UP-TO-DATE NEWS!!!!
Dec. 11th.-
* Registration is Open! Take advantage of the great discounts
if you pre-register on or before march 31st.
* The 2009 edition of the BAJA EPIC will be limited to only 75 riders.
* It's set. This coming year there will be 5 stages, with an almost 300 miles of
racing on 5 days.
* Evan Plews, the overall winner in 2008 and the PRO rider, is the first
participant to register for 2009.
Nov. 28th.-
* It's been 3 weeks since the inaugural race and we already
started to work on the 2009 edition to take place from Nov. ... here's some
some good improvements
planned for next year’s event:
1) Increase from 4 to 5 days!!!
Starting on Tuesday Nov.
2) Stage One Rosarito-Santa Veronica, will have at the end, almost 15 miles of
pure single track trails (no quad or Rhino will fit trough there). Adding almost
10 more miles to increase from 62 to 70+.
3) Stage Two, hopefully we'll have more rain before the event to make a little
more hard-pack ground and have way less sand beds. Also we'll probably go a
different route skipping the Laguna Hanson Lake but making it a little easier and
straight to Ojos Negros to shorten the course to an almost total of 70 miles.
4) Stage Three, will be the same... Up and down to Mike's... I think it's
worth the drive to such an awesome course. There's a chance we move the start a
little more into the first hills, and so will move the finish into the Valley to
shorten the course to almost 45 miles.
5) Stage 4, from all testimonials should stay untouched. Maybe a medical crew
right at the bottom of the foothill
,
before the finish.
6) Cap the race at 75 riders.
7) By popular demand and specially from local racers, a new package will be
included called "Just Race" Pkg.
8) There's a chance stage 2 will be split into 2 stages, from Santa
Veronica to just Rodeo del Rey (50 Miles) and from Rodeo del Rey down to Ojos
Negros and ride all the way to Ensenada for a new stage 3 to almost 70 miles.
The bad part is that I need to find out on the Baja 1000 course for next
year....
9) 0r... I'll make another stage (with a 40+- mile loop) within the trails of
Santa Veronica, to make a 2 days in the same facility.
2009 Entry fees will be as follows:
FULL PACKAGE
(check our web site to see what's included)
$800 Amateur, $1,000 PROs from Jan 1st to March 31st
$900 Amateur, $1,100 PROs from April 1st to July 31st
$1,000 Amateur, $1,200 PROs from August 1st to November 4th.
ECONO PACKAGE
(check our web site to see what's included)
$500 Amateur, $700 PROs from Jan 1st to March 31st
$600 Amateur, $800 PROs from April 1st to July 31st
$700 Amateur, $900 PROs from August 1st to November 4th.
"Just Race" Pkg
(includes NOTHING but medical, aid stations, and race logistics).
$400 Amateur, $600 PROs from Jan 1st to March 31st
$500 Amateur, $700 PROs from April 1st to July 31st
$600 Amateur, $800 PROs from August 1st to November 4th.
* Online Signup will ready on the web by mid Dec.
Nov. 4th.-
* It's SHOW TIME!!!
* Stages 1 and two where reviewed over the weekend, NO RAIN yet... but the
weather calls for a little sprinkles today... and clear for the rest of the
week, with possible rain on Sunday.
* We're picking everybody up at the SD Airport at 12 noon. We'll be checking
both terminals, so look for us driving the shuttles with some BAJA EPIC banners.
Then around 12:30PM we'll be driving by the Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside. Just
next to the airport to pick the early arrivals.
* A quick last minute stop at Bicycle Warehouse in Chula Vista for a last minute
shopping needs and straight to MEXICO!
* Planning on arriving to the Rosarito Beach Hotel by 5PM.
* Don't get lost, because at 7PM we have a very important RIDERS MEETING. All
you want to know about the course, Baja, and all your questions should and will
be answered.
Oct. 30.-
* Great News! Just got back from marking Stages 3 and 4... will upload some good
videos this weekend.
* Stage 3 is going up to Mike's Sky Ranch, weather was great, stayed around the
70's, and got back at night and drop down only to 60°ft. hope stays like that
until next week.
* BAJA 1000 course is also marked, we'll be sharing the road from the start to
mile 13, then from mile 35.5 to mile 43. Total miles on this stage comes close
to 48.
* The Simpson (ouch) this is going to be a very difficult part of the course.
Goes from mile 21 to almost mile 30, and IT'S REALLY GNARLY.
You have to be EXTREMELY careful, steep downhill as lots of sharp rocks. Mixed
with plenty of sandy sections.
* On Stage 4, we're still negotiating with one of the main WINE Factories, to
see if we can get a sample bottle to ad as a prize for the overall winners of
each category. Hope to have an answer by this weekend.
* This is a mellow ride through mile 21 with wide open roads where you can take
some FUN (unmarked) trails next to the main road. If you plan on making some
small short cuts, you must be very careful, not to end in another road heading
somewhere else. Then the ride goes into private ranches, that have a lot of fun
downhills. And of course an amazing Ocean Views to enjoy.
* On this stage (the last one) right at bottom, and after you cross the Highway,
the course will lead you to the Beach. Today the tie was awesome, very low and
lots of room to pedal. But we're not sure if this is going to last for a week,
till Saturday Nov. 8th. If it does, it will be great, cause you'll have a clean
ride to the finish line... by the way... we just wrap the deal with Villa
Ortegas Restaurant, for the Finis line meal. It will be a Lobster Burrito Plater
with a frozen Margarita.
Oct. 28.-
* We'll be leaving to mark stage 3 tomorrow (WED), and stage 4 on Thursday.
We'll be bringing you more updates on the conditions of the course and more
accurate distances for the aid stations (check
the schedule of events for details). If you have any questions, don't
hesitate to ask... but don't expect an answer until Friday...
* Check this out! I think this will very cool to consider after each
stage.
"Hands in Harmony Mobile Spa" is Supporting the BAJA-EPIC MTB
race.
They will give a free 10 min. massage to all competitors at the Finish Line in
Puerto Nuevo (Lobster Village). However, they will be at every stage (finish)
waiting for you, if you sign up before November 3rd. and confirm on the 11/4 at
the riders meeting in the Hotel Rosarito Beach at 6:00 p.m.
Contact: Carmen Duran de Rivett via email to reserve
at:
miraclenfive_mb@hotmail.com
"Hands in harmony Mobile Spa" The hands that Heal...
Massage therapy packages:
PACKAGE #1: PERFORM BETTER-RECOVER FASTER
3 massages of 45 min each $ 105.00 dls.
PACKAGE #2: REGAIN STRENGTH
2 massages of 45 min. each $ 85.00 dls.
PACKAGE #3: RECOVER
1 massage of 60 min. $ 55.00 dls.
They perform all massages with the best qualities of aromatherapy. You will
never forget this experience.
* Weather has been VERY extreme... expect Hot
weather up to 90°fh. And as low as to below 38°fh. Be
Prepared to carry extra warm clothes.
* Stage One and Two are ready, you can check on the COURSE ICON to view
a few videos of both courses. You can
also see the ribbons and arrows used to mark the course.
* Stage ONE is really nice but dry. No rain has fallen in our "Rainy Season" at
all. The local weather calls for a little bit of drizzle in the next few days.
But nothing that could change the scenery.
* Stage two has a LOT of sandy sections, unfortunately we marked the course past
daylight and it was difficult to appreciate any videos of the sandy sections.
The good part is that after Rancho Rodeo del Rey (mile 48+) and through the
Laguna Hanson, it's pretty much all down hill to Ojos Negros (Finish Line).
* We've decided to OPEN stage Four to all the local Mountain Bikers that for any
reason could not take the four days off from work, and would like to join us.
Presenting the "WINE 2
LOBSTER" Fun Mountain Bike Ride. Saturday Nov. 8th, at 9:15AM from Valle de
Guadalupe (The Wine Country) in Ensenada to Puerto Nuevo (The Lobster Village)
in Rosarito. They will start 15 minutes after the main race and will receive all
the official assistance on the ride.