BAJA 2020 Overland Expedition

WHAT: exploring the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, in Toyota 4x4s
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019 -- Friday, Jan. 3, 2020 (13 days)
WHERE: meeting point at the easy Tecate border crossing and expedition itinerary TBA. The expedition goal is to reach Cabo San Lucas before turning back. We will be exploring on and around Mex Hwy 1 (see maps below), including some trails/dirt roads. Any crazy technical or rock crawling is your personal choice. Also, this is not a speed race - we will be enjoying our time while trying to experience as much as possible of the Baja sights, cuisine, and culture, as a group.
WHO: anyone driving a Toyota 4Runner (3rd gen - 5th gen), Toyota Tacoma, Toyota LandCruiser, or Lexus GX/LX.

REGISTRATION
  • Registration for BAJA2020 will start September 15, 2019, and is $35 per vehicle (includes one T-shirt and one car sticker)
  • NO REGISTRATION REFUNDS will be issued after November 1st, 2019, for ANY reason (cancellation, no show, late arrival at start point, dropping out early, etc.). We need hard numbers on 11/1/19 for ordering shirts and stickers.
  • Registration link coming here soon...

    Join us for BAJA2020!
TRIP INFO for vehicle "Captains"

Each vehicle has a "captain"​ -- the vehicle captain is FULLY RESPONSIBLE AT ALL TIMES for the safety of their whole party (incl. kids and dogs), their vehicle, contact/communications, safe driving, obeying all laws, and ensuring the following:
  • ALL passport(s) are valid and current (visas if necessary)
  • ALL car documents are valid and current (registration, Mexico insurance, etc.). No Temporary Importation Permit (TIP) is required for Baja
  • Travel/medical insurance for all parties
  • Special medications, prescriptions, vaccinations, and First Aid kit are available and current
  • Parents/Guardians are fully responsible for their childrens' safety, actions, good behavior, and supervision at all times
  • Dog documents, medications, and their safe behavior
  • ​Vehicle is suited for the trip, mechanically sound and ready. A Toyota professional multi-point inspection is highly recommended
  • ALL equipment is tested (especially safety, recovery, and critical gear!)
  • ​All necessary funds for the trip (gas, food, lodging, etc.). Gas is about US$4/gallon in Mexico
  • NO firearms or narcotics - they are illegal! There are numerous military and police checkpoints along our route looking for this stuff - I suspect Mexican jails are not much fun
  • Fresh fruit/vegetables and extra gas are not allowed to cross the US-MEX border either way, and will be confiscated. Don't stock up before the border, it's a waste
  • We encourage legal, responsible alcohol consumption
  • We will operate in a collaborative, supportive, flexible way
  • We will watch out for each other's safety, our vehicles, and all our belongings. Situational awareness is a priority
  • We will strive to Start/Stay/End together as a team
  • We will share pertinent information helpful to our expedition and collaborate about points of interest and scheduling
  • Recovery/maintenance gear and tools will be shared as needed - please have some with your vehicle
  • Notify SoloOverland and others of changing your plans in the middle of our expedition (stopping, turning back, branching away from the group, dropping out, etc.)
  • Carry extra color copies of all documents (+email to self!)
  • We will have rendez-vous points to regroup for food/gas/bathroom, update trip details, etc.
  • We will perform vehicle checks/maintenance and gear reset as needed, preferably in the evening
  • For safety, we will avoid driving after dusk (due to road conditions, livestock, vehicles with no lights, etc.)
  • A LifeStraw water filtration system will be required, as drinking or washing fruit/veggies with local tap water is not recommended. There may be affordable water filtration stations occasionally along the way
  • A proper container for extra gas (jerry can, Rotopax, etc.) is recommended. Don't fill it up before the border
  • For safety, our trip details are NOT to be posted/shared online until AFTER the completion of specific stops of our trip
  • We will organize a message tree
  • ​Please download iOverlander, Gaia GPS and Google Earth/Maps/Translate on your phone/tablet
  • ​Check your wireless plan for Mexico phone coverage and add if needed
  • For Spanish, the Nemo Spanish app is highly recommended
  • For reference: US$1 = 20MXN (pesos), 1MXN = US$0.05 Regular gas is around US$4/gallon in Mexico
  • Usual Baja temperatures are 80s during the day and 60s at night (F). Don't forget your swimming gear (the Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez is warmer than the Pacific)
  • ​You will provide your emergency contact later, in December
  • Additional T-shirts and stickers will be available
  • We will Leave No Trace Behind (tread lightly; pack it in - pack it out; reduce/reuse/recycle whenever possible)
  • We will keep music and noise at a personal level
  • Please familiarize all parties in your vehicle with this info
The fun stuff
  • "Baja2020" is and remains the intellectual property of SoloOverland. All rights reserved. © ℗ 2019
  • SoloOverland must be notified in writing if a participant's vehicle is NOT to be featured in visual media
  • SoloOverland will never sell any personal details of the participants
  • ​As the trip coordinator only, SoloOverland assumes no responsibility or liability for participants' actions, illness, injury, or death, and theft or damage to their vehicles or belongings. Personal and vehicle safety are paramount and remain the sole responsibility of the individual participants.
SoloOverland has a winch, TRED Pro recovery boards, shackles, bottle jack, air compressor, NOCO battery jump starter, tire repair kit, Fix-a-Flat, shovel, extra gas and water tanks, tools. Ready to share! Also, speaking intermediate Spanish...
SOME ITINERARY IDEAS...