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Mexico - Sea of Cortez Jeep Jamboree
This Jeep Jamboree takes place in San Felipe, Baja, Mexico.
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Mexico - Sea of Cortez Jeep Jamboree
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Mexico - Sea of Cortez Jeep Jamboree - Reviews
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You May Have Missed Your Chance |
| Date: May 20, 2005 | |
| Reviewer: A JeepReviews.com User from (Escondido, CA) | |
| The last time The Sea of Cortez was held was October 17-20, 2002. The cost of Mexican event insurance may preclude JJ-USA ever doing it again. I had a great time at the 2002 event and I would go again if it is offered. Unlike other JJ-USA events, you need a passport or birth certificate to cross the border plus Mexican insurance to participate in this JJ. At AAA, the Mexican insurance cost about $100 for four days. The event starts with a meeting at Millie's Restaurant, in El Centro, CA, at 8:30 AM to organize the 40 Jeeps to caravan to San Felipe. We departed at 9:00 AM for the border crossing at Calexico where were were met by the mayor of San Felipe and six "Federalies" who escorted us through Mexicali, a city of about one million people, and stayed with us to San Felipe. In Mexicali, the caravan never stopped at red lights or stop signs. The Ferderalies just waved us through. We arrived in San Felipe about 2:00 PM and were greeted by the mayor of San Felipe at a ceremony at a Tourist Center, whch included all the free Mexican beer you could drink. Next we checked in at the El Cortez Hotel, which sits on the water, is very nice and clean and has good food and Mexican beer. The next day the JJ folks broke the Jeeps up into four groups and we met the members of the local American Jeep Club in San Felipe. About 2,000 Americans live in San Felipe. The Jeep Club members were a friendly and very knowledgable group. For the most part they drove CJ5s or CJ7s with fat tires, low air pressure and two Jerry cans attached to their spare tire racks. They also had substantial CB radio set ups. This group is frequently used for search and rescue missions in the local desert. The wheeling is mainly in really deep sand and 10 to 15 psi is the order of the day. Several hours are spent on the actual Baja 500 and 1000 race courses. If deep sand and dust are your things, you'll love this JJ. The evening meal and second day breakfast were conducted at "campos" or fish camps such as "Pete's Camp." The food was great and we were entertained by the Ballet Folklorico out of Mexicali. This was a professional level cultural event which was excellent. The second day's wheeling spent some time in the local mountains and then back into the sand. I talked to five families who were doing the JJ for the second or third time. I'd do it again if it was offered. It sort of gets into your blood. When you return to the border on Sunday morning, you are not escorted and at first it was sort of scary. But the directions were good and we joined up with three other Jeeps and had no problems at all. Did I mention the Mexican beer? Go for it ! |
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| This review is the subjective opinion of a JeepReviews user and not of JeepReviews.com. | |
