This agenda is in acrobat. Its a free download if you don't have it on your system. Just google acrobat and follow the trail.
I've started a new topic. If you are interested in doing the trip you can post a reply at ghuck1948@yahoo.ca I will note all who are interested and include you in a reply with any updates or meeting schedules. Or you can just reply here.
First, the Island group is talking last week in April ... we are aiming for aset date [ April 22 ] in Puerta Vallerta . There is a reason for that date, and it can not be changed. We may ride down the Baja, cross to the mainland on the ferry from La Paz, and return back up the mainland. Or vice versa. Or maybe it is all just talk, and nobody will go at all?
Also, I've ridden the entire route, from Vancouver to Cabo, andfor the first day [WEATHER PERMITTING ] Iwould suggestyou swing West along the coast as quickly as possible, following the coast highway all the way down to San Fran. This is some of the most dramatic and beautiful riding I have ever done.
While I have done theI 5 from Portland to the Canadian border a few times on a Dual Sport [ once at about 100 MPH all the way ... trying to get home before the snow hit ]this was not fun. Keeping up with traffic on the I 5 is NEVER fun on a motorcycle, even on a BMW 1150 GS.
Once you get to Baja, there a LOTS of neat out of the way places to visit. The Sea of Cortez side, from Loretto south all the way down, is my personal favorite. Muleje, Santas Pak, and La Paz [ which is an actual real Mexiacn city, with businesses and families, and everything, rather than a tourist trap ] are great places to slow down and smell the Tequila. One thing you will notice, if you ride into a small town on a Dual Sport motorcycle, you will most likely be treated like a star - they LOVE motorcyclists down there.
PS: there are a couple of stretches where you need to go 250 - 300 Kms between gas stations. And onetown where they turn off the power to the ONLY gas pump for certain times in the day.The BEST insurance you can carry is a few AMERICAN $20 and $ 100 bills. If things go bad somewhere out back, your credit card and even your travellers cheques are no where near as persuasive as some real American cash dineros. Do not even think about trying to spend your Canadian money down there.
Enjoy the ride, and remember ... in the Baja it is recommend that you ride in a group of at least three. In case of a crash, one goes for help, and one stays with the fallen rider ...to keep the buzzards from pecking out his eyes.
Well its time to get the bike ready for the treck. Tires, batteries, cables etc. And time to set reservations at overnite stays along the way. This Saturday I would like to see thosewho are interested in the trip. Whether or not you actually go is another question. This is the first rally of, I hope, many.
For those interested I'll be having lunch at the Meadows cafe noon, Saturday Feb.17/07at the Town & Country Inn at the corner of hwy 99 & 17 which is just behind the Shell station on the East side of 99 near the Tsawwasssen cut-off.
Tree weeks to the Baja trip. The bike has had its 30000km services and runs great. Does anyone know of decent hostels in Salem, Eurika, Salinasor San Diego? Hostels are great in some parts of the continent.
The Baja trip is completed and I thought I would post a couple of photos. This little excursion (8000kms) was all on tarmac so its not full of the wild excitement you may find in the off-road Baja adventures. Then again it is hard toBike all the way from Vancouver to the Baja on a set of off-road tires and get back to work in 2 weeks. So this is the armchair version of the Baja with a bit of site seeing in California.
It was a relatively tame trip with only a fewadrenaline rushes like thetimes I came around hair pin turns on the narrow Baja highway and met semitrailers coming toward me with half the truck in my lane. You just cannot play chicken with those guys.
I also had the pleasure of blowing out a rear tire on a remote part of the desert 20 miles this side of Loreto. Breaking the bead of a tire and replacing the inner tube with minimal tools was a 2.5 hour adventure. Thankfully, a good fellow inthe Mexican military helped out with the repair.
I arrived in Loreto right on schedule - I stayed there for 3.5 days resting and cruising the beach. While in Loreto you either go golfing or you go fishing. I went fishing - at a cost of$US150 for 4 hours with a boat, gear and guide. I caught 4 bass, 8 baracudas, 4 pellicans and a sea lion.I'm not a fisherman but I would definitely do the fishing again. I stuffed myself with fresh cooked bass that night and donated many fillets to the Hotel and restaurant staff. I don't know how to fillet a sea lion so I cut the line and let him go. After fishing for 3 hours, I still had time to go snorkling before the tour was finished. That was a great break from the saddle.
On most days I covered 450 to 750 kms and I was doing between 110 and 140 kms/hr. The Tiger ate the miles up and was comfortable even for 10+ hours. The time went quickly and except for the first southern leg to Portland, I had no rain to deal with. Until I got to the Sea of Cortez, whichwas deep into the Baja,the weather was clear and cool. After that, it wassunny and warm all the way to Loreto and all the way back home.
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The bike has had its 30000km services and runs great. Does anyone know of decent hostels in Salem, Eurika, Salinasor San Diego? Hostels are great in some parts of the continent.
You just cannot play chicken with those guys.
After fishing for 3 hours, I still had time to go snorkling before the tour was finished. That was a great break from the saddle.
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