My story post 38

My first surf trip, fall of ’66, a surfer friend of mine asked if I’d like to go to Baja with him.

This guys dad was pretty cool because he had a pickup truck with a camper on it, some what rare for that time period. And, since the guys dad was taking us and would be there for the two day trip it was cool with my folks. I’d never been to Mexico but to go on a surf trip to Baja was a big deal, I had no idea what to expect.

So early Saturday morning, like 4:30a, we head out for the drive to Tijuana, go through the border crossing and head on down the Mexican highway to K38. Just happened to be a couple surf spots at that mile marker that were just off the road.

Actually the spot was K381/2. Make your way off road a short distance through the dirt following a path that cut a line to the edge of the small cliff that over looked the ocean. There it was a small point type reef break that you had to climb down a cliff to get to.

I remember it being over cast and cold with a little bit of surf hitting the reef maybe head high and inconsistent. And I don’t remember anyone else being there…. We had the place to our selves.

Maybe the fact that the surf wasn’t that great was the reason no one else was around or maybe because it was 1966 and there just weren’t that many guys that would make their way past the border to surf. I don’t know but one thing for sure, there was nothing around the place but a little vegetation and dirt.

For camping? This was the real deal. No facilities at all… you had to have everything you needed with you or you went without. Like find a bush to do your business kind. No running water, no fire pits, nothing.

After the long trip and surfing we made a fire to get warmed up and make something hot to eat. I had some peanut butter and bread but for something hot? Pork and Beans! And of course when I stuffed my bag full of all the goodies I thought I would like for the trip I never thought I’d need something to cook my pork and beans in or eat out of for that matter.

Man, what’s a guy suppose to do? Well, I figured, with the help of my friend, I could cut the top off the can of beans and stick the can on the fire. Once the sauce in the can started to boil I figured it was hot enough to eat. Using my towel as a hot pad quickly snatch the can out of the fire without to much damage to my towel, hold the can with my towel and eat the beans right out of the can.

By now it was dark and after the long drive, surfing and food all I could think about was sleeping. The camper was for my friends dad. We got the dirt floor for our sleeping bags and the sky over our heads…. The great out doors.

D.R.

Much better amenities on a surf-camp trip this past week at Leo Carrillo.