Baja Trips

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:46 pm

Great snap shots Randy!!. So what happened with the gas on the 68 trip?. Did you ever go up to Mikes Sky Ranch?, thats a great place, we stayed there for one night on the clubs 98 trip,, but the time just went far too quick, would have like to have spent a few days there myself.

Manx#102 · Post by **Manx#102** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:59 am

Mel, after we arrived in San Felipi and set up camp on the beach. We went back to downtown San Felipi to fuel up for the next days trip to Puertecitos and have dinner. On the way back to camp the Manx started to run rough. Once back in camp we checked the engine while it was running. Everything looked o.k. except for a four inch long blue flame coming out of the exhaust continuously. Much like an alcohol fueled Sprint car. After draining and putting in good gas she ran fine. So it might have been this one station's gas. Or maybe someone spiked our gas tank with Tequila. wink I have never been to Mike's. But from what I have seen and heard here on the forum and elsewhere. I wish I had.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:37 pm

Randy, I was looking and dreaming the other day > http://www.totalescape.com/lodge/ADS/mikes.html the road to Mikes never seemed that bad back in 98, 'Gus The Bus' made it no problem, but like they say ''It Changes every Year''.

Manx#102 · Post by **Manx#102** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:23 pm

Mel, thanks for the link. It looks and sounds like the pefect destination for a Club trip. The only thing that has me worried is the hoem cook meals.wink The closest we came to going there was on our San Quintin trip. I remember my dad and others talking about a long day trip to Mike's Sky Ranch and then up to the National Observatory. But we never did that. I still wish we had. Also I like seeing your picture with and story of "Gus The Bus" and like you I still dream of Baja.

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:21 am

Yes it was those pictures that got us down to Baja for our adventure. you could drive by and see youR favorite photos while driving all the time thinking I remember that shot. We learned a few thngs like a GPS may not match with the maps and roads that should be there are really some where else Pigeons work better than Cb Radios and when lost just go faster so you end up somewhere.and lets not forget the vibration effect I spent many months designing my buggy for the trip and once I go there is was sooo intense that I realized I desgned my car completely wrong. I learned a bunch We mastered the art of field repair especially tire repair Its an adventure and I would love to do it again but will wait for a little better border conditions Gene C #729

Manx#102 · Post by **Manx#102** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:43 am

[QUOTE="gene c;15305"] when lost just go faster so you end up somewhere. [/QUOTE] Words of wisdom Gene C. All roads in Baja lead somewhere it may not be where you want to be but it is somewhere. Our rule of thumb when confused was to take the most well traveled road and trust our AAA Baja Guide Book. No matter what we thought. I am also glad to hear buggying in Baja is still an adventure rather than a vacation. Old Reliable AAA Guide Book:

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:17 pm

A little reality check for Baja While it is an adventure and mystical, the dangers are real. Last night I had dinner with the race team owner and we did a recap of the recent Baja 1000 ( placed 21st overall).Our other dinner guestworks with the DEA We were talking and the area from Mexicali to Tijuana they said is still very very dangerous. Right now kidnappings are in style right now. They were kidnapping people for 100,000-$150,000 but they found that was hard to collect since most people do not have that amount of cash on hand. So they have switched tactics from quality to quantity. The kidnappers find that more people have between $10,000-15,000 cash on hand for easy access, rather than the larger amounts. Hence the volume of kidnappings is on the rise big time. Kidnap insurance is readily available and the new standard purchase added to your insurance check list along with,comprehensive,liability, air ambulance, and arrest insurance. He purchased the kidnap insurance for the entire team. This is not all of Baja but along the Bandito belt as you enter the country So light up your Clint Eastwood cigar and when that musical chime goes off in your head, be ready Gene C #729

theManiac · Post by **theManiac** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:58 am

I never made down to Baja, but sure wanted to! Unless there are some drastic changes down there & along the border areas, I probably won't ever go either! My neighbor's parents were with a small group of 6 motorhomes that are all 4X4's & all of them tow Jeeps to use for exploring. Last month (Nov) they had a sizeable group of banditos stop them in the middle of nowhere & take all 6 of their Jeeps & 2 of the motorhomes. Then they took their CB radios, their 2meter ham radios, their cellphones & the 1 satellite phone they had rented. The bandits then flattened 1 tire on each of the remaining 4 motorhomes. They also took their passports, money, credit cards etc.. When they finally reached the Mexican authorities, they told them that they should be real happy that they were not harmed & were still alive!!! Thank you for visiting our country, now go home! The Americans asked them weren't they going to look for the banditos & they said "NO!" It's a pretty sad state of affairs down there, I'll just stay at home!!!

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:50 am

Wow, the last two posts have really turned my dream of one day going back to Baja into a nightmare. After what I've just read and knowing how relaxed it seems crossing into Baja, I reckon the best insurance to have would be something like the ''Smith & Wesson Insurance'',, this insurance could then be passed onto other American guys before crossing back over, where border control is more stricter.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:05 am

Well, I've just been shopping around for the best Baja insurance deal, and the best I can find right now is http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/large ... 849&cat=13 only problem could be crossing the border, so it may need a little camouflaging!

5150bossman · Post by **5150bossman** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:26 pm

Nice. I take two! The Federalies are just as likely to jack you as the banditos. The S/W insurance will only insure that you have a two year all expenses paid vacation inside a Mexican prison if you get caught! Otherwise, it's your 6 rounds vs. the bandit's unlimited supply. Good luck. I'll follow Maniac's lead, and stay out of there.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 8:46 pm

Well, it seems to me they need a new leader then, someone who can get the place back on track. I bet the tourist trade and general economy is really suffering as a result of those problems. Back in 98, a guy that I had kept in touch with from Torrance on my 97 trip, wrote and told me about bandits that had shot dead two off road racers and told me to think again before heading out to Baja. Well I took the risk and glad I did now, because it was a great time, the guy from Torrance also turned up, but even back then, I could sense the bad vibes from American guys about visiting Baja. I think Manx Dave & buggy Pete (fellow limey members) had a close call when they went back in 03, but lucky enough I never encountered any problems,, only poor folk trying to sell stuff, which I ended up buying because I felt so sorry for them,,, well its the least I could do for letting me tear up their roads!!

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:31 pm

I had a bit of a Baja reminice in this thread Mel... http://manxclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1984 After reading Bruce's piece in the latest newsletter I was all fired up for a return visit and thought I may be able to count you in, you've pissed on my chips now though...

CairoManx · Post by **CairoManx** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:47 pm

Not to get political but Mexican and Central American gangs are a huge crime problem in the U.S. now. Twenty five percent of the California prison population is illegal alien. There have been some real heinous and preventable crimes like in San Francisco last year when a gang banger from El Salvador, who was in the country illegally and had a history of violence and had previously been arrested by San Francisco police, but the San Francisco "sanctuary" policy kept police from reporting him to the feds for deportation. He shot a father and two sons in their car when they drove in front of him. The father and one son died. You need to be careful where you go on public land too. There's a good chance you'll stumble on an armed Mexican gang's pot growing operation It will probably get a lot worse before it gets better. Might as well go to Baja, it ain't any safer here.

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:09 pm

My next foriegn trip is to Tralee in southern Ireland just before New Year...nothing ever happens down there unless the cows get loose onto the road or you smash your car up like I did last time I was there...