Southbound and down...

[Hopeless Diamond]

Well, we're taking my '96 (Wheezy, it's just like me, after a little work it wheezes for quite a while afterwards - charcoal canister...) on a little adventure. Gonna be putting some miles on it in short order, some of them probably pretty hard too. We're doing the Baja XL Rally Baja XL – Bamako Adventures , starts Friday 1/29 in Tecate, MX , travels down the entire length of the peninsula, mainly on the Sea of Cortez side, then back up the Pacific side, ending just south of Tijuana, with as much of it on dirt as can be done. Planned route is almost 3000 miles, plus of course getting there and back from the Seattle area. It's mainly a navigation rally, with various checkpoints, geo-caches, and/or easter eggs to be found each day. There's been some rain down there so some of the areas could be real interesting. Will get to see how all my recovery gear works out.

Probably bringing too much stuff, and of course not enough of the right stuff, but that's the fun of it all. My biggest concern will be fuel range, I'll be carrying 10 gallons which hopefully will get me squeaking into the great Pemex stations scattered around. Lately under my "normal" driving, I'm just under 15mpg, hope it stays at least that "good".

At 361k on the motor and trans, she's just getting broke in. I had put a SS 1.2 lift on it and SPC UCAs and changed out all the bushings at that time. I did just go to 861 rear springs, handles the overpacking much better. Bringing a spare CV axle, fuel pump, and starter contacts. Most anything else should be easily sourced down there.

Should be fun...

 

[spartacus]

Sounds like a blast. If you'are able it would be great to do'a trip report with pics if possible.

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

Oh yeah, gonna be lots of pictures...and hopefully more than action shots of digging out of the mud

 

[Endlessblockades]

Oh man - this looks awesome and it starts in a week! Would also love to see some pictures from the event. An unsupported out-and-back the entire length of Baja sounds F'n wild. However, I would want guns and I don't even own one. I spent my entire childhood camping throughout Mexico in the 70's and 80's - nowadays I would not take my own kids there. Sorry I'm getting off message, but I'm sure you will have an awesome time!! Jealous, indeed.

Haha - noticed this on the bajaxl site: Potential dangers include:


highway accidents in the US
getting shot at a Walmart in the US
mass shooting in the US
drive by shooting in Tijuana and La Paz
gang warfare in Tijuana and La Paz
imprisonment in Mexico
dehydrating in the desert
technical problems on the open road
accident and injury on the open road
accidents and injury away from inhabited areas
getting lost
running out of food or water
bandits or thieves in the desert
food-poisoning
sunstroke
corrupt Mexican police
long wait at the US/Mexican border
traffickers attaching drugs to your car with a magnet
dangerously driving Mexicans
speed bumps in Mexico
dangerously driving Baja 400 participants
sandstorms
nerves stretched to the breaking point
rattle snakes
scorpions
sharks

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

Yep, the entry fees, etc are processed through "The Institute for Unsafe Living". Half way through the first day on the 2019 one, the Roadbook states "by now pieces should be falling off your vehicle...". While it is set up so everyone camps, there are some "hotels" nearby most of the locations. The revue for the one in Bahia de Los Angeles said "it's the worst hotel in the world, but it's the best hotel in town."

 

[Endlessblockades]

Yep, the entry fees, etc are processed through "The Institute for Unsafe Living". Half way through the first day on the 2019 one, the Roadbook states "by now pieces should be falling off your vehicle...". While it is set up so everyone camps, there are some "hotels" nearby most of the locations. The revue for the one in Bahia de Los Angeles said "it's the worst hotel in the world, but it's the best hotel in town."

Classic stuff! You'll earn those stickers and livery -Godspeed, Wheezy!

 

[eddielasvegas]

Looks like a great trip. If I were only younger...

In spite of the long list of potential risks listed on the bajaxl site, the only one I would be really concerned about is our Constitution does not protect you there.

Best of luck and keep us updated.


Eddie

 

[Endlessblockades]

Looks like a great trip. If I were only younger...

In spite of the long list of potential risks listed on the bajaxl site, the only one I would be really concerned about is our Constitution does not protect you there.

Best of luck and keep us updated.


Eddie

True, but that's part of the allure. Nevertheless, I'd have the U. S. Consular Agency in TJ and Los Cabos B.C MX phone numbers memorized. Small time meth-fueled bandito crime would be my only real concern.

 

[lockedlex]

I wish you a safe trip with hopefully a lot of trip photos/vids, etc.

Unfortunately, MX is very different than it was say 20 years ago so the allure of going down there (esp. with the current health and subsequent socioeconomic climate) is no longer there for me personally. I feel like there's so much more to explore in the US and even Canada before I'd head down to MX at this point.

 

[Endlessblockades]

Bump!

Getting ready for some Baja action! :llama: :toilet: :ak472: :car: :cheers:

 

[Endlessblockades]

from the safety of my cubicle

(this was a duplicate post....)

 

[Team_Jake]

You'll have fun! A couple years ago, five friends and I did an 8-day road trip driving from San Diego all the way to Cabo San Lucas and back, surfing and camping all along the way. My 4Runner put on ~3000 miles (I have the exact mileage of the trip written down somewhere, but I can't find it).

Baja is the modern day wild west -- never let your guard down, don't be in places you shouldn't be in, travel in numbers, and be respectful. Remember that and you'll be fine. Interestingly, the only issues we had were with other Americans (ex-pats), every Mexican we met showed nothing but kindness and respect.


Some photos from the trip:

And a little video one of the guys put together:

<iframe allow="fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="960" height="720" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/8846231328_wv2zLh3?width=960&height=720&albumId=199228763&albumKey=ggMF8R"></iframe>

 

[Endlessblockades]

And....THEY'RE OFF.....?

arty:

 

[eddielasvegas]

Goodspeed Hopeless Diamond et al.


Eddie

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

Awesome time so far, don't have many photos on my phone, using my camera more so that'll take awhile to get set up

Incredible time so far, really hoping the dash cam is getting it all. Have seen every kind of terrain, and that was just the first day. Ended the day with getting stuck out on a (not so) dry lake bed. A little maxtrax and shovel work and we got our selves out. I know a couple of teams spent the night out there. Good times

The bad ...Baja Sur changed their Covid level and has shut down all organized off-road activities. They set up checkpoints and collected everyone they could and escorted then north out of the BCS state just north of Guerrero Negro. We weren't in any of the checkpoint groups but did turn back to Guerrero Negro for the night. Grabbed a hotel and there's going to be more info this am.

May end up chilling on the beach somewhere for a few days. Good times either way

 

[sledride]

Looks amazing, sorry to hear they are shutting it down.

 

[Endlessblockades]

El Bumpo

 

[DreadPirateJon]

Looks fun, good luck!

subscribed

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

No surprise to anyone here, but no problems of any consequence. Blew through the front sway bar bushings 1st day, didn't realize it till I figured out that was what all the racket up front was. Amazed at the punishment the 4xInnovations rear bumper with tire carrier and 10 gallons of fuel took, we had multiple mile stretches of whoops, which got real old real quick.

Incredible places, Incredible people down here, friendly really helpful. Almost everyone had some failure, transmissions, rear ends, tire carriers, it was pretty brutal. Friends we were traveling with broke a rear spring in their 90 Montero so we had a couple of Yonke tour days (junk yards) found a shop who took out the pieces and the guy took off with it. 20 minutes later he comes back with a spring that was close. They cut it and got it to work. Different spring rate than the other side so it wasn't perfect, but got us down the road. They actually got it fixed faster than it took us to get ours pressure washed, and there's still mud in places.

Gots lot of pictures to digest when we get home. Looks like we'll have to readjust quickly to snow.

 

[eddielasvegas]

Good update Hopeless and glad to hear all is going reasonably well.

How much did the spring work cost?


Eddie