An osprey in Guerrero Negro…we’ll see a lot of them
This is what I posted for our last Baja trip and it’s relevant for this trip, too.
On the hotel reservations, we’ll have that squared away…you’ll have to pay for your rooms, but we will contact the hotels so they will hold the rooms for us. You won’t have to contact the hotels to make your reservations except for the night before we leave if you are getting a hotel in the US. Somebody asked about double occupancy. That’s up to you. I’ll be sending out the list of people who are going to the folks on this trip and you can contact each other if you wish to double up. One more word on the hotels: These ain’t the Waldorf Astoria (I’ve stayed at the Waldorf, and I like the ones in Baja better). If you’re expecting 5-star luxury, you might want to lower your sights a bit.
A typical Baja breakfast
The next question you might have is: How much money should I bring? I’ll be posting that shortly, too. Not many places down there take credit cards, so don’t plan on that. There is an ATM in Santa Rosalia, but I wouldn’t count on it working.
People often ask what other stuff they should bring. Here’s what I’m bringing:
- Cash (I’ll post how much later).
- Digital camera with charger and spare SD card, and my laptop (so I can post to the blog if we have Internet reception).
- Motorcycle gear (helmet, jacket, pants, gloves, boots, and the jacket and pants are rain-proof).
- Two pairs of jeans (one I’ll be wearing on the way down, and an extra pair).
- Two extra pairs of underwear, two extra pairs of socks, two T-shirts and one sweatshirt.
- Deodorant, toilet paper, disposable razor, Immodium, toothbrush, toothpaste and my cholesterol pills. On that Immodium thing, I don’t get sick down there, but I’ve traveled a lot in Mexico and my stomach is used to their flora. If you haven’t been in Mexico before, you might want to bring the Immodium just in case. This isn’t a slam on Mexico; they get the same thing when they come up to the US. It’s just different bugs that your stomach takes time to get used to.
- Passport, driver’s license, and BajaBound insurance policy (printed proof of Mexican insurance). I’ll post where to get the insurance later.
- Toolkit (beyond the RX3 toolkit), including 8, 10, 12, 17 mm sockets and ratchet, Allen wrench combi-tool, reversible (slot and Philips) screwdriver, an adjustable spanner, my Gerber pliers combi-tool, duct tape, and tie wraps.
- One spare clutch cable, one quart of oil, one can of chain lube, one mini air pump (we sell these), tire irons, a countershaft sprocket nut, and two tubes (one for the front, one for the rear). I never use that sealant goop you put in your tires to fix a flat. All of the other times I’ve seen other people use it, it hasn’t worked.
- One positive attitude (that’s probably the most important thing on this list).
If you are picking up a new RX3 prior to the trip and you plan to change your oil as part of the break-in process while you are in Mexico, you’ll need to bring two quarts of oil, an oil filter, a tray to catch the oil, and the tools you’ll need. Take a look at our online maintenance tutorial if you’re going to be doing this. I’ll be there to help you, but I’m not bringing extra stuff for you. You’ll have to pack what you need.
One of the cave paintings at Sierra San Francisco…these are over 10,000 years old
My observation is that most people pack way more than they need to. We’re not on an expedition to Mars; we’re going into Mexico for 8 days. The more stuff you pack, the more stuff you’ll have to load and unload every day, and the more your bike will weigh. Travel light, folks.
That’s it for now. If you have any questions, let me know. Just shoot me an email (jberk@cscmotorcycles.com).
SG250 San Gabriel Cafe Racer
RX4 450cc Adventure
TT250 Enduro