Most people associate Baja California in Mexico with the excesses of celebrity-ridden Cabo San Lucas, so the adventurous side of us was more than surprised to find plenty of history, outdoor sports and exploration in the Loreto area of Baja California. Oceanographer Jacques Cousteau called the Bay of California in Loreto, “the world’s aquarium,” and chose to spend about half the year in this area of the world. Here’s our roundup of what to check out in this beautiful region, with its raw natural environment. Part one of our series looks at the first Spanish Missions in North America: The names San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Juan, San Francisco, San Jose, today are better known as urban centers in California, but their origins as Catholic missions are semantically built into their names. These missions were all established within one day’s horseback ride from each other. Those located in modern-day California in the…