aburruss - 10-2-2018 at 10:06 PM
Introduction
Hey everyone.. My name is Aaron, and I want to formally introduce myself. I found this site a couple months ago, and it's become part of my daily
routine to go check out and find out as much as I can about baja, as I've become, pretty much, a Baja addict, along with my wife, and kids.
So here's the story.... In early 2016 I began dating someone named Leana, who had a LONG history for family trips to Baja (Punta Final, San Juanico,
San Francisquito, San Felipe, Mulege, etc). Her family has also been slightly involved in baja racing for the past 15 or so years. All in April of
2016, her uncles decided to race in the NORRA Mexican 1000. They asked me if I wanted to help support their race team. Having never been to baja
(other than the random "walk across the border" trips into Tijuana when I was 19 years old..., I was EXTREMELY apprehensive. All I knew about Mexico
were the stories of cartels, gangs, corrupt police, and people getting beheaded. Needless to say, it took some convincing to get me to go.
We left San Diego at 3AM on a Sunday morning, so that we'd make it to Ensenada in time for the race start, and be able to meet up with the rest of the
team. We got down there and started chasing the race car down the peninsula. On day 2 of the race, somewhere north of Guerro Negro, I heard someone
on the radio mention something about needed a new co-driver, since the co-driver in the car was sick (something about vomit in the race helmet). I
conveyed the message to the rest of the race team, and they advised that I should get a race suit on and be ready when the car came to the road
crossing. WELL, I wasn't going to turn that opportunity down (despite having NO idea what I was doing). I hopped into the car, and hoped that I'd be
decently competent. We traversed some silt beds and dodged some chollas, and made it to just outside San Ignacio.
As I got out of the car, my girlfriend's aunt pulled me aside and asked if I could keep going in the rest of the race (into Loreto). Their "sister
team" had a race truck that ALSO needed a co-driver. I quickly agreed and hopped in. I was greeted by a crazy sounding, long haired, race car
driver.. "Hey... I'm Wild Bill. Do you know what you're doing??" I advised that my racing experience has been all of about 2 hours, and my baja
experience has been all of about 36 hours. He shrugged, and away we went. Next thing I know, I'm driving through a beautiful town of San Ignacio,
through some date-palm-lined roads. Within a few minutes I'm going 110 MPH down the beach near San Juanico. About half way through my ride in the race
truck, I realized a couple things... I had NO money with me, I had NO identification, and I had NO cell phone. All were in my truck, with my
girlfriend of 2 months, and a few hundred kilometers away (another relative's car problems landed the team in Guerro Negro for the night). Needless
to say, I was a bit out of my element. I'm with some crazy guy named Wild Bill, I know NO ONE that I'm with, and I'm in a foreign country with no way
of getting home. A few dust-covered-hours later we rolled into Loreto and enjoyed some cold drinks and food on the Malecon at the Hotel Oasis.
Fortunately, I was with a pretty awesome group of people, and was told that I'd meet with the rest of my group first thing in the AM.
Fast forward a couple days, and we end up in Cabo for the end of the race. We celebrate for a couple days, and then head back home. I got nominated --
for some reason -- to tow the race car back home to San Diego. Again, to my trepidation... I'm with my girlfriend, no other vehicles to caravan with,
my first trip to mexico, and we're towing a racecar, fuel, trailer, tools, etc, all the way back to San Diego on these crazy narrow roads up the
peninsula.
We stopped in Loreto for the first night of the return trip, and then found some awesome sight-seeing opportunities on the way back up the Pacific
coast. We found a random beach just south of San Quintin and camped one night there. We finally made it home the next morning.
WHAT AN INTRO TO BAJA!!!! Needless to say, after that, I was hooked. For the last 3 years, not a day goes by that Leana (NOW, my WIFE, by the way!!),
and I talk about going to Baja for an exploring trip, finding some new adventure down south of the border, and really, finding a way that at some
point in our future, we will find a way to move or at least spend a significant portion of our time down there. We have at least 3-4 trips already
planned for the next 12 months, totaling around 45 total days down there.
So there's my intro. It also doubles as a trip report, I suppose! I hope to have more reports in the future. We are a family of 5. Aaron, Leana,
Julianna (8 years old), Jolene (7 years old), and our new addition Brinley (6 weeks old). We're always down for an adventure, and if anyone is
interested in a spur of the moment trip to go on a baja exploring adventure, we might just have to pull the kiddos out of school and join up with you
for a few days! We live in the east part of San Diego county, close to Jamul.
Glad to be here!! Thanks for being a great bunch of people to learn about Baja from!!
motoged - 10-2-2018 at 10:12 PM
Aaron,
Welcome aboard...sounds like your Baja baptism will never be forgotten 
So much to see, such a variety of terrain, and good people.
aburruss - 10-2-2018 at 10:13 PM
Here are some pictures from our adventures over the past couple years!
Meany - 10-3-2018 at 12:10 AM
Welcome Aaron and family. Great intro. Get down there and Kick up some dirt and have a fun time with Baja. It's a great country and fun
people.
ehall - 10-3-2018 at 05:06 AM
Wow. They got you outnumbered 3-1. Sounds like you had a great time and made an unforgettable memory.
gueribo - 10-3-2018 at 06:46 AM
Beautiful family, beautiful report! Thanks and welcome. Look forward to hearing about more of your adventures.
55steve - 10-3-2018 at 06:57 AM
Welcome A-Ron! I don't see the "incredible hulk"!
[Edited on 10-3-2018 by 55steve]
David K - 10-3-2018 at 07:12 AM
Welcome to Nomad, Aaron! Thank you for the story of your introduction and photos. Anything about a place or historic time I can direct you to in order
to supplement your excellent introduction, just ask! You have caught Baja Fever!
shari - 10-3-2018 at 08:47 AM
OMG....best into EVER!!! Welcome to the sandbox, I look forward to more of your posts and Baja adventures....that is one crazy story!!!!!!!!!
BajaBlanca - 10-3-2018 at 08:10 PM
What a great and fun introduction! Welcome to bajanomad. Please take lots of trips and write lots of trip reports.
Sweetwater - 10-4-2018 at 12:14 AM
NICE
MMc - 10-4-2018 at 06:31 AM
Thanks for the report. What a way to discover Baja and Get the fever.