Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

TOURING THE TAME PART OF BAJA V.S.A · ... ... ~ .... '" PAC I~I C OC E ~ 1J 11 ? •• s KEIT M S B R # 1 NOVICE H AH U N story and Pbotos IlY Bill Barmer Baja California (Lower California) bas DENNIS MAHAN #1 TUNER THE WINNERS DO! 8 out of 10 Ascot Winners RELY ON2 Cycle and The NEW 4 Cycle Racing Castor FIND OUT WHY IN SO. CALIF. CONTACT service and sales Rep. ARAGON Dist. Co. 223 N. Camino Real Monrovia, Calif. (213) 441-8342 MANUFACTURED BY Addzip Additives 1433 1st Slreet Escalon, Calif. 95320 come to the attention of cycle enthusiasts recently througb the NORRA rally (whicb althougb won by a dune buggy the first time, wlll undoubtedly bli won by a motorcycle when it is resumed this comIng fall, and is pictured in the average peron's mind as a rugged, mountainous finger of land about the size of the state of Florida. The peninsula is roughly 800 miles long and ranges in width from 30 to 145 mil es . in the Nor thern section there are mountains attaining beigbts of more than 10,000 fee t with pine forests aboundlng with deer and other wild game. Her e, the climate is a continuation of the section of Callfornia that it borders. Thus , Tij uana Is similar to San r:tego, and Mexicall is Uke Calexico and other Imperial Valley towns. Winter ra1n!a11 along the Pacific Coast is !arlly heavy with s now in the mountains but with prac- • tic ally no precipitation and grea t extremes of te mperature East of the mountai ns. The population of the state is concentrated in several cltles In the north, namely: Tij uana, Tecate , Mexl call and the beautiful port of Ensenda, from whicb the buge yearly cotton crop of the lusb Mexicall Valley Is exported. These cities are connected by a sy s te m of paved roads that are almost untravelled by other than trucks and busses. The litile villages along the way are populated by fr iendly people who are eager to make your acquaintance and offer assistance wben needed. The scenery, whether desert, mountainous or coastal, is without equal and offers an unparalleled area for the touring cyclist to discover. Baja can best be described as similar to our own "Wild West" of 75 to 100 years ago, in its more primitive sections, wher e the burro, borse and mule still play an Important part In transportation and agriculture. In the remote areas, communications are obsolete or nonexistent. In the villages, even in the more populated areas , "it is Uke our small towns of 60 to 75 years ago. Mos tly outdoor plumb ing and no running water, electrici ty or telepbones with the possible excepti on of one pbone at the telegrapb office . However , this primitive land Is bea utiful and adventureous and offers sm og-plagued Americanos the opportunity, in just a couple bours' ti me, to get away fr om the pressure and bustle of the big cities and r elax in the beauty and serenity of a completely charming foreign country. In our last story about Baja, we took a short run down the new expressway to the Half Way House (Medio Cam ino) and CO'Iered the recommended precautions that one sbould observe while in Mexico, but one is worth repeating: be sure to stop at the border and take out a full coverage Insurance policy with a Mexican Company . It can save you a lot of trouble and even keep you out of jaU in case you' r e involved In an acc ident. Another prerequisite, if you plan on travelllng beyond Ensenada, Is a tourist permit which may be obtained fr ee by taki ng your birth certlflcate or other proof of ci tizenship to the Mexican Consul's office in L.A. or San r:tego. It will be examined and stamped by an official of the immi gration dept. at the check station about 10 mlles south of Ens enada. In our previous Baja tour story , we left you at the Half Way House, whicb is just 30 miles south of Tijuana anda good place to eat and drink. It also boasts spotless, American-type rest rooms . On weekends and holidays a little Mexican band plays from noon on for those who come to dance . As we pr oceed south along the new expressway (toll road), we pass the Amer ican colony of " La Mision" about 7 miles beyond the Half Way House. It is a community of beautiful bomes bullt by Americans on land leased to them by a Mr. Stocker who controls a great deal of the coastal property. It can only be leased as Mexican law forbids ownership of coastal land by foreigners. "Get Out H You Can" Ten miles beyond La Mision, we speed by the settlement and former rancb of "Salsipuedes" wbere there are a few tourist cabins for rent. The name , SalslpUedas, literally means , " Get out if you can" and is a boldover from the days of square r igged sblps wben it was necessary to have the prevailing wind fr om your stern quarter to sall out of an anchorage. At this cove there was seldom, if ever, an off sbore breeze, whicb would trap unwary s kippers for weeks a t a ti me. Spanisb captains marked their charts, " Salsipuedes " so they wouldn' t get caugbt again. Many anc borages on both coasts of Baja are so marked on the old salling charts and are carried down on modern maps.

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