A merry xmas from Baja California

[BajaEdition]

well cell pone coverage is spotty, so I ill say it now

Merry Christmas to everyone.
If Xmas is not your holiday, then just take it in stride. I do not have the patience to repeat all the holidays.

OK, today we are off to family in Ca. then we ar off for a week exploring upper Baja penesula.
We will be safe, we know lots of the locals and federalis so things will go good.
we also will be spending Xnas dinner and the 26th in a village we have befriended during the years, we bring down a trailer full of donated supplies and clothes for the village. Supplies for the local Padre, and toys for the kids. After spending a few days there, we will set off to explore an area just south of Laugan Las Angelus on the Cortez side. We are taking the JK unlimited as the 2 cjs I own are not ready this year for such a trip over roads not even maintained.
Some friends are going with us and there will be 2 jeeps, 1 FJ40 and a 80 series Land Cruiser.
I expect very spotty cell service to post by.

This is an anual trip I invite different people on every year, ecept one buddy who makes it every year. Our main intention each year is the Village we donate so much to. they truel are great peole who just are economically bound by location and probaly the best people I have ever met.

Some of the diffaculties along the way are buying gas out of 55 gallon drums and having to strain it thru ceheese cloth, carrying spare parts and hoping you have though of everything, knowing how to deal with the atuhorities.in the back country I do not smoke but believe me when pulled over I get the first Marlboro out of a pack and hand the pack over to the head federali. after a brief talk we are waved on. I also cary plenty of clothes for gromets to pass out.

When we get back, we usually have presents at our door from families, who live here, of the people we have visited when down there and we converse with the village all year.

Last year we worked the week helping put a few new roof on, we had 3 trailers of rolled roofing in tow, this year we are promised guides to oyster feilds and fresh lobster on the beach. Charity does pay off if given to those who reaaly need it.

But to all my friends I have met here this year

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
have a great holiday season. and make a dream come true to the ones you love.

 

[IOPort51]

This sounds like about the best Christmas you could ask for.

 

[LongHorn]

well cell pone coverage is spotty, so I ill say it now

Merry Christmas to everyone.
If Xmas is not your holiday, then just take it in stride. I do not have the patience to repeat all the holidays.

OK, today we are off to family in Ca. then we ar off for a week exploring upper Baja penesula.
We will be safe, we know lots of the locals and federalis so things will go good.
we also will be spending Xnas dinner and the 26th in a village we have befriended during the years, we bring down a trailer full of donated supplies and clothes for the village. Supplies for the local Padre, and toys for the kids. After spending a few days there, we will set off to explore an area just south of Laugan Las Angelus on the Cortez side. We are taking the JK unlimited as the 2 cjs I own are not ready this year for such a trip over roads not even maintained.
Some friends are going with us and there will be 2 jeeps, 1 FJ40 and a 80 series Land Cruiser.
I expect very spotty cell service to post by.

This is an anual trip I invite different people on every year, ecept one buddy who makes it every year. Our main intention each year is the Village we donate so much to. they truel are great peole who just are economically bound by location and probaly the best people I have ever met.

Some of the diffaculties along the way are buying gas out of 55 gallon drums and having to strain it thru ceheese cloth, carrying spare parts and hoping you have though of everything, knowing how to deal with the atuhorities.in the back country I do not smoke but believe me when pulled over I get the first Marlboro out of a pack and hand the pack over to the head federali. after a brief talk we are waved on. I also cary plenty of clothes for gromets to pass out.

When we get back, we usually have presents at our door from families, who live here, of the people we have visited when down there and we converse with the village all year.

Last year we worked the week helping put a few new roof on, we had 3 trailers of rolled roofing in tow, this year we are promised guides to oyster feilds and fresh lobster on the beach. Charity does pay off if given to those who reaaly need it.

But to all my friends I have met here this year

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
have a great holiday season. and make a dream come true to the ones you love.

Most people have no idea a true "Mexican Breakfast" consists of 2 Marlboro's & 3 cups of coffee.

 

[BajaEdition]

verison card not working, have to calll my house computer to get on
Probalby paying 5 dollars a minute roaming charges
Had a gunnea fowl for Xmas
my friends down here are esatic about the gifts, especially the new altar kit for the padre. new linen with that too
will lay around here tomorrow and set off for the Sea of Cortez tommorrow, hope to get verison service near san felipe while we pass about 30 miles sout west of it.
Merry Xmas all

 

[Thorwon]

Sounds like a great time!
Merry Christmas!
May GOD spot you all the way home safely.

 

[BrockGrimes]

I tell you having been a spanish linguist, you wont catch me arse south of the boarder anytime soon.

 

[CJ]

Merry Christmas my friend!

 

[Petescj]

Merry Christmas and heres to hoping you get some good pics to share.

 

[LongHorn]

How are the fish tacos?

 

[BajaEdition]

Fish Tacos are great, Halibut

Well it is Tuesday, and I have internet. That means only one thing, I am close enough to San Felipe to get it. And why am I still this close? Well I can tell you. And as all atories go, we need to set this one up.
We were suppose to take the 08 JK Unlimited, but I was about to start to pack it when my wife decided to give me a Xmas present. Yes she surprised me with 2 new Jerry cans and said we could take the 67 to Mexico, Wow, now I would have 20 gallons onboard and 20 in reserve. I decided I still was leery, but she reminded me that for the last 5 months I had been fixing this vehicle up and I had forgone wheeling, I needed to get m CJ on. I do not know why but I agreed. Knowing that I still had a questionable tranny mount and a prescolite distributor that I wanted to change to HEI, somehow I agreed. Mistake.
We crossed the border at Tijuana on a hard run to Ensenada. Running hard and fast as the v6 would take us. I was getting 60 on a down hill, 4.88 geared. So we were behind schedule. We did make the fish market before closing and loaded up on halibut for dinner. And set off east to a village we love. About 20 miles out of town the tranny mount bust, no problem, some chain and a master lock and we are off.
We had a blast in our village. Children we have known for years are now small adults and we have new grommets to spoil, the church is looking good and we have a great dinner. A 60s model GMC joins us for the run to Bahia Los Angelus.
That id where the story gets interesting. I am kinda resident mechanic on this trip and the FJ80 blows a driveshaft. First let it be said I only have SAE tools on me. A 67 Jeep remember. So we get the shaft out and the tubing is twisted. We have some rebar so we decide to take out 2 batteries and hook up 24 volt, use some welding rods and get it back together, if not balanced. Ended up to short and we had to break it back apart and reweld.
That night was fun as we killed a 60 dollar bottle of Barbancourt 18 year old rum as we tried to forget we still had another repair to do. Next morning we started to figure out how to get a v8 distributor to run a V6, yes it can be done, I saw it once on the internet, but it will only run on a odd fire Dauntless Buick 225 V6 , like I have and a little help from the gods. Well it didn’t, so I had to rebuild the old distributor using the weld method with files. I am Screwed big time. About now I decide to go to bed.
Next morning I am told by my wife that I am the Official Shaman Of Old Jeeps and I better get it running or she will tell everyone on my CJ site what I failed to do.
More fear could never be set into a man.
So I took out roll of tie wire, rebuilt the bad cam in the distributor and welded the cap back on. Not neat but it fired off 3rd time and runs better than it ever has. See what fear of your peers can do. Well anyway we took it for a 5 mule run today and it seems to be holding on. The 2 guys in the TJs just made it back with lobsters and some locals are cooking them,
All seems good
Tomorrow we are off to Tecate to look for a distributor and save the week. But until then I ran over my wife’s camera, wonder if the card is still ok. Busted my knucles so bad I have a tee shirt wrapped over them, and have noting to get this grease of the hands.
I can tell you this, lobster and frijoles with tortillas never tasted better than with greasy hands amoung friends that will tow me if it does not run tomorrow.
I am having a blast and would not change it for anything in the world. I am in my element.
Happy New years to all.

 

[IOPort51]

Rock on bro!!
Minstrels will write songs about you and children will speak of you in reverent whispers.
You are truly the master of creative engineering.

 

[BajaEdition]

just gota call, used distributor being overnighted to Tecate for me, we will make it to Bahia LA after all. thank the gods for junk yard dog.com
dont ask how much
will refuel and get to see the sea of cortez, yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[BajaEdition]

In Tecate, have used distributer in and working on the points, had to bu a new file but it is offereing a start now. I am stoked, will get to BLA Yet.

I think this may take a ,,,,,,,,,,,, YEhaw she is running, see ya later folks
damn, stalled, ok is running, needed to tighten a few screws inside distibutor

I am off

 

[Petescj]

Oh Man this is good. Great story.

 

[IOPort51]

Oh Man this is good. Great story.

I can't wait for the DVD!:lpopcorn:

 

[LongHorn]

In Tecate, have used distributer in and working on the points, had to bu a new file but it is offereing a start now. I am stoked, will get to BLA Yet.

I think this may take a ,,,,,,,,,,,, YEhaw she is running, see ya later folks
damn, stalled, ok is running, needed to tighten a few screws inside distibutor

I am off

That's a good reason to carry a "Leatherman" tool, the file.
Good luck on the rest of your trip.

 

[BajaEdition]

That's a good reason to carry a "Leatherman" tool, the file.
Good luck on the rest of your trip.

Rest of the trip
oket me tell you , we set off and decide to run down Laguna Salada, a huge dry lake,, even though it is raining, about 20 miles south of Mexicali the earth starts to buck and shake, we are about 10 miles from ground central of a 5.8 earthquake. WOW what a ride, there were sand spouts, I floored it and with trailer bucking just kept driving for a bit, then we got all back together we decided, well we are still talking but looks like 2 of the guys are freaked out and we are heading home. the aftershocks keep on coming on
Yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaa what a friggin ride.

 

[LongHorn]

Rest of the trip
oket me tell you , we set off and decide to run down Laguna Salada, a huge dry lake,, even though it is raining, about 20 miles south of Mexicali the earth starts to buck and shake, we are about 10 miles from ground central of a 5.8 earthquake. WOW what a ride, there were sand spouts, I floored it and with trailer bucking just kept driving for a bit, then we got all back together we decided, well we are still talking but looks like 2 of the guys are freaked out and we are heading home. the aftershocks keep on coming on
Yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaa what a friggin ride.

With a vacation like that, who needs "Indiana Jones"?

 

[BajaEdition]

I think it is official, we are coming home. one of the guys saw a sand spout about 20 feet from his TJ and is freaked to the max. I tried to explain what sand spouts were but that just upset him more knowing he was on a fault line as we were speaking.
What a friggin ride guys, it was fantastic, the power of this earth is so friggin huge. It was kinda like watching the earth roll in waves, freaking wonderful. I have never seen something so awesome in my life. Well maybeso but I am stoked right now, it was obscene how exciting it was.
Anyway we are going cross in Mexicali and run up past the Salton Sea to Indio, catch the I10 and be home in less than 6 hours, see you all then.

 

[LongHorn]

P.S. nice "Hendrix" avatar.