Baja 1,000

Today is the Baja 1,000. If it is possible that you’ve never heard of this race before let me explain. First of all the Baja Peninsula forms the western shore of the Sea of Cortez and extends from San Diego to Cabo san Lucas. It is over 1,000 miles long and is mostly very barren and dry dessert. Some one at some point decided it would be fun to have a race from Ensenada (just south of Tijuana) to La Paz which is just north of Cabo San Lucas. Interestingly, La Paz is just across the sea from Culiacon which is where Brandon’s mission office was so these guys are racing essentially from San Diego to Culiacon.

There are very few rules in the Baja 1,000. They ride on surface streets; they have to dodge regular cars, people, cattle and pot holes. The roads are lined with spectators who stand right on the edge of the road and sometimes out into the road. I believe they have more injuries to spectators than they do to the contestants. They have different classes for motorcycles, quads, volkswagons but for the most part you can enter anything you want and there is a place for it. Some cars cost millions of dollars and others are stock volkswagons. It is one very exciting race and while I have no desire to enter, I love the idea of a no holds barred race. I’m watching live updates on my computer. It started this morning and runs through the night and I don’t think the last guy pulls in for a day or two. The first guys in are always the motobikes. Enjoy the video.