Andrew Szabo created the zany Budapest-to-Bamako Rally and the 3000-mile-no-support-Baja XL Rally. In this podcast, Szabo gives us an update on the latest developments for the 2021 Baja XL Rally, starting on January 29, 2021, and ending on February 7, 2021.
Here at Slow Baja, we were thrilled to drive in the 2019 Baja XL Rally, which featured 300 entrants in 140 vehicles hailing from more than 25 countries. Due to Covid and border control issues with the U.S., the 2021 Baja XL will start in Tecate. The rally will finish ten days and 3000 dirt-laden kilometers later, on a beach South of Tijuana.
The event will travel down the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja peninsula and camp in Diablo Dry Lake. Night two will be another camp out in Bahia de Los Angeles. Night three will be a beach camp on Bahia Concepcion, and night four will land at a camp night in Las Cruces. After the rally rounds the tip of Baja, it proceeds up the Pacific coast, and night five will be in Todos Santos. The Las Cruces night may become optional, opening teams to have a rest day and party night in Cabo or spend two nights in Todos Santos.
From Todos Santos, the rally proceeds to the surf town of San Juanico, also known as Scorpion Bay. The next stop is Guerrero Negro, and a half-day of rest is in the schedule for whale watching. Ted and I have a panga booked with Shari Bondy of Whale Magic Tours; there should be several seats available to join us for whale watching. Please email me to reserve your spot. A night in Catavinia will follow, and the last night will be another camp night somewhere south of Tijuana.
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Budapest-Bamako channel on Youtube