It’s almost time for the men and women with a goal of conquering the toughest off road terrain on the North American continent to head south of the border and line up in the streets of Ensenada Mexico for the race of their lives.
The cool ocean air fills the small town and many race teams will be on the course weeks before the green flag is dropped to get a good look at their foe.
This year’s Baja will head from Ensenada down to the tip of the Baja California peninsula to end in LaPaz. This fact alone adds close to twice the cost, as it requires even more support.
The landscape is harsh and the chance of getting help in case of an emergency is limited to the help you may or may not have brought with you.
Chase teams simply cannot outrun their vehicles on parts of the course due to the small towns and local traffic on the rough roads that will be ever present on race day. The teams will have to organize support to be spread out all the way down the peninsula.
There’s a mystique to Baja and I long to be there every year, but this time I’ll have to stay back home and follow the race online.
I wish this year’s ATV and SXS teams well and I plan to get back to Baja real soon.
