Roadrunner 5k Beach Bash

Road Runner Cafe Beach Bash 5K/1K is March 23, 2013.  There are two categories:  shoed and barefoot.  The race start is at Buena Vista Public Beach Park.  The course for the 5K will follow the beach to the turn arround at the Costa Brava road entrance to the beach.  Proceeds go to help students pay for high school education.  There are many age group divisions, many prizes.  If you register by Feb. 15th. you are guaranteed a T-shirt.  Pre register at Road Runner Cafe.    We encourage children 12 & under to run in the beach 1K.  Entry fee for 5K: 100 pesos for 1K 20 pesos.  Join me in our first informal training run  at Costa Brava Road beach entrance on Thurs. Jan. 31st. at 8am.  RSVP for training run:  Bonnie Bajabonnie7@gmail.com

Our Friends Who Moved to Los Barriles

Our friends Larry and Cheri have finally retired and moved into their house in Buena Vista. We dove up and accompanied them down the highway since it was their first time. They are thrilled to be here and have wasted no time getting involved in the community. Larry sings at the open mic at Roadrunner and has landed a part in the upcoming Shakespeare play.

Cheri is an artist and an art therapist. She quickly found willing art subjects in our cute little burros. I love her art and here are a few drawings she shared with me. 

 

Rescuing Deer from the Icy Waters of Alaska

This is a great story.  It has nothing at all to do with our little Pueblito except that Los Barriles is full of kind people who would have done the same thing as Tom Satre did in this story:

Tom Satre told the Sitka Gazette that he was out with a charter group on his 62-foot fishing vessel when four juvenile black-tailed deer swam directly toward his boat.

"Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at us. We could tell right away that the young bucks were distressed.

I opened up my back gate and we helped the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals onto the boat. In all my years fishing, I've never seen anything quite like it!

Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering."

“This is a picture I took of the rescued bucks on the back of my boat, the Alaska Quest. We headed for Taku Harbour.

Once we reached the dock, the first buck that we had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back as if to say 'thank you' and disappeared into the forest.

After a bit of prodding and assistance, two more followed, but the smallest deer needed a little more help.

My daughter, Anna, and son, Tim, helped the last buck to its feet. We didn't know how long they had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive. 

My daughter later told me that the experience was something that she would never forget, and I suspect the deer felt the same way as well!"

I told you! Awesome... Huh?

"Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear."

- Mark Twain -

Hummingbirds

These little guys are about ready to fly. The nest is near my wife's restaurant, Roadrunner Cafe. Lots of car and foot traffic but neither mom nor kids seem upset by it.Our groundskeeper/maintenance man all-around-guy, Goyo, realized that the branch where the nest is built was dead.  So he carefully tied the bad branch up so that it wouldn't fall before the babies take flight.

Baja Road Conditions October 2012

We just returned from San Diego via Mex 1. The carretera just keeps getting better. There was very little construction and where there was, it was only for short distances. There are stretches of new pavement all the way down. The most impressive piece is the “Cuesta del Infierno” or "Hill From Hell" just North of Santa Rosalia. Feels like a whole different road. Wider, new lines and signs. Still make sure you have good brakes before traversing!

We cross at Tecate usually. Less traffic, reasonable inspectors. Plus we like driving through the wine country. Much of that road is new also.

We stayed at a different hotel this time in Santa Rosalia, the Tourist Hotel on the South end of town. (somehow our reservations at the Baja Cactus were lost...) Nice place. Less fancy but new and clean and secure.   Ate breakfast at Mama Espinosa's.

Since we were pulling a trailer and our pickup was loaded, we took 3 days to get home. There are plenty of gas stations now but before crossing the dead zone between el Rosario and Guerrero Negro, fill up. If you get low on gas, You can buy gas from various "resalers" at Cataviña and other place for a bunch more than retail. If you get in trouble, stop and ask somebody where can you get gas.

 Had fun at the military stops.  Most of the young men wanted to flirt with our granddaughter Erika. Naturally I didn't take advantage of the situation...  One young man asked if she was my daughter, I said, "no, she's my granddaughter." He then asked if I would like to be his grandfather. Instead of saying no and risk insulting him, I explained that she was already taken and had a 2 1/2 year old son. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by that.

By the way don't be nervous at the military checkpoints. If you don't have drugs or guns or some other obvious thing that could get you tossed in the slammer, you are ok. These kids are bored, tired of each other and most are a long way from home. I've never been robbed or felt threatened by these kids. Think of your kids or friends kids who are away from home for military duty. A big smile and friendliness is usually reciprocated. I sometimes have stuff in the car to hand out like candy bars or bottled water. They are normally very appreciative. Read this if you've never driven the highway.

 

We stayed our last night at the Hotel Santa Fe in Loreto. There's a big sign outside that says, "$490 pesos per night" or something. It's misleading. That is for single occupancy. My buddy Larry (lawyer in his last life) wanted to know why our quote was more than double the price shown on the banner outside. The clerk explained. Larry said said something to the effect that it was a scam and a ripoff. The clerk replied very politely, "Yes, I know. It is our policy." I mean, how do you respond to the the brutal truth? It was pretty funny. By the way, the hotel is nice, has large rooms and a decent restaurant attached. Also has secure, walled parking.
That's about it. I didn't say a lot about road conditions because they are so good compared to only 10 years ago.

Night Lightning Over the Sea of Cortez

I was at the computer late last night and noticed the lightning. I hadn't bothered to watch it in a long while but it was really going off last night. It appeared to be close but wasn't; I could barely hear the thunder. Here's a few seconds of the flashes behind the clouds.

Fearless Roxy the Boston Terrier

Attention East Cape residents. You may not know this but there are loose cows out there. One attacked our car the other day. Fortunately, our dog Roxy protected us. Watch the video as Fearless Roxy saves us with a ferocious bark!