{"id":1462,"date":"2014-02-26T21:32:43","date_gmt":"2014-02-27T05:32:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?p=1462"},"modified":"2014-02-26T21:36:19","modified_gmt":"2014-02-27T05:36:19","slug":"returning-to-baja","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?p=1462","title":{"rendered":"Returning to Baja"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>We return to Mulege &#8211; 30 years later.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-1462 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/03-IMG_5444.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/03-IMG_5444-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/02-IMG_5443.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/02-IMG_5443-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/04-IMG_5447.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/04-IMG_5447-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/01-IMG_5440.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/01-IMG_5440-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Halfway down Baja&#8217;s 1000 mile Highway 1, one drops out of the huge Desierto de Vizcaino through the tops of thousands of unexpected palm trees and lands beside the Rio Mulege. The little town sits at the head of a 2 mile long estuary that links the little river to the Sea of Cortez. We stopped in Mulege and camped on the nearby beaches back in the 1980&#8217;s on repeated spring break trips to Baja. For years, our garage in Colorado Springs had a wall plastered with a bumper sticker \u201cJorge de Mulege\u201d and seeing that would remind me of a quieter place than the steamy politics of Colorado College.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-1462 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/2-IMG_6273.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/2-IMG_6273-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/74-IMG_5761.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/74-IMG_5761-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/74-IMG_5761-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/74-IMG_5761-640x640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/67-IMG_6098.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/67-IMG_6098-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/42-IMG_5723.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/42-IMG_5723-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>This trip came about because Scott, Annie and kids came to Baja with friends to watch gray whales. At the end of that trip Annie had to return to work but Scott, Liam and Cora could stay another week (their school&#8217;s spring break). So we flew to Loreto and rented a car and then rented a house along the estuary of the Rio Mulege. The gray whale watching ended in the lovely colonial village of San Ignacio, home of one of the many historic 18<sup>th<\/sup> century Jesuit missions of this dry and lightly settled country. Chatting with locals in a shady plaza while grandchildren enjoyed the local helado was a fine way to spend part of a morning.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-1462 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/06-IMG_5461.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/06-IMG_5461-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/11-IMG_5495.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/11-IMG_5495-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/08-IMG_5475.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/08-IMG_5475-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/05-IMG_5455.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/05-IMG_5455-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Our days in Mulege alternated among sitting around, reading, taking siestas, riding peculiar tricycles, wandering through the little village, photographing birds, playing with the water toys of our San Juan Island friends, Nan and Steve, who are wintering on the nearby Bahia de Conception or riding horses for miles along desolate beaches.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-1462 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/1-IMG_6269.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/1-IMG_6269-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/29-IMG_5643.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/29-IMG_5643-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/02-IMG_6252.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/02-IMG_6252-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/05-IMG_6229.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/05-IMG_6229-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/31-IMG_5655.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/31-IMG_5655-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/13-IMG_5507.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/13-IMG_5507-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/39-IMG_5698.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/39-IMG_5698-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/37-IMG_5705.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/37-IMG_5705-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/34-IMG_5669.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/34-IMG_5669-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/3-IMG_6279.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/3-IMG_6279-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/10-IMG_6137.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/10-IMG_6137-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/25-IMG_5619.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/25-IMG_5619-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">One day we contracted with local guide Salvator Castro to take us to see 10,000 year old cave paintings in Trinidad Canyon. \u00a0We had a terrific day bumping through sandy tracks while dodging 20 m cacti. We swam the last 100 meters to then arrive under an alcove decorated with handprints and animal and human forms that have lasted for millenia.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-1462 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/57-IMG_5981.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/57-IMG_5981-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/93-IMG_5887.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/93-IMG_5887-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/86-IMG_5870.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/86-IMG_5870-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/52-IMG_5940.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/52-IMG_5940-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/91-IMG_5885.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/91-IMG_5885-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/78-IMG_5801.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/78-IMG_5801-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/48-IMG_5921.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/48-IMG_5921-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/53-IMG_5944.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/53-IMG_5944-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">After nearly a week with Scott, Cora and Liam, we were off to the Loreto airport to send them back to Annie and the wintery Seattle area.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We return to Mulege &#8211; 30 years later. &nbsp; Halfway down Baja&#8217;s 1000 mile Highway 1, one drops out of the huge Desierto de Vizcaino through the tops of thousands of unexpected palm trees and lands beside the Rio Mulege. The little town sits at the head of a 2 mile long estuary that links [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1563,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baja-2014","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1462"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1711,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462\/revisions\/1711"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}