An irreplaceable journey that will not soon be forgotten.
Imagine the setting: it is 1962 and Earl Vincent de Berge and a few friends are looking for the kind of summer that will sharpen their personalities and broaden their horizons. With just a homemade camper, a rough map, and a $400 loan, the young men find themselves staring down a vast, untamed territory, Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Inspired by the journaled adventures of two intrepid men who previously embraced the challenges of this nearly untouched land, they set off. “We believed nothing could defeat us in our pursuit of adventure.” Whether sunburns in unmentionable areas and dangerous bouts of dehydration, or close calls with native wildlife and interpersonal conflicts, these college students embrace every challenge this wild wilderness throws their way. Ever-curious Earl is joined by Brian, who has never ventured outside Illinois, Mark, a friend with endless wit and intelligence, and Adel, a methodic and meticulous fellow whose preparedness is as cumbersome as it is beneficial. The men encounter mechanical issues, seedy locals, and run-ins with the infamous Federales, all before leaving Mexicali! But paved highways soon give way to rutted trails and unforged paths where flora and fauna rule the landscape and humans are connected to the land in a unique and beautiful way. Their months-long journey is filled with experiences ranging from flat tires to living off the land, but all leave an indelible mark.
A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand – Adventures in Mexico’s Baja Wilderness is a profound journey to a place suspended in time, an era before asphalt takeovers were a symbol of progress. Earl and his companions “wanted to see if [they] were made of whatever it is that men are made of.” As a result of their total immersion in a refreshingly unadulterated landscape, they learn who they truly are when stripped of all but the barest essentials. Meeting locals and coming to appreciate their heartiness and resourcefulness proves enlightening and fulfilling, as does hunting for food and taking the time to examine and appreciate the awe surrounding them in nature. Primarily written in the present tense, events unfold with an intensity and sense of wonder, driving the pace and allowing readers to discover this rugged landscape in real time. The book is rippled with inspired original poetry and decades-old photographs that convey the author’s passion and reverence for even simple things, like a gorgeous single bloom or a crooked boojum tree. A story about finding beauty when it isn’t always obvious, A Finger of Land on an Old Man’s Hand is an irreplaceable journey that will not soon be forgotten.
