2025 Mexican Rally

 ¡Vamos a Baja! 2025 Rally Overview

The 2025 Escapees Chapter 8 Mexican Connection Rally, ¡Vamos a Baja!, will be held from February 4 to February 26, 2025.  On Day 1 of the Rally, will all meet up in beautiful Potrero County Park in San Diego County, California, which is approximately 45 miles east of downtown San Diego.

Our dedicated Parking Team will direct you to your designated parking space when you arrive. After getting parked and hooked up, you will proceed to the Pavilion. There, you will sign in, receive very helpful documentation that will make your Baja stay more enjoyable, verify your membership in Chapter 8, verify that you have all the required documentation to travel into Mexico and we will answer any questions you may have. As Rally attendees will be arriving over several hours, you will have some free time after registering to mingle. We ask that you proceed directly to the Pavilion as soon as you get settled into your campsite. At 4:27 that evening, we will all meet again in the Pavilion for a “Happy Hour”, where we a enjoy a meet-and-greet and share in a Potluck Dinner.

Note: Everyone is expected to arrive at Potrero County Park with a full fuel tank of fuel. You will not have time to run out of fuel after you arrive and we will not be stopping for fuel in Mexico, until we get ready to leave our second campground, 95 miles south of Potrero Park.

Day 2 of the Rally will be filled with an extensive Orientation Presentation on traveling in Mexico, discussing our Rally Itinerary, and you will meet with your Group Leader. To travel through Baja more safely and efficiently, we break into smaller travel groups led by an experienced Group Leader and is followed up by a Tailgunner. Each Group Leader will work with his or her assigned travel members to decide the order of RVs in their group, explain all the details of traveling in groups, answer any questions, etc. This is also a great time to ensure that your CB’s are working. This will be another busy day. As we will do each day, a Happy Hour will start at 4:57 p.m. During this time, we’ll discuss the next day’s activities, answer questions, etc. You may bring hors d’oeuvres for everyone to enjoy during Happy Hours.

On Day 3 of the Rally, we will go on a Walkabout in Tecate, Mexico. We will gather in our travel groups to carpool to the border in 30-minute intervals. Once there, we will walk across the border together in our group and get our FMM cards, have lunch, visit a bakery, a bank, and an ATM, maybe enjoy a Tecate cerveza, and view the route we will travel with our RVs the following day. Bring your comfortable walking shoes and maybe an umbrella. We usually spend a half day in Tecate. Upon our return to Potrero County Park, anyone who didn’t test their CBs will do so at that time. We will finish the day with our daily Happy Hour at 4:57 p.m. That evening, we’ll all need to ensure that our RVs are packed and ready to cross the border the following morning. We will also ask for volunteers to help clean the Pavilion that evening.

On Day 4 of the Rally is the Big Day! We cross the border and begin our journey into Baja in our RV’s! How exciting! We will leave Potrero Park at staggered times in our travel groups to ensure there’s no logjam at the border. Each rig must ensure they have filled their freshwater tank and emptied their black/gray tanks and have their Passports, FMM Card, and all vehicle registrations handy before leaving Potrero Park. The drive to our first stop, Zoologico Parque del Nino Jersey (“the Zoo”), located in Valle de Guadalupe, is only about three hours, with a quick stop along the way, so it’s an easy first day’s drive.

On Day 5, we will enjoy the Zoo and the surrounding Wine Country. Due to our excellent long-term relationship with the Zoo, we will enjoy several zoo-related activities, including a private guided Behind the Scenes Tour and an opportunity to participate in a Be a Zookeeper for a Day. As a special treat for this Rally, for the first time, we have arranged to have a local Native Mexican Indigenous group come to the Zoo and provide entertainment.

On Day 9, we will travel about three hours further south to La Jolla Beach Camp, which is just south of Ensenada. We will enjoy a Welcome Dinner that evening with Miguel Pabloff, our host, and his family. We will have a guest speaker and a Mariachi Band for entertainment during dinner. La Jolla is where we will perform our community service (charity) work, have our Auction, enjoy an off-road 4×4 excursion (for the brave ones!), a theatre play, a performance by the children’s Folklorico Dancers, and a lot of time on the beach and the surrounding area.

On Day 17, we will travel east and cross the mountains to Victor’s RV Park in the seaside community of San Felipe on the stunning Sea of Cortez. We will enjoy warmer weather there, visit the town and the surrounding area, and have a General Meeting where we will vote in new Board Members for next year’s rally.

Note: Our rally ends in San Felipe. After the rally ends, about 90% of the attendees will generally travel on to other places in Mexico on what we call Add-on trips. These trips are not in any way associated with the Rally. Usually, there will be a volunteer group leader who will lead people to the new location, but there are no meetings and no scheduled activities at the new locations. These are great opportunities for you to try out your new Baja travel skills and see more of the beautiful Baja!

Note: We will have a Happy Hour at the campground every evening at 4:27 p.m. (unless otherwise stated). During this time, we will discuss the current day’s activities and provide information about the following day’s activities. To get the most out of this rally, please plan to attend the beginning of all Happy Hours at least. Frequently, there are last-minute changes to the Itinerary, and this is where that information will be announced.

This is the route we will be traveling. The roads we will be traveling on will be very similar to those you will be taking to get to Potrero Park: sometimes narrow and curvy.

Everyone joining us on this rally needs to bring the following items and understand the following information:

PASSPORTS:

Everyone, including children, must have current passports. New or renewal passports may take 60 days or more to obtain in the U.S.A. or Canada. Plan ahead!

FMM TOURIST CARD:

An FMM tourist card, Forma Migratoria Múltiple, similar to a US Visa, is required for all visitors to Mexico and is valid for up to 180 days. We will get our FMM cards at the Instituto Nacional de Migración (aka immigration or INM Office) when we walk into Tecate the day before we cross the border in our RVs. The cost is around $43 (USD) per FMM card. Each individual in your party is required to have an FMM card.

INSURANCE:

There are several insurance options for driving vehicles in Mexico. If your current US-based insurance carrier insures you for driving in Mexico, you may not have to buy additional insurance. Some of our members are insured by Progressive, which covers some rigs (and toads, if applicable) for travel in Mexico at no additional cost. However, this varies from state to state, and not all Progressive agents may offer this option. Note that some US-based insurance companies will only cover you for travel 50 or 100 miles into Mexico. We will be traveling further than this on this year’s rally.

Please note that if your insurance provider does not explicitly cover traveling in Mexico, additional Mexico liability insurance issued by a Mexican insurance company is mandatory. Many of our members purchase full coverage through a Mexican insurance company. Lastly, there is also an option to insure only your Driver’s License. While many of our members use Proalliance, there are several insurance companies to choose from. Refer to the link below.

Regarding the coverage period, we recommend you include a few extra days past the end of the rally for your Mexican liability insurance (We will be in Baja, Feb. 7 – Feb 26, 2025). We do NOT recommend getting insurance for your Rally days only. If you plan to attend one of the Add-On trips, as most people do, usually for a few extra days or weeks, include that additional time in your coverage period. You may find purchasing a 6-month or even a 12-month insurance policy worthwhile. The cost difference is minimal.

For important information about the importance of having Insurance in Mexico, click here. To watch a 40-minute insurance webinar about Mexican Insurance on August 8, 2019, click here.

For a list of Insurance Agencies our members have recommended, click here.

As stated above, proof of Mexican insurance is required to travel with all Chapter 8 rallies. Acquiring insurance is usually fast and straightforward, and it can be accomplished over the phone or through email. Note that, depending on the coverage, insurance in Mexico can be expensive for some vehicles.

We highly recommend exploring your insurance options BEFORE signing up for the rally.

DRIVERS LICENSE:

You must also have a current Driver’s License for each potential driver.

VEHICLE REGISTRATION:

You must have a current Vehicle Registration for each vehicle you bring into Mexico (RVs, Trailers, cars, motorcycles, etc.).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION:

We will verify you have all the above-required documentation at Rally Check-In.

NOTE: We would hate to turn anyone away because they didn’t have the required documentation with them at the Check-In at Potrero Regional Park. Proper documentation for traveling in Mexico is critical to protecting you and Chapter 8. Again, thank you for your understanding.

CB RADIOs:

We require each rig to have a CB radio with an external antenna installed before the rally. (Please ensure your CB is working BEFORE arrival at Potrero.) We must be able to communicate with each rig while traveling. We use our CBs to communicate road conditions, potholes, vehicles passing, road construction, and any unexpected issues – animals on the road, bicyclists, etc.

On the off chance that someone in the group has a problem with their rig, they need to be able to reach their Group Leader and/or Tailgunner to let them know. Please note that we may not always have cell phone coverage every place we travel in Mexico, and CB communication is the most reliable (and FUN!) way to travel in Mexico. You can find more information on CB radios here. Note: We will not be using GMRS radios on this rally.

ROAD CONDITIONS:

The roads in much of Baja are similar to the roads in the US; some are great, and some, well, not so much. The highways we travel on from Potrero to the Zoo and then onto La Jolla Beach Camp are pretty good. Traveling from La Jolla Beach Camp to San Felipe is a less maintained road, but we have traveled there many times without any issues.

Some roads in Mexico are known for their potholes. We have selected a route that will help minimize the potholes, but we can’t avoid all of them. Please ensure that your rig and tires are in great shape! While there are tire shops everywhere, we don’t want you to need one!

If you choose to go on one of the Add-On trips, you may experience more of the “typical” Baja roads. This means you’ll probably experience some roads with notable erosion and potholes, narrower lanes (the lanes in Baja are approximately one foot narrower than US roads), and many with virtually no shoulder.

The speed limits in Baja are in KM, and the maximum speed is generally around 45 MPH. The roads are entirely manageable. You just have to slow down and drive smart.

MEXICAN CAMPING IS MOSTLY “DRY CAMPING”:

Potrero Regional Park, where we meet for the Rally, will have 28 sites with 30-amp electric and water. The remaining 7 sites are dry camping only. These sites will be assigned by order of Registration sign-up, so if you want an electric/water hookup site, DON’T WAIT TO SIGN UP! Fresh well water and a dump station are available on site. There are also hot showers available! Anyone who signs up late, may only be able to get a Dry Camping space.

There are no electrical or water hook-ups available at the Zoo. However, public restrooms are available. Reverse osmosis water can be purchased in town, but you must arrange delivery yourself if you want it. We encourage you to fill your freshwater tank and empty your gray and black tanks before leaving Potrero.

La Jolla Beach Camp has very few 15A electric sites available and will only be an option for those with special needs for an additional $4 per day, paid at the beachfront, but you will still have a great view from the second row back!

Reverse Osmosis water, propane, and honey wagon pump-outs will be available the day after we arrive, and the fees are minimal. You will be responsible for paying cash in pesos for these services when rendered. Hot showers are also available; however, please note that they are salt-water showers.

GENERATORS:

We will park people according to generator usage. No generator, i.e., Solar and Batteries, and up to two hours of generator usage per day (1st-row beachfront camping), or max generator/electric (when applicable) (2^nd row). Please ensure your generators are working before coming to the rally. Those with noisy generators will be asked to park in the 3^rd row back from the beach. We park near the beach to enjoy the sound of crashing waves, so please respect our peace and quiet.

RALLY BEGINNING:

All Rally participants must join the rally at Potrero County Park no later than 1:00 PM, on February 4, 2025. To provide better security, maintain logistics, and observe local agreements, registrants must travel and camp with the group at the Rally sites until the end of the rally on February 26, 2025. If a registrant leaves the Rally prematurely, they forfeit all rights to the remainder of the Rally and shall not be entitled to a refund nor be allowed to rejoin the Rally.

If, on the Registration Form, you choose to be a Group Leader, or a member of the Parking Team, you may be asked to arrive at Potrero Park on Sunday, February 2^nd for group meetings that afternoon.

STRICTLY FORBIDDEN BY MEXICAN LAW:

It is illegal to have guns, ammunition, pepper spray, tasers or other weapons, and/or recreational drugs in your possession anywhere in Mexico. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in public in Mexico, even on beaches. However, you can smoke in your RV. If you bring any of these items into Mexico or break any Mexican laws, you will be removed from the Rally and forfeit all costs and benefits associated with the Rally.

We strongly encourage everyone to read this website so there is no doubt about what you can and cannot bring into Mexico from the U.S. Click here to read the official US Customs and Border Protection page regarding the rules.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

A full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee per rig) will be given for cancellations received before November 30, 2024. To request a cancellation refund, please email the Wagonmaster at [email protected] with REFUND REQUEST in the Subject line. Please note, refunds can take up to two weeks.

If there is a cancellation between December 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, a refund of 75% (less the $50 Cancellation Fee per rig) will be given. No refunds will be granted after January 1, 2025.

If you are interested in Cancellation Insurance visit https://www.travelinsurance.com. Please note they are not affiliated with Chapter 8.

PHOTO ROSTER:

Please send a photo of yourself and whoever you will be traveling with (one where we can clearly see your face) to Phylana, the Assistant Wagonmaster, within two weeks of registering for this rally.

We will provide a photo roster to all attendees. This will help us learn who is traveling with us on the Rally and make a great memento of the Rally. Your Group Leaders and Board Members will also use this to help them manage your travel team and other activities. THIS IS MANDATORY, so please do not forget this.

PET POLICY:

We love pets and welcome them at Mexican Connection Chapter 8 Rallies. However, all buildings in Mexico are 100% pet-free. Only service animals with proper supporting documentation are welcome inside buildings. Pets are never allowed in areas where food is served during our rallies (i.e., Happy Hours, Potlucks, etc.), even when those gatherings are held outdoors.

When your pet is outside, it must be in a carrier, restrained appropriately, or on a short (8-foot or less) leash. Please remember to pick up after your pet(s) and dispose of waste properly. This is an Escapees Social Network policy. Please note that Mexico has no specific Service Animal Policy, and your service animal may not be welcomed in all locations.

Expect the pet policy to be strictly enforced. You will be asked to leave the rally if you disobey this policy.

CHAPTER 8 RALLIES END IN MEXICO:

As our by-laws state, all of our rallies end in Mexico. We do not include travel plans back to the U.S. However, for those who wish to return directly to the U.S. after the rally ends, there is generally at least one or more other people who also will want to return directly to the U.S., so you probably won’t be traveling alone. For those who wish to take advantage of the Add-On trips (and why wouldn’t you?!), we will hold a meeting about these destinations, and sign-up sheets will be available toward the end of the Rally.

WAIVER:

Must be signed by all adult registrants (18 and over) as a prerequisite to attend this 2025 Baja Rally event.

By registering, paying, and attending this event, you agree to the following conditions:

• • As an attendee, you assume all risk and danger relating to your person, personal property, RV, and attendance at this Escapees Social Network Inc., Chapter 8, Mexican Connection RV Rally, whether occurring before, during, or after the Rally, which include any Add-On trips.

  • In the event of loss or theft, no claim will be made upon the Escapees Social Network, Inc. or Chapter 8, its officers, members, volunteers, employees, or agents. While volunteers may be directing and assisting you in parking areas, the driver of an RV or other vehicle is solely responsible for avoiding obstacles or dangerous situations. Accordingly, the registrant(s) are solely responsible for any damages they cause to their property or the property of others.

  • As an attendee of this event, you are granting permission to be filmed, videotaped, audiotaped, or photographed without compensation for the use thereof.

  • This is a family-friendly organization. Therefore, our members are expected to act accordingly. If at any time the Wagonmaster believes that a member’s actions are causing discomfort or harm to another member, the Wagonmaster retains the sole right to expel the offending member immediately without refund.

  • This event is also a politics-free rally. No one is allowed to discuss politics during this rally event.

  • The Wagonmaster retains the right to terminate your participation and anyone in your RV without a refund if rally guidelines are violated.

A NOTE FROM OUR CHARITY COMMITTEE CHAIR:

Hola Fellow Mexican Bound RV Enthusiasts:

This year will be filled with meaningful opportunities to engage in the local community while giving of yourself. We have found the enrichment gained during these experiences to be one of the rally’s most cherished memories.

This year we will support the “Zoo”, Zoológico Parque del Niño Jersey, which is a donation-based organization that is not just a “zoo”. It’s also a wonderful family and children’s play area with many educational, recreational, and interactive areas. The “Zoo” is just part of the Parque, but it’s a very special part. The animals at this Zoo come from various situations, not just exchanges with other zoos. They are often animals that have been confiscated by the authorities due to the lack of proper paperwork, animals that have been confiscated and are injured, and wild animals that have been injured that need veterinary care and rehabilitation to be released back into the wild. The Zoo does not receive any funding from the government when it takes on confiscated or injured animals. The donations from our Chapter in the past have been used for everything from animal feed to veterinary care and medicine to a nationally recognized award-winning enrichment exhibit.

Additionally, we provide monetary donations to the wonderfully charming and delightful children’s dance group, Folkloric Anahuac Punta Banda Children’s Folkloric Ballet, which is for at-risk children in the Punta Banda (Ensenada) area. The cost of the dance uniforms alone is over $200 per child, and there are currently twenty-three children in the group! Many of these children have been in the group since they were 4 or 5 years old!

This year we will have the privilege of a live performance. Buckle up for a beautiful show that you will not want to miss.

While at La Jolla Beach Camp, we will all participate in a ‘hands-on’ project.

This year, we will be painting and improving a local grade school that receives no government assistance. We will have much more information about these projects in the coming weeks. Our host from La Jolla Beach Camp, Miguel Pabloff is assisting with the local community to help with arrangements. We recommend everyone bring a set of old clothes and old shoes and participate in what is generally a 4-6 hour project. Everyone will also be allowed to experience the smiles on the children’s faces when they see the transformation completed. (Bring your Kleenex.)

I know most of you have heard about our infamous Auctions. Do not despair we will be in full auction mode in La Jolla Beach Camp. In addition to monetary donations, the single most important source of our donation funding comes from our Auction. Which, I must say, is a sight to behold! (Check our website for pics of previous year’s Auctions!) For the Auction to succeed, we need QUALITY items to sell, and the more, the better!

The items will be auctioned off to our group, and whoever else may join us from the local La Jolla community (a large ex-pat community that lives in that area). Many of the locals look forward each year to the Auction! In previous years we sold everything from Native American flutes to beautiful handmade quilts to some AMAZING handmade chocolates (thank you Ms. Perlita from the Zoo!), to some REALLY nice (and expensive) Tequila! People also love fresh home-baked goods. If you are a great cook, this is the time to shine.

Please help us to make the 2025 Auction the best ever! Bring quality items for the auction and an open wallet to help us help our wonderful Mexican hosts, friends, and those in need.

We will need a few Auctioneers and helpers during the Auction to hand out items, track sales, and collect payments. We will also ask volunteers to help sort, organize, and arrange our donations for the auction and prepare bags and boxes to deliver to the poor families in the area after the auction. Seeing how some of these families live when we deliver the items is a real eye-opener and will bring tears to your eyes. You don’t know what poor is until you see how some families live in Mexico. There is a place on the Registration  Form to participate in any of our heartwarming charity activities.  Nos vemos pronto!  (See you soon!)

FINAL MESSAGE:

All of us on the 2025 ¡Vamos a Baja! Rally! the team is looking forward to meeting you and sharing the beautiful people and the beautiful country of Baja, California, Mexico, with you! We’ve all made lifelong friends during our rallies, and we know you will too! Please don’t hesitate to contact the Rally Wagonmaster, Gary Hatt, at [email protected], or Phylana Ladd at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Nos vemos en febrero! (See you in February!)

Your Chapter Rally Officers