Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Sun, Sand, and Shells (part 1)
My new wife Leidys (w/Conditional US Residency) and I traveled for our first time outside of the United States and we have a few photos to share with
everyone.
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After watching the Quarter finals - Holland vs. Brazil, Leidys and I traveled south along I-15 for a quick dinner at Chipotle before heading east
along I-8 to the Calexico corridor and finally into Mexicali.
Due to the seismic activity in and around the Mexicali region, the roads south of Mexicali were under construction, and they left everyone gasping for
air as the roads were nothing more than powder-dust covered routes through the Mexicali desert.
After traveling for 9 hours, we arrived in San Felipe, and we stumbled upon a GREAT MOTEL just North of town - The Diamante Motel.
Leidys and I were treated to a new, clean facility which boasted total vehicle security - a locked garage for the Rubicon! A heated swimming pool and
an ice-cold Air Conditioner along with Sky Satellite TV and heated shower for $28/night or $56/3 nights were some of the selling points of this
magnificent find.
Leidys in front of Diamante Motel
After checking out of our Motel the following day, we drove to the Malecon and dined at Mariscos La Morena.
After watching another World Cup match, we walked along the Malecon, snapping photos and enjoying the ubiquitous warm weather of San Felipe.
Shell Island is roughly 20 miles south of San Felipe. Our Jeep Rubicon made the trip without any difficulties along the soft blow sand, and within
minutes we set up our new Quick Shade. Leidys enjoyed the view while I emptied the two levels of storage within the short-wheelbase Jeep.
[Edited on 7-10-2010 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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North of our camping spot, was David K & Baja Angel. They arrived about 1 hour before we did, and were promptly set up and already enjoying the
warm 85 deg.F San Felipe weather.
Leidys was surprised with David's ability to speak Spanish with her, and we shared some beverages and shade while we waited for our new friend Arturo
to arrive.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Leidys was amazed by the quantity of sea shells on Shell Island. So, we went walking around, looking for shells to collect...
David was surprised by the rough waves along Shell Island. Lots of wind wasn't necessarily a bad thing, though.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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WE HAVE AN ARRIVAL!!
Leidys makes a discovery on Shell Island
After 1 hour of shoveling and carrying buckets of water to the front of Arturos truck to solidify the sand, he was up and running...making his run to
camp, which was a snap for him to set up.
10,000 lbs. of pure Detroit Beef! 
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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KOOL PIX, KEN, it loks like you guys had a great time, congrats on Leidys to be able to go to MX. I see a Baja Grande in the future...Just like DK I
hope one day I caan do a Baja trip with you guys, this year it was kind of slow for me, plus all those repairs I had to do on my truck...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Beautiful pixs from the too much fun club. Thanks
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Thanks for sharing Ken... and your wife's smile is killer.. your a lucky man..
And cheer up.. your supposed to be having fun.. just joking with you.. know you are..
Nice trip glad all was fun with no problems ... your jeep looks like your time and effort has been well rewarded... with a good looking and sound
running rig..
Again thanks.. and glad you take a camera too and take shots..
[Edited on 7-10-2010 by wessongroup]
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edm1
Senior Nomad
Posts: 568
Registered: 8-23-2006
Location: Oak Hills, Ca
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Ken, that hotel sure has the looks of a 4-star in the US. Nice find!
Thanks for sharing the pics and I hope to share another trip with you and Leidys again, perhaps another to Shell Island or further down south like
Asuncion or even La Paz. I promise to bring lumpias, pansit, adobos and the like.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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While Arturo stayed back in camp, we all climbed in our silver 4WDs, and shuttled ourselves down to Shell Beach. Here is what it all looked like...
The weather was much cooler than we thought it would be. We missed Arturo while out sightseeing. Next time, I am sure he will want to see Shell
Beach.
Here is Leidys and I enjoying the beach while collecting a load of shells.
I spent time on Shell Beach with David K back in 2001 - where did all of the years go??? Leidys really thought David and Elizabeth were great people.
[Edited on 7-10-2010 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Our steeds parked, and on the ready...
Sand dollars by the plenty!
There appeared to be a sandbar out in the distance.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Traveling north to Percebu lagoon
Pelicans occupied the coastline, searching for dinner.
Rancho Percebu, behind Leidys now has a nice campground, and plenty of homes to part-timers. Sadly, there were few people here for the 4th of July
weekend.
The tide cycle prevented the lagoon from filling completely past our camp. The tide mark was also a bit shallow, but provided some great swimming
opportunities for all of us.
High tide looked like this.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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It was a great trip...... Thanks for posting the photos Ken... When do we return?  
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Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
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Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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Ken & Leidys, David and Baja Angel
Keep it up! The pictures are beautiful, a mini-virtual travel fantasy for the rest of us and you look like you are having the time of your life.
Thanks for sharing.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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It is pure Baja, and what keeps us returning. Sun, Sand, Shells... and the Sea of Cortez... It remains awesome even 32 years after the first time I
camped there, on the island.  
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