Racers and Ranchers is an organization dedicated to preserving the off-road heritage in Baja California, Mexico.
OUR MISSION:
Our mission is to establish and preserve relationships between Baja’s land owners and those who enjoy the sport of off-roading.
OUR AMBITION:
Our ambition is to make a contribution in creating balanced relationships that afford us a future in accessing Baja’s endless beauty. A balanced
relationship is defined as one in which acts of goodwill preserve the right of passage more than monetary contributions.
OUR VISION:
Our vision is to constitute a culture of mutual respect and environmental awareness that will brace us for the future impacts of civilized advancement
in Baja and other future area’s. Providing us the ability to pass on the long lasting legacy of off-roading in Baja is our ultimate vision.
The founders of Racers and Ranchers are competitors, enthusiasts and recreationists. When we are not racing we are enjoying the back roads of Baja
with our friends, family and Mexican brothers and sisters.
Understanding that there are existing relationship between race promoters and land owners, Racers and Ranchers and its members must be careful not to
place those relationships into jeopardy. Further, Racers and Ranchers will not commit to requests that include monetary values. As a volunteer based
organization it is imperative that we not be considered as a deep pocket to land owners.
Although acts of good will may include monetary expense, we will never offer improvements that change existing relationships or the existing
environment.
WHAT WE DO:
Racers and Ranchers will identify areas of concern and conduct volunteer work parties focused on the necessary efforts needed in different areas.
Examples are as follows:
• Simply communicate with those who live along the routes we use.
• Commit acts of goodwill to people of Mexico on behalf of the off-road community.
• Repair access routes, fences, gates, cattle guards, etc. that are damage or worn by constant use.
• Work with land owners on designing fences and other obstacles that are positioned in a safe manner so as not to create hazards to off-roaders.
• Act as an information source to users, race promoters, tour companies, etc.
• Monitor information coming back from our members on areas that might be in jeopardy of closure.
• Report these area’s to promoters, tour operators and users to determine the best choice of action.
• Racers and Ranchers is not interested creating a deep pocket for land owners.
Don’t let Baja suffer the same land closures as the U.S. has seen. Baja has changed; the economy and population continue to grow and by establishing a
front now our sport will continue to grow for years to come.TMW - 10-20-2007 at 08:14 AM
Sounds goodBAJABAILADOR - 10-20-2007 at 08:32 AM
I'll join later today, sounds great.Barry A. - 10-20-2007 at 09:00 AM
Sounds like a great idea, long overdue. I salute you and this organization, and wish you every success.
barryTacoFeliz - 10-21-2007 at 10:03 AM
Yep. Good plan.Neal Johns - 10-21-2007 at 03:44 PM
Thanks, Pat.wilderone - 10-22-2007 at 09:59 AM
They think that have a "right" of passage. They will never spend money in the quest of their vision, ambition or mission. That, they make clear.
There is no mention or consideration of the destruction of a pristine environment. They intend to fix what they damage - well, gee, that's really
wonderful of them. "Work with land owners on designing fences and other obstacles that are positioned in a safe manner so as not to create hazards
to off-roaders." A little dictatorial, pushy and self-centered??
What a bunch of testosterone driven immature children. Are they going to continue to SPRAY-PAINT arrows on the boulders in the canyons to define the
race route (as I have seen)? From what I read, there is little respect for the ranchers - they are organized to TAKE what they want from the ranchers
and landowners. They might consider that they are simply not welcome by all and respect a KEEP OUT sign.David K - 10-22-2007 at 10:34 AM
I think there is middleground between the racers and the enviros...
The sport of Off Road (actually it's off pavement) racing began in Baja with the first organized event 40 years ago, in 1967...
The Mexicans love it (for the most part) and it brings tons of $$$ into the area.
The race is on roads (it's not an OFF road activity) so only the road bed is worn more than normal by a few hundred racers, not virgin countryside as
may be implied.
Some of the proposed items of this racers and ranchers organization was supposed to be done by SCORE... They profit from these events and part of the
arrangement was SCORE was to repair damaged roads and property.
Perhaps these common sense things have changed since I was a co-driver in the '79 1000 and pit captain for several races from '78-'82?
The painting of boulders is really bad and unnecessary... I have seen race arrows (big ones) painted in three places I can recall (Mano Canyon, Azufre
Wash/Parral Pass, and near Cataviña where there was a personal message to Sal Fish from a pit team about the course, painted on the boulders on the
old main road).
Enviromental harm is also done by the local spectators in that they refuse to take their beer bottles and trash back home and dump it, in mass
quantity, along the race course where they watch the event... I have seen it done. I hauled out as much as possible but it was a drop in the bucket
where we watched the race.
We may have no business telling Mexicans how to treat their land, but the enviromentalist will claim if there was no race, then nobody would be
dumping trash out there.
I think the sport can continue for many years, but not without some behavior changes and taking responsibilty for repairing the roads used back to
pre-race conditions.
[Edited on 10-22-2007 by David K]Barry A. - 10-22-2007 at 10:55 AM
Well said, David.
There is/was also extensive huge painted arrows by Race-folks in the Narrows of Matomi Wash, visable while traveling downstream.
The racers also used portions of the Parral wash (no road that I am aware of) NW of Matomi Wash within Valle Chico as far north as Bella
Vista-------however this impact is returned to nature rapidly after the first flash flood.
The road (and it is the only one available?) between Carricitos (in Valle Chico) and Matomi wash itself is/was a nightmare after the races went thru
several years ago. (that is where my truck was extensively damaged from torqueing over the Whoops)wilderone - 10-22-2007 at 11:51 AM
"The race is on roads (it's not an OFF road activity) so only the road bed is worn more than normal by a few hundred racers, not virgin countryside as
may be implied."
Not true. And virgin countryside is impacted by yahoos who don't like to stick to the roads. Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile. They have
proven over and over that fences, laws and signs will not deter their perceived "right of passage." These users are not exclusively racers sticking
to a route. "The founders of Racers and Ranchers are competitors, enthusiasts and recreationists. When we are not racing we are enjoying the back
roads of Baja with our friends, family and Mexican brothers and sisters."
And the point was, in essence, that they think they have a right to traverse private land. Only now, they're going to ask nice first.David K - 10-22-2007 at 12:06 PM
I hope that you don't think all racers are like that.... Maybe rent Dust to Glory and see what racers like Malcolm Smith have done in Baja for the
children, and he is far from alone... Many racers do give back much more to Baja than many others who say they care about Baja.
I did say there is room for improvements, specially with the young, unseasoned racers and the careless, trash tossing spectators.
There must seem some give on both sides or nobody is happy. No 'private land' is traversed without permission or compensation. Ranchers have closed
roads they don't want racers to use and this has caused changes in the route to stay on public roads or through land that has permitted the race. IF
you know a rancher who has not wanted a race to pass through his property, then ask him why he didn't close 'his' road... others have over the years.PJC - 10-23-2007 at 08:35 AM
Wilderone is a fringe, eco-fascist lunatic, fitting for a character from a South Park episode. Pay him no attention.
The R&R folks are solid people with a great vision and plan. It is good to see the widespread support.David K - 10-23-2007 at 10:27 AM
him??? Wilderone is a really nice person who loves Baja a lot and has donated much to the future Baja Cactus Baja Library. I am sure she only wants
Baja to last for future gernations to enjoy as we have... I can appreciate that, as I want the historic sites appreciated so that they will be
preserved for the future! Thanks Wilderone for what you have done for Baja!
I personally think off road racing (started in 1967) can continue with some behavior changes by the spectators and some repair work done by SCORE...
There is no black & white answers, both sides have to give.bent-rim - 11-6-2007 at 11:31 AM
I been off pavementing and done some off roading in Baja for more than a decade. From what I've seen the Mexicans seem to have the least respect for
their environment. Which is cool, it's their land. I'm tired of the gabachos who relocate and want to impose their ideals on everyone else.
Although I think SCORE and other race promoters could do more repair work after events.Hook - 11-6-2007 at 12:27 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by PJC
Wilderone is a fringe, eco-fascist lunatic, fitting for a character from a South Park episode. Pay him no attention.
