Baja in pics, it was AWESOME.

[RickM]

I have not been to Mexico in so long I am sure it has changed a lot...but in 1979 my buddy and I were thrown in jail in Puerto Escondido for "Public Singing". We paid the fine..which was of course precisely equal to the $ we had on us, and were let go. I hear that area is now very touristy. Some beautiful spots down there. I heard a piece on NPR last week about the increasing number of gringos who are moving to Mexico to live seaside. I guess you have to enter into this arrangement where you "own" your house..but the Mexican gvt. owns the shoreline land itself.

[robin3mj]

you've got things dialed, Garro!

[steve garro]

I have not been to Mexico in so long I am sure it has changed a lot...but in 1979 my buddy and I were thrown in jail in Puerto Escondido for "Public Singing". We paid the fine..which was of course precisely equal to the $ we had on us, and were let go. I hear that area is now very touristy. Some beautiful spots down there. I heard a piece on NPR last week about the increasing number of gringos who are moving to Mexico to live seaside. I guess you have to enter into this arrangement where you "own" your house..but the Mexican gvt. owns the shoreline land itself.

I bet it involved alcohol? ;)
Not judgmental, been there myself almost 20yrs ago.

But hey, we throw them in jail for just wanting to pick lettuce, soooooo.............

Lots of gringos move there, and to be honest, a few actually make it.
Some do not.
Many do not.

Also, to clarify, the Mexican law on the beach is "Playa es Libertad" whereas the beach belongs to EVERYONE - "the beach is free"
Yes, they can build a hotel there, but technically you can pitch a tent, drink beer, fish on the beach there, whatever.

The "owner" may give you shit until you give up and leave, but this only happened to me once, I was camped at least 100yrds from a NOLS "leadership" camp and the leader basically made it plain he would not quit haranguing me until I left - I guess a guy doing a 4500mi bike tour on his own was a bad example for a bunch of well off USA kids paying to learn how to camp.

That's the ONLY time.

How it works home wise, I asked: You own your home.
You do not own the land, you lease it from whatever family of municipality has the legal directorship to the area - it could be the local municipality (Mulege, Ensenada, ect) a family, a ranch, or an Ejido (A socialist commune of like minded individuals working towards a common goal, very many of these, a sign on the road will say 'EJD' before the name)
You have a one time "purchase" price, a guy told me $28,000 US, and then "rent" which I was told was $200 a month.

Like I said, ask away.......
- Garro.

[RickM]

I bet it involved alcohol? ;)
Not judgmental, been there myself almost 20yrs ago.

Why, yes it did. And believe me, i actually remember the incident fondly. We were 23 and broke and had some shitty scuba gear and surfboards and nothing else, really. Long-ass hair, etc...so of course the "police took notice" as the signs always say.

Your NOLS note made me chuckle. I worked *briefly* at OB but quit 'cause of philosophical differences. :->

[randonneur]

If you are open and show some smarts and make an effort to communicate and bridge the cultural gap you will be rewarded immensely!
- Garro.

My wife's spanish is pretty good (a lot better than mine, lol), and it was invaluable in sorting out all the amazing-race-esque hoops we had to jump through to get all our return paper work in order.

I will say that everyone from the consulate on down to the hotel staff (even the police, once we figured out which station to go to) was lovely to deal with, save for that one prick who stole our stuff.

[steve garro]

My wife's spanish is pretty good (a lot better than mine, lol), and it was invaluable in sorting out all the amazing-race-esque hoops we had to jump through to get all our return paper work in order.

I will say that everyone from the consulate on down to the hotel staff (even the police, once we figured out which station to go to) was lovely to deal with, save for that one prick who stole our stuff.

You needed return papers?
Did you loose your passports?

To be clear, I also try to avoid Tourist Areas like the plague, in any country including this one.
It's like why people target bike races to steal bikes - you want eggs, look for the chickens........

- Garro.

[Gummee]

Well, not that I'm implying that you do so, but, many Americans get in trouble down there by thinking they can act in ways that they would not at home......
If you are open and show some smarts and make an effort to communicate and bridge the cultural gap you will be rewarded immensely!
- Garro.

I haven't spent nearly as much time in MEX as Estaban in his Pinche Chebby, I HAVE spent a bit of time there. Stay away from known trouble spots (Juarez, parts of TJ, etc) and you're pretty well OK. Puerto Penasco is still a favorite of mine.

M

[steve garro]

I haven't spent nearly as much time in MEX as Estaban in his Pinche Chebby, I HAVE spent a bit of time there. Stay away from known trouble spots (Juarez, parts of TJ, etc) and you're pretty well OK. Puerto Penasco is still a favorite of mine.

M

PP is a nice hangout, but S. of there is REALLY nice - Desemboque, Puerto Lobos, Kino, San Carlos, Guaymas - the ferry from Guaymas to Santa Rosalia BCS is a real treat if you ever want to construct a loop of it all, of cross Guaymas >> SR >> down the Mar de Cortes >> La Paz ferry to Mazatlan >> return through the mainland........

Sonora is REALLY NICE COUNTRY!
- Garro.

[nash]

Years ago my girlfriend wanted to do a bike tour through Baja. We didn't end up doing it. Went to Maui instead. But those pictures make me want to do it!

[lukasz]

Mexico, like the USA, is totally sound as long as you keep out of trouble spots.
You will not find me in TJ, Ixtapa, Mazatlan or Juarez, but then again I'm not going to S. Phoenix, E. W/DC, Compton, parts of PDX & Seattle, or any of a ton of places in the USA either..........
Baja is great, BCS only holds .17 of Mexico's population, but had 1/4 of it's coastline, and some districts re up to 77% protected park status........perfect place to go, really....
- Garro.

I see what you're saying but isn't Mexico a bit more of a minefield than the USA? At this point it seems almost like a civil war in some places. Military/paramilitary on both sides of the conflict. A bit different than poor US metro areas. Not that this would matter much in Baja... I worked with a guy from near Mexico City and he said the same thing as you. I just think there may be a bit of wishful thinking there regarding the scale of the conflict.

Anyway, these photos make me want to go more than I already did! I consistently have more fun in Spanish-speaking places when I go abroad (in NYC too I guess... hah). Too bad I took years of French in school. I can pretty much read Spanish but am nowhere near good at it.

[steve garro]

I see what you're saying but isn't Mexico a bit more of a minefield than the USA?

No, I honestly don't think it is - I think much of it is manufactured propaganda, and that same machine is downplaying the violence, poverty, entitlement, division, lopsided economic reality and racism that we take for granted as "that's just how it is here"
They don't have school shootings in Mexico to my knowledge, and guns *are* illegal to possess - all the guns come from the USA, and the guns for drugs to guard the drugs to make the money is fueling the border strife.......hell, the Sinaloa Cartel has moved base to Phoenix, AZ for ease of distribution.........
I'm more scared of the USA meth and electronics addictions then anything else I can think of right now.
YRMV, just my rambling Dos Centavos.
- Garro.

[Gummee]

PP is a nice hangout, but S. of there is REALLY nice - Desemboque, Puerto Lobos, Kino, San Carlos, Guaymas - the ferry from Guaymas to Santa Rosalia BCS is a real treat if you ever want to construct a loop of it all, of cross Guaymas >> SR >> down the Mar de Cortes >> La Paz ferry to Mazatlan >> return through the mainland........

Sonora is REALLY NICE COUNTRY!
- Garro.

That reminds me... I have a box o' parts just about ready to toss in the mail. I had to stop saving wheels 'cause they're just too big, but I have some other, smaller stuff for ya

M

[steve garro]

That reminds me... I have a box o' parts just about ready to toss in the mail. I had to stop saving wheels 'cause they're just too big, but I have some other, smaller stuff for ya

M

Sweet!
FYI it's all going to the small town of Puerto Lobos, Sonora to the S. of Puerto Penasco, if you ever care to visit Bici Mundo.
El-Son (Elson) is the owner.
- Garro.

[lukasz]

No, I honestly don't think it is - I think much of it is manufactured propaganda, and that same machine is downplaying the violence, poverty, entitlement, division, lopsided economic reality and racism that we take for granted as "that's just how it is here"
They don't have school shootings in Mexico to my knowledge, and guns *are* illegal to possess - all the guns come from the USA, and the guns for drugs to guard the drugs to make the money is fueling the border strife.......hell, the Sinaloa Cartel has moved base to Phoenix, AZ for ease of distribution.........
I'm more scared of the USA meth and electronics addictions then anything else I can think of right now.
YRMV, just my rambling Dos Centavos.
- Garro.

I feel the same way as you. Don't get me wrong. The whole border fence thing is an attempt to distance ourselves from a problem that the USA is an integral part of. I think there is a difference in the level of violence, though, even if there is not much difference in human cost.

[efuentes]

I live in the middle of it (In Los Mochis, Sinaloa) and I have helped lots of travelers over the years to make Copper Canyon excursions, I have also adviced against traveling on this parts for some years (2009-2011), right know its pretty safe in Sinaloa and Sonora, Baja has always been safe, at least safer than Phoenix or some parts of La. As always common sense will get you far.

Saludos

[steve garro]

Here is a GREAT kayak fishing FAQ: The Ultimate Kayak Fishing FAQ - Jackson Kayak - Whitewater Kayaks, Fishing Kayaks, Recreational Kayaks Jackson Kayak – Whitewater Kayaks, Fishing Kayaks, Recreational Kayaks
- Garro.

[davids]

Those sunset photos... They remind me of some of my own. Here's one:

Israel+pictures%u0025252C+day+7+-+96.jpg

Fantastic stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[steve garro]

Those sunset photos... They remind me of some of my own. Here's one:

Israel+pictures%u0025252C+day+7+-+96.jpg

Fantastic stuff. Thanks for sharing.

Super excellent - zoom in for the best parts is definitely key.
It's not A to B it's what you see.
- Garro.