BajaNomad

Anyone brave enough to ride Baja in August on the East coast?

JZ - 5-5-2018 at 07:22 PM

Thinking about punting on a cooler destination this year and doing some rides out of Loreto.

Constitution to Puerto Gato, etc. Who's braved it?

Paco Facullo - 5-5-2018 at 07:50 PM

On the plus side your frosty beers will taste that much better and you'll have even less people around.....

willardguy - 5-5-2018 at 08:08 PM

I find it too hot in my air conditioned car grasping an ice cold beer!

ehall - 5-5-2018 at 08:13 PM

We rode Gonzaga area in late May last year. Lol. It pretty much sucked. Cool enough at 30 + mph but any slow riding or stopping start stripping gear off.

BigBearRider - 5-5-2018 at 08:43 PM

I rode from Punta Chivato to Loreto to go scuba diving in August of last year. I got up in the morning put all the equipment on my bike (save the tank) and rode to Loreto. It was hotter than hell on land, but awesome on the water. It was a nice feeling riding back to my house after diving for a couple of days. It made me feel like I was living a good life.

A few days later, I rode the bike to LA, with a late stop in Ensenada. Somewhere past Gonzaga I offered to help some guys with a flat tire. I let a little guy from Zacatecas jump on the back, and we spent about an hour riding around Puertecitos and surroundings looking for a replacement tire. At some point, he offered me some meth for my help. I politely declined.

If I recall correctly, temps ranged from 107 in the desert to 60 something in the mountains between San Felipe and Ensenada at night. Maybe it was a 45 degree difference, in the same clothes.

The night in Ensenada was interesting. There was a couple in the room next to mine going at it with very vocal gusto.

I arrived in LA sometime the next day, looking like hell. I went to the new La Michoacana and think I had six paletas for dinner.

The next day, I went to check on this noise I had heard since Gonzaga. Turns out I had a 4-inch nail through a knob in the rear tire. I got lucky.

It was an awesome trip. Made me feel like a real person. I smile just thinking about it.

More than you wanted to know. I've ridden big and small bikes around the area in August. I don't mind sweating like a pig. If you do, it may not be for you.

[Edited on 5-6-2018 by BigBearRider]

JZ - 5-6-2018 at 10:40 AM

Funny story BBR. I'm going to start hiking more out here in SoCal to get use to the heat. It will just make it that much more rewarding to hit the water after a long ride.


AKgringo - 5-6-2018 at 10:55 AM

Baja in the winter is as warm as I want to be. I have property in Northern CA, but I head back to Alaska every spring to escape the heat!

willardguy - 5-6-2018 at 11:25 AM

2016 SCORE 500 Colton Udall (no stranger to riding in baja heat) at 115 said it actually felt like his brain was being cooked, just be careful out there!;)

JZ - 5-6-2018 at 12:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Baja in the winter is as warm as I want to be. I have property in Northern CA, but I head back to Alaska every spring to escape the heat!


You are cheating yourself my friend. Summer is about best times to be out on the water on the SOC. We've spent years doing it. Water temps are too cold to fully enjoy the ocean December to early May.

I've just never really tried a ride in the summer.


[Edited on 5-6-2018 by JZ]

David K - 5-6-2018 at 12:25 PM

Yes, August is very hot (except along the Pacific) especially if you are not on the beach. On the beach, it is in the 90s, and just inland it will be over 100.

I spent two weeks in Baja last August from Mexicali to Cabo San Lucas. It was great, but hot, no big deal. I was not in leathers riding a motorcycle, however. The sea is wonderful to swim or soak in, day or night in the summer!

There are tropical storms possible in August or daily rains in the mountains. No big deal.

bajatrailrider - 5-10-2018 at 07:41 AM

The heat sucks on tight trails even worse even just riding roads, Take a trip ride with Ed and me north side baja. Great routes great temps only 3 to 4 days a year beach hot. So pretty much year round riding after last year. Doing Missing link trail at over 100 temps one rider young guy started to get heat stroke first 1/8 mile. He Made U turn jumped in Ocean saved himself. Ever fix a flat in over 100 temps no mass thank you.

motoged - 5-10-2018 at 08:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
.....I was not in leathers riding a motorcycle, however. ....


We knuckledraggers don't wear leather.....just synthetic textiles....and they can be hot...:coolup:....even mesh gear gets hot.

JZ - 5-10-2018 at 09:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider  
The heat sucks on tight trails even worse even just riding roads, Take a trip ride with Ed and me north side baja. Great routes great temps only 3 to 4 days a year beach hot. So pretty much year round riding after last year. Doing Missing link trail at over 100 temps one rider young guy started to get heat stroke first 1/8 mile. He Made U turn jumped in Ocean saved himself. Ever fix a flat in over 100 temps no mass thank you.


Good info. I'm thinking the only big ride we are going to do is from Constitution to Timbabichi. We'll have a chase truck, so can get out of the heat.


bajatrailrider - 5-10-2018 at 12:18 PM

If chase truck has AC I drive truck you ride my bike.

LancairDriver - 5-10-2018 at 12:26 PM

Heatstroke is nothing to take lightly. I am personally familiar with a promising young athlete who grew up in Baja in the summer heat. He was playing College level soccer in the US on a scholarship and was struck down with heatstroke. Resulted in a full year in the hospital much of it in intensive care. Liver and kidney transplants needed and multi million dollar hospital costs. Much recovery still needed after more than a year. A bad heatstroke in the Baja environment would probably not be survivable without timely care in a modern facility.

bajatrailrider - 5-10-2018 at 12:47 PM

Very true heatstroke is a killer When we did Missing Link trail . I had my 3 liters water with Ultima Electrolyte Powder. 1 extra qt water two 8oz Ensure for old people. The first mile I used all but 1/2 qt water and one Ensure. Being over 30 years old then my other riders only helped be cause they where not prepared. Never again try that when hot of course you guys riding roads. Bring water to dump in your Helmet and shirt you will be Ok. Heatstroke also happens when not hot as we took one of Melings on trail at only 75 temp. After 4 miles we put him under tree aa I knew that was the case. Water will not always save you you need Electrolytes without the sugar. We put water on his body and he drank the replenisher Electrolyte. He made total recovery .

JZ - 5-10-2018 at 01:33 PM

Well, if you don't see a video of Puerto Gatos in August you know it got me.

badland54 - 5-14-2018 at 01:21 PM

ultra nomad, i believe the route you have from constitution to Agua Verde is impassable at this time due to storm damage. that is what i've been told. The route up the hill from Agua Verde has long sections of large boulders that a bike "can" make but it is very hard. Not a good idea in the heat.

blackwolfmt - 5-14-2018 at 01:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider  
Very true heatstroke is a killer When we did Missing Link trail . I had my 3 liters water with Ultima Electrolyte Powder. 1 extra qt water two 8oz Ensure for old people. The first mile I used all but 1/2 qt water and one Ensure. Being over 30 years old then my other riders only helped be cause they where not prepared. Never again try that when hot of course you guys riding roads. Bring water to dump in your Helmet and shirt you will be Ok. Heatstroke also happens when not hot as we took one of Melings on trail at only 75 temp. After 4 miles we put him under tree aa I knew that was the case. Water will not always save you you need Electrolytes without the sugar. We put water on his body and he drank the replenisher Electrolyte. He made total recovery .




The thing I learned about easing the grip of el sol is to be at least a day ahead in the hydration department and eat lots of beef jerky, prob the only time all that sodium is good for you