Burroback Riding

Yesterday the kids and I went for a once in a lifetime experience of riding burros through the deserts of Baja. We met a caballero that told us he had some burros and horses for rent and would we like to go. Of course I said! We drove to his ranch in the mountains where he loaded me up on a horse and the two big boys on the cutest and tiniest of burros. Phelan´s burro was like a stuffed animal it was so cute. Ryder´s burro was fairly lazy though and we had to wait for it several times and Ryder had to learn to ¨whip¨ it if he wanted to get it anywhere. Our guide was a true caballero though and taught the kids to throw rocks in the caves before entering because of snakes and taught all of us desert tracking of coyotes, rats, rabbits, lizards, snakes, etc. It was sometimes difficult as you do have to watch your legs with the cactuses and Ryder and I also experienced a bit of bushwhacking while trying to pick oranges from a trees while on a horse. We hope to go again this weekend before leaving Muluge and heading north.

Lots of Weekly Photos

These aren´t our best photos but I´m just trying to catch us up with all that we´ve seen. Please scroll down and see other photos we´ve added to other blogposts!

Muluge Baja Sur

We have arrived in the absolutely gorgeous town of Muluge Baja Sur. It´s on the Sea of Cortez side and it´s warm. Actually HOT. We are camping in a campground that was devestated by a hurricane two years ago and have been attempting to help the owners recover their losses by creating a website for the campground as well as doing some kitchen remodeling. The town is located on the Rio Muluge that leads to the Sea. It´s so lovely with a small town built into the rock siding of a mountain. It reminds us so much of Ecuador and Peru. The kids have been playing in the tidepools and walking to town with us to eat giant chicken sandwiches and tacos. The hiking is superb and tomorrow Ryder and Phelan are going burro riding into the hillsides. I wish I could post a photo of Ryder right now. He has evolved since we´ve left. His hair is getting long and he wears this giant dirty sand dollar he found on the beach around his neck. Phelan, not one to be left out, also has a necklace made of elastic cord and has a constant dirty face from the powder we are camped in. We sometimes worry they are not getting much out of it and then they surprise us and talk about the difference between the birds, octopuses, starvation, families with 11 children vs. 3 and so on. We bought Ryder a soccer ball which is now his opening line with all kids ¨quiere jugar¨ They kick his butt but he doens´t seem to mind but does get nervous when they talk to him. They have learned so much adventuring with us, valuable lessons we hope last a lifetime. When they complain they are bored we hope to remind them of the day we spent all day rolling a round rock down the road.

The Most Beautiful Desert in the World CATAVINA

Good-bye Campo

Tomorrow we leave our rented house and move south to places like Mulege, Santa Rosalia, Ensenada and San Ignacio. We plan to see lots, camp much and eat well. Our conversations might not be very plentiful but please shoot us an e-mail and then we'll get back to you soon. Thanks for everyone's constant support!

Our Aquarium

When we first arrived at the Campo, a neighbor gave us an empty aquarium. He told us to put some salt water from the ocean in it and gravel on the bottom and start it up. Whenever the kids find something cool under the rocks, throw it in and see what it does. This, I must say, was a huge highlight of our month here at the Campo. We've had everything in there from crabs and snails to squishy sea anenomes, limpets, sea stars and the star of the show - the OCTOPUS. It was a tiny octopus that the neighbor caught and gave to us. The coolest part of the octopus is that it would catch small crabs in our tank and eat them. It would also change colors from white to orange to sometimes red. Eventually we would empty the tank and let everything go and start over. It waw hard to let the octopus go but we didn't want to accidentally kill anything.

The Brownings Visit

Thanks to the Brownings for making the effort to get all the way down here! We had a great time hiking, exploring, collecting, sand surfing, chicken shackin', kissing, drinking, howling, riding and watching. Thanks for the sweatshirt and you're welcome for the lice and colds. Much love.