In October, 1972 my parents and I took our first drive up to Mike's, Meling Ranch and the observatory (I was 15).
We stayed at Mike's in one of the rooms facing the pool and it was a busy place. The 1972 NORRA MEXICAN 1000 was a month away and starting in Mexicali
for the first time. The racers could use any road as long as all the checkpoints were reached. Instead of heading south through San Felipe (as some
literature falsely has stated) the race went back to the Pacific side and passed through El Rosario. Racers could go through Valle de Trinidad to Hwy.
1 near San Vicente or take the shorter route south via Mike's Sky Rancho and San Telmo. Mike's has been a popular pit location ever since! Mike Leon
himself raced a Baja Bug many times.
I picked this up at Mike's on that 1972 trip:
Don't we wish the daily rate with meals was $15 still!!
Here is a photo of my dad and I along the road to the observatory taken by my mom on that trip... Great parents who were attracted to Baja for the
fishing, but found the off road explorations to be as much fun as I did!
[Edited on 6-28-2011 by David K]capt. mike - 6-25-2011 at 06:05 AM
very cool!BajaWarrior - 6-25-2011 at 06:17 AM
Good stuff David,
thanks for posting!David K - 6-26-2011 at 09:54 AM
de nada Chuck!Pacifico - 6-27-2011 at 05:46 AM
Very cool pics!!! It's cool to look at those pics and see what has changed.....
Thanks David!GregN - 6-27-2011 at 11:21 AM
Nice brochure. Thanks, David.David K - 6-27-2011 at 05:00 PM
Thanks Pacifico and Greg!
Here is the map I drew of the roads we used between Mike's and the observatory on Oct. 22, 1972. I used Senterfitt's book for the info on the two
airports shown.
I was 15 years old... and wanted to be a cartographer... loved drawing maps!Bob H - 6-27-2011 at 06:31 PM
Wow, how very cool to see this old brochure. How much has it chaqnged since those days?
I was almost 22 years old when you made that first trip!
This is one place I have yet to visit, but would love to.
Great post!
[Edited on 6-28-2011 by Bob H]TMW - 7-7-2011 at 01:21 PM
Still a great place to visit and hang for a few days. Last time I was there it cost $45 per person and included dinner and breakfast. I've never
fished in the stream but Mike Jr. told me that up at the waterfalls they get brown trout. Best in late Jan. Feb. and early march when weather is cold.
Except in July and Aug and maybe late June and early Sept the nights can get really cold. They use to have kerosene heaters in the rooms. Lights out
at 10pm or so they shut down the generator. First time I ever stayed the night there was in early Apr. about 1992. When my wife and I went to bed we
automatically rolled to the center of the bed as the matress made a V shape. Of course it made it warmer. Another time two buddies and I road in on
MCs in July. It was warm and we left the door open at night and about 3 or 4 dogs came to sleep. We had to be careful when we got up at night to not
step on them. Fun times for sure.DonBaja - 7-7-2011 at 01:37 PM
David K very cool to see the brochure and map, thanks so much for sharing that !! Do you have any other photos of Mike's from that trip? If so I would
enjoy seeing them.ILikeMex - 7-7-2011 at 01:52 PM
El Jeffe himself.
Yes, there are fish in them streams.
Small, but tastey
Half the fun is getting there
Cold beer does not taste much better after traveling the day up to Mikes. Open wide David K - 7-7-2011 at 04:31 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by DonBaja
David K very cool to see the brochure and map, thanks so much for sharing that !! Do you have any other photos of Mike's from that trip? If so I would
enjoy seeing them.
I will work on putting up what I have from that trip... David K - 7-7-2011 at 04:32 PM
ILikeMex, thaks for adding your great photos here!!bajatrailrider - 5-4-2020 at 02:06 PM
Thank you David it was my old hang out. StuckSucks - 5-4-2020 at 02:25 PM
Fun to see, thanks for sharing. I was lucky enough to meet Mike Leon years ago -- great guy. bajatrailrider - 5-4-2020 at 02:46 PM
I remember asking Mike Jr many years ago about forest single track trail out of Mike's. He told us it is washed out don't go there. too hard to ride
dirt bike I then ask how can I get there. Great trail yes difficult but fun we did it last year.David K - 5-4-2020 at 03:17 PM
Emerson got his Land Cruiser up to the forest but fallen tree log prevented for driving through to the observatory highway. This was an old logging
road via Corral de Sam. Logging never took place. advrider - 5-4-2020 at 06:50 PM
Anyone have more info on fishing the streams in the area???? Planning on hitting it in the next year or two? Tioloco - 5-4-2020 at 09:46 PM
Great pics! One of my favorite areas. Nice hike up to the refreshingly cool water fall and pools in the summer too. bajatrailrider - 5-5-2020 at 07:16 AM
Yes David on old logging road some time in 80s. It was not pass able with 4x4. On Moto's it is narrow single track trail. Very difficult to even find
route half way up. I looked at old pictures of me and Mike in the 80s. Going up that trail on tt680s I doubled a gal up that 3 times. Did some great
crashes but always made it.b TMW - 5-5-2020 at 12:53 PM
What does Mike's charge to stay overnight now. Last time I stayed there several years ago it was $70 and included dinner and breakfast.
