Archive for May, 2008
| May 29, 2008 |
| 6:00 pm | to | 11:00 pm |
The creators of the Dezert People Video Series will premiere their newest DVD release - Checkpoint Six - on May 29, 2008 at Papas and Beer Sports Bar and Grill in Ensenada, Mexico starting at 8 pm. Admission is free and there will be DVDs for sale at the event, so no need to pre-order if you will be attending the DVD release during the SCORE Baja 500 race week.
So be sure to join in all the pre-Baja 500 festivities at the Dezert People DVD premiere, and check out the Dezert People website for all of your baja desert racing information.
Click Here to see the movie trailer for Dezert People, Checkpoint Six
Click Here to order DP6 - Dezert People Checkpoint Six
Staying in contact is essential when taking part in a off road desert race such as the Baja 500 or Baja 1000, and racers should never venture to Baja alone. It is advisable to have someone following your progress, performing visual checks during the race in a vehicle in the event of an unexpected breakdown. There are many different options out there for racers to maintain contact with their teams and support crews, and all Baja racers should have a breakdown plan of what they would do in the event of an accident or malfunction while running the course.
All Baja desert racers should come mechanically prepared for break downs by packing a tool pack, tubes, JB Weld, radio/sat phone, GPS, food, water, in addition to communication devices such as Iridium satellite phone service, IRC satellite tracking, or a PCI race radio.
Most Baja racers find that for $1500 or less they can have access to these technological safety devices like satellite phones, advanced tracking, and radio communication devices, but if you are on a tight budget, most racers prefer to forgo the use of a radio and stick to a satellite phone and PCI race radio.
If you do decide to use a radio it is important to make sure to have the frequency to the teams with the most support. For example, Baja Pits, Mag-7, BFG, SCORE are good bets. Some of the truck teams such as McMillins, Herbst and Pflueger will have the most pits/visuals scattered throughout the course so they are also good frequencies to have. It is, however, important to remember that mag-7 is pit service, not a retrieval company if you have problems in the middle of no where.
The tracking service IRC can be pricy, but it does offer online course tracking for people that couldn’t make the trek and are watching the race from home, as well a monitoring system that will alert SCORE personnel to any prolonged periods of lack of movement on a any supported racer. The downside to IRC is that SCORE has too much going on to check up on each racer, and unless you are in a life-threatening situation, do not expect SCORE to come to your assistance if you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere.
One of the best ways to ensure your Baja race trip is a successful one is to be aware of your surroundings and properly prepared for any circumstances. A great way to alleviate some of the stress associated with preparing for a race such as the Baja 500 or Baja 1000 is to stay in a resort located in the Estero Beach area of Ensenada, Mexico, such as the Ensenada Beach House Hotel. Staying at the Ensenada Beach House will allow you to have a comfortable, secure and centrally located place to keep your valuables, while helping to ensure you get the proper amount of rest required for the race ahead, without breaking your budget. The staff at this hotel is experienced in desert racing and many baja participants call this resort home during race week, for both pre-runs and the actual event.
| May 30, 2008 8:00 am | to | June 1, 2008 11:00 pm |
Beginning on May 3oth, this year’s Tecate Score Baja 500 starts and ends in Ensenada. This legendary off-road race features more than 400 four-wheelers, motorcycles and ATVs traversing nearly 500 miles of rugged mountain, forest and desert terrain in their attempts to “beat the Baja”. For more information visit their site - SCORE International or call within the U.S. at tel. 818-225-8402.
For more information on the Baja 500 see related post - 2008 Baja 500 Race Details
| May 25, 2008 |
| 11:00 am | to | 6:00 pm |
On May 25th from 11 am to 6 pm, Ensenada will be holding its 126th annual multicultural celebration in Plaza Ventana al Mar. Titled “Ensenada de Todos, Suma de Culturas” the fiesta will feature traditional music, dance, arts, foods and exhibits by local community groups of various nationalities. Numerous historical and cultural societies will also be in attendance as well as museums and the city’s founding families. Free admission. For more info contact (within Mexico) (646)176-2763.
| May 25, 2008 |
| 10:00 am | to | 8:00 pm |
From 10 am to 6 pm on May 25 this event is taking place in the nearby Adobe Guadalupe Vineyards & Inn Valle de Guadalupe. It is a day filled with equestrian exhibitions in all disciplines along with local cuisine, Baja wines and art. Riders and their horses from both Mexico and California come to this event to perform. Admission is $25 the day of the event, and $2o in advance. For more information visit their website - Festival de Caballo.
| May 24, 2008 8:00 am | to | May 25, 2008 11:00 pm |
Taking place this year on May 24 and May 25, the 15th annual sport fishing tournament is taking place in Bahia de los Angeles. Anglers will compete for trophies and cash prizes while trying to reel in the largest yellowtail in the Sea of Cortez. Registration fee. Bring your own boat or arrange a panga rental in town. For more information or to register, contact Restaurant Guillermo’s/Guillermo Galván in L.A. Bay, call (011) 52-200124-9104 from the US. Visit their website at Guillermos.net
| May 11, 2008 |
| 8:00 am | to | 6:00 pm |
May 11, 2008 is the 7th annual 12 km foot race through Ensenada and the surrounding countryside. The marathon begins at 8 am, and starts/finishes at Sullivan Sports Field, Av. Diamante, Ensenada. There is no fee to enter the race, and it is open to men and women 16 years and up. Contact Municipal Sports Institute (outside Mexico) at (011) 646176-4445.
May 11, from noon-5 pm This annual event is held at many different wineries within the Guadalupe Valley to celebrate the harvest. A map of the wineries can be found at Wineries in Baja. The celebration includes wine tastings, a sampling of local cuisine, concerts and gatherings at many different locations surround Ensenada. For more detailed information contact the Baja Winemakers Association at (outside Mexico) (011) 646178-3038.
| March 19, 2008 | to | May 15, 2008 |
A collective exhibition of more than three dozen paintings and sculptures created between 1961 and 1985 by more than two dozen of Mexico’s most distinguished artists in the Sala de Exposiciones of Ensenada’s Centro Estatal de las Artes (CEARTE) on the corner of Blvd. Costero (Lázaro Cárdenas) & Av. Club Rotario. Exhibition hours: 8am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-6pm Sun. Free admission. For more information call (outside Mexico): (011) 646173-4307 & (011) 646173-4308.
