MISSION VIEJO : Biologists Publish Baja Travelers Guide

Two Saddleback College biology professors have turned their fascination with Baja California into a biology and geology field guide for travelers that is filled with information compiled from more than three decades of research.

The professors, John Minch and Thomas Leslie, believe have visited just about every nameless dirt road, remote beach and ghost town in the area. They tell about it in “The Baja Highway,” a 233-page book published in November.

During their travels south of the border, the pair have documented the plant and animal life of the area and mapped out its geological formations.

The professors say that although the area appears desolate in many places, it is rich in natural wonders that have remained untouched and, for the most part, unexamined by scientists.

“Some people drive down a road in Baja and say, ‘God, it’s dead,’ ” Leslie said. “When I drive down a road, I see 400 different species of plants and animals.”

The professors’ shared fascination with the area also has led them to conduct hundreds of field trips into Baja California. Their tour groups have included not only Saddleback College students, but also professional biologists and geologists.

The book is filled with descriptions and illustrations of plants, animals and geological formations. It also includes historical information about the different sites.

The information is divided into 16 separate highway segments or logs and is written for the average traveler.

Minch said the book has received praise from both the scientific community and Mexican government officials because it highlights information that has been difficult to find.

“Everyone we talk to in Mexico is crying for this kind of information,” Minch said.

“The Baja Highway” sells for $19.95 and is available by calling John Minch and Associates Inc. at (714) 496-3080 or by writing to the company at 27126 Paseo Espada, Suite 1601, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. 92675.