Bruce “Bruno” Anderson could best be described as your typical “old school” California surfer. In fact, I believe I remember spotting a few long boards in the backyard shop he operates his Go Baja Ridin’ Tours business out of. It’s a good sized shop with everything Bruno needs to maintain a fleet of reliable Honda CRF450X and XR650R thumpers, and he occasionally includes a few hours of surfing on some of his longer Baja Mexico tours, especially those that go all the way to Cabo San Lucas.
Bruno grew up visiting Baja on a regular basis with his family and has been riding and racing there for over thirty years. He has seven Baja racing championships under his belt, which include wins at the famed Baja 1000. He knows Baja better than anyone, and if you ask him what kind of GPS he uses, you might offend him. Bruno and his crew have climbed every mountain and been down just about every dirt road, sand wash and goat trail that there is in Baja. “I have hand-picked a very experienced Baja tour crew that truly loves their work and takes pride in creating a high level of satisfaction for all of our guests. You get the benefit all of their collective experience. Why does this matter when you are on the trail? Because you want the best! It’s that simple,” says Bruno.
Go Baja Ridin’ Tours offers prospective adventure seekers adventures up to seven days in length, and will even let you customize your own tour should you want to see more than what the standard packages offer.
What’s Included?
• A professionally prepared motorcycle
• Experienced guides, sweep riders, and a crew that knows the terrain and the bikes
• Skill-balanced tour groups for thrills, safety, and a customized experience
• Trails and varying terrain that will amaze and challenge you like no other
• Support vehicles that keep the fun rolling!
• Transportation from and to San Diego
• Accommodations and meals
You do have the option to bring your own bike on the tour, but it must be in perfect mechanical condition with new tires, a new chain, brakes, an oversized fuel tank and all of the spare tubes, lubricants and tools you will need to keep your bike running during the trip.
South Of The Border
Our five-day Go Baja Ridin’ Tour started out with the riders getting settled into the San Nicolas Hotel at the port city of Ensenada. All had just arrived from a scenic drive down Pacific Coast Highway 1 from San Diego. Between the Go Baja Ridin’ crew, guests and Trail Nation television crew, we had nineteen individuals along for the tour. The bikes were lined up in the very secure San Nicolas Hotel parking lot, each one in showroom new condition and decked out in Go Baja Ridin’/Trail Nation graphics.
The festivities started off with Margaritas poolside at the hotel, where a pre-ride meeting was held. Bruno went over the itinerary for the next four days, made introductions and explained safety precautions. Bruno also informed us that multi-time Baja racing champion (and close friend to Bruno), Larry Roeseler, would also be joining us for all four days of the tour. Our ride would take us down the beaches of the Pacific, up through the mountains near Picacho del Diablo Peak, down the Baja 1000 racecourse to San Felipe, along the beaches of the Sea of Cortez and up through the Pine tree laden and granite forests that lead back to Ensenada.
Soon after the meeting, we all headed to Sanos Steak House alongside the Pacific Ocean, where everyone got to know each other a little better. With a prime red meat dinner in our bellies, we all headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Mi Amigos, Let’s Ride!
The bikes were fueled and a light breakfast was prepared as we all trickled out of the hotel. Bruno made sure everyone was geared up with engines running. His XR650 roared to life as he led us out of the parking lot. We couldn’t have asked for better weather as we made our way south from Ensenada to Santo Tomas. From there we hopped on the Baja 1000 racecourse and rode the hilly trails toward the beaches of Punta San Jose. We spent several hours riding down the coastal trails and exploring the sand dunes and blow holes along the water’s edge. The natural jets spew water five stories into the air as the waves crash into the rocks.
From the ocean, the trail headed east to San Vicente and along highway 1. We were now riding the Baja 500 racecourse and climbing through the mountains. The terrain changed repeatedly over the next several mile, treating us with occasional stream crossings, rocky passes and switchback trails that led to our destination for the evening – Mike’s Sky Ranch.
Mike’s Sky Ranch
Mike’s is a haven for off-roaders, and it’s evident the moment you ride your bike up over the patio and into the courtyard, where you can then park it under cover right next to the giant swimming pool. The place is decked out in off-road stickers and T-shirts that are nailed to the ceiling, all left by off-roaders that wished to leave something behind to show they were there. There are dozens of room’s for rent here, each with a bathroom and shower, comfortable bed and a gas heater. There is also a small bar at the main building and a kitchen where the proprietors cook some incredible meals. The Carne Asada dinner couldn’t have been more perfect, and the Pacifico is ice cold.
The entire facility is run on a generator since there are no power lines leading up the mountain. If Mike’s around, the generator shuts off right at 10pm. It’s the best time to be outside though, as guests are treated to a brilliant umbrella of stars that fill the complete darkness. You’d swear you could reach out and grab the handle of the Big Dipper.
Single Track!
The next morning we crammed down a hearty breakfast, threw the gear in the trucks and hit the dirt early. The single track trails leading northward down the mountain are some of the best I’ve ever experienced, but you’ll need an experienced Baja guide like Bruno to show you where they are all located. The eighteen-inch wide trails are tight with vegetation, treat you to some technical rock sections and are full of elevation changes. There’s certainly some degree of challenge for riders of every skill level.
El Diablo Dry Lake
From the area below Mike’s Sky Ranch, we picked up the Baja 1000 racecourse again and blasted across cactus filled deserts to Highway 3. The trail became sandy and even whooped out in parts, still showing signs of the barrage of 900-horse trophy trucks that had raced here just three months earlier. The trail leads on through a canyon to Cerro del Borrego, and eventually out onto the El Diablo Dry Lake Bed. It’s here that those same trophy trucks reach speeds near one hundred fifty miles per hour, blasting across the twenty-mile long dry lake.
But that wasn’t our plan. As we took a break for lunch and refueling, Larry Roeseler began carving an oval into the dry lake with the rear knobby of his Kawasaki 450. “Who’s up for a little short track racing?” he asked with a devious grin. A handful of guys grabbed their helmets, then the rest gave in, not wanting to be called a bunch of sissies. The racing began with four wide heat elimination rounds with five lap races. I can’t remember who won as we were all laughing so hard at the carnage that ensued.
San Felipe
As we pulled up to the edge of the Sea of Cortez in San Felipe, everyone had two things on their mind – fish and shrimp tacos! It had been a long day of riding as we all spilled into the hotel for the night. We wandered the streets for a few hours, checking out the local wares and cantinas. San Felipe is a wonderfully small fishing town. It’s not overrun with giant Americanized resorts like many of the other Mexican waterfront tourist locations. It is what it is, flavorful and rich in culture. I could spend the rest of my life in a place like San Felipe.
TO BE CONTINUED – Be sure to check out the photo gallery of the first half of our Baja tour by clicking on the image above.
For more information on Go Baja Ridin’ Tours, visit them online at
http://www.gobajaridin.com.