Baja, Mexico – 2003
“The very air here is miraculous and the outline of reality changes with the moment. The sky soaks up the land and disgorges it. A dream hangs over the whole region, a broody kind of hallucination” — John Steinbeck from the “Log of the Sea of Cortez”
Brief Introduction:
In February and March of 2003 we traveled south for a “Best of BAJA” highlights trip, combining sea kayaking, backpacking and car camping. Driving from our home in Northern Idaho we took 10 weeks and put a little over 7,000 miles on our car. We visited almost every village of any size (except Tijuana), both coasts, some incredible islands and bays, several mountain ranges and 3 very fantastic canyons!
Perspective: In 1972, the construction of the transpeninsular highway (route 1) that connects Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas, opened up much of the Peninsula to the outside world for the first time. In the last 30 years RVers and others have discovered Baja’s charms. And much has changed, not all for the better. However much of Baja lies beyond this highway, on back roads, undeveloped and far removed from where the normal tourist travels. Its a land that is harsh and unforgiving, but rewarding too. This is the Baja that is as picturesque, rugged and charming as ever, relatively unchanged all these years. This is the Baja we went in search of and frequently found. We knew we were on the right track when we ran into a 2 man mapping crew from the Southern California AAA office out trying to resolve where exactly the roads on their maps really went. These are the charms of Baja available only to the independent and intrepid traveler, the ones armed with rough maps, 5 gallon water containers and time to look around………..but, back on the highway, I am happy to report that from Ensenada to La Paz, almost a 1,000 kilometers, there is not a single American Fast Food franchise. Not one. Is there anywhere else left on this planet that you could drive on a paved road, a major route for trucks and RVs, and go that far without seeing the ubiquitous golden arches or any of its brethren?? If you know of one, share it with me – I want to visit there too!!
Check out our “Baja Pictures Page” for photos of all these things and more. Or check out our “Baja Trip Report” page for a more detailed trip description of our adventures as well as links to our email dispatches from the field.
Oh yeah – and go visit Baja before its too late to see it . The Mexican government has plans to develop both coast with a series of resort hotels and marinas. And I’m sure that not long after that the rest of the peninsula will be McDonaldized as well.
Additional Reading:
