Roadside Geology and Biology of Baja California (Paperback)

by John Minch (Author), Edwin Minch (Author), Jason Minch (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This book is written for the enjoyment of the average person who has an interest in the natural surroundings and almost unique geology and biology of the Baja California Peninsula. It will provide for your enjoyment of the Roadside Geology & Biology of Baja California as you travel the Peninsular Highway. There are 194 photographs and 145 drawings and sketches of the Baja which we have grown to love that will introduce you to this magnificent place in a way that you can understand with little or no formal training in geology or biology. It will be useful to a variety of people from individuals with no formal geologic or biologic experience to individuals with advanced degrees in the sciences. Since John began working and mapping in Baja over thirty years ago, we have been asked over and over again: "where can I get information or a guide to Baja California geology and/or biology which I can follow." This book was written to fill that need and to avoid having to! say no to so many interested people. The road logs provide kilometer by kilometer information on the roadside geology and biology of the highways. Added to this is information which helps you to understand the how and why of the geology and biology. In the introduction on geology there is a general discussion of the 5 major geomorphic provinces (landforms based on the underlying geology), of the tilted fault blocks which form the backbone of the peninsula, and of the erosion surfaces which seem to be nearly everywhere in the state of Baja California (norte). There is a little plate tectonics and a general geologic history of how Baja came to be. In the introduction on the biology, there is a discussion of the phytogeographic provinces and their plants and a separate section on birds in Baja with details of the birds in each province. Sketches are provided of some of the more common birds and plants. This information is also discussed at the appropriate location in the book. Finally, we provided an illustrated ! glossary of terms which you may not be familiar with, the time scale, the rock cycle, to show the interrelationships between the various rocks, and simplified rock charts for igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. There are references for those of you who want more. It is a warm feeling to know that we have made your travels on this fascinating peninsula more interesting. Enjoy!

Con mejores deseos para un buen viaje!

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: John Minch & Assn Inc (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963109014
• ISBN-13: 978-0963109019
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #512,997 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baja mile by mile of Fun and Science, November 16, 2000

By	Stephen H. Olsen "Captain Steve" (Wichita, Kansas when not at SEA!) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ok you Baja travelers, soon to be Baja travelers or armchair adventurers your Baja booklist just got smaller. Longtime geologist and Baja "professional" John Minch respected and revered in many works such as the famouse Baja Sea Guide and his sons Edwin and Jason have put together a true travel guide for all of us. John Minch's sons may not remember what a seasoned traveler can get at the long gone Rancho Tres Enriques half way down the old dirt road but they do interject new biological, ecological and fun facts that one can not find not in any one of the newer publications on Baja. All three can tell us how to have a safe fun trip from the US boarder to the Cape without carrying a portable library on the Baja to try to understand what we are looking at. I can now see in future years the faded dusty cover of this book littering thousands of traveler's dashboards as they make there way to the familiar and out of the way places on the worlds most unique stretch of land. The real benefit of this book is that is written for all of us amateur scientists. We are interested in all the beautiful science we see but don't want to get a darn degree to have to understand it. Truly a guide book for the people.