STEEKERS

The second most famous off-road vehicle race, behind Paris-Dakar Rally, is the Baja 1000. 1296 miles of dirt, rock, arroyo, and cactus are traveled in 53hrs by Baja buggies, motorcycles and trucks. This is a HUGE event in Baja and it is obvious that the locals take pride in participating and supporting the race. Restaurants welcome racers, the ‘supers’ are full of produce and motor oil and people are lined up in the streets to see the race cars being transported to the starting lines. Seeing all the race ‘convoys’ on the highway is a good diversion; flatbed with the buggy first, then three or four trucks for support with huge gas containers fly by in a tight formation Nobody is more excited than the local kids who have been accustomed to gringo teams handing out fliers and ‘STEEKERS’. Since we are clearly in an off-road vehicle, big tires, big lights, big diesel, the kids charge the van with arms outstretched yelling ‘STEEKERS! STEEKERS!’ or holding signs that say: “Stikers”. We can only imagine that the stickers are decorating their school notebooks, furniture and mirrors. On our way out of Loreto we had the opportunity to see a ‘parade’ through town of the 2nd place finishers; a local Mex-US team!

Scorpion Bay, or Bahía San Juánico, is famous for a beautifully long right wave that wraps around one of the four surfable points of land outside of the town of San Juánico. Looking forward to another 30mile dirt road drive in, John bailed out of Tonto and got on his bike for some exercise. Little did we know that the first 20miles would be deep sand and treacherously slow pedaling downhill as well has up. Imagine his surprise when the last 17k of the ride would be on some of the nicest pavement in Baja! Scorpion Bay has its share of beautiful gringo houses, cafes and well, gringos. I am sure that when the swell is really up it is a pretty crowded break, but we were there for a very small swell, so besides a pretty impressive local longboarding dog and owner, and some visiting families from San Diego we had our choice of waves and it was worth it. We decided to boondock on a beach around the other side of the bay and had a wonderful dinner of carillo and wild rice. The next day started with some playing in quicksand that Helleburg found. On the surf break there was marine fog, then wind, and no surf ☹. So after a little relaxing on the playa, we headed south.

As we drive down the highway we are noticing a difference from when we were here last year. Everything is green! Passing through the mountains after Loreto there were steep cliffs that lead down to valleys with cactus and green low-lying plants that gave the area a tropical feel as opposed to the desert landscape we had been traveling through. Yet we haven’t seen a running river, and there is still work being done in Baja to protect the small potable water supply. On our way to Todos Santos for the Thanksgiving week. Looking forward seeing the beaches of Serritos and mountain biking in Barilles and catching up with more friends who have come down for the season. ‘Till next time!

P.S. Accepting designs for a Tonto STEEKER!!! I would love to give some to the kids..