is slower going, stoping were we want, and just enjoying the landscape. On our way to our land, we pick up 6 beer, and have a
beer or two on the dirt road (now 1/2 paved!!)
Going through towns we play our favorite game..... guess the breed of the mexican dog!
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bajaboolie
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Does the mexican dog have a breed??
Bajaboolie
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Al G
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Mood: Wondering what is next???
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
First business stop on trips south from Las Vegas to Loreto was a market in El Centro to get pesos from the Chinaman. Once the peso was so bad I
bought 1,000,000 pesos. Raced to San Filipe, stopped for gas and booze (just for the 2 of us, enough to make every last person in Fresno pass out --
for about $20 bucks). Unair the truck tires at Puertacitos, air em back up at Lake Chapala, blast on to the GN for the night, next early bright race
to Loreto for 10 days or so of fun, sun, fish. Almost the same routine going home but slower, happy, sun baked, lighter in the bolsas. One trip,
hotel room, food, booze, fishing (4 of us) = $1,750,000 pesos= $530 bucks. Not really a rictual, sorry. |
Osprey, how many hundreds years ago was that
Albert G
Remember, if you haven\'t got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart, then you are just a sour old fart!....
The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.
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vacaenbaja
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Does the mexican dog have a breed??
Taconis serius
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Osprey
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Woody, my wife and I took off our shoes and both counted to figure out when the peso was 3300 to one dollar. Close as we can come it was 1988 when
they issued the 100,000 peso notes. I took several road trips down here while the peso was on that long slide and now, looking back, I could kick my
own big butt -- I got in the habit of giving all my coins to the little girls with the Red Cross cans. Unhappily I did not recompute while the peso
was on the slide, I just filled up their cans with very nearly negative money -- envision a half a can of 2 peso coins at 3300 to one! Jorge is the
original Pendejo.
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Osprey
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P.S. before anybody can say "It's the thought that counts" -- NO IT'S NOT
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