Santa Rosalia (6)

26 January 2007
Santa Rosalia, Baha California Sur, Mexico
- population: 1200 (?)
Loa Palmas RV Park

Dear Friends of Barbara and Charlie (B/C) ...

[map] Humphrey again. This email covers the drive down to Santa Rosalia back on the Sea of Cortez, 48 miles. We stayed here one night.





Given the exhausting 48 mile drive and the one night stand, this is the only picture, taken by Barbara, of Santa Rosalia. A famous church in the region is a pre-fabricated church designed and built in France by Gustav Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) and shipped to the site and assembled in 1897.

Why, because the town has a French origin. In the 1880’s a French company, one of the Rothschild’s empire, acquired copper mining rights and built the town of Santa Rosalia around a foundry. They abandoned mining in 1956 and left vacant foundry building and unknown pollution. The tour books and the local people appreciate what the French contributed and don’t berate the company for not cleaning up its mess as would be the case in the US.

Charlie suggests that this might be a spot to summarize the Baja history, geography and population from the Lonely Planet ‘Baja and Los Cabos‘ tour guide:

HISTORY:
8,000 BC Indians first inhabit the peninsula
Significant petroglyphs at amazing heights in caves
(pictures later)

1500 AD
Estimated 48,000 Indians on the peninsula
3 major linguistic groups subdivided in tribes: upper, middle and lower peninsula, some warlike, some practicing pologamy.
‘Rancheria’ settlements, few families to 200 people.
Hunter-gather subsistence living.
Generally naked, sleeping in open, caves or simple
dwelling.
Remote from the Maya and Aztec cultures on mainland.
None survived European colonization.

1532-39
Cortez in 4 expeditions explores peninsula for gold, none found .

1565
For 250 years English and Dutch preyed on Spanish
galleons returning from Philippines.
A Spanish restocking port was created at La Paz.

1687
First Spanish settlement at Loreto, Jesuit mission,
hub for 23 missions built over next 70 years through
out the Baja.

1767
Spanish expel Jesuits from Mexico, Franciscans take over.

1773
Dominicans take over northern missions.

1821
Mexican independence from Spain.

1832
Mission system abolished, turned into local churches.

1846-48
Mexican-American War over Texas boundary.
US troops landed on peninsula and took Mulege, La Pas and San Jose del Cabo.
Mexico seeds California and American Southwest to US.

1853
US offers to buy Baha as part of Gadsden Purchase, denied.

1884-1911
President Diaz encouraged foreign investment in country; parts of northern Baja developed including Ensenada.

1910-20
Mexican Revolution (civil war), Baja on fringe.

1920-33
US prohibition makes Tijuana, Ensenada and Mexicali mecca for booze, gambling and sex; crime followed.

1934-40
President Cardenas instituted reforms including banning casino gambling and cracked down on crime.
Built Sonora-Mexicali railroad to reduce Baja isolation from mainland Mexico.

1945-52
President Aleman built hydroelectric stations, irrigation projects and expanded road system.
Northern half of peninsula becomes state of Baja California.

1948
Bing Crosby, John Wayne, others develop private resort south of La Paz.

1967
First hotel development in Cabo San Lucas

1973
Mexico 1, Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas highway paving completed.
Southern half of peninsula becomes state of Baja California Sur.

1986
International airport opened at San Jose del Cabo, 20 miles from Cabo San Lucas.

2001
President Vicente Fox initiates Baja tourist development program to rival Cancun; great progress is evident.

2000 POPULATION:
Baja California state (upper): 2,911,000
...94% live in Tijuana, Ensenada and Mexicali
Baja California Sur state (lower): 424,000
...La Paz: 196,000
...Los Cabos (San Jose-San Lucas): 150,000
...Loreto: 11,800

2006 GEOGRAPHY:
...Area (size of Illinois): 55,000 sq mi
...Length of peninsula: 775 miles
...Coastline: 3000 + miles
...Highest peak: (Picacho del Diablo) 10,154 feet
...Mexico 1 highway (Tijuana-San Lucas) 1147 miles

2006 ECONOMY :
...GDP per capita US$ 6,260

Next stop: Santispac

… Humphrey, for Charlie and Barbara

San Ignacio (5)

24 - 25 January 2007
San Ignacio, Baha California Sur, Mexico
---population: 4000
Rice and Beans Oasis Park

Dear Friends of Barbara and Charlie (B/C) ...

Humphrey here again. This email covers the drive back over the mountains toward Guerrero Negro and the Baja California - Baja California Sur province boundary check point, then back into the mountains toward Santa Rosalia, 212 miles. San Ignacio is about half-way between Guerrero Negro and Santa Rosalia. We stayed here two nights. Again this is posted three weeks later.

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The RV park is a little small for our crowd but we’ve learned to fit. The park overlooks a palm oasis. At the distant end of the park in the picture is a good restaurant which hosted one of our group dinners. In the picture Claudia is “coordinating” with her husband Jerry.

The town is known for the De Kadakaaran Mission San Ignacio founded in 1728, finished in 1786. It was the Jesuit priest who founded the mission who also planted the area’s date palms; date bread is now a local specialty.

We didn’t catch the name of the iconic priest wielding the broom, it may be a Franciscan priest replacing the Jesuits when they were thrown out of Mexico; the church was finished by the Franciscans.

-

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The mission fronts on a very attractive, shaded city park in which is found a public telephone that Barbara used to report to our daughter Elizabeth.

Adjacent to the square boys played video games, a video store offered rentals.

A street café owner watched TV awaiting customers, and a sidewalk beauty parlor operated in the shade of a tree.

And of course the ubiquitous internet cafe and the even more common curb-side mobile Coca-Cola stand that seems to be permanently imbedded in the concrete pavement. This is symbolic of Coke‘s presence in Mexico -- remember President Vincente Fox was previously president of Coca-Cola Mexico.

The town had a relaxed Mexican feeling with unusual backyard pets.


We had a very pleasant lunch with Al and Teri in a restaurant which looked out over a pond with a resident egret.

Next: Santa Rosalia

… Humphrey, for Charlie and Barbara

Bahia de Los Angeles (4)

21 - 23 January 2007
Bahia de Los Angeles, Baha California, Mexico
- population: 800
Villa Vitta Hotel & RV Park

Dear Friends of Barbara and Charlie (B/C) ...

Humphrey here again. This email covers the drive through Catavina and through the mountains across to the Sea of Cortez side of the Baha to Bahia de Los Angeles, 232 miles. We were here three nights.




Possibly what you envision Mexico to be like. This is unusual for the heavy coverage of cacti, several different varieties.

One stretch ran through a boulder laden landscape, quite surprising. Note the modern petroglyphs; the peninsula is known for “the most spectacular petroglyphs and cave paintings in the western hemisphere” (Lonely Planet).

Our first view of the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Sea of California. Another good example of the highway.

The campsite at the Bahia de Los Angeles. What the long drive the past two days was for and all agreed it was worth it. We spent two full days here. The property has recently been sold with the RV park to be replaced by a large condo project.

Interestingly the town in not connected to the Baja electrical power grid; it has a diesel generator that runs limited hours in the evening.

Besides the beauty, there was culture -- a very nice local museum. This is a snap that Barbara took of a picture of a local burro trail (foot prints ground in the stone).

Another snap by Barbara of another nearly by-gone tradition of the Baja, the Baja 1000. Before the Baja highway was built in 1975-80, the peninsula was known for it’s cross-country dune-buggy endurance race from Tijuana to La Paz. There still is a remnant of the race held every year, the Baja 500, some of which follows the highway.

An extra attraction arranged by our wagon master was a slide lecture by a Mexican marine biologist who conducts research locally on area turtle species. His research documented the annual migration of one type of turtle that established that they come from Japan to nest in the Sea of Cortez.

A briefing at a holding tank at the turtle research facility.

This documents Barbara’s discovery of an upside-down carrot cactus which she hunted for several days. Our trip-tic included a nice write-up of some 9 varieties of cacti we’ve seen along the way.

One or our days here some of the group went out fishing. The Sea of Cortez is renowned for its fishing. They were successful and shared their catch in a dinner fish-fry. By the way, the tall fellow in the center of the picture, Jim Harrison, (retired senior Marine Corps officer) with his wife Bettie on his right, is the caravan member who is sharing his satellite internet connection with the group.

Sunrise over islands in the Sea of Cortez the day we left.

Next: on to San Ignacio south of Guerrero Negro.

… Humphrey for Charlie and Barbara

Vincente Guererro (3)

20 January 2007
Vincente Guererro, Baha California, Mexico - population: rural (?)
Posado Don Diego RV Park

Dear Friends of Barbara and Charlie (B/C) ...

Humphrey here. This email covers the drive through Tijuana, Ensenada (within easy access from San Diego) to Vincente Guererro, 183 miles. We stayed here one night. As the map indicates we are on the west or Pacific Coast side of the Baha. Again this is being sent belatedly from La Paz.

A condo under construction, one of dozens along the beach south of Tijuana. Note the highway curb, the no parking sign and cell phone tower. Just about everyone has cell phones and coverage is available in most cities and towns. US cell phone contracts do not cover Mexico but Mexico coverage is available.

The extent of development through out the Baja is impressive. First because just about everything you see dates from about 1980 and second because a building boom continues. It was just retired Vincente Fox who gave priority to development of the Baha and it is coming to pass. The Baja is held as a land of opportunity like our old west and people from elsewhere in Mexico are flocking in. Capo San Lucas and La Paz have a labor shortage while the rest of Mexico has a surplus.

A fleeting glance from the highway of the Fox entertainment studios south of Tijuana at which the Titantic and Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed, among others.


Look closely and you will see large fish pens in the bay. They are not salmon pens as in the Puget Sound but tuna pens.




A small highway-side town with typical dirt shoulder. A broad set back has been reserved for highway development. Reflected in the window is a caravan “trip tic” provided by Adventure Caravans that lists by mile distance: towns, topes (speed bumps), vados (dry fords in flooding - they don‘t commonly have culverts for water to pass under the highway), pull-outs, turns, toll booths, military check points, Pemex gas stations, and landmarks and views.

The countryside is picturesque desert and limited crop land with a spine of mountains down the middle of most of the peninsula. The scenery is not unlike the US west. Note that the roadway, with 10’ lanes, doesn’t have shoulders. The roads have been engineered with a good foundation so we found little structural failure and the pavement was generally very good.

Dinner at the Posado Don Diego RV Park at the end of a long first day. Left to right: Barbara, Al Irvine and Teri Oelschlager, and Dot and Art Seaman who are in training to become a Tail Gunner. The vacant chair has my ubiquitous travel vest draped over it.

The owners of the Park and restaurant are a family from Los Angeles with one Mexican member which permitted them to buy the business some 25 years ago right after the highway was built through here. During the trip we’ve had many good group dinners (generally with a choice of entrees) which was included in the price of the caravan. The restaurants and RV parks we’ve stayed in have been well selected, the meals generally very good, the margaritas generally generous, and no one has experienced Montezuma’s Revenge. We use water from our storage tank filled with RV park water and chlorinated with Clorox. Barbara and Scout use bottled water bought along the way.

These newsletters are getting a little long, I’ll try to shorten them up but I’m trying to answer some common questions we‘ve found people have. I welcome your questions, drop us an email.

Next: on to Bahia de Los Angeles.

… Humphrey, for Charlie and Barbara

Caravan organization (2)

19 January 2007
Chula Vista, California - population: 199,000
Chula Vista Marina and RV Park

Dear Friends of Barbara and Charlie (B/C) ...

Hello again, Humphrey is back. This email gives a little background to the organization of the caravan and summarizes mishaps.

We arrived in Chula Vista, south of San Diego almost on the Mexican border, a couple days early to handle last minute details and to deliver our car to a Thousand Trails RV park east of here for storage. B/C were surprised with the number of last minutes detail for the caravan, considering that they full-time. By the way, Charlie and Barbara bought a Thousand Trails membership (see internet) for idyllic nature park settings in which to stay and relax, to slow their pace. We’ve stayed in two and really enjoy their natural setting and peace and quiet.

The caravan began with an ice cream social before a briefing. Here we sat with, left to right, Ken and Ethel Cinders from Atlantic City, NJ (he retired from newspaper publishing); and Al Irvine (retired Seabee) and Teri Oelschlager from Santa Barbara, CA. Teri had a son, a NYC fire fighter who was killed in Tower 2 on 9/11.

Getting the word from our “Wagon Master“, Jerry Barber and wife Claudia (both retired California State Patrol) and to their left our “Tail Gunner” Bill and wife Marita Mitchell. The Tail Gunner is an Adventure Caravan employee, the last vehicle in the caravan and is responsible for helping with the repair of Rvs along the way -- and running the DVD loan library. Before leaving Bill gave our 12 year old Lazy Daze a thorough inspection and described it as very chipper.

Our Lazy Daze outside the Chula Vista Marina and RV Park in the brutally cold Southern California winter -- notice the bare tree and Barbara all bundled up. Scout, in the drivers seat, has just said, “Let’s get going!”

All lined up and ready to go. We were twenty rigs with 40 people. The runners in the foreground aren't running but are a "heal and toe" club if you have ever heard of speed walkers, an event in the Olympics. The rigs are all closely lined up but later we broke up in smaller groups which proceeded at their own pace. We traveled with Ken and Ethel Cinders and Bob and Jan Eldred. We were comfortable using our speed control set between 45 and 50 mph.

There were 20 rigs at the start, mostly large “Class A” motor homes that look like busses, the remainder large “Fifth Wheel” trailers such as the one in the center of the picture that are towed with a powerful pickup with a tractor trailer type connection on the floor of the pickup bed. Everything was 30-40’ long except for our 26.5’ Lazy Daze. Only a couple other couples are “full timing” as we have for the past 5 years.

MISHAPS. RV caravanning on the Baja is not for sissies. We are still happy we’ve gone on the trip, would recommend it, and we’ve had no problem but keep us in your prayers. The highway to Cabo San Lucas is 1150 miles on narrow Mexican #1 and our return will be the same.

To this half-way point we are down 2 rigs. One man died of a very fast heart attack, for which Barbara performed her nursing best but to no avail; one woman tore ligaments in her knee getting into a fishing boat and is now in a cast; and one couple, just new to RV’ing and driving a big Class A, returned home not feeling comfortable driving Mexican roads after smashing their driver side rear view mirror on the side of an oncoming 18 wheeler. Two rigs early on ran off the highway, which doesn’t have shoulders, but fortunately they went off where it was fairly level and they didn’t turn over or sustain damage. Another rig, a class A diesel, broke an engine fuel line when they hit an unexpected pot hole. They spent a week in a small Mexican village for installing a replacement fuel line flown down from San Diego; they have rejoined us.

Last night during our evening happy hour social we were queried how many of us have fallen on the trip; 5 reported fall with no serious injury. Even given the above, everyone remaining is still game and morale is high.

Next: Vincinte Guererro (our first stop in Mexico).

… Humphrey, for Charlie and Barbara

Introduction (1)

18 January 2007
Chula Vista, CA
65 and partly cloudy

Dear Friends of Barbara and Charlie (B/C) ...

This begins a new attempt by Charlie to prod me, Humphrey, to post more frequent, shorter and less academic newsletters than in the past. Charlie has remarked pointedly that many friends have inquired about newsletters; I guess I have more of an audience than I realized.

The forthcoming newsletter series will chronicle B/C‘s 45 day “Slow ‘n Easy” Baha RV odyssey, 19 January to 4 March, 2007. The caravan is offered by Adventure Caravans (see internet) with whom they toured Copper Canyon in northern Mexico last winter.

This is a trip description that appears in their tour catalog. Click it to enlarge it.








It is a 1000 miles down the peninsula and another 1000 miles back. This you can enlarge by clicking.







NOTE, at this writing (11 February) we, in fact, are half way through the trip and in an RV park near Cabo San Lucas at the south of the Baja peninsula. See map below. From our park we have a broad view of the Pacific Ocean to the south. The weather here is warm, in the high 80’s but with low humidity and a saving breeze, and deep blue cloudless sky. Our caravan friends come from all over the country; many from places suffering the winter of ‘06 so they really appreciate the weather.

Hopefully, before we leave here next weekend I will be able to email several reports on way-points down the peninsula in our trip so far. I am able to do this because a member of our caravan has a satellite internet connection with wi-fi and graciously allows everyone to link through it. So email to us is possible and we’d like to hear from you.

UPDATE: I did get several reports prepared which are at the editors. This however was emailed at our next stop, La Paz. More later today hopefully.

… Humphrey for Charlie and Barbara