Ken Bondy - 12-23-2005 at 09:05 PM
Anybody know anything about this outfit? They run guided offroad trips (4-7 days) using their offroad vehicles (you drive) to various parts of the
peninsula.
http://www.wideopenbaja.com/index_main.html
Would appreciate input from anyone who has done one of their trips or can offer any information about them.
Thanks,
++Ken++
[Edited on 12-24-2005 by Ken Bondy]
bajalou - 12-23-2005 at 09:19 PM
Never took any trips but have talked to the leaders of tours a few times. It's owned by several off road racers. I heard they now have a driving
school on some land they have in Baja Sur. Seem to be a class operation from what I've seen - trucks that meet them with meals etc. A spare car so
if one breaks down they can continue the tour.
They are the "Baja Challenge" cars and class in the Score off road Baja races.
bajajudy - 12-24-2005 at 07:24 AM
I looked at the Cabo trip and it starts in a hotel that is no longer open.
There was an article in one of the local "give away"s about the track they have built. The guy who wrote it kept saying...Awesome. Well, he said it
in every sentence so I never finished the article.
I see that logo all over the place. They must advertise here.
Bob and Susan - 12-24-2005 at 08:55 AM
Owners of the site are losted as:
Wide Open Baja Tours
28341 Ortega Highway
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA 92675
US
(949) 635-2292
Horsepower Ranch
LaTijereta - 12-24-2005 at 09:08 AM
Horsepower Ranch, outside of Ensenada, is where the adventure begins.
This operation works with alot of "national" companies to do corporate "ride alongs"...BFG got involved this year, and thru it's dealers runs
promotions for tire sales to get paid trips down to Baja
Wide Open Cars
LaTijereta - 12-24-2005 at 09:14 AM
Here is one in action from the Baja 1000 this year:
First Class Operation
Juan del Rio - 12-24-2005 at 09:45 AM
Ken, this is a great company. We host WOB at Juan y Juan's a few times a year on their leg down the peninsula from San Ignacio to Loreto with an
overnight stay at our place. My friend, Ken Snow, did a ride with them this year from Ensenada to Cabo and said it was the ride of his life! They do
everything with class...guides, route, food and the company itself, is full of wonderful folks. Todd Clement, overall Baja 1000 winner a few years ago
and owner of WOB, is a true Baja guy...just loves Baja! If you're interested, call Matt Christensen at WOB at 949/635-2292 for info/pricing. Although
the price of the seven day trip down the Peninsula can be more than most of us are use to spending driving south...the experience of driving an actual
Baja 1000 race car with back-up crew could be worth it!
WOB back-up up crew
Juan del Rio - 12-24-2005 at 10:07 AM
I forgot to mention the crew. The guide leaders are all Baja 1000 racers and most times, winners of their class in a Baja 1000 race. These guys know
the Baja. In addition, WOB carries an extra car, engines, tires, fuel and every type of spare part needed to get you back up and running fast. They
have some of the best race car mechanics in Baja. These guys are good. I know of one occasion where the group stopped for lunch in Mulege for lunch
and the guys replaced a bad rear end in less than forty minutes with out missing a beat. On the last trip down to our place, one of the guest driver's
torn up a front-end. The Driver and co-pilot hopped into the mechanic?s chase car, while one of the mechanic?s stayed behind to work on it and
prepare it for a replacement front-end. Those guys then drove to our place with the rest of the group for dinner and overnight stay. Later that same
evening, another chase car and group of mechanics took a replacement front-end from their parts supply truck that drove in from another direction and
went back out at midnight to fix the broken car. Those guys had the vehicle back and running like new in time for the next day?s adventure...you gotta
love Baja service like that!
The photo below is some of those mechanics. A couple of them actually drove a wave runner in on the north road with one of the cars. Trailer got beat
to crap, but the wave runner made it ok!
[Edited on 12-24-2005 by Juan del Rio]
TMW - 12-24-2005 at 11:40 AM
Ken last 4th of July weekend I was at Mike's Sky Rancho and there was a group of them staying overnight. I had breakfast with them and talked to
several of the people on the tour. They were mostly from the east coast so Baja was new to them, but they were having a ball. They were picked up in
San Diego at the airport and taken to Ensenada to start their tour. It was a 3 day tour for them. It appears to be a first class operation. I'd like
to own one of the cars but it's probably out of my price range.
WOB Cabo "Test Track"
Juan del Rio - 12-24-2005 at 03:14 PM
Wide Open Baja also has a Cabo operation that caters to the cruise and tourist industry in the Los Cabos area. The test track is located about
fifteen-twenty minutes north of Cabo (I think between La Palma and Migrino) on the west side of the Hwy, as you heads towards Todos Santos. Costs
start at around $250-275 for three laps. This includes transportation from your hotel, a quick eduacation in off-road driving, safety equipment and
instructions...then they turn you loose.! The place is big enough so that you won't crash into another vehicle They keep the course well marked and
everyone goes clockwise around the track. For someone from Ohio who has never done something like this...it's a blast! I saw a mother of four do the
track and told her husband she wanted to do ten more laps. She said it was the best experience of their whole vacation...all the while covered in mud
and dirt from going to fast through a water puddle. Sounds like the rest of us!
Photo is of Carlos Fiesta (ofwww.bajaexpo.com Baja Expo and Jose of WOB after Carlos did a few laps with Jose.
[Edited on 12-24-2005 by Juan del Rio]