[A/S] Hi From Baja

["cacijohnson" <cacijohnson@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Hunter and All,
	Anos Nuevo! or Happy New Year! - Don't know why there is 
no 'happy' in Mexico's N.Y.  
	We are alive and well here in the town of Santa Rosalia on 
the Sea of Cortez, halfway down the Baja.  Stayed in San Felipe just 
140 miles so. of Mexicali for our first two weeks.  A couple (orig. 
Seattle) arrived whom we met last winter on SKP Mexican rally tour 
plus another SKP couple (from Minnesota) and we then continued south 
in Baja with them. 
	We are using our debit card at ATMs to withdraw  pesos, as we 
did in mainland Mexico last winter, and brought in little U.S. 
dollars to speak of.  For anyone thinking of traveling Baja many 
prices are shown in U.S. dollars and many vendors accept U.S. 
dollars.  We wish we had brought in a bit of U.S. cash - this is 
basically because most people from the States automatically take the 
easy way and convert the displayed U.S. price by multiplying it by 10 
(or actually .10) to pay with the pesos.  This is okay for a while 
but after time it adds up to much overpayment as the actual rate has 
been approx. "9" - $30 x 9 = 270 p or in the quick & easy conversion, 
$30 x 10 = 300 pesos.
	The landscape changes rapidly all along the way.  Just south 
of San Quintin on the Pacific side we stayed at a no hookup place for 
$5/nite and right on the water - at high tide when we woke up we 
found the surf lapping the edges just 5 feet away from our butts and 
people out surfing.  Owner caught and cooked a lobster and crabs  for 
each of us at $4.00.
	Prior to that we boondocked in town plaza/parking in E.J. 
Agusca (Santo Tomas).  As Terry Tyler would say it was a stop 
in 'serendipity' as we discovered in the morning that by walking 
across the highway and up a dirt road there was one of the several 
1700's era mission ruins sites.  But better than that was a sea of 
endless vineyards in that brisk sunshiny morning (it was like an Oct. 
morning in Maine and the grape leaves were similar foliage) and the 
Santo Tomas winery tour, samples of wine directly from a barrel and 
from a vat as well.  The tour was free but we all tipped our young 
guide.
	At Camacho's RV park 8 mi so. of Santa Rosalia we hired 
Camacho's fish boat (big dory type) at $30/hr  - $30 x 3 hrs was 
divided by five of us) to take us out around the HUGE island of San 
Marcos.   San Marcos is inhabited because it has a large gypsum 
mining operation going on - we didn't stop and go ashore as it was 
going to be a long ride all around the island as it was. 
	Camacho's  has no hookups but has clean hot showers, clean 
flush toilets, dump station, and fresh water for fillup plus 24 hr. 
security.  An aside note is that we have had no problems with theft 
anywhere.  We just use the usual precautions of locking anything and 
everything as we would in the States.
	An info update on Mexico travel: as a result of the peso 
devaluation in mid 90's it is no longer cheap  for travel. Yes, some 
things are cheaper: Internet use at 15 to 25 pesos/hr or $1.65 to 
2.75 U.S., propane at $9 for 30 lb., sanitized water at 80 cents for 
5 gals... But overall, it is not ridiculously cheap any more to 
travel in Mexico.  BUT, do get to Mexico - there is nothing like it 
and you can travel there on your own without having to first fly 
across the ocean and then hire transportation as needed in Europe, 
Asia, etc.
	Tomorrow, Thursday, we head south.  We have barely begun 
to 'see' Baja as we have been steadily working our way south to get 
warm.  We plan to linger longer on our return trip north when the 
weather will be warmer.  It is perfect at this time in Santa Rosalia -
 78 during the day and 46/8 during the night.
	Almost forgot my main reason for writing was to tell you all 
about our fast and economical stair fix on our 72 A/S in this town.  
The weld on one of the side bolts failed after 30 years.   We left 
the parts needed at "Rocky's" in town and he made a new bolt for 70 
pesos (or $7.70).  The driveshaft broke on our  companions' fifth whl 
slideout.  Rocky made a new shaft for the motor for 150 pesos 
($16.50).  If that shaft had broken while in the U.S. our friends 
would have had a new shaft shipped from manufacturer... that would 
have taken days or weeks while their slideout was unusable.  And if 
the part had been 'made' in the U.S. it would, of course, been much 
higher than $16.50!! 
Adios, Airstreamers,  Cintyia y Carlos (tho we just learned Carlos is 
for Charles, not Carl!)