Date: Location: Contact:

May 8-14 2014 Cabo San Lucas Scott Drolet

Winnie, Bruce, Marty Fiolka and I recently met at Meyers Manx HQ to talk about what we could do to make this event special in light of the 50th Anniversary. If you've ever met Marty, you'll know what a great promoter he is, and this time was no exception. Couple that with the Winnie and Bruce's knowledge of Baja and their own ideas on how this trip should unfold, and it quickly becomes impossible to contain the enthusiasm!  The trip is now from Tecate to Cabo San Lucas and back. What follows comes from Winnie's notes of that meeting, with a few of my comments added in blue. Let's go over the details . . . .

- Thursday, May 8th, 2014 - Those club members wishing to spend the night before heading over the border on Friday morning will meet for a group dinner in Old Town. The locations have not been finalized yet, but it will be similar to the evening we spent before heading on the Sea-to-Sea Safari. Everyone must be ready to go first thing Friday morning, with Mexico car insurance (it's the law) and tourist visa in hand. 

- Friday, May 9th, 2014 - Everyone will gather for Phase 1 of the run - A drive from San Diego to Horsepower Ranch just outside of Ensenada. To help reassure those who are hesitant to drive into Mexico (and you shouldn't be, the Baja Pennisula is safer than the City of San Diego when you compare crime statistics. I've driven to Baja every year on vacations and never had a problem), there will be an escort with all buggies traveling tightly together as a group, possibly a police escort depending on the number of buggies we end up with. We will enter at the Tecate border crossing, stopping for lunch at one of the fine Winery's along the way.  Once at Horsepower Ranch, a place where for a package deal, you will have a room (or you can camp) breakfast and dinner for a set price per night.  We will have a big celebration party the first night and possibly see a screening of the new movie coming out next year, Marty Fiolka's "The Baja Social Club".  Hopefully Bruce's life story will have its first edition printed and so a book signing as well.

 - Saturday, May 10, 2014 - We will be going down into Ensenada for Contingency of the NORRA Mexican 1000 Rally.  Bruce (and possibly others) will be entering this race as the driver of record and racing the Manxter 1967 car (Thank you Bob Kornoff who now owns this car and has agreed to enter it in the NORRA on Bruce's behalf!).  Bruce never has finished a race, only the record run, and so Marty feels that this is unfinished business.  After Contingency (that's where Bruce's "people" push him through rows and rows of spectators and sponsors for inspection of the car at the end) we gather back at the Ranch for a drive in the country to a cheese farm.  Marty tells me that it is a beautiful spot where friends of his just got married.  Here we will have wine & cheese. We'll return to the ranch for dinner. 

- Sunday, May 11, 2014 - We'll go to the start line to watch the start of the rally.  After the rally start, the people who want to make this like our regular three-day club events and return to the US will be escorted to the border.  Those who want to continue will travel on the pavement south, following the race to this schedule:  

- May 11 - First night - Bay of Los Angeles

- May 12 - Second night - Loreto 

- May 13 - Third night - La Paz

- May 14 - Fourth night - Cabo San Lucas and the end of the rally

Once in Cabo, one has the opportunity to use a transport truck for their car and fly home or can drive back at whatever pace they desire.  (I would be happy to lead those wishing to drive home. I plan on driving straight back crossing into San Diego on Saturday, May 18th, or sooner. Additionally, Gene Condon has years of experience driving this, and other routes through Baja, with his most recent trip just two months ago. He has local knowledge of areas to stay, gas stops, etc. and has also offered to help shepherd us through. Maybe we'd have two groups with different schedules for those that wish to take a more leisurely drive home.) 

OK!  That's it for now. More details will be posted here as they become available.  Are we going to have a blast, or what?!?!?!?