2up Baja 10 days via the TAT

Whats happening guys!

Planning on doing Baja with my girlie friend this summer. Late July to Aug. Probably gonna be hot, but I am a student and this is the time I have off.

Also my buddy Art and I are doing the TAT the entire time before hand. She will fly in to LA and we will will leave from there.

The only thing I really have planned is how many days we have and that I would like to get to Cabo. Google maps tells me its 21 hours from Tijuana so I guess thats doable.

Now, we don't need some completely off road adventure where we don't see another human for miles, but would like to get a taste. I just dont think we have enough time to stay off road the entire time. We might have to slab it to a few must see areas and hit a "worth while" back country route.

We mostly would like sun, some surf, beaches, and tacos.

I am also concerned with fuel. Am I gonna need an extra fuel cell?

So what do you think guys? The bike should be good to go, as long as I don't kill it on the TAT before hand. BTW its a KTM 950 Adventure.

If youre good in deep sand and big rocks 2 up on the 950, you'll have fun. On the off road routes, 21 hours is not an option, unless you a very good Baja 1K vet. Probably more like 7 days would be your speed, and a lot more fun than the 21 hours on Mex 1 in your case.

Stay off the pavement at least to San Fracisquito then Vizciano. Totally doable 2up, as is the ride through the Commondus to San Juanico, but others may disagree with me on that.

The aaa map of baja will give you a enough roads to keep you busy if you have never been down there.There is gas for sale but sometimes the locals sell it from gas cans on the side of the road.Most of the adv rider crowd does baja in the winter.If you get very far away from the pacific ocean it will be hot.Like 95+ degrees hot with very little shade.Maybe pack some kind of light lean-too or tarp for shade while changing a flat.You should have enough gas on board but do not pass up gas even if you just got it 70 miles ago.If you are a gps guy the e32 maps are the stuff.If you are running out of time you can always run hwy 1.While on hwy 1 I keep to the right while cresting hills/blind corners.The locals pass where ever they want.If you use the atms at the major mexican banks you will only be charged $1 or so to get pesos.Do not use any shady off brand atms.There are many good atm's at the wallmart in cabo.try to pay in pesos when buying gas and make sure the pump is rolled back.There is a good cheap hotel around the corner from the Hotel California in Todos Santos.Across the street from the Hotel California is a little restaurant that makes the best marguaritas I have ever had.3 will kick your ass.Get new tires in Los Angeles while you are there.

Don't wash your bike after the TAT. It is already fancy enough for Mexico. In Spanish, "950 Adventure" translates to "Rich American".

This is good advice. I left my 1100GS parked on the street in Loreto for about an hour and came back to find a $ inscribed in the dirt on my front fender.

I spent a couple weeks running down the entire length of Baja to Cabo and back two-up on a 1100GS a couple months ago. I wouldn't expect to do any real off-roading loaded down two-up. Almost anywhere you go in Baja you're bound to run into some deep sand at some point. Lots of rough rocky stuff too. The sand can be challenging solo on a smaller bike, but two-up on a big pig is just about impossible. Sand that I've made good time through on my DR650 was not possible for me loaded down two-up on the GS. The good news is that once you get past the cities near the US border just about all of Baja feels like it's "off the beaten path," even if you're riding pavement, until you get to Cabo. I'm surprised nobody has told you to skip Cabo yet. But, since they haven't, I will - skip Cabo. It's a resort town. La Paz is much better imo.

You'll want to have at least 200 mile fuel range, even if you're staying on MEX-1. The longest stretch we hit between fuel was 188 miles from Bahia de Los Angeles to El Rosario on MEX-1. Sometimes locals sell fuel from jugs/barrels along the way there, but it depends on what day and what time of day you pass through. On the way south we saw them, but heading back north they weren't there.

Tens days is just enough time if you're going all the way to Cabo. You won't have time to linger long in many places.

Enjoy your adventure!

I think the $ sign in Loreto was put on there by some American tourist. Not by a local.
I think Cabo is worth seeing, for the physical beauty of the rocks and harbor and all.
But it is a 'tourist' town, with a lot of glossy 'tourist' bars, etc.
La Paz has some seedy areas. It has big town problems.
But the real answer is, just go. Keep your situational awareness, but it will be nothing but fun.
dc

Good stuff there. Some of the Mexican people have been the friendliest I've met in other countries if you are willing to chat with them.

It is good to hear about Mexicans doing well enough to buy KTMs. I found Ensenada residents doing well the last time I was there too. Store owners had new vehicles, restaurant waiters had braces on their teeth, and there were few to no children selling Chicklets in the streets.

Don't skip Cabo ,visit it for what it is as part of the loop highway around the south end of the peninsula, a very scenic region much greener than the desert to the north.Buy some of the new crop mangos kids sell at roadside.Sure Cabo is a resort town but that too is the reality of Baja. A few years ago Cabo San Lucas was said to be growing at 17% per year, it also has big city problems.
Seedy areas in La Paz ? Define " seedy " and I'm sure you can find such in any other city , US Mexico wherever .Mind your manners behave and watch your steps.
Twenty one hours fromUS border to Cabo probably means actual movement time , it ignores the reality of many stops you will make and definitely not if you do any dirt road or sightseeing. On top of that it works out to an AVERAGE movement speed of around 74km/ h which is totally unrealistic.... unless of course one rides far in excess of the speed limit when you can. Certainly not 21 hours riding in a single day.
Figure on three days one way on pavement and you might still have a girlfriend ,

Alright guys, lots of good info.

Yes, I understand I can not and will not ride 21 hours straight and expect to get to either end, ha, with my girlfriend.

Rather just how to spend my 10 days wisely.

I don't mind a resort town, and I don't mind a bech to ourselves, we actually want a bit of it.

Mostly sleeping in a tent, but if we roll into cabo or la Paz, we want to stay in a nice place and enjoy ourselves.

I did ten days down there in the spring and I never made it to Cabo. Instead, we relaxed, visited some smaller cities, and had some great meals and met wonderful people.

Enjoy. For a short taste of off pavement, head down from Puertocitos to Coco's Corner and then out to the high way. A couple of sandy spots, but doable two up.



Cheers,
Steve

Latenate,

A friend did Ensenada to La Paz in 13 hrs, he is a gsx 1000 rider and he remember he did 13 hrs. NOT FOR ME.

The road was paved last year and for most of the trip is as smooth as you can have! so you could do legal and then some speeds.

July WIL be hot so be prepare for that, so 100+ after you pass Ensenada.

For what you say you would like I recommen San Ignasio or Mulege and they are also like half way down.

I don't know where you are starting your trip in the USA, so maybe even Ensenada could be a stop (and if you want some beer and fish tacos on me!)

Any questions just shoot!

Damasovi

Nate and Lisa just stopped in Long Beach to drop off some undesirable baggage off at my house. They should be in Mexico tomorrow! Ride safe my friends and stay thirsty! My Taco (and surfboard) are ready for a trip down south if you need it bro!

So the second part of my four part summer ride is underway. I picked up my girlfriend at LAX and we headed South the next day.

[/URL][/IMG]

We made it into the "Whales Vagina" and stopped in at GP Motorsports to get a new front tire scheduled for me to slap on in the morning.

Man there were a lot of pretty girls sitting out front there.

[/URL][/IMG]

Woo! TAT and then Baja!


BigWan and I did 2500 miles in 11 days (2up on a 990, mostly dirt).
But that was back in Feb. when Baja was cooler.

As noted, July/Aug will be HOT. The pacific side will be cooler than the sea of cortez side, but the prettiest stuff is on the sea.




hey, if you need a motel in El Rosario, The Cactus Motel is great.
About $35 for 2 people.
I think that was our nicest cheap motel.






In La Paz, the Med isn't bad.
About $70, but it's on the Malecon and the ambiance is nice. Within walking distance to Rancho Viejo.





Hope that helps...

Have a great trip!

Awesome thanks! Hopefully we make it down that far.

How is the internet down there. Like as far as using our laptop to book rooms in advance?

Not sure if my Verizon phone will work. And if it does I'll probably have to pay big bucks for it.

We finished the TAT too, and headed to Baja. The two of us just made it to Loreto tonight, La Paz tomorrow.

No cell service since we crossed the border. WiFi is spotty and slow.

Definitely go see CoCo and ask about the two motos that made him flip out of his chair.

It's pretty darn hot down here, bring plenty of sunscreen, and drink plenty of water to offset all that Tecate!