Turn Left at the Cactus

An American citizen, born in Spain, Elena has traveled all over the world. But, in the end, she and her husband, Ron, chose San Felipe as their home. She has coming to Mexico and the Baja for several decades. She is a staunch believer of becoming involved in the local community and reaching out to neighbors and community members. She is an active member of the local Lion's Club and a fundraisi...

Before turning left at the cactus, here’s another “Fork in the Road.”  This Fork is lead by Yvonne Armour.  This is a preview of what Yvonne shared with me. In 2019 the first aqua therapy was held with disabled students at the community pool, located in town.  This was a deep pool and had very limited access in and out. Several students learned to swim and it was a great program! However we realiz...

Meet Angela, a fresh voice sharing her cross-border journey! Angela represents one of the younger members of our ex-pat community in San Felipe. She's from the East Coast by way of Portland, Oregon and has been living in San Felipe about 2 years. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, she's a full timer and a dog lover. In this episode, she discusses why she thinks we are seeing an influx of you...

It you’ve ever driven the Hwy between Palm Springs and San Felipe you will have passed a very large body of water called the Salton Sea.  And, I wonder if you have wondered, as I have, about its history and its future.  In this Podcast, Tricia and Cal will be talking to a local San Felipe Resident who is quite an expert on this.  Listen and learn about the Salton Sea’s fascinating history and its...

In this episode, Tricia and I were treated to a morning with Dave and Nicole' Cougher at their beautiful house and gardens in El Dorado Ranch, north of San Felipe. These two came down to San Felipe in the early 2000s, immediately fell in love with the area, and began planning and constructing their retirement home. They are a tight knit family with strong ties to their children. They successfu...

In Fork in the Road episode #5 of this 5 part series, George discusses spiders and snakes common to our area; what to look out for; and, what to do should you have an emergency unpleasant experience with a venomous variety.

In Fork in the Road #4 of a 5 part series with George, he shares techniques on starting fires and building shelters in an emergency situation to survive in the desert. He also covers essential tools to make survival possible.

In this Turn Left at the Cactus Fork in the Road, George Jackson covers the basics of desert navigation. Included: GPS, Map, Compass, Flagging, Sat Phone, Cell Phone. If you are enjoying these podcasts and are discovering a few things you didn't originally know about the San Felipe area, please don't forget to give us a LIKE. Thanks for listening.

Turn Left at the Cactus takes a "Fork in the Road" to hear what desert guide, George Jackson has to recommend about human preparation in the desert. In this segment he focuses on the importance of shade, water, first-aid, and meds to carry.

In this episode of Turn Left at the Cactus, we take a Fork in the Road to focus on the importance of desert preparedness. Who better than long-time resident, off-road racer, and desert guide, George Jackson, to lead the way! In this first Fork in the Road on desert survival, George covers vehicle preparation. In it he covers SUVs, VWs, Pickups, UTVs--what to carry in an emergency.

In this episode we had an opportunity to speak with Donna van Groningen. Donna's husband, Joe, is part owner and founder of the San Felipe Brewery. Between the two of them, they have put in a lot of time and effort getting this idea for a business in Mexico off the ground. Here we learn a little more about them and the evolution and workings of what has become the first (and, most popular) loc...

A former music teacher, vocalist, and violinist, Debra Carson has been coming to the Baja of Mexico since childhood.  She currently splits her time between San Felipe and Rosarito.  In this episode, we learn how and why she came to make the Baja her home.  We also hear about her business ventures and charitable efforts in Mexico. We also discover what she and Gisella Romero are work...

In this episode we spoke with Gisella Romero.  Unlike many of us, Gisella was born in Mexicali, but has spent her life growing up and living in San Felipe, Baja, Mexico.  As a musician--with the band, Ray Guns; an entrepreneur -- Smoky's Pizza; and, manager: Rustique Home Decor, Gisella is proud to call San Felipe home.  This is a unique opportunity to hear why someone who has grown...

In this episode, Tricia and I caught up with Gabby Morin:  Mom, volleyball afficionada, and staff member at the San Felipe Brewery.  Born in Mexico and raised in the States, she shares with us her experiences growing up and raising a family on both sides of the border.  She talks about the circumstances that led her to discovery of San Felipe; why she fell in love with the place; an...

For those of you here in San Felipe who haven't had the pleasure of running into George Jackson, you're in for a treat.  George is a long time resident and ex-pat of the San Felipe area.  When it comes to all things having to do with off-road racing, desert survival, micro-beers, and general knowledge of the area, you can't go too far wrong by George....by George. In this episode, George...

In this episode, co-host, Tricia Sikes and I spoke with Yvonne Armour and Lynn Lazzarini.  These two women have devoted time, energy, and expertise to working within the San Felipe community to create programs to assist children, the elderly, and horses with special needs.   Yvonne was born and raised in Colorado and moved to Texas where she spent 27 years working with children birth to...

In a previous episode, the author of "Death in the Baja," Marnie J. Ross felt that the Valley of the Giants and the Cardon cactus were deserving of much more of our attention.  Tricia and I confess to only having a very superficial/"yes, we've been there" knowledge of the forest.  Therefore, our curiosity was piqued and we set about to do a little more reading.  In this first mini-e...

Tricia and I have noticed that as we interview guests, there are definite gaps in our knowledge about the area.  Consequently, in order to fill those gaps, we will be doing  a  bit more research and sharing what we learn with our listeners.  We will call these mini-episodes:  "Fork in the Road."  We hope you will join us as we learn more about our area.  -Cal

In this episode, Tricia and I visited with Melody Ashley, founder of Casa Digna,Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to recycling used tires to construct new homes for single moms and vulnerable families in the local San Felipe area.  We are treated to an afternoon on the patio of her tire home.  She discusses her background in service to others and her education in waste management and how t...

In this episode I'm joined by co-host, Tricia Sikes.  Together we spoke to Rachel Fraser.  Rachel, at forty-four and a single mom, is a member of the younger set of ex-pats who have chosen--not to retired--but, to live, work and raise kids in the San Felipe area.  As a member of the San Felipe Brewing Company Staff, she presents a unique perspective of what's to love about the area,...

In this episode I interview Marnie J Ross, author of "Death in the Baja: A San Amaro Mystery" about what brought her to Baja; what she loves about the area; and, what she feels is deserving of attention. We talk about her newly published book and what we can expect in the sequel.  She also describes favorite places to go and things to do, including the beaches, the desert, the San Felipe...

In this "trailer episode" we introduce the podcast and tell a little bit about it and who will be our first guest.  In September, listeners can look forward to learning more about Baja resident and author, Marnie J. Ross.