"End of The Road ,,, " La Paz, B.C.S. ,,,

“ The Jon’s, “

  Jonathon Roldan and Jon Walton, had been saying to me for a while , “ You need to get out to Tecolote”.  A beach that sits just across from Isla Espiritu Santo.

Had nothing going on for the afternoon so decided today was the day. Leave the yak at the hotel, but not too worry, always have an arsenal of fishing gear in the truck in case of emergency. Grab a book y vamos a la playa ,,,

Both Jon’s said the same thing on how to get there,

    “ Go to the End of The Road ,,, “

Following the road past where I had been before; Costa Baja, past the ferry terminal that goes to Mazatlan, past Playa Balandra, another magical beach and westward to the foreboding dark mountains that are hiding the sunset and Tecolote,

  I was feeling pretty good ,,,

Approaching the dark side of the mountains, I think I see why the beach is called Tecolote, "Owl" in espanol. On the ridge of the mountains, there is a single rock outcropping silhouetted in the shape of an owl. 

  How Kool ,,,

My hopes are not high though as looking at the scenery on the way in, there’s lots of trash, crap everywhere with the looks of a well traveled, unmaintained area. I’m rounding my way around the mountains and where I should be able to see the beach and Isla Espiritu Santo,  & there it is ,,, 

       OMG !!!   

 Stunning does not even begin to describe,

Crystalline, Azure waters spreading out to Isla Espiritu Santo,  Striking Sea colors, vibrant life, everywhere !!! … At one end of the beach,, I can see what looks like a scene from the movie Midway. Birds crashing everywhere with whatever predatory fish flashing in the mayhem,,,

 I keep driving with the road ending at a palapa bar and just took in the scene…

It’s about 4 in the afternoon, not many people around, in fact,, the bar right in front of me, had only a couple people in it. A scrawny straw hat cowboy looking character, another sad sap on the other end, a bartender… and an awesome view,, time for a Cerveza!!!

I take a stool at the bar, order a beer, put my book on the counter, “A Salty Piece of land “ by Jimmy Buffet ,,,  Look at the scene again,  Oh My ,,, This has the looks of Relaxation ,,,

    Perfect   

“ I love that Book !!! “   

Shouts the scrawny straw hat cowboy guy from across the bar…

“ It’s my Bible,,, have ya got to the part where,,,,, “

“WTF !!! ,,,”  what are you doing?  I’m really looking forward to reading this and would appreciate you not telling me anything about it, Sir,,!”,,,  I said with a getting more pissed off by the second attitude..

“ Oh relax,, “ he says,, “I’m not going to say anything,, but the part where…” 

“WTF !!!???  Ok that’s it,, barkeep, what do I owe ya, I need to get the fuck out of here,,,”

They both started laughing,,, I throw down double of what I think the cost is on the bar and start to leave…

It’s then Gary, the scrawny straw hat cowboy guy comes over and makes a proper introduction,,,

He’s a, “ has been rock disc jockey “ from Canada and brought his entire collection with him to play at this particular bar, everyday,,, 

We started chatting over beers and before I knew it, Gary and I became fast friends like we’ve known each other all our lives, great harmonica player too. The rest of the afternoon I spent in a spell watching the waters of Tecolete as more and more people kept arriving. I began to realize Gary is kind of the Ambassador of Tecolote greeting most everyone and knowing everyone. He has a certain grace in making people comfortable & welcome, all except for me of course with Gary saying introductions were not needed when we met and why he fucked with me, ok,, I almost believe I know what he’s talking about as I’m beginning to understand,,

      Baja is it’s own world ,,,


As darkness falls, a small truck rolls up with 2 guitar players, a bass player and a drum machine. Local guys about my age, ok, this isn’t going to be very impressive… oh ya,,?

Holy Shit ! These guys start off with 80’s arena rock,, Gary Moore, ?  RUSH, and killing it,, with a friggen drum machine ???

These guys are serious, at a beach bar in La Paz,,, wtf is going on here? More on them another time,,,

Gary is introducing me to more Ex-Pats than I can remember, other than I remember, there always seems to be trouble when hanging with the ex-pats,, Locals? No Problemo,, ex-pats,,? Never know what kind of baggage they brought with them to Baja ,,

 Music is friggen awesome, just having the time of my life when Gary introduces me to Rick and his wife. Rick is an Ex-Toronto Blue Jays pitcher but also loves to side line as a rock vocalist… gets up on stage at Cabo Wabo with Sammy,, We hit it off and proved it by singing  Judist Priest, “Victim of Changes,,” a la acapella,  to applause, even by the band,,, oh man,,, Awesome…!!!

Time to take a break as the band and everyone else has too. Sudden chill down at the palapa bar with everyone going to their tables and chillin ,,,, kool, needed to do some catch up writing anyway as things have been fast and furious. It’s then I noticed 4 guys at a table not far from mine, checking me out, and not in a good way.

Mmmm,, wtf is this?  Guess they don’t like Judist Priest. They look in their mid to late twenties,, white, blonde, most likely European, on the bigger side and in shape. One in particular,  looks like Lou Forrigno ( The Hulk ), in his prime.

About 10 minutes goes by as I’m recording events of the day, keeping an eye on my new admirers as they are becoming less and less concerned about me catching them looking at me,,

  yikes ,,, 

It’s then, the smallest of them and I predict the youngest, gets up from the table and starts to go around the back side of where I am. This is also the route to the bathroom. Keeping my eye on him as best I can whilst also watching the table where the other guys are, he goes out of my site. I look back over to the table from where he came,,,

All 3 are looking straight at me,, Oh fuck,,, something’s up !!! ,,,

Just then I feel 2 hands on my shoulders and it’s the smaller kid, ( about my size ), leaning down over my right shoulder saying ,,

“ What ya writing ?,,,” 

Bad move mother fucker ,,,

I quickly grab the thumb on the hand that is on my left shoulder twisting his thumb back over his hand leading him to the ground with him screaming in pain as I'm delivering a sharp kick to his upper abs,,, 

“ Cough,,, Hack, wheeze,,,” he’s gasping for air as I just deprived his lungs of it, he’s down for a bit ,,

 But now, my back is to what must be, 3 fairly large young men rushing towards me to kick my ass ,,,

fuck that ,,

I never leave home without a high end Kershaw blade. This particular knife I’m carrying tonight has about a 3” blade and opens with a resounding, “ Click!!!”.  My hope is that undisquisable sound will stop them dead in their tracks.

I’ve never had to deploy a blade in my life, but this situation just might be my ass so prepare for the worst, and have ,,

 The plan is to brush off two and take the 3rd straight on ,,

I whirl around clicking my blade open, getting into a low stance, to find,

     Nothing ,,,

Their still at their table, cool as cucumbers, but did have fresh lit cigarettes ,,,

WTF is this ,,,?

I looked down at the little guy,, he’s still coughing with only a ¼ of the bar noticing what is going on. Gary, Rick, nor anyone else I met are anywhere to be seen and really think whatever this is, is above their pay-grade anyway, so, Yup, 

     This is all mine ,,,

 Great ,,,

I closed my knife, flipped it over to my table, picked up a pack of cigarettes and walked calmly over to them. Sat down, looked away as I lit my cigarette, took a drag, and then looked them in the eye and said,

“ WTF is this about ? ,,”

Lou Forrigno says,

 “ Where you in Rosarita last week?,,”

“No,, “

“ Where you from ? “ he asked,,,

“ Where you from ? “ I asked.   

“ Ensanada,,,”  he says, 

“ You don’t look Mexican ,,”  I said questioning ,,


“No, were not, Were Dutch, Ex-Comandos, looking for someone who was in Rosarita last week, and we think it’s you,,”  he states confidently.

“  I see ,, “  with a pause,

“ Well, I’m not the guy your looking for, but I also realize we have another problem with what happened with your friend over there,,,”

It’s at this time the little guy returns to the table trying to keep composure,,

I continued,,,

“I think it’s pretty clear you guys would ultimately take me out tonight, but, I think it's also clear, none of you are walking out of here without a limp if that does go down ,,,  “

“ So ,   I’m sorry,  ( looking at the guy I thumped ,,) but you guys scared the fuck out of me,,, my apologies for maybe over reacting a bit and let me buy a round,, ok ?”

It’s then I signal Marborol Man, a bartender that can remember a tab from 30 years ago, 

 Who quickly sets us up with beers and tequilia ,,,

 Then gives me a look of like,

“ Be careful amigo,,,”

I looked back at my new friends and raised my tequila shot,

“ Dutch huh? Military? I do a lot of work with the military,, you guys are fucked up !!! ”

They all laughed and we all took a shot,

I then mentioned I was Portuguese and oh fuck me again ,,,

It’s Baja history lesson time with Lou, who I eventually nicknamed, “ Blondie ,,” .

He told me about The Dutch Pirates of the 1600’s, The Spanish Armada and how just a few Dutch Pirate ships,, continually kicked ass on the Spanish Armada, ( which also included the Portuguese,, O hell, was the Portuguese,,,) and brought them to their knees in the region. Especially here, The Bay of La Paz, to where he walked me over to a near by monument which backed up such things Blondie was preaching ,,,

“ The Pichilinques ,,,”

“ Pest ,,” It’s what the Spanish Armada called the Dutch Pirates that would ambush them at will from the Baja Coves. In fact, the whole area around Tecolote and the ferry, is called Pichilinque.

After that story, it seemed perfectly normal that the Dutch would be hanging out in Baja. I also conceded that was totally bad ass and toasted to The Pichilingues,,,

This seemed to calm the situation. The band started up again, the two other guys started scheming on some chicas, Blondie and I kept talking and the guy I thumped was not happy ,,, 

A bit later, Blondie and I are by ourselves talking about of all things, meditation, and it’s then he says to me,

“ Ya know, ya seem like a nice guy, we were going to kill you tonight,

      One of us still wants too, why the fuck are you here?”,,,

I got that question a lot during my months in Baja,
   
     “ Why am I here ,,”

I laughed,

 “ I bet I know who ,,,”

Blondie laughed, I continued,

“ So, I have in front of me, what I believe to be is a Cartel Sub-Contractor,

       Telling me to get my shit together, does that about cover it? “

He just looked at me and kind of shrugged,, “ Mas O Menos ,, “  ( More or Less ,,)


That one kind of sank in ,,,

 I must have burned through a dozen guardian angles around that time and at least 2 on that night,,,

 The scene came to an abrupt end once the band left with the little guy getting a little too wasted, wanting revenge and Blondie keeping him on a short leash while saying our good byes with me thankful they didn’t give me a job offer I couldn’t refuse ,,

It sank in more and more as I drove back to the hotel what had just happened and how reckless I had become ,,,

  I also wondered if any less show of force on my part would have resulted in me getting killed ,,,

This incident happened a few years ago;

It was at a very intense and difficult time in my life when I was just looking for some peace from pain, death,, &  dying ,,,

 I blazed down to Baja in a Rage ,

       Throwing myself at Baja’s Mercy ,,,

 What I got in return,

             I Never Expected ,,,

We have much to learn from our,

            " 3rd World Neighbors to the South " ,,, 

         But that’s another story ,,,

     Feliz Navidad ,,,   

                  y
         
                  Ciao for now ,,,


                                          Danglin

Keep your eyes on the prize, bro.   

Dang brah, glad to read your mess...makes me wonder if I know anything outside of my little bubble...be well, hope we fish someday...

What a post!!! Dude the set list alone got my metal/rock/punk soul feeling at home...I wanna be you when I grow up.
Love it. You should write a book. It would be a must read.

Keep your eyes on the prize, bro.   

  Hey Bro,

  Amen,, alls well ,,,

The first draft had the part when you called me just as I rolled up the beach,, I was so pissed!!!! 

couldn't believe ya could get cell phone coverage in heaven,,, but thanks,, a true friend and Thank You again ,,, 

Dang brah, glad to read your mess...makes me wonder if I know anything outside of my little bubble...be well, hope we fish someday...

 ya I hear ya,,, I was little overwhelmed myself to be suddenly bargaining the rules of engagement with some professional bad hombres,,

  What a Rush !!!   

 

What a post!!! Dude the set list alone got my metal/rock/punk soul feeling at home...I wanna be you when I grow up.
Love it. You should write a book. It would be a must read.

Thank you Sir !!!   

 Please don't encourage me,,,  the skeletons are buried ,,,   and should stay there ,,,

   Well ,,,

 It's kind of written ,,,  mostly ,,

                            Just waiting for an ending ,,,

     Someday ,,,

         Then probably have to shelve it to protect the Guilty ,,, 

 

   Who would have ever thought this could be trouble ,,, 
   

Yeah, but we’re you in Rosarita last week? 

-Allen

Yeah, but we’re you in Rosarita last week? 

-Allen

  No,,

     but I was 25 years before said incident  ,,,,

  That was trouble too ,,,   

 Another part of this show was Blondie and I are talking. I'm telling him about the time of me being in Rosarita 25 years ago and the story that went with it,,,

 Well,,, One of other guys didn't quite hear the whole story, only heard me say I was in Rosarita and he shouts,,

 " It is Him " !!!

 In this scary Dutch accent and lunges for me,,,

  Blondie's screaming at him, " No No !!! it was 20 years ago,,  Chill Out !!! " ,,,

, They were on a hair trigger to say the least for something ,,,

  Maybe this belongs in safety first with the other one ,,, 

 I wasn't sure ,,,   

I wanna hear more about the band....🎶 😁

I wanna hear more about the band....🎶 😁

Total bad asses,,, 

If I thought they killed at the palapa bar,,,

   My Buddy at, " La Santa Jungla,,, "  ( The Jungle ,,  )

 Says,, " Come on down,, we got a "Pink Floyd " tribute band from Guadalajara tonight,,"

Kool,, get a front table  ,, it's them!!!  Guadalajara my ass,,,

  They Nailed it !!! It was just as good but in a Kool different way than when I saw Pink Floyd for real,

 Unreal,, with other local talent for songs like, " Great Gig in The Sky,," young lady killed it ,,

 They are Amazing,,,  Gave one of the guitar players my Gary More album,,, He nails " Still got the blues for you,,"  He cried ,,

Lots of music down here, Hell, even Jonathon Roldan has a gig going in his restaurant, " TailHunters "

 with old washed up ex-pat fishermen like myself,,

 But For just RAW, Real Rock,,,, 

  It's another hard rock band I found walking the streets at night,,,

        The Underdogs ,,,

               Luv these guys,,,, 

Thanks for keeping us in your loop, world traveler!  Be safe, man. 

Thanks for keeping us in your loop, world traveler!  Be safe, man. 

Thanks,

 ya, I fly a little slower these days, so everything should be fine,,

  but with stories like these,,

  I don't think I'm selling any kayak fishing tours in La Paz anytime soon  !!!   

  Not the goal anyway,,,

  The La Paz I love,,

      I think only I could Love,,

  Like Gato here ,, 

  Fierce ,,

 Luv this shot of her after she stole that hunk of fish off the bar,,,

  she's so Kool !!! 

  hope to see ya soon amigo,,, 

Don u r 1 demented phuq. Idk if ud need executive protection but i know a guy hu runs a service. Not cheep but hes brot ppl home from all ovr the globe

I don't normally read long post, but when I saw who wrote it. Well, we talked before, so I knew this would be a must read. Stay as safe as possible bro.

I wanna hear more about the band....🎶 😁

Total bad asses,,, 

If I thought they killed at the palapa bar,,,

   My Buddy at, " La Santa Jungla,,, "

 says,, " Come on down,, we got a "Pink Floyd " tribute band from Guadalajara tonight,,"

Kool,, get a front table  ,, it's fucking them!!!  Guadalajara my ass,,,

  They Nailed it !!! It was just as good but in a Kool different way than when I saw Pink Floyd for real,

 Unreal,, with other local talent for songs like, " Great Gig in The Sky,," young lady killed it ,,

But as Kool as they are, from classical to just anything ,,

 They are Amazing,,,  Gave one of the guitar players my Gary More album,,, He nails " Still got the blues for you,,"  He cried ,,

Lots of music down here, Hell, even Jonathon Roldan has a gig going in his restaurant, " TailHunters "

 with old washed up ex-pat fishermen like myself,,

 But For just RAW, Real Rock,,,,  it's another hard rock band I found walking the streets at night,,,

        The Underdogs ,,,

               Luv these guys,,,, 

Nice.  Thanks.  Love making and enjoying live music.  I saw Jimi at Winterland, enjoyed live shows from many bands over the years.  Great Mexico story!  I’ve enjoyed shots at The Giggling Marlin too!  Cheers!

Don u r 1 demented phuq. Idk if ud need executive protection but i know a guy hu runs a service. Not cheep but hes brot ppl home from all ovr the globe

Ahhh Thanks ,,,   


  & Luv your English,,

  It goes with my philosophy of;

 " if you can't spell a word at least 3 different ways;

  Your not very creative or trying ,,, "

 Well done,,, 

Private body Guard ,,,?   


  I don't know,,

  probably slow me down and I do like my privacy,

  & so far,

   I've been able to hold my own ,,,

  But a, " Fixer " if all else fails to help get me out,

      is not a bad option,,,

  we should talk,,, 

   

 

Nice.  Thanks.  Love making and enjoying live music.  I saw Jimi at Winterland, enjoyed live shows from many bands over the years.  Great Mexico story!  I’ve enjoyed shots at The Giggling Marlin too!  Cheers!

Thank you,

  Sounds like we would get along,,

  " Giggling Marlin,,"  ?

Huh,,,  that explains why this pic didn't make sense to me if you recognize that Roldan shot. I don't recognize it as his restaurant either ( he sent me the shot ) so that must not be his restaurant,,

Thanks,, at least one mystery is solved ,,