Gear
Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
Miles and I just got back from the Baja 1000. This was an incredible trip for us. I thought I would share some of the highlights.
Wednesday 15, 2006 - Picked up my brother and headed down to Ensenada for the Contingency. We walked around for several hours and meet up with the Dust or Glory crew. Returned to the Jeep to find out that someone tried to steal it. The passenger door lock was messed up and the ignition was damaged. Flagged down the Mexican Police and with there broken English we were told to wait 10 minutes while they went somewhere. They soon returned with the local locksmith. He quickly repaired the ignition so that we could at least drive the Jeep. Went to his shop and he replace the mechanical part that was broken. So 8 hours into our 5 day trip and we are back on the road headed towards San Felipe. Pulled into Check Point 3 around 10:00 p.m. just north of Puertocitios.
Thursday 16, 2006 - Woke up to several other campers in the area. Had breakfast and decided to run the course backwards in order to find a good viewing point. We figured the first bike would be coming by around 9:00 a.m. Found a spot and set up for the day. Later that evening we decided to move back down to the actual Check Point 3 for the night life. I staying up and watch the race until Check Point 3 closed at 2:00 a.m.
1x Honda Race 1st Overall
Monster Truck, Alan Pflueger
Robby Gordan & Andy McMillian 1st Trophy Truck
Friday 17, 2006 – Race is over, time to head south to Gonzaga Bay. Pulled in to Alfonsina's for an early lunch. Great fish tacos. Continued up to Rancho Grande to check out the local store. Got out started talking to a gentleman on a motorcycle. Turned out to be Joe for Joehauler.com. That lead into some discussions about the Jeep. Then all of a sudden more Jeeps started to show up. Found out Joe lives in the same town as I do as well as one of the Jeep owners. Small world. Said good bye to Joe and continued talking to Michael the Jeep owner. He pointed to Punta Final just on the other side of the bay from Alfonsina's. Said we should go camp out there. We ended up driving out there together and had a hair raising return on the beach later that afternoon. Full speed along the beach at about 30 miles an hour with the trailer. The beach was also off camber and I at times was loosing speed. I did not want to get stuck. Started driving up and then down the off camber section to keep my speed. Need less to say a half an hour later we were back on a good side road and headed back to Alfonsina's for diner with our new friends. That night we camped out on the waters edge next to Alfonsina's.
Punta Final
Saturday 18, 2006 – Up early and heading south to Coco's Corner. Stopped by and wrote in his book. Back in the Jeep we wanted to follow the course so we headed east a direction I had not been before. About ten miles out we entered this incredible valley. We kept following this graded road and soon found ourselves at a small fishing camp (Campo Calamajue). Stopped for an early lunch and talked with some Americans who had local knowledge. They pointed us to this remote beach. From there we spent the next 4 hours enjoying the trail down to the beach, swam and then decided we needed to get out and start heading for home. On the way out I used the winch for my first self recovery. We had to go up this small hill that was not so steep as it was loose gravel. On the way down I had taken mental note of it and had also noticed the large elephant tree directly on the other side of the hill. So I put the Jeep in 4 low and locked the lockers front and rear and proceeded up the hill. Needless to say I only made it about half way. Miles was out of the Jeep at this point and so I really did not see his expression but I am sure it must have been oh no why is he stopping. I soon grabbed the remote for the winch and was pulling line up and over the hill. Took me about a half and hour and we were up and moving along the ridge top. Stopped shortly over the hill for a late afternoon snack and then decided do to time we would travel back to Coco's and out to the Mex. 1. Late that evening we camped just south of Ensenada at a nice pay campground.
Remote Beach
Self Recovery Spot
Sunday 19, 2006 – Up early and heading for home. Two hour border crossing.
Enjoy!!
Wednesday 15, 2006 - Picked up my brother and headed down to Ensenada for the Contingency. We walked around for several hours and meet up with the Dust or Glory crew. Returned to the Jeep to find out that someone tried to steal it. The passenger door lock was messed up and the ignition was damaged. Flagged down the Mexican Police and with there broken English we were told to wait 10 minutes while they went somewhere. They soon returned with the local locksmith. He quickly repaired the ignition so that we could at least drive the Jeep. Went to his shop and he replace the mechanical part that was broken. So 8 hours into our 5 day trip and we are back on the road headed towards San Felipe. Pulled into Check Point 3 around 10:00 p.m. just north of Puertocitios.
Thursday 16, 2006 - Woke up to several other campers in the area. Had breakfast and decided to run the course backwards in order to find a good viewing point. We figured the first bike would be coming by around 9:00 a.m. Found a spot and set up for the day. Later that evening we decided to move back down to the actual Check Point 3 for the night life. I staying up and watch the race until Check Point 3 closed at 2:00 a.m.
1x Honda Race 1st Overall
Monster Truck, Alan Pflueger
Robby Gordan & Andy McMillian 1st Trophy Truck
Friday 17, 2006 – Race is over, time to head south to Gonzaga Bay. Pulled in to Alfonsina's for an early lunch. Great fish tacos. Continued up to Rancho Grande to check out the local store. Got out started talking to a gentleman on a motorcycle. Turned out to be Joe for Joehauler.com. That lead into some discussions about the Jeep. Then all of a sudden more Jeeps started to show up. Found out Joe lives in the same town as I do as well as one of the Jeep owners. Small world. Said good bye to Joe and continued talking to Michael the Jeep owner. He pointed to Punta Final just on the other side of the bay from Alfonsina's. Said we should go camp out there. We ended up driving out there together and had a hair raising return on the beach later that afternoon. Full speed along the beach at about 30 miles an hour with the trailer. The beach was also off camber and I at times was loosing speed. I did not want to get stuck. Started driving up and then down the off camber section to keep my speed. Need less to say a half an hour later we were back on a good side road and headed back to Alfonsina's for diner with our new friends. That night we camped out on the waters edge next to Alfonsina's.
Punta Final
Saturday 18, 2006 – Up early and heading south to Coco's Corner. Stopped by and wrote in his book. Back in the Jeep we wanted to follow the course so we headed east a direction I had not been before. About ten miles out we entered this incredible valley. We kept following this graded road and soon found ourselves at a small fishing camp (Campo Calamajue). Stopped for an early lunch and talked with some Americans who had local knowledge. They pointed us to this remote beach. From there we spent the next 4 hours enjoying the trail down to the beach, swam and then decided we needed to get out and start heading for home. On the way out I used the winch for my first self recovery. We had to go up this small hill that was not so steep as it was loose gravel. On the way down I had taken mental note of it and had also noticed the large elephant tree directly on the other side of the hill. So I put the Jeep in 4 low and locked the lockers front and rear and proceeded up the hill. Needless to say I only made it about half way. Miles was out of the Jeep at this point and so I really did not see his expression but I am sure it must have been oh no why is he stopping. I soon grabbed the remote for the winch and was pulling line up and over the hill. Took me about a half and hour and we were up and moving along the ridge top. Stopped shortly over the hill for a late afternoon snack and then decided do to time we would travel back to Coco's and out to the Mex. 1. Late that evening we camped just south of Ensenada at a nice pay campground.
Remote Beach
Self Recovery Spot
Sunday 19, 2006 – Up early and heading for home. Two hour border crossing.
Enjoy!!
