First time Baja 1000 tips for middle aged guys from PA (1 Viewer)

[Mixelplix]

My buddy and I have been dreaming about spectating the Baja 1000 for about 15 years, and we're finally going to go this year.

Our plan at the moment is to fly into San Diego, rent a car and drive into Ensenada to an airbnb / hotel. We're complete novices, so we're looking for advice regarding where to stay, when to go (do we want to see the beginning? The finish? Pre race setup?), advice regarding transportation, ect.

We're 42 year old dudes, with wives and kids - so partying hard really isn't on our agenda. We just want to have the best experience we can, as this will likely be the only chance we get to do it.

 

[doug720]

Paging CalStyle, Paging CalStyle...

He knows all...Just ask him!

Send him a PM

 

[Mixelplix]

Is it @calstyl2 ?

 

[calstyl2]

Fly into San Diego, make sure your rental can cross into Mx, get a place early in Ensenada, lots of placed rent out for the race, hotels too, the more gringo friendly the faster it fills up.
I prefer to be away from the bustle, depending on the route I suggest Ojos area or South towards Colonet and coastal towns, the routes vary each year, watching them drive out of town in the wash sucks.
When Im not working the race, I prefer San Felipe, great town, lots of awesome spots to watch from, more rustic spots would be Mikes Sky Ranch, Meling Rancho in the hills, its an adventure to get to those spot

 

[calstyl2]

My after thought advice
Go to Ensenada for Tech/ and contingency, enjoy the town, spend the night maybe, have tacos Lily fish tacos or El Trailero taco stand, you will get over the masses real fast, grab some T shirts, Head to San Felipe the night before, have a nice dinner on the water, stay in a Hotel or rent a house on the water, get up, breakfast at one of the stellar places, go find the course, watch the motos, buy or rent a vhf radio to listen to the weatherman, after most of the motos come through, come back to town, garlic shrimp and some more tacos, with pacificos, go find a nice spot outside of town, take some beer, water and food, wait for the trucks an buggy show, have the time of your life, nothing better than a Trophy Truck spooling up its motor coming out of a wash onto a dirt road, nothing
wait till the class 11s come through..............go back to town, more garlic shrimp.......

 

[doug720]

Told you!

 

[Mixelplix]

Awesome advise @calstyl2 ! Thank you.

I'll start researching the areas you mentioned.

 

[calstyl2]

The course map is out, huge course, Going South then way north to Mexicali/Laguna Salada, Pine Forest at night.
Gonna be a very tough course to chase, Id do Ojos to Valle T then San Felipe for the night part, Lead truck should hit San Matias Pass at sunset, still gonna have half a race after that. I have contract to full fill with Ford Motors or I would be doing a 24 hour race chase for this one.

 

[Mixelplix]

I saw the course map!

My buddy and I are definitely going. We have our flights and accommodations booked. Checking in to Ensenada on Tuesday the 19th, checking out Saturday the 23rd flying out of San Diego on Sunday the 24th. We have a driver and a vehicle booked for two days.

Extremely excited!

 

[RufusTheDufus]

I'm driving to Baja from Maine soon. We'll be staying at Guadalupe Canyon (just west of Laguna Salada) for a couple of nights during the pre-running days. We're planning to be south of the race course before the race starts.

 

[Mixelplix]

Awesome! I'll pm you my cell number.

 

[Mixelplix]

Oops! We ran into some problems.
You may not start a conversation with the following recipients: RufusTheDufus

 

[rmirandayopo]

Not sure if you can rent a car in US and go to Mexico, you probably check that out.
Maybe your best bet is walk boarder and rent car in Mexico
Bring passport, make copies and have them handy.


Choose a place that you can see cars early and allow you to move to a place close to end.

Do not get in course to much, you wont be able to get out.

Look for BF pits or similar and try to move somehow close to that area.

Hi speed section are dangerous, stay close to pavement.




bunch on clips on my channel

 

[Mixelplix]

I got hooked up with a guy named JC from Bajatraveler, he got us accomodations, he's going to pick us up from the airport in San Diego, and we rented a car and a driver for two days.

It's going to be a blast!

Looking forward to meeting @dmc and Monica!

I'll check out your channel! Thanks for the advice!

 

[dmc]

I got hooked up with a guy named JC from Bajatraveler, he got us accomodations, he's going to pick us up from the airport in San Diego, and we rented a car and a driver for two days.

It's going to be a blast!

Looking forward to meeting @dmc and Monica!

I'll check out your channel! Thanks for the advice!

Monica is not going this year. We'll just be down watching. With job and life changes we're decided to take this 1000 and just enjoy it stress free. I replied to you text. hit me up when you guys have a second. JC got us rooms as well for Weds night. Haven't formed and exact plan aside from that yet but have some ideas.

 

[Pacer]

Still going?

 

[Mixelplix]

Still going?

Yup!

 

[calstyl2]

Have fun, rain today will knock down the dust to epic levels, some badass ringers driving trucks, Nasser/Price should be awesome, My picks are the 31/32/11 or the 16, all great teams this year. I have to spend 2 days testing the new Bronco, while all the Bronco peeps race the new race truck they built.
And garlic shrimp

 

[Mixelplix]

We're down here now! Thanks for all your help

 

[Mixelplix]

What a great trip!

Got in late last night, so my brain and body are a little worse for wear.

Met @dmc - super nice bunch of guys. Thanks for taking the time to hang out.

JC from BajaVoyager was great too. The hotel was perfect, the guys who drove us around were really cool, the coordination was well done.

If anyone is thinking about going to Ensenada to check out the SCORE or NORRA races, definitely do it. The people are awesome, the food is amazing (and cheap - don't be afraid of street vendors), and the weather and scenery can't be beat.

And yes, I did eat garlic shrimp. Although the goat stew from Birriciria Guadalajara was my favorite.