Baja-15 Baja loving amiga, Mindy (‘jeans’) and I combined equipment and talents to explore and enjoy as much of the peninsula as possible, while visiting new friends.
Capt. Mike & Janeen’s camp at Santispac. That’s Mindy’s Callen camper on my Tacoma, a great combination!
Mindy enjoys the view and sunshine at Bahia Concepcion.
Captain Mike of Screaming Airlines is available to take you anywhere over Baja!
Getting ready to fly with Capt. Mike. We were looking forward to this treat… thanks Mike!
Here is Playa Santispac from above!
San Juan Bautista Londo visita ruins (north of Loreto), are just west of Hwy. 1.
‘Cocina Pacifica’ gourmet resort where we were guests. Bajabus lives ‘next door’ and broadcast the hurricane reports from here when Juliette hit.
The beach at Cocina Pacifica, in Elias Calles, Baja California Sur. Elias Calles is halfway between Todos Santos and Cabo San Lucas.
Bajabus (Max) was always busy! He is Baja’s #1 Satellite and Solar specialist!
Standing next to the ‘Baja bus’ from which Max gets his handle, is his companion, Lynn.
Mindy finally sees Cabo…
Cabo San Lucas marina , from the Finisterra Hotel.
Hotel Finisterra’s other side…pools and the Pacific. Land’s End… the tip of Baja!
With so much development in Cabo San Lucas, one must drive out of town to actually see the cape!
Between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are some really fine beaches.
Santiago Zoo
Here is ‘Leo’ who can barely move a couple paces in this tiny cage. We hope to help move Leo into a proper enclosure suitable for him. The zoo is at of the end of the paved Santiago side road, south of Los Barriles. Update: Zoo has been closed!
Meet Jimmy Smith!
Given the nick name ‘Grinning Gargoyle’ by Choral Pepper in the 1960’s on her visit to San Ignacio with the Erle Stanley Gardner’s party. Jimmy kept it!
Jimmy and Mindy heading down the arroyo to Real de Santa Ana. The oldest mining ruins in Baja. The site is unmarked and hidden by vegetation.
Real de Santa Ana
Here is an ‘horno’ or oven where silver ore was turned into silver bars. Behind is one of the water wheel mill stone structures, a second is 500 yards away. In Harry Crosby’s ‘Antigua California’ see a photo of this horno.
At the mill structure from the 1740’s, with Jimmy Smith.
Mindy goes into the mill and hugs a tree growing inside.
On the San Antonio de la Sierra road, giant ‘güérivo’ trees are encountered (among palms) near 3,000 feet ASL. Its hard wood is used to make furniture and the first ship in (Baja) California. Built in 1719 by Padre Ugarte was the ‘Triunfo de la Cruz’. This site is just west of Los Barriles!
We bid goodbye to Jimmy at this beautiful location in the Sierra la Laguna. However, we follow him back to Hwy. 1, and we suffered our first flat.
David K & ‘Tucker’
From the Sierra La Laguna we drove to La Paz and joined Tucker for dinner at the Mar Y Pena restaurant.
The view of Agua Verde
Taken from a great road that drops over 1,000 feet from this vista to the sea.
Our beach camp at Agua Verde… probably our favorite spot of the trip. Lobster was sold to us by fishermen that morning from their boat!
Mission San Juan Bautista de Ligüí was here…
Hervey Antonio Morillo Cervantes and his cousin Gilda Rene Cervantes Marquez show us where the mission was before Hurricane Juliette’s destruction in 2001.
Hervey next to the biggest chunk of Mission Ligüí’s foundation remaining in the hurricane enlarged arroyo.
Another piece of Ligüí. Photos of Ligüí taken on December 30, 2001. GPS: N25°44.37′ W111°15.85′ (WGS84) near this spot.
Ensenada Blanca
This beautiful view is from the beach, just south of Ligüí. Mission Santa Gertrudis
We drove north to Bahia de los Angeles using the ‘new road’ between Guillermo Prieto and Punta San Francisquito. Santa Gertrudis was an easy 11 mile side trip from the new road.
Bahia de San Rafael
A beautiful beach for camping between San Francisquito and L.A. Bay. We had a party to attend at Camp Gecko on this New Year’s Eve, so our stop here was brief. Another stop was at the Las Flores ruins where we suffered flat tire #2.
Camp Gecko on Bahia de los Angeles. Gecko’s beach, photo shows Beach Bob’s house, next door. [photo by Bedman]
New Year’s Eve
The new cantina at Camp Gecko was ready for Paulina, Doc and Sylvia’s fiesta!
Steve ‘4Baja’, enjoying New Year’s Cheer at Camp Gecko, :-). [photo by Bedman]
Beach Bob has a message for Father Time! Happy 2002 from Camp Gecko, Bahia de los Angeles! [photo by Bedman]
This vulture is warming his wings the morning we left Bahia de los Angeles. New Year’s was a blast at Gecko! Thanks Doc Abraham, Sylvia, and Paulina!
‘Montevideo’* Pintura Site
Here is Mindy at the cliff containing many paintings. The site is accessed off the San Borja road, 2 miles south from the L.A. Bay highway, and 5.8 miles east, through a boojum forest. * ‘Living Mountain’ (also spelled Montevideo)
Ancient graffiti is abundant at Montevideo!
Several colors were utilized by the early Baja natives.
“I Just Love Exploring Baja!”
‘David K’ at Montevideo, with Mindy…what a great way to start a new year!
Leaving Montevideo, back through the boojum forest. This large trunk may have been the base of the world’s highest boojum!
Misión de Calamajué, 1766
Due to saline water, crops would not grow. The mission was moved after 7 months to Santa Maria.
Another foundation at Misión de Calamajué. The river bed with its year-round stream is just beyond. From here, we stop at Coco’s Corner for a visit and a beer, then on to Gonzaga Bay for a shrimp dinner and an overnight next to Brandi’s place.
Coco gets his yearly trim from Barbara M!
El Almacén
A gold ore warehouse dating back nearly 100 years. Located between San Luis Gonzaga and Puertecitos. Note Isla Miramar also called Isla Muerto, off shore.
Get ’em Up Scout!
Some fun creative work, north of Puertecitos!
The End!
Located on Laguna Salada, we passed this ‘funny’ after spending our last evening in Baja at Guadalupe Canyon Hot Springs. Hope you enjoyed this tour! Please visit http://vivabaja.com/ and the #1 http://forums.bajanomad.com discussion board.