Baja For Beginners

Baja for Beginners

How to be a Good Gringo...

Baja and its bad roads are a great place for motorcycles and particularly dirtbikes. Ride and have a good time-just try to not spoil it for others by being an Ugly American. Our tips:

• Go with an organized tour group your first time. It is the best way to learn about how things work in Baja, areas to avoid, what to do in case of emergencies, etc.

• Guidebooks are great. But, GPS guidebooks have some problems, not the least of which is they take the brains out of exploring, and sometimes send people to places they shouldn’t be. Much of Baja is private property, and guidebooks don’t give you permission to ride on someone’s ranch even if there is a trail. Some off-road groups have been working with landowners for a long time and have special permission to ride in these areas; you and your GPS don’t.

• Take a reliable bike. Have at least 100 miles of fuel range and take spare inner tubes and a good small pump. You’ll be amazed at what the locals can fix, but it’s best not to rely on their expertise.

• Yes, there are banditos in Baja, but they’re few and far between.

It isn’t the U.S. and you need to be careful, but if you stay out of the “bad” areas, you’ll never have a problem. (See tour group reference, above.)

• Yes, you can ride your dirtbike through town! Just be careful.

Baja drivers are not hemmed in by a strict interpretation of traffic regulations. In villages, a small wheelie is appropriate for children waving their arms. Handing out stickers is even better.

• Gas is good now (get “magna” grade), and you can find it in most villages as Peter did. Just be prepared to pay a premium for someone storing it in plastic jugs in their living room.

• Egan’s suggestions otherwise, don’t drink the water. Really,

just don’t! Jimmy Lewis