Touring Baja California 2026

The BMW club organizes a monthly event. The club has multiple chapters in Mexico, and for March, it was our turn to organize the monthly ride. Everyone is free to suggest any location in the country. My chapter is in Guadalajara, Mexico, but we decided to gather everyone in Valle de Guadalupe—wine country—just south of Tijuana, and then ride to La Paz, at the south of the Baja Peninsula. It is a 1,600 km ride over 10 days.

Planning started over six months ago. We negotiated discounts on hotels along the route and published the details to each chapter so individuals could make their own travel arrangements.

From my chapter—which has 22 members—only five were able to attend. We shipped the bikes by truck 10 days before the event. This is peak motorcycle season for Baja, and since the shipping company had previous commitments, I was without a bike for a few days.

On Feb 27, we took a taxi at about 3:30 AM to catch a 6 AM flight to Tijuana. From there, we took another taxi to the shipping company, rode to the hotel, and dropped off our bags.

My wife does not ride on the bike but wanted to come, so we rented a car for her. This turned out to be quite useful for a few people.

 

On the first day, we gathered at the BMW dealer with most of the group—about 40 motorcycles. A friend from Guatemala came along and rented a Royal Enfield Himalayan. We were surprised (and so was he, as he owns an R1250GS) at how well the Himalayan performed.

We rode the Rumorosa, a sierra between Tijuana and Mexicali famous for its twisty roads, strong winds, and sometimes cool temperatures. I rode it two years ago and it lived up to its reputation then; but not this year. It was not windy, and at over 30°C, we were roasting.

At night, the dealer organized a cookout and served grilled sandwiches. The hotel was only two doors away from the dealer. Some riders needed work done on their motorcycles, so this turned out to be very practical.

Images from the Rumorosa, impressive sierra made of what look of stacked rocks
A view towards the USA, the dark line is the wall at the border


Later at the BMW dealer, everyone was a bit sad


Jersey of the event


The Himalayan

 

probably, but it was not with us

 

Day 2 We rode from Tijuana to Puerto Nuevo with a large group of motorcycles. The Motorrad sales manager, a small woman about 1.5m tall, led the group on a demo F800GS. it was nice following a local, as she knew how to navigate the traffic jams near the border crossing. Once we exited Tijuana, the ride followed Federal Hwy 1, which offers wonderful coastal views.

In Puerto Nuevo, we arrived at a restaurant famous for its lobster served with rice and beans. Their organization was amazing; everyone—about 60 people—was served quickly, and the prices were very reasonable.


We continued toward Valle de Guadalupe and stopped at a vineyard for a wine tasting session. Everyone had a small taste of red and rosé wines, but we mostly drank water as the temperature was again over 30°C.




Just a short distance away, we arrived at the hotel in Valle and enjoyed the facilities until it was time for the formal event. There, we exchanged the "estafeta," a symbolic baton representing the passing of hosting duties between chapters.

The day ended with a great dinner for over 60 people.

 

Day 3: From Valle de Guadalupe to San Felipe

We had planned to have breakfast at a famous restaurant with a Michelin star! However, I was guiding the group—just five bikes from Guadalajara — but there was no Wi-Fi and cell service was down. I had downloaded the maps to my phone, but it guided us the wrong way. Instead, we ended up at a taco place that was really nice: good food, quick service, and I’m certain the prices were not at "Michelin star" levels!

It turned out to be a good thing to get lost and find this place. We filled our tanks at a gas station along the way and took the coastal road again before taking Federal Highway 3 across the peninsula toward the Sea of Cortez. That road is an adventure, as the pavement is in dismal condition with potholes that could easily damage tires, wheels, and suspension. Fortunately, every bike arrived okay.

My wife, in the rental car, had two passengers and a few bags from riders who wanted to travel a bit lighter. They contributed toward the fuel, which wasn't necessary but was a nice gesture.

The car arrived with all the tires and wheels undamaged, but one of the plastic guards under the front fender came loose. It rubbed against the tire for who knows how long, so only pieces of it were left by the time we reached San Felipe. I secured the remainder of the plastic with zip ties, and it wasn't a problem for the rest of the trip.

For lunch, five of us jumped in the car and went to the malecón to find food. We had amazing ceviche tostadas.


Views from the beach at the hotel in San Felipe
The tide is out leaving a large expanse with no water




The next morning