(Last) Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride
October 7, 2008 – 11:35 am
The 29th annual (and possibly the last) fall Rosarito Ensenada bike ride was once again a great event. The ride attracted an estimated 6000 riders and thousands of spectators along the ride route. The weather was perfect for riding too…with cool coastal fog in Rosarito and Ensenada and breezy, sunny skies up on the inland plateau. The ride kicked off at 10 am in front of the Rosarito Beach Hotel, with a group of 200 “Elite Start” riders leading things off. The “Elite Start” was created for serious riders who charge the course at top speed and usually finish in just over two hours….not to be confused with the rest of us, who putter along at a comfortable pace and make frequent stops on our five (sometimes six) hour journey down to Ensenada! The starting line was extremely crowded with thousands of riders, so we did not get under way until almost 10:30. The coastal fog kept the temperature nice and cool for the portion of the ride from Rosarito to La Mision. Once we turned inland though, the sun came out and it got a bit hotter, but still a great temperature for riding. Before going up the first big hill, we traditionally stop in the valley to top off our water bottles, have a packet of Gu (electrolyte gel) and a Red Bull. It is a pretty long and steep climb - 2 miles at a 7.5% grade - so it is always good to get a good energy boost 
before heading up. If you have never experienced Gu before, it is always a unique experience. The flavors are all generally good, but the texture takes some getting used to. It is a thick, gelatinous concoction with the consistency of unhardened rubber cement. As you can see by the look on my face it is not pleasant. You really have to think happy thoughts while ingesting this stuff….definitely not recommended for those with a sensitive gag reflex. Once we rode up the big hill and got on the plateau, the temperature had definitely gone up a bit. We stopped at one of the roadside vendors to get some more Gatorade, and I ate a chilled Snickers bar. There are few things in life that taste better than a cold Snickers bar after a steep two mile climb on a bike. Try it sometime. After a ten minute break we were underway with just over 25 miles to go and making good time. The plateau is a really nice part of the ride. For about 15 miles you get to enjoy undulating hills and wide open, undeveloped Baja countryside. The only downer is that there is another pretty sizable hill that you have to climb at about the 35 mile point. It is not as steep or as long as the first one, but it still takes a lot of work. The good thing is, at this point you are only a few miles away from the exhilarating eight mile downhill section 
of the ride, which is a total blast. I would have taken pictures, but I was going about 35 miles per hour and did not feel comfortable trying to steer with one hand. I did manage to get a picture of a guy on a bike dressed up as a taco near La Mision though. It is always fun to see the various costumes that people wear on the ride. Nothing puts a smile on your face like getting passed by a full grown adult riding a bicycle in a SpongeBob Squarepants costume, which happened to me last year. You gotta love it! After the long downhill stretch, the free road connects you to Highway 1 just past the last toll booth at San Miguel. From there it is a mellow cruise into Ensenada for the finish line fiesta at the park below the giant Mexican flag. At the fiesta there are numerous vendors offering various kinds of tacos and 
cold beer to relax and refuel after the 50 mile ride. A local band provides live music and entertainment for the rest of the afternoon. All in all the bike ride is a great event that brings somewhere around 10 million dollars in revenue to the region annually. So now, the question remains - When will the next Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride take place? Baja Bound has been the Mexican auto insurance sponsor for the ride for the last five years, and we hate to see such an amazing event go away. Only time will tell, but we hope to see the Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride continue for years to come!
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