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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Mision Santa Maria de los Angeles (Photos and links to more photos)
BajaCactus, here is the Santa Maria mission... Perhaps you were thinking of the Santa Isabel mission story... which is attached to this, the last
Jesuit mission in Baja.
If you ever have the opportunity to go to Santa Maria, take it! This place is one of the most special in all of Baja. This photo I took at sunrise in
April, 2003. See http://vivabaja.com/403 for the whole story of that trip.
[Edited on 6-27-2004 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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A mile before the mission...
After dropping down the 'widowmaker' steep grade, the road soon drops into the arroyo for a short distance, then climbs over one low ridge to enter
the mission valley. This pool is about 13 1/2 miles from Rancho Santa Ynez.
This photo taken by BajaMur when he and I went there in May, 1999.
[Edited on 6-20-2004 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Beyond the mission...
about a half mile. Note the sun reflecting in the stream. Photo by me in Apr., '03
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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At the end of the 'road' are petroglyphs!
1.3 miles past the mission, turn left, out of the arroyo. It was possible to drive only 1/4 mile up this bulldozed road. We hiked about 1/4 mile
further to the top of the ridge, where the road building effort ended. Petroglyphs are here, where the Indian Trail continues east, dropping into the
canyon from the end of the bulldozed road. The El Camino Real comes down the mountain from the north, before reaching this point.
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Helpful
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Never been there...
I have never been there... it looks like a wonderful place. Thanks for the photos...!!!
Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: In love!
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There has been a discussion of big cats around Mission Santa Maria. Keep your eyes open.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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academicanarchist
Senior Nomad
Posts: 978
Registered: 9-7-2003
Member Is Offline
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If you see these cats...
If you see these cats run for the hills, but you won't have to run too fast.
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Helpful
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Good humor...
You guys are really in a good mood today... have you been to Baja Lately....
About that photo of yours Neal.. I do not know why it reminds me of a girlfriend of mine....just after we split....
Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: In love!
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Now, now, Antonio, play nice. :-)
It has been too long since I've been to Baja. I'm in a good mood 'cause my wife is out of town. Hee Hee Hee
I'm dead if anybody squeals!
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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academicanarchist
Senior Nomad
Posts: 978
Registered: 9-7-2003
Member Is Offline
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Unfortunately No
Haven't been to Baja California lately, but I am just in a good mood tonight.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The 'Widowmaker'
Now, if the pretty pictures I posted above are inviting, you must know that the 14.5 mile road from Santa Ynez to Santa Maria is one of the toughest
trails (that goes somewhere) in Baja! The short drive takes 3 HOURS and requires high clearance 4WD vehicles (with lockers* or companion vehicle
prefered). * locking rear differential for climbing back up this grade I call the 'widowmaker'. Most park at the top and hike the mile and a half to
the mission.
This is Chicagoross' Jeep, when we all went there in 4/03.
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Helpful
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Dangerous!!!
That road sounds very dangerous.... have you been there many times David...???
Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Only two times Antonio... Dangerous? 'Danger' is my middle name! Just
kidding... no it is not dangerous, just very tough. Low range 4WD (doble tracion) and a locking rear differential (as equiped on the Toyota Tacoma
TRD) is all. ChicagoRoss had no problem in his lifted Jeep Wrangler. He and I both had new Futura Dakota tires (made for Pep Boys by Cooper) which
performed great (at nearly 1/3 the cost of BFG All Terrain T/A's). Fishuntr also came with us in his Toyota truck.
The first time there, I was on a quad with BajaMur who rode a motorcycle. We both whiped-out (fell off), and shed blood coming back up that grade in
the photo. That is when I named it 'the widowmaker'! Mur took a fantastic 360? panorama at the mission and posted it on his web site... It is almost
like being there!
Anyway, it was a bit dangerous on the quad and cycle... I felt more comfortable in my Tacoma, four years later!
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Helpful
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Hot...!!
Sounds exhilarating..!!! What a great times you must have had in Baja.. no wonder why you love it so much....!!!
What is the webpage of BajaMur Mr. Dangerous......... David Dangerous...
Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Baja Mur's Santa Maria Web Site
Mur did a great job, specially with the panorama... http://bajamur.homestead.com
From the top of that site you can click on 'Gonzaga to Santa Maria' which is part 2 (how we tried to get to the mission from the east side, and then
flew over it), a couple days later, from Alfonsina's.
[Edited on 6-25-2004 by David K]
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Helpful
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Great place...
It looks very beautiful.... looks like you had a very interesting time.
What I find most incredible is that you guys take the time to make and upload all those web pages and pictures just to share to others what you lived
on your trips.
That is really commendable....
Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Muchas Gracias Antonio!
I find the peninsula totally fascinating, if not magical! I have a need to document my travels so they stay alive in my mind to hold me over until the
next trip south.
Before the Internet, the only way to share my travel reports was to write a book (I wrote 2) or write magazine articles (I wrote several). With the
Internet (in 1999 for me), and these wonderful discussion boards, I can share my travels and the Baja enthusiasts can enjoy them (for free).
The other benefit of writing detailed trip reports is for the reader who may never get to see that place in Baja I write about or may never get to
Baja at all (this is the world wide web, afterall). The reader can have a glimps of what excites us Baja nuts and in a small way, enjoy the experience
as well. Most of those who read my reports fall into that group.
How many of you regular Nomads have been to Mision Santa Maria, El Volcan, or Matomi Canyon since my last trip there? Not even a half dozen, I bet.
Those that do go are not the people who vandalize... but, rather cherish the natural beauty of these sites. Fear not my posting of GPS coordinates!
I look forward to meeting you Antonio... hopefully soon. I think you are an A-1 class individual! Thank you for your excellent service to the Baja
traveler in El Rosario! 
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jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
Member Is Offline
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David
I want to see your books and magazine articles as I'm sure everyone else does to. Donde esta?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Remember when Dave (Cielito Lindo) posted my first book here? I was amazed when he came across a copy of 'Baja and the Transpeninsular Highway' c1973
My next book was called Kier's Baja Road Guide and made up 1/2 of the Special Edition of the Baja California Bulletin Magazine Dec.74/Jan.75
(published by Luisa Porter of Santa Monica, soon Luisa Porter-Klink of La Paz).
My articles were in Mexico West, published by Tom and Shirley Miller and later in Discover Baja, published by Hugh and Carol Kramer. Probably about a
dozen in all.
The cover photo needs to be reduced, on the cover that's my mom on the cover photo with Ramon Villalejo of Juncalito and a dorado.
When I got the book want list from Norm Christie (a big Baja book collector in Washington), I was amazed to see my book in his list! I traded a copy
of my book for the El Camino Real notes and maps by Howard Gulick.
To see the cover of the first book as Dave and Juanita found it, just search articles posted by Porky Pig here.
Oh, I was 15 when I wrote and published the first book and 17 when I wrote the second...
[Edited on 10-20-2004 by David K]
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BajaCactus
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 5-22-2004
Location: Km. 55, carretera transpenisular, El Rosario, B.C.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Helpful
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Wow...15..17..
15... 17...That is amazing about your books David. You were really... really young when you wrote those. Sure your parents were very proud of you....
wonderful....
Is there anywhere I could buy them??.
The reason I am asking is because in the new reception of BajaCactus Motel, I am planning to put kind of a bookshelf, in wich I want to put Baja
related books for my guests to read. I am also planning in asking Barnie and AA where I can get some of their books.
Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where Baja is so much more than a dream..."
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