When Baja Bound was at the Baja 500 this past June with the Mag 7 pit crew, we had the last pit before the finish line. This meant our crew needed to be up all night as racers continued towards the finish line. At around 10 pm the COPS Racing class 12 car driven by Zak Langley rolled into our pit needing a tire change. We quickly changed out their flat and got them on their way. They ended up getting second in class! Baja Bound is proud to be the Mexican insurance provider for the COPS Racing team when they go race in Baja!

When Baja Bound was at the Baja 500 this past June with the Mag 7 pit crew, we had the last pit before the finish line. This meant our crew needed to be up all night as racers continued towards the finish line. At around 10 pm the COPS Racing class 12 car driven by Zak Langley rolled into our pit needing a tire change. We quickly changed out their flat and got them on their way. They ended up getting second in class! Baja Bound is proud to be the Mexican insurance provider for the COPS Racing team when they go race in Baja!

Here are the Mag 7 pit locations for the upcoming Baja 1000. Baja Bound is proud to be the official Mexico insurance provider for the Mag 7 pit crew!

Baja Bound Mexican Insurance recently had a chance to stop in at the Baja Dark Skies Inn to check out this new B&B. The inn is located up in the mountains just west of the Sierra de San Pedro Martir National Park. Getting there is an adventure, as you have to navigate six kilometers of pretty rough road, so a 4WD vehicle or one with good clearance is recommended. The surroundings at the inn are amazing, with a stunning ridgeline to the east and wooded rolling foothills surrounding the property. The inn caters to astronomy enthusiasts and features an observatory with a roll-off roof that opens up to the night sky.  Baja Dark Skies Inn can accommodate up to eight people with their two bedroom casita, guest room in the main house and their on site RV. Proprietors Mike and Pam look forward to hosting you at their great mountain getaway! For more information, visit the Baja Dark Skies Inn website.

Photo copyright 2011 Baja Bound Mexico Insurance

When Baja Bound was at the Baja 500 this past June with the Mag 7 pit crew, we had the last pit before the finish line. This meant our crew needed to be up all night as racers continued towards the finish line. At around 10 pm the COPS Racing class 12 car driven by Zak Langley rolled into our pit needing a tire change.  We quickly changed out their flat and got them on their way. They ended up getting second in class!  Baja Bound is proud to be the Mexican insurance provider for the COPS Racing team when they go race in Baja!

Photo copyright 2011 Baja Bound Mexico Insurance

Photo copyright Baja Bound Mexican Insurance 2011

The sign on Highway 1 for the turnoff to San Pedro Martir

The drive east is about 100 kilometers and as you can imagine, has a lot of tight turns and switchbacks. The road is in great shape though, and the stunning scenery once you get to the higher altitude makes it a fun drive.

After passing by Meling Ranch, we stopped in at the Baja Dark Skies Inn . Proprietors Mike and Pam have built a really nice bed and breakfast that can accommodate up to eight people, with the primary focus being on those interested in astronomy. On the grounds they have an observatory with a giant telescope and a nifty set up that allows the roof to roll off and expose the night sky.

Mike and Pam in the Baja Dark Skies Observatory

The road in to Baja Dark Skies Inn is 6 kilometers of pretty rough terrain, so a vehicle with four wheel drive is recommended. We had no problem in a two wheel drive 4Runner, but there were a few spots where we had to use low gear and go pretty slow. Mike and Pam have posted some pretty hilarious signs along the drive in.

The road in to Baja Dark Skies Inn

They were right....it didn't!

Mike and Pam have built a great casita that can accommodate up to four people comfortably, and also have a guest room in their house. The casita is well appointed with two bedrooms, a full bath, a dining nook, mini-fridge, coffee maker and a great outdoor kitchen.

The Baja Dark Skies Inn casita

After our visit with Mike and Pam, we made our way back out to the main road and continued to head up the mountain. As the elevation started to increase the terrain began to transform, and soon we were driving through a pine forest.

Driving through the pine trees

About twenty minutes later we reached the entrance to the San Pedro Martir National Park. We stopped in at the ranger station, paid the entrance fee of 50 pesos per person (about $4.50 U.S.) and signed in.

The entrance to the San Pedro Martir National Park

Once we started getting close to the top, we drove out of the sun and into the clouds. There was a sizable thunderstorm pounding away, complete with bolts of lightning and the rumble of thunder. We finally reached the observatory entrance and the rain was coming down pretty steadily. The storm was so severe in fact, that we had to wait until it passed before we could go up to the largest observatory.

The sign at the entrance to the observatory

Telescopes!

After about a half hour, the storm system finally moved to the north of the observatory, so we were cleared to head up to the top of the mountain. You could really feel the effect of being at 9,500 feet, as a short hike up to check out the view made us out of breath.

The largest telescope at the observatory

We got to tour the inside of the telescope building and then went out on the catwalk to check out the view. If you are afraid of heights this is definitely something you should avoid doing! The view was incredible, and even though the weather was not great, you could still see down to the desert floor with the Sea of Cortez in the distance. When conditions are right, you can see the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez simultaneously. It was breathtaking….literally.

The view of the desert and Sea of Cortez from the catwalk

The cabins at the observatory

Afterwords, we had a chance to check out the offices and the cabins where visitors and staff stay when they are working at the observatory. The cabins had a cool vibe to them and looked like something straight out of the 1960′s. Our visit was complete and we made the drive back down the mountain. From the Tijuana border, the distance to the top of the observatory is about 230 miles, so you definitely need a full day to allow time to drive up and back. It is a great drive and a trip that is a must-do for Baja enthusiasts and astronomers alike.

¡Viva Baja!

Upon first glance, this photo looks like something out of a science fiction movie, but what looks like a series of robots are actually giant tanks for making wine. This photo was taken inside Hacienda La Lomita, a relatively new winery in the Guadalupe Valley region of Baja California. Baja Bound Mexico Insurance had the opportunity to tour the rustic yet ultra modern facility recently, and it was very impressive. Hacienda La Lomita is just one of over 50 wineries in Baja that are producing excellent wines. If you are a wine enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to visit the Baja wine country and get the opportunity to tour wineries like Hacienda La Lomita and sample the high quality wines that are being produced. For more information about Guadalupe Valley, visit the Baja Bound Baja Wine Country guide.

Fletch is the Baja Bound Mexico Insurance office dog, but he has a few skills that go beyond raiding wastebaskets and chasing tennis balls. He is a surfer too! This picture of Fletch is from the Loews Resort Dog Surfing Contest. Although Fletch got two solid waves to the beach, he could not back it up with a third scoring ride. We were still very proud of him for his wave riding prowess!

The vineyard at Vinisterra in the Baja wine country

If you have never been down to the Baja wine country, or haven’t been in a while you owe it to yourself to plan a visit. As of this writing, there are now 52 wineries actively producing in the Baja wine country and more are in the works. The wine country has been going through a bit of a growth spurt in the last 10 years and the region is now starting to get some well deserved recognition for the wines they are producing. Baja Bound Mexico Insurance recently launched a guide to the Baja wine country that features 29 wineries,  the hotels in the region, a map of the valley and a list of the upcoming Vendimia events. So jump on in and learn about the amazing things happening in the wine country of Baja!

Visit the Baja Bound guide to the Baja wine country