Northern Baja Mexico

Pine Mountain News

It was a holiday week this week. Thanksgiving has come and gone at Pine Mountain Ranch.We had a huge Thanks giving feast and Jeff and Squeekers join us from the Desert Outpost.

It is the end of November already and fall is almost over. Winter is about to begin. A winter storm has brought us 2 inches of snow tonight.



Poem of the Week





A Mexican Thanksgiving

by emily d stine

a suitcase, small smile, a passport (for good measure)
and we're the south.side of snow and Estados Unidos.

the sun is the weather and the stress is swept
seaside via wind and salt. we lay tanning
our faces and resting our eyes, eyelids imprinted
with impressions of blue skies.

soon time meanders around and calls us to eat.
ruffle our feathers inside where the staff dons white
linen uniforms for the occasion.

and the fare is American, Thanksgiving in theme,
from the big giant turkey to the banana creme pie.

we eat and we eat, though it's not quite like home,
and at the end, there's no dishes to wash, no table to scrub,
we simply throw on our bathing suits and digest in the sun.

Feature Story of the Week

Northern Baja Mexico






We entered Mexico at Mexicali. We traveled highway 5 and arrived in San Felipe about 120 miles later. San Felipe is on the sea of Cortez in the northern part of the Gulf of California. The last 19 miles to San Felipe is a paved 4 lane highway. San Felipe is a popular spring break destination. The town has many hotels and restaurants several gas stations and an airport.

History

The area was discovered in 1535 by Cortez and the area was named in 1746 by father Konscak. The town was officially established in 1925 as a fishing camp. The town grew slowly until the 1960’s when hotels and nightclubs opened. One of the newest is the Rockodile club and a giant crocodile sign advertises this club as you approach San Felipe.










When you have seen San Felipe and want to get away from the noise and people a nice trip is Puertecitos. This town is located about 90 kilometers south of San Felipe at the end of the paved road. Puertecitos is on a small peninsula with the Gulf of California on the east and Puertecitos bay on the west side. The bay contains a hot springs. The hot springs is best enjoyed at about mid tide. At high tide it is about the same as the Gulf of California. At low tide it is too hot and will burn you. The town consists of about 200 dwellings and is a mixture of expatriots from the US and local Mexicans. Puertocitos is what San Felipe was before it was developed. It is a great place to relax and unwind. There are several campgrounds and a small hotel.






After a few days we left San Felipe and made our way to the west coast.We stopped in Ensenada













then went to Estero beach. The people were warm and friendly but we did most of our traveling in the daytime. Night time is a time to stay in town especially when you are close to the border. These areas become a bit of a war zone at night with smuggling and so forth.


Pine Mountain Evening

We are gathered around a warm fire in the fireplace in the family room of Pine Mountain ranch. We have finished dinner and are relaxing with the coffee of the day from http://www.coffeefool.com Tonight we are enjoying Irish Cream. This American roast holiday coffee goes well with holiday meals and as an after dinner drink.

Well my coffee is finished now and the movie we were watching has ended. It is time for bed. See everyone next week.

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The Friendly Gray Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon

Pine Mountain

Hello again from Pine Mountain. Spring is here at last. A couple of days ago after I finished my daily chores I saddled up my horse named Rocket and went out to check the fence line on the back fields. It was a relaxing and enjoyable ride. The birds were out flying around calling to each other. A couple of squirrels ran up a tree and a rabbit ran through the field. A hawk flew overhead looking for mice. Down at the stream several fish swam in one of the deep pools.

I returned from my ride, unsaddled and put away my horse then went to the house for lunch. This week our main feature is about my friend Leanne and whales in Mexico. I hope every one enjoys it.

The Friendly Gray Whales

of San Ignacio Lagoon

The Great Migration

Each winter from December through April, a magnificent event takes place along the Pacific Shoreline.

A primal calling brings forth the longest known mammal migration. From the cold Arctic waters of the Bering Sea, Pacific Gray Whales make their way South to the remote warm water lagoons of Mexico’s Baja peninsula.

It is in these desert lagoons that the propagation of these mighty giants occurs. Although hunted to the brink of extinction only a few decades ago, Pacific Gray Whales have made a remarkable comeback from an estimated few thousand animals world wide to a recently estimated population of 25,000 animals.

At San Ignacio Lagoon, man and these giant Gray Whales have formed a unique and peaceful relationship. Dubbed as “The Friendlies” by the locals because of their curious and gentle nature, they often approach the skiffs to interact with the people on board. These friendly Gray Whales actually seek out human interaction.

Often, mothers with calves will approach the skiffs to present their calves to you, encouraging you to scratch their backs and baleen as they lounge around the skiffs. Over the years, this extraordinary behavior has become a regular occurrence only at San Ignacio Lagoon. It is this trusting gesture of friendship that makes a visit to San Ignacio Lagoon a once in a lifetime, spiritual experience.

Last year’s trip was truly unforgettable. There’s just no other way to say it – these whales WANT TO BE PETTED!

At one point, our ponga was surrounded by not one – but THREE PAIRS of mothers and babies, all looking for an opening toward our outstretched hands. I’ve never seen anything like this.

For reasons known only to the Whales and God, the Gray Whale comes here each year not only to bear it’s young, but also to seek out human contact. It is one thing to pet a whale in a Sea Park or watch it through glass. It is nothing like being on the open ocean and having a thirty foot whale gently take your hand in it’s mouth while it looks you in the eye. I have touched and petted dozens of whales. I have had them bring their babies up to me, proud as any mother can be. I have watched them nurse and have been fluke slapped for getting too close while they mated.

At night, we fall asleep listening to them blow outside our tent while coyotes howl at the moon. At low tide, I like to walk through the lagoon, looking for the tiny octopus that dig into the sand and mark their boundary by piling stones outside the entrance. I have watched Osprey carry off rabbits and coyotes catch clams by sticking their tail into the shell when it breathes, then take it to a rock and smash it open.

God works His magic in San Ignacio Lagoon, and it is why I will be there again next year.

Green Energy

The cost of energy keeps increasing every day. There are ways to save money on energy without spending a fortune. If you are at all mechanically inclined there is a book that will show you how to save energy. It has been called the alternative energy bible. To get your copy got to Alternative energy

Do you want to increase the gas mileage of your car? How would you like to increase the horsepower of your car improve your car’s emissions and get better gas mileage? There is an inexpensive way to accomplish this task. Go to Cheap Gas

Better Health

Modern life is hectic and comes at us full force. How would you like to improve your nutrition? Would you like to improve your short term and long term memory? How would you like to have an energy drink that gives you 6 hours of energy tastes like cherries ? Go to www.acaiplus.com/desertstarproducts Check out acaiplus, white lightning, and feed my brain.

Cheaper Travel

Learn how to save money on you next vacation. Go to cheaper travel

How would you like to travel for free? Go to Free Travel

Do you like to write? How would you like to get paid for going on vacation? Go to Travel Writing and learn how to become a travel writer.

Pine Mountain Evening

I am relaxing in my easy chair in front of a cheery fire in the fireplace. Squeekers my African Grey parrot is sitting on his perch munching peanuts. Tonight I am trying a sample coffee from http://www.coffeefool.com/ called Fire starter. It is a very dark robust coffee that is french roast. It was taken out of the roaster just before it burned. I have finished my coffee now and put squeekers in his cage. I have closed off the fireplace and am ready to get some sleep. Good night all see you next week.