Baja Fly-in

CalifDan

CalifDan

Orbiting Earth
There has been some discussion going on behind the scenes between the Southwest Region and Gary Cavasos of the South Central Region and a few of our members.

Gary apparently does an annual trip to Baja and it is coming up in early March. He was nice enough to forward detailed information to me regarding the trip itinerary and useful information to make it work.

I want to find out if there is sufficient interest and motivation to organize a Baja trip jointly sponsored by the South Central (Gary's region) and the Southwest Region. Gary does not mind if others tag along, or make arrangements to be in the same place (Hotel Serenidad, Mulege). It looks to be about 500nm south of San Diego.

I there appears to be some interest, even by a few, we will do what we can to get the information out to all and make it a fly-in. Gary, maybe you could comment on the specific dates.

Dan Jonas
Napa Valley
 
Hey Dan!
Rich K (hifyguy) has given me the heads up on this one. Mulege is indeed worth travellling to. Been there numerous times. First real "rain forest" area as you go south. Great people. I didn't know there was a strip there, but it looks like a well kept packed earth airstrip. If the timing is right, and my workload slow, count my wife and I in.

Guess its time to break down and get a passport.
 
Baja

Thom,

Get busy on that passport just in case. We will get the dates from Gary, but I think it is early to mid-March that he was talking about. I would like to go, but have not made the decision yet. I do not think my wife can get the time off.

Anyone else?

Dan Jonas
Napa Valley
 
Hi All, Thanks for posting this Dan. Shell and I really want to go, and we are getting our passports next week. I know there are expediting services out there if need be. Shell wants to know what kind of weather can be expected? (I see some sort of shopping spree coming.) This trip sounds like a grand adventure!
Rich
 
Baja

Rich,

I would expect that March weather in Baja would be ideal...not to hot yet and not in the middle of winter.

Gary is going out of Tucson, and maybe that is an option for all of us. We need to decide is we want to follow his itenirary, which includes a side-trip apparently over to the Pacific side of Baja. My inclination would be to just stay in Mulege and relax.

I'm going to have to plan out the trip and find out how much we add, if any by going through Tucson. We need to think about reservations down there too. Not sure how easy that might be.

I'll fire Gary off an email.

Dan Jonas
Napa Valley
 
Sounds like a lot of fun. If we have some people who've never been out of the country before (but have always wanted to), this might be your opportunity to learn how to do it from those who've done it many times.

If I could make it I know I would! Maybe someday.

Jay
 
WHo wants to go?

If we can put more than a few of us together, this will be worth posting as a fly-in. We know Gary is going. What about Rich and Thom? I'm thinking about it. One or two more would be great. Whatever we do, we need to make reservations to make sure there is room.

What say all?

Dan Jonas
Napa Valley
 
Baja Trip

Folks,

My plan is to leave from Tucson on March 8th, fly down to either Guymas or Obregon for customs check and fuel. Fly across the Sea of Cortez and get a room at Hotel Serenidad. The next morning fly across to the pacific side to a place called San Ignacio to pet whales with an outfit called Baja Ecotours. You need reservations for that as well. Fly back to Hotel Serenidad that afternoon and relax until Sunday. Sometimes we fly down to Loreto for fuel and to check out of Mexico the day before and spend the night in Loreto. Fly back from there to Tucson to enter customs at Tucson Int. I will see about a complete itinerary as the time gets closer but that is the plan as of right now. Three things to remember and get now, customs sticker $25.00, Passport, and Mexican insurance.

Gary Cavasos
[email protected]
 
Baja

Thanks Gary.

I have posted it as a fly-in. I want to make this a no-work effort for you to the exptent possible, so the Southwest group will coordinate any participants. We will be recommending that anyone who wants to go who has not done so before strongly consider joining you in Tucson for the flight down.

If you could post pertinent information here, that would be usefull.

Thanks.

Dan Jonas
 
Dan and All,

I certainly do not mind doing some of the work, just let me know what is needed and I will help out. If anyone is interested I added my email address at the end of the last post. Feel free to email me or I will check this forum regularly and post the next steps after the customs sicker, passport and mexican insurance.

Gary Cavasos
[email protected]
Phone # is 505-699-7358
 
Thanks

Gary,

I really appreciate the help and your effort. For the record this is a joint Southwest and South Central Fly-in event. Gary is a member of the South Central Region of BAC. Our Southwest group tagged him as he stepped forward when we started discussing the idea of a Baja trip.

Dan Jonas
 
Baja

I'm getting pretty close to pulling the trigger on going on this trip myself. If I do, I will be solo, so if anyone wants to tag along and share some of the gas, I'm open.

It would be my intention to go to Tucson and meet up with Gary just to make sure we all look good for the trip. Coming back, I would probably go direct from Guaymus to San Diego, then to home (KAPC).

Also, I received some additional information from Gary for anyone who wants it. PM me with an email address and I will forward the document.

Dan Jonas

Edited: PS..Gary, thanks for all the helpfull information.
 
Dan and everyone interested,

It has been my pleasure to help out in any way that I can. I wish we had more folks joining us but I feel blessed that we have at least some members able to make the trip. If there is anything else that I can do
please just let me know for this trip or a future trip to Mexico. This will be the 3rd trip to Mexico this year already and it is an adventure every time.

Gary Cavasos
[email protected]
 
Gary, I feel that this is excellent interest for a trip of this size and scope. The foundation that is being laid this year may pave the way for an annual or biannual event that the members may like to continue.

I would make one recommendation though, anyone from California that has not been out of the country should, maybe, fax you their documents and planning for you to look over instead of planning to fly to Arizona to meet up with you? I'm assuming, of course, that Arizona is out of the way for a trip from California that is going to end on the pacific side of Mexico?

PS, if you email me your mailing address, I can ship you the South Central banner. You may want to get a of the guys with the banner at the pacific ocean? If so, send me your address at [email protected].

Jay
 
Baja

Going to Arizona does add a couple of hours, but it makes is a little more comfortable tagging along with someone with experience. I would need to refuel in Guaymus anyway and that is on the east side of the gulf. I may elect to fly back direct to San Diego.

I'm still iffy, but will need to make a decision pretty quick. If so, I will have the Southwest banner with me. We could get a picture with two banners in it.

Dan Jonas
 
Dan, I really hope you and a couple of other members decide to go. If not, have someone else bring your banner and we can take a couple of
pictures on both sides of the baja. The Sea of Cortez side and the Pacific side.

Bruce if you would like to mail the banner to me, my address is;

Gary Cavasos
349 Aragon Ave.
Los Alamos, NM 87544

Do we get extra PT points for out of country flights? Ha Ha,

Gary
 
I'm in

OK, I pulled the trigger and I'm going to make it an offical Baja fly-in by going. Here's the run-down on my saga.

First I was concerned that the dirt strip might be an insurance issue. Turns out they are fine with it. They will also get me the Mexico insuarnce rider or whatever it is. THe customs sticker is in my possession already.

So the final thing was who is going to go with me and can I still make reservations. I asked my Dad and he is interested in going. Called te Hotel Serenidad and they are out of rooms. They did recommend that I call the Hotel Cuesta Real, which I did and I'm booked.

I will be meeting Gary in Tucson on the 8th. Take note Gary, don't leave without me. I'll plan on arriving the day before later in the day. When you do leave, I'll either give you a head start or slow way down to follow you. I'm not sure I want to get to Guaymus much ahead of you.

Finally, what do I need for charts? I got the message about life vests, etc. No problem there. Also, I was thinking of flying directly back from El Galito to San Diego (will save a bit of time). Do you see any problems in that? What do I need to do to set that up?

This is going to be fun and should give me a decent head-start in those mileage points.

Anyone else want in, make your reservations fast. I can provide the numbers to Hotel Cuesta Real and they were very helpful. Apparently about 1/8 mile from Hotel Serenidad.

Dan Jonas
 
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