Baja California, Mexico, is THE place for a motorcycle adventure of a lifetime. This peninsula of over 1,000 miles runs south from the Mexican border at California to the resort towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. The scenery changes with each day's start and you'll traverse some lonely and desolate desert terrain as well as beautiful coastal mountains. It can be a great destination any time of the year as long as you avoid the storms and hurricanes which can occur during the winter months. For the prepared visitor, this place is an unbeatable destination. For those unprepared it can be a dismal experience.

The below links can take you to many Baja-related places on the Internet. These sites are well-maintained and updated frequently. If you're planning a motorcycle trip to Baja, be sure to collect all the information possible from as many sources as you can prior to heading into Mexico. Read all tips in the below BajaSites and read some of MikeyA's Baja Tips below.

Also, when you're finished here, return to the home page and check out the new report from our Baja trip to San Felipe and across to Ensenada and Tecate linked from there.

FOLLOW THESE LINKS FOR SOME GREAT INFORMATION

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@migo Baja Web Center - This link leads to a comprehensive visitor's guide to Baja and includes information for San Felipe, the often-forgotten resort on the east side of the peninsula. Included is resort info as well as official city guides, real estate info, lodging and activity listings and more links to other Baja sites and all-around information for trip preparation.

Amigos de Baja's BajaNet and Fishing Guide - A great source for both fishing and traveling information for the entire length of the Baja peninsula. Includes the Baja Breeze on-line magazine, fishing reports, travel tips, road conditions and a Spanish language translation guide.

Baja On-Line - Paula McDonald's feature-packed Baja site includes the Baja Forum, travel tips, maps and information on special events and festivals. Reading this site can reduce the time spent at border crossings and increase the time spent having fun. The information is updated frequently and has seasonal features and tips.

BajaLife On-Line - Brought to you by the Baja Life quarterly magazine, this site is always current with weather, road and fishing conditions. You'll find links to other popular and informative sites and also included is a Baja Classified section.

Virtual Mexico Mall - Baja California - Various tourist tips and links to other sites can be found here. There are historical facts regarding the individual areas and towns along the Baja Highway as well.

Baja.net Home Page - A wide selection of various Baja Links that cover a few of the webmaster's adventures. More emphasis is given to the vast array of Baja WWW sites available that have emerged to take almost all the guesswork out of traveling to Baja. Peso/dollar exchange rate, road conditions, political climate, dining, hotels, RV's camping, hiking, etc., etc. As the author indicates, "This does not suck."
 
 

Towns (therefore motels and restaurants) are few and far between. Each day when you start out, have some idea of your destination for that afternoon or evening. There is no "we'll ride another hour" in Baja. When you leave a town, it will be a few hours until you see the next one. There are many smaller towns that may have accommodations, however for dependable lodging with quality food you're almost limited to the larger towns along the way; these would be San Quintin, El Rosario, Catavina, Guerrero Negro, Santa Rosalia, Mulege, Loreto, Ciudad Consititucion, La Paz and the Los Cabos area.

Fuel up at EVERY opportunity. Just because you have gone only 50 miles since topping off, it does not mean you shouldn't top off again. Unexpected station closures and "maps that lie" are a common occurence. Also, during the popular motorhome season, it is common for a string of motorhomes to suck a station dry of fuel. And the next delivery truck may be a few days off.

Be very aware of the current currency exchange policy. U.S. currency is accepted (preferred, actually) throughout Baja. The exchange rate will be easy to calculate however when purchasing fuel or other goods, you can become easily confused when the change is given. I have never had a merchant try to short-change me, but if you look too confused, you could become the exception to the rule. It is best to carry small bills like $1s or $5s and to pay with the smallest possible denomination.

I don't believe this can be stated enough - DO NOT ride at night on these highways. The roads are mostly okay but the maintenance schedules are nebulous at best. Some new roads are found in the southern half of the state while the northern half suffers somewhat. Without exaggeration, I have seen potholes into which the motorcyle's rear tire dropped before the front tire had bounced out. You may not see these at night. In fact Dresser Dave didn't see it at noon! Deep potholes two and three feet round are plentifull anytime but very common after storms and rain. Large cattle roam the highways as the whole state is a free range area and these animals will trot out in front of you day or night. You'll see plenty of these cows stretched out and bloated along the way. This advice is even more important for those who travel alone or in small groups as a nighttime crash 200 miles from a doctor or phone is not something desirable.

Speaking of phones, one of the first things you'll notice along the Baja Highway is the absence of utility poles. This is because there are no phones or electricity except in the more populated areas. There is no cellular service and the chance of being heard on a CB radio is very slim except near towns. If you think you need to make a phone call, do it in the U.S. At the best of times it can take an hour or two of constant trying before you get an operator to connect you to the U.S. This even applies to the large towns like La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. Warn your family that you'll not be able to call every night.
 
 

MORE ON MEXICO

Mexico is a big country, and if you ride for the fun of it, as I do, know that there are really two Mexicos, both authentic, but as different as night and day. One is mainland Mexico, a real country, with rules and everything. The other is known as the Baja, or Baja California, two rather impoverished Mexican states, that seem to have been unofficially set aside as a tourist playground. The government is relying on you to provide economic sustenance to the region.

In the Baja the rule seems to be that you can do as you please, but do not harm anyone, especially a Mexican national.

It is a place where you can enjoy your cycle to the max.

A story in a recent issue of Rider Magazine bore this out with passing reference to a legendary biker who allegedly went the entire length of the peninsula in about twelve hours. Now there was a biker!

INSURANCE

Most cycle insurance has fine print saying that it is void in Mexico. So before entering Mexico buy insurance. It is generally handled by agents on the american side of the border and is sold on a daily basis, so buy what you need and get back before it expires. I don't know the current cost, but you can be sure it is about the same as a Mexican national is charged for riding in our country. If you have an accident in Mexico and have no insurance, you go to jail until things get sorted out.

GETTING IN

You need proof of citizenship, vehicle ownership, a drivers license, and a tourist card issued by Mexican Immigration, and you can get into the Baja.

If you are not going to the Baja, or using the Baja to get someplace else in Mexico, the list gets longer and includes a Temporary Importation Permit for your cycle, A Promise to Return the Vehicle Form, and a valid international credit card.

This last set of requirements is cumbersome and not worth your trouble to deal with. AAA has an agreement with the Mexican government on these items, and will help you put them together in advance. This does not guarantee a hassle-free entry, but at least it tells the border officials that you tried.

SOME RULES OF MY OWN

Have your cycle in good operating condition. Know your fuel range, and check your maps for places large enough to have gas stations. All stations are owned by the Mexican government (PEMEX) and generally have only two grades of gasoline, NOVA and MAGNA. Avoid NOVA like the plague. Sometimes a station will be out of fuel and mañana will not be the answer you want. I suspect the town you are in will have someone who will sell you fuel out of a barrel. The price might be higher, but it is a lot better than hanging around for a couple of days waiting for the official shipment. Of course you may have to ask around to find such a place, but you can bet it exists.

Never drive at night. ALL MEXICAN CATTLE ARE BLACK AND STAND AT THE EDGE OF THE PAVEMENT AFTER DARK. If it isn't cattle, it is vaqueros headed for the next cantina in pickup trucks without lights. I don't like generalizations, but trust me on this. It can get scary.

The Baja is a desert environment so carry good water, anti-diarrheal pills, sunblock, and first aid stuff. Stay on paved roads whereever possible, unless you are a dirt biker.

Most Mexican villages now have a radio-telephone linkage to the outside world. Know that there is a helicopter service in San Diego that will transport you in a medical emergency if you call them. I am sure it is expensive, but so is the alternative. If you have been following this webpage for a while you may remember my story of the dirt biker with a broken collar bone who did 600 miles to San Diego with his hands taped to the handle bars.

Be a goodwill ambassador. A shiny bike can draw a crowd, but generally Mexicans are considerate and encourage their children to look but not touch. You can be a hero to a Mexican father by setting his child on the saddle for a few moments. You don't have to be a linguist to pull this off, the whole world speaks "motorcycle".

MONEY

Mexican money seems to be always in crisis. American money is always welcome. It is not necessary, or even desirable to exchange money when you enter the country, but do know the approximate official exchange rate as a guide to value. Credit cards and travelers checks can be helpful in some situations. One last thing, carry a roll of $1 bills with you. It is amazing what a dollar can accomplish in Mexico. See the next paragraph.

PROPINA

This is a handy word as well as a concept, whose closest english equivalent is TIP, but propina goes a little deeper, and in a country as poor as Mexico it doesn't hurt to spread a few dollars around. In many cases propina is expected for services we wouldn't ordinarily tip for. Don't worry about such situations arising, because they will, and you will sense an attitude that says propina. Conversely, broaden your perspective and drop a dollar once in a while for insignificant services, freely given. It never hurts to be polite, or generous. Generous in Mexico doesn't cost much.

On the subject of money, I offer you another weird observation from my seemingly endless bag of totally worthless information. Minor financial transactions, no matter the country, no matter the currency, always cost $5.00, or its local equivalent. This value is inflation directed and will, in the long run have no place to go but up. In my youth it was in the $0.50 range.

KEEP THE SHINY SIDE UP - Doug Wolcott