Tim I picked up Ron Thursday morning, December 8th, 2005 at his place just north of Cardiff. We placed our surfboards in Travel Bags. Ron came up with the good idea of tying the two boards together with pull straps, which look like seatbelts with a buckle. Surfboards are classified as oversize freight, so this allowed us to pay only $50 per way for both boards. If the weight of the combined boards totaled over 50 lbs, we would have had to pay additional fees. Luckily they were under the limit.


I was filled with excitement after we checked our luggage and boarded the plane. Alaska Airlines had a friendly crew and the plane was in immaculate condition inside and out. It was not a huge jet - more like midsize. I would estimate it held about 130 passengers and it was pretty much at full capacity.

Ron was seated behind me. We both had window seats. I pretty much keep to myself when I fly, and only engage in conversations if someone else initiates them. A young couple in their early 20's were seated next to Ron. They had the look of starving college students if you passed them on the street. I overheard the blonde short-haired girl asking Ron about his plans and he told her we were on a surfing adventure. Now, call me paranoid, but a girl sitting next to her boyfriend normally doesn't start a conversation with a single guy. I am also streetwise. a native born Wisconsinite. The streets do not get much tougher than Butler, Wisconsin.

She went on to tell Ron she had been freeloading off her mother, but somehow things went amiss and now she was working for her father who lived in Cabo San Lucas. Guess what happened next? After Ron told her we were using a rental car she asked if they could hitch a ride into town. He leaned forward and asked me if it would be okay It really put me on the spot. What could I say? I am a very private person. I knew we weren't in any danger, but it was the kind of thing I do not like to do. We picked up our bags with the young couple trailing us like Cocker Spanials. Ron could tell I was not happy!

As we landed in the San Jose, Mexico terminal(It is not a bad as it looks!)

I immediately felt the additional strength of the sun on my face, also the Arizona-like desert smell. A shuttle took us to the rental car site to pick up the minivan As the agent tried a series of maneuvers to get me to take the additional $15/dollar a day insurance fee, I deftly sidesteped and explained my credit card gave coverage. The manager came in for backup to try and close the deal. "Sorry, No Bueno. They could have brought out a trio of dancing girls, I wasn't going to buy the unneeded insurance. It was a Mexican standoff at the rental car counter. As I gave them a steely stare they slowly pushed the rental contract toward me and showed me where to decline the coverage. The Van was white, and in excellent shape. We notated the scratches. There was nothing major, but I didn't want to get dinged for any extra fees. The four of us piled into the Van and proceeded to town. The young couple's stop was about 20 miles from the airport and really wasn't out of our way. As we dropped them off they thanked us. Then we headed around the Baja Peninsula to the Pacific side of Baja.

As we left the city we traveled along a smoothly paved two lane highway. I could picture in my mind that this was what the California coastline looked like driving on Coast Highway 101 in the early 50's. It was a desert landscape dotted with saguaro cactuses but it had a simple beauty and peacefulness. There was an amazing contrast between the emerald green water and the hues and texture of the desert.


There were cautionary road signs along the side of the road warning us to watch out for the longhorn steers. An occasional pack of donkeys wandered aimlessly along the roadside. Most were outfitted with high tech Mexican warning systems tied around their necks; in America we refer to them as cowbells.