About Baja

The Creation of Baja

Although little is known about prehistoric Baja, a man named Pablo L. Martinez (1898 to 1970) spent over 20 years of his life researching and writing "A History of Lower California", copyrighted in Mexico, providing information for my extremely condensed rendition of historic Baja:

At about 745 miles in length and 124 miles in width (at its widest point) Baja is one of the planet's longest Peninsulas. Baja resides between the Pacific Oceanic Plate and the San Andres Fault, which runs straight through the Gulf of California (better known as the Sea of Cortez). Once attached to Mainland Mexico, Baja separated when these oceanic plates shifted and now Baja is said to still be moving westward with today's California. When this occurred, the Sea of Cortez was ripped at incredible depths. Baja (with so few nutritional resources) now relies on the Seas abundant marine staples.

In 1533, Amazon women were in complete control of Mainland Mexico (while the men were used only for procreation). At this time, they thought Baja was merely an island in the distance! After Hernan Cortez conquered Mexico, he sent two ships to the infamous island discovering the Baja Peninsula. In 1565, Spain developed the Manila Galleon route allowing thousands of ships over the next 250 years to sail from Acapulco to the Philippines. Baja became a hideout for European pirates preying on the Manila Galleon's treasures. From 1697 through 1768, Baja was occupied by Jesuit priests and soldiers (establishing Loreto as the capital of California, which is a funny comparison to today's capital of Sacramento) until finally the Franciscan and Dominican priests dominated the Peninsula. The Mexican government then made some very odd decisions by rejecting a forty million dollar offer from the American Squadron in 1846. Later, they practically gave both Monterey and San Francisco to the Americans with no resistance at all. The Treaty of Guadalupe solved many of the following battles with no U.S. intent to take Lower California (Baja today) and even included the strip of land connecting mainland Mexico to Baja (right there east of Mexicali). Baja then remained under control of General Porfidio Diaz. Although there were many Californians in opposition at this time, few changes occurred in Baja from 1880 to 1910. The Mexican revolution saw uprisings from the famous Carranza and Pancho Villa until 1914 when reforms resulted in a new revolutionary government. Pancho Villa seems to be the star of many Mexican jokes today although there was little said about his life. Until recently, Baja has been relatively forgotten other than by the few curious explorers like us.

Baja, known for its desolation and uninhabited space, has been a dirt bike paradise for decades. And now, it is our responsibility to keep it a "paradise".