All my camping gear burned up, haven’t ridden a horse in 20 years, and I’m leaving in just a few days to trek into a remote Baja area with a guy I met on the Internet???  Well, why not!

Phill was waiting for me at the La Paz airport as promised.  La Paz has grown a bit since I rode my 250 Bultaco Matador down there before they built the road (about 1972 or 73).  I visited La Paz in the ‘60s too, hitched a ride on a little yawl with a couple, their 5-year-old child, and a monkey.  La Paz still seems laid back if not quite as sleepy as before.  Phill hosted an excellent dinner in an elegant restaurant overlooking the harbor, we enjoyed the warm Baja sunset, the frigate birds, and a game of scrabble.

(Click here to view the video 'Sunset Scrabble')

There was a wonderful long ride in the famous old blue Land Cruiser, stopping in various small towns to buy watermelon and shrimp and anything else that looked good, and stopping in the wilderness to see blooming boojums and magnificent vistas.

(Click here to view the video 'Lovely En Route')

We were constantly thumbing through the well-worn Baja plant book trying to identify the curious flora and blooming cacti.  Finally we arrived at the rancho where we met our wrangler, Juan.  I also met my beautiful mule Avispa, whom I tried to interest in the carrots I brought from San Diego just for her. (Click here to view the video 'Mary is Making Friends with the Avispa')  Juan was quite amused at my foolishness, but encouraged Avispa to try them.  She thought they were silly, she prefers cactus.  Not even the chivos (goats) would eat the carrots!  We camped after the long ride, venturing out to see one small but fascinating cave which was close by (Click here to view the video 'Cave of the Rat'), then enjoying one of Phill’s famous “minimalist” camping meals: no fancy gear, just huge gorgeous fresh steaks cooked over the campfire, which he also shared with the folks at the rancho. 

There was a bit of a delay in the morning, with Juan shaking his head over all the food Phill had brought—there were only 3 of us after all.  Juan had to go find another burro to carry it all!  The burros walk in front, and seem to need to be reminded to keep going about every 30 seconds.  They’re so cute, they like to browse and nibble the flowers.  Juan was very patient with them, calling out from the back to keep them moving.   

After a bit of a ride, we rested before starting down into the canyon itself.  Good thing for me!  Juan checked all the saddles and gear carefully; the trail from this point on is very steep and rugged.  Avispa did her best to step down gently wherever she could, but when she had to jump down on the steep parts, she would stop and make sure I was paying attention.  (Click here to view the video 'Avispa Jumps') You bet, Avispa!  It was a pretty exciting ride—2000’ drop offs, loose rock, slick faces, steep switchbacks… At first I found it a bit unnerving when her head would be way out over the edge as she negotiated the switchbacks.  My body seemed to be interpreting her head as the front wheel of my motorcycle, which of course should NOT be over the edge.  (Click here to view the video 'Bouncing Down the Trail') We got over it.  Avispa inspired absolute confidence.  Such interesting plants here too, figs somehow clinging to the edges of boulders by their exposed root systems, all sorts of odd things.

The canyon itself is heavenly, with towering palms and massive cardon.  A nice flat sandy campsite, unbelievable shrimp dinner (with plenty left over for a shrimp and egg breakfast!), cigaros (dragonflies which looked for all the world like little flying cigars), tiny toads who come out after dark to plop on their tummies in the moist sand near the water, and those glorious Baja stars… Phill wants to play more scrabble, but I’m ready to crash!

(Click here to view the video 'Shrimp and Eggs')   

On the way to the caves, Juan pulled down a palm frond to show me a rana, a fat little tree frog cuddled up in the center. I couldn’t figure out how he knew it was there.

(Click here to view the video 'Checking out the Cave Paintings')

It was wonderful to see the paintings, what a mystery they are!  Clearly the stories told to early missionaries must be true, they must have been painted by a race of giants! 

I rode back up the peninsula to San Diego with Phill, so happy to see the magnificent boojum forest is essentially as I remember it from more than thirty years ago.  Just like the first trip when the song was at the top of the charts, and despite the fact that Avispa most definitely has a name, it was hard not to keep humming,

“On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings …“  

I’m ready to go back!