THE PEOPLE WALK OVER ME
THE OLD MEN ALL SAY TO ME, I AM BEAUTIFUL.
The Chant of the Beautiful Mountains of East and West. "Navajo Wildlands", Sierra Club
Although a relative newcomer to the mysteries and allure of Baja, I can't help but be dismayed at the recent opening of highway from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas.
Exploratory trips to Baja have always been something special to me.. armed with pidgin Spanish and no maps worth their weight,. anticipating, usually with good reason, roads to challenge both man and beast., relief at purchasing gasoline from a hand operated pump and discovering that it will burn..finding cerveza fria in a tiny village., wondering whether a crumbling adobe building was going up or coming down.. mainly enjoying the uncrowded natural beauty that is Baja.
Pavement, alas, brings tourists and campers--and prosperity to sleepy villages-- which soon, I fear, will sprout signs "English Spoken" and gaudy plaster figures as well as the indispensable creature comforts.
At the expense of some $160 million, the Mexican government has managed to create a potential 1000 mile garbage dump.
Adios, Baja.
With the advent of the New Year the DPS Newsletter has a new editor. Unfortunately the new editor does not have the gifted pen of John Vitz but hopefully we can keep everyone informed about the news and happenings of the section. We would appreciate write-ups of all the DPS trips, scheduled and otherwise. Thanks to all who have submitted mucho material for this newsletter.
HELP /////
Walt Wheelock would like a climbers write up for Ubehebe Peak to complete his up coming Death Valley Guide.
Check the address label on this issue of the DPS Newsletter. If there are 3 asterisks (***) on the label, it means that as of the time the label was printed your Newsletter subscription had not been renewed for 1974. And that means, that unless you act now, this will be the last issue you will receive (HORRORS/). Send $2.00 to Jerry Haven and you will not be stricken from the list. Please make checks payable to the Desert Peaks Section.