Drifting South ... Baja, 01/2019 ...

[ThumperX]

:hail
:ride

 

[budman]

If you've ever dreamed of heading to Baja for a first-time motorcycle trip, I can't say enough about what an opportunity BARF Baja is ... massive respect to the core group that has taken responsibility for organizing it over the past five years ... :gsxrgrl


see you around
the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn

Totally agree.. :thumbup

CJ and friends are sharing the love.
If I was to do Baja, having experienced guys set it up and on the ride would be so important and appreciated by me.

 

[ThumperX]

Next year Budman, you can do it on your Multi just take the big bike route :ride

There is no way I would have been able to ride Baja this year. I barely survived half a day at Hollister :cry

 

[SFMCjohn]

:hail
:ride

:thumbup

Totally agree.. :thumbup

CJ and friends are sharing the love.
If I was to do Baja, having experienced guys set it up and on the ride would be so important and appreciated by me.

yes, totally awesome opportunity these last five years ... CJ and crew were talking around the campfire about ways to increase participation ... be pretty easy to meet up in BoLA on big adventure bikes, or street bikes ... we’re even talking about having a vintage bike crew in 2020 ... :blah:laughing:ride

the biggest Baja hurdle for me, back in the day, was getting a passport for the first time ... arty

San Francisco Passport Agency

Next year Budman, you can do it on your Multi just take the big bike route :ride

There is no way I would have been able to ride Baja this year. I barely survived half a day at Hollister :cry

you already sort of did a vintage-Baja-ride with the mighty ATK ... :gsxrgrl:afm199

 

[ThumperX]

2015 racing from San Francisquito to highway 1 at 90mph

 

[SFMCjohn]

2015 racing from San Francisquito to highway 1 at 90mph

90 mph! :thumbuparty

here's a screen shot of my route from Canyon de Guadalupe to Catavina ...

and a click-n-zoom map of the big-bike route from Canyon de Guadalupe to Catavina ...

the click-n-zoom shows Old La Rumarosa Grade,
which I'd like to try to find someday ...
on this trip I stayed on the highway ...

you can also poke around and see the route
near and below Mike's Skyranch that brings you down south
to El Coyote and the Rancho Meling and out to Hwy 1 at Rancho Sepeda ...

a repost of thumperX's west-of-Catavina map:

google maps won't send me west of Catavina, even walking, nor east of Rosarito
to Mission San Borja ... :laughing

 

[JimKivi]

Great to meet you

Hey, John, it's Jim from BOLA and Fort Jones...was great to meet you! And I can vouch for the fact that even without your shepherding, your rowdy friends managed to stay in Daggettville without meeting the policia. ;-) I DID get the 01 KLR650 we discussed, and it awaits me at home...along with the doo, the crash bars, and all those fun things that belie an "inexpensive" bike. I enjoyed your trip log - music included. Best regards!

 

[GreenHornet]

did see lots of massive damage to the "new" highway, between Puertecitos and Gonzaga Bay ... huge chunks of roadbed often washed away and several of the big bridges just south of Puertecitos no longer in use due to storm damage ...

I have some pics of the damage from January, but I don’t want to highjack your thread. Let me know if you want me to post them. Also, the road from Puertocitos to San Felipe is all dirt now, instead of the crazy potholed asphalt.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Hey, John, it's Jim from BOLA and Fort Jones...was great to meet you! And I can vouch for the fact that even without your shepherding, your rowdy friends managed to stay in Daggettville without meeting the policia. ;-) I DID get the 01 KLR650 we discussed, and it awaits me at home...along with the doo, the crash bars, and all those fun things that belie an "inexpensive" bike. I enjoyed your trip log - music included. Best regards!

Hey Jim! :wave

Happy you found the thread and super-happy you got the ‘01 KLR! Last year they were made in Japan ... my first KLR was an ‘01, loved that bike ... :ride

Hoping to be in Weaverville in August, maybe we can meet-up near Fort JONES (went back and made the correction! :laughing).

If not Fort Jones, maybe at Daggetts in 2020 ... thanks again for the hospitality and the firewood ... :thumbup

 

[SFMCjohn]

I have some pics of the damage from January, but I don’t want to highjack your thread. Let me know if you want me to post them. Also, the road from Puertocitos to San Felipe is all dirt now, instead of the crazy potholed asphalt.

I’d be stoked to see the road-damage pics, thanks for thinking of them ... :thumbup
always disappointed at the pics I didn’t take ... :laughing

really enjoyed your Let’s Go KATOOM thread, fun when they cover a big span of time ... :ride

 

[Cabrito]

I’d be stoked to see the road-damage pics,

John,
From Friday 3/01/19







This rig was stuck with his two rear right wheels off the edge.. I heard he was there for over a week.


All my pics are here if anyone wants to check them out..

 

[SFMCjohn]

John,

From Friday 3/01/19

This rig was stuck with his two rear right wheels off the edge.. I heard he was there for over a week.

All my pics are here if anyone wants to check them out..

hey, just got back from your trip! :thumbup

think I passed a truck in that same spot, but don't think he got stuck ... was pretty amazed at how messed up that stretch of highway was ... still think of it as "new" but guess it's been there a while now ....

thanks for the link, and see you at the CABDR thing on Thursday! :ride

 

[GreenHornet]

I’d be stoked to see the road-damage pics, thanks for thinking of them ... :thumbup
always disappointed at the pics I didn’t take ... :laughing

really enjoyed your Let’s Go KATOOM thread, fun when they cover a big span of time ... :ride

I'm glad you enjoyed my thread, and I'm glad to have finally completed it.
My pics aren't as good as yours but here goes.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I'm glad you enjoyed my thread, and I'm glad to have finally completed it.
My pics aren't as good as yours but here goes.

wonderful pics, thanks for sharing!
have to give you and Cabrito credit for the pics, I didn't get any pics at all ... :gsxrgrl

what kind of trip where you on in Baja when you took these pics?
you took them earlier this year? :ride

 

[ThumperX]

Cabrito, pictures are :thumbup I especially like the No Mascato sign with Felix sitting in front of it looking all innocent. :laughing

 

[GreenHornet]

what kind of trip where you on in Baja when you took these pics?
you took them earlier this year? :ride

I took a month long vacation around Xmas. Spent about 3 weeks in Baja. We went all over. Stayed a couple nights in San Bruno, about a week in La Paz, and a little over a week in Cabo cuz the weather wasn't cooperating.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I took a month long vacation around Xmas. Spent about 3 weeks in Baja. We went all over. Stayed a couple nights in San Bruno, about a week in La Paz, and a little over a week in Cabo cuz the weather wasn't cooperating.

sweet, three weeks in Baja sounds just about perfect ... :laughing:thumbup

for Dave B.:

Mandatory:

-Auto insurance (https://www.bajabound.com/)
*Trailers require their own policy
-Moto insurance (https://www.bajabound.com/)
**Save documents to phone or print out pages for proof. Don't count on having data service in the desert.
-Auto registration
-Moto registration

-FMM Tourist card (https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html)
*You need the physical print out. The print out needs to be two-sided. Email to rebekahburchard@gmail.com if you don't have access to a printer.
**See this thread for details on filling out the form online: (http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=522831)

-Passport (cannot expire within six months of entry)
-Driver's License
*I make a copy of these three items and keep one copy on me. I give a second copy to a fellow rider for back up. Pro tip: put copies in ziplocs to keep safe from rain/water crossings/etc.
**I also email a scan of my passport to my emergency contacts.

Optional:

-Phone plan
*Get a Mexico SIM card if your phone is unlocked, or buy a roaming plan, or don't - if you don't need service. WIFI is available at some, but not all, motels.

FMM Required at the border:

Worked no problem with Chrome (1/10/2020)

Edit #2: If your passport doesn't have 180 days of validity from date of entry you cannot do the form online. You'll be able to do it in person at the border.


U.S. and Canadian citizens do not need a visa to travel in Mexico, but they do need an FMM tourist permit.

https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html

there is now a "IN" button you can select so it's in English. Muchos Gracias Mexico!

Yes it's easy to do at the border in the morning but it's even easier online at home. Last year I printed mine out, brought it, skipped the forms in the morning and went straight to have my papers checked and stamped. Easy peasy.

Choose By Land

Point of Entry: new for 2020! Tecate

Pay attention: their site is dd/mm/yyyy NOT mm/dd/yyyy

Entry: 24/01/2020 Departure: 02/02/2020

You'll need your passport information.

I chose Baja California for State

I put "Santa Veronica 15 Km Carretera Tecate " for Address in Mexico *2020

Fill it out, click save - confirm info is correct - save - close - send the information - transfers you to payment page, accept the conditions check box, continuar - click confirmar (confirm), click pagar (pay) continue, look at info again, click confirm, click pay - go to payment page. 575 pesos = $30.59 (as of 1/10/20)

Download/print payment page (Descargar/Imprimir)

You'll get an email with a link to print your actual FMM form - make sure to print it out, both sides (two sided). I believe having the backside is important as it has a place for a stamp. (Confirmed you need the backside!)

Medjet Global Medical Transport, Travel Security & Crisis Response repatriation insurance;
flys you home in case of an accident
https://medjetassist.com/enroll

have a great trip in March, 2020!

 

[budman]

Nice pics Michael.

Dig the glyphs..! :cool

Ancient alien vibe....:laughing

 

[Cabrito]

Nice pics Michael.

Dig the glyphs..! :cool

Ancient alien vibe....:laughing

Yeah, budman thanks to BARF Baja guys for getting me the exact location and GPS Tracks to find them...

Cabrito, pictures are :thumbup I especially like the No Mascato sign with Felix sitting in front of it looking all innocent. :laughing

Thanks for looking ThumperX! That was funny as hell.. I didn't see the sign when we went in to get a room. I just told them it was me and the missus and our small dog and he said yes!

 

[JimKivi]

China's Tacos

John,
Bad news, good news for Bahia de Los Angeles. As we drove into Bajia this year a couple weeks back, a long train of cars in town were headed for China's funeral. The good news is that her stand has reopened with her daughter running it, with same wonderful food, sweet personality. Birria on Sunday! We were there for her opening day, and the shrimp and carne tostados were bigger than ever. The legend lives on in another generation! Jim