Helicopter/Raptor/Jeep'n Baja for Cameron Steele's 'Desert Assassins' TV Special

PART 1 'TRAIL OF THE MISSIONS 2014':

On Monday night, 10 pm I get a text message from Cameron Steele asking if I would like to ride a helicopter to Baja and back to spend Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with about 50 off road racing greats and their families so I can talk a little about the missions during this televised tour Cameron created and sold the idea to CBS Sports. Oh, and everything is covered, just bring a backpack lightly loaded!

Well, the first thing was to get Baja Angel's (my wife) okay and then send emails to my customers I had lined up for this week... everything worked out. Baja Angel (Elizabeth) is the most awesome wife (and camper)... many of you have met her and know this already. I am so lucky to have her in my life the past nearly 10 years!

Cameron found out about me from Kevin Ward ('Slider'), who was a producer for Dust to Glory and a Baja racer. Cameron asked Kevin if he knew anyone who knew about the missions... Cameron promotes Baja off road racing and motorcycle riding with his 'Rip to Cabo' annual event and CBS Sports coverage of races, when he isn't in his Trophy Truck. His wife Heidi is also a Trophy Truck racer (she has her own truck). Cameron wanted to promote Baja as more than a race destination, so this was his idea to include wives and children and learn more about Baja history on a summer vacation trip.

Cameron bought 20 copies of our mission book so that one would be in each truck on the run... I guess it was cool to get one of the authors to also be there?!

I actually met Cameron at the Off Road Expo about 10 years ago, but we met again at his shop in San Juan Capistrano about a month ago... following his attempt to drive his Raptor to Mission Santa Maria (he texted me from Baja Cactus Motel in El Rosario for data). Some casual talk about the tour came up, and I actually thought maybe it would happen next year.

As I type this, the day after I flew over 200 miles in a helicopter from Mission San Fernando back to El Cajon, following 3 days of riding with Baja 1000 racers in their Ford Raptors and in a new Jeep JK from San Vicente to near San Fernando via Punta San Carlos, I am still 'abuzz' with what I just experienced.

The biggest thrill was being so welcomed and receiving such hospitality from everyone on the tour. I did so little as time was cut short because of how rough the terrain was and how much time it takes to keep 15 trucks and nearly 50 people moving along and getting camera shots and interviews... plus a couple of mechanical issues.

They are going all the way to Cabo on a 6 day tour and I never heard how it was going to happen. I just saw the itinerary notes for the three days I was with them. Perhaps the details are on the Desert Assassins Facebook page? I have been too busy chilling, working, and spending time with Baja Angel since last night when I got home, to do more than what I have posted here.

I think I will just post photos without a lot of captioning... but please feel free to ask about anything you see or what I may know about the trip. I will leave most names unmentioned, as I don't have permission except from Cameron to share what I experienced, and I really don't want to get anyone's name wrong... as everything happened pretty fast. I will say several people who race and have won races were there as well as off road specialty people, Monster Energy, Fox Shocks, etc. There were at least three cameramen (all young guys), and maybe more as part of the production team creating the action shots for the TV show. Actually I will be surprised if I make any of the cuts, as talking about the missions is hardly 'sports' related, right?

This group of photos was taken Tuesday afternoon, June 24:



The Raven 4 seat copter at El Cajon when I arrived 12:30pm Tuesday. Pilot is Jim McCoy of 'Adventure Helicopter'. He does Cameron's specials, SCORE TV, and off road race team flying.



Take Off Time!



Border



Crossing Border (We fly direct from El Cajon to Ensenada and enter Mexico there, and yes, buy FMMs)





Corredor 2000



Puerto Nuevo (I actually smelled lobster cooking)!



Cantamar sand dunes



El Descanso mission (1830) down there.



Cemetery overlooking Descanso valley and was probably the first Descanso mission site (1810).



La Misión and site of Mission San Miguel (1787).



New Natural Gas facility near Baja Mar.



Salsipuedes



Damaged highway







New Libramente de Ensenada



Ensenada Harbor







Airport ahead



Santo Tomas (and 3rd mission site from 1799 by town). 1st site 3 miles west founded in 1791.



New highway bridge (u.c.)



Approaching San Vicente







Misson San Vicente (1780)



Santa Marta Orphanage and where we meet up with Desert Assassins who brought gifts and funds for the children.







Cameron Steele









Okay, that's the end of my first installment on this epic adventure (for me)... In the next part, I get in Cameron's Raptor in the co-driver seat for the run to Colonet and out to the coast, then south!

STAY TUNED AMIGOS!!

 

You are a lucky son of gun!

 

I sure was this week!

To see a preview of this report check the San Diego BS Thread in the Southern California forum...

 

Dooooood! Dream come true! Congrats, and how cool to have your work recognized by someone as legendary and influential is Cameron Steele.

 

Awesome David! Must have been fun to fly in the helicopter and make the trip down the coast. To see places you have been 100's of times before from a new perspective is very cool!

 

Indeed it was! I will get to work on the next part now... It is also being posted on Baja Nomad forums, so if there are terms or places TW members don't understand, please ask.

 

From the Santa Marta Orphanage (where Cameron's food crew set up lunch service), I ride with Cameron south and the film crew get into the helicopter. One man holds the camera, which is mounted on a stability frame, and an other controls where it points exactly with a remote control that looks like the same as used for RC model cars and planes. The third cameraman rides with us for ground shots.

We head south on Hwy. 1 to Colonet, and on the south side of town we take the graded road to the coast along Arroyo San Rafael.



Punta/ Cabo Colonet (originally Colnett)






We drop off the camerman (see him?) and go back to have him film us and then the other 15 trucks on the run.



Hard for me to get a clear shot while moving, but we are driving on a gravel berm next to the waves. Cameron is the lead truck and warns everyone by radio to keep RPMs low, otherwise you will just dig in to the cobble.





Cabo Colonet from there.



Here comes the copter...













Cameron's wife Heidi gets into our truck and I get in the back seat next to the cameraman for the next section. Here is the helicopter flying by from where I am...







Next stop, 'Shipwrecks' by Punta San Jacinto, northwest of Camalu...









Cameron's Raptor









In the next part, we arrive at Mission Santo Domingo, and I go to 'work'!

 

We left Shipwrecks and Cuatro Casas and returned to Hwy. 1 for a dozen miles to the well signed road east 5 miles to the second Dominican founded California mission, Santo Domingo (August 30, 1775) and the second site where extensive ruins have been preserved from the construction dating back to 1798.

The helicopter landed high up on the hill over-looking the mission. Here is where I gave my first 'lecture' on a mission and some mission and El Camino Real details. I hope I didn't flub up too badly... I have not been on TV talking about the missions before... Maybe I won't even make the final cut?

The members of the tour told me after I did fine and they learned a lot from my short talk. Cool!

The sun was behind the big hill west of the mission, so we didn't have great illumination for pictures.











Note helicopter location.





Same wall in 1949:















Desert Assassins photo of me at mission.

Leaving Santo Domingo and going back to Hwy. 1 on this new 'high road' with concrete...



Back at Hwy. 1, and a a turn left (south) crossing the Santo Domingo bridge and entering Colonia Vicente Guerrero.



We make a stop at a BFG dealer in San Quintin to replace a rock destroyed All Terrain TA that happened near Laguna Hanson (I think), before I joined the group.

Next stop is the Hotel Mision Santa Maria, formerly Desert Inn, formerly La Pinta, formerly El Presidente San Quintin.

Stay Tuned!

 

Once a new BFG All Terrain TA was obtained in San Quintin, we headed on to the hotel... There was some road widening work going on just south of Km. 0 by the Baja Jardines road... This was where the newest section of Hwy. 1 was built in 1973 and at only 19 feet wide.

We stay south on the older route, where the newer one headed for the hillside (to avoid an area of repeated washouts)... When we arrive at the ruins of the first Parador along the Transpeninsular Highway, we turn west...







A Parador was a rest stop with Pemex station, cafeteria, restrooms, showers, gas station, trailer park and all but one had a hotel. This was done because there was no facilities for highway tourists in central Baja when the new highway was opened.

Paradors were located at San Quintin, Cataviña, L.A. Bay junction (north of Punta Prieta), Parallelo 28º (near Guerrero Negro), and San Quintin. The Parador Punta Prieta was the only one without a hotel.

Our hotel was one of the original El Presidente hotels attached with the Parador, completed in 1974.



Helicopter at hotel, sundown Tuesday June 24.

We enjoy dinner, check Internet (I post a note on Baja Nomad), and Cameron has all 50 of us each introduce ourselves after dinner.

The next morning, we have a short meeting before we leave. I ride in Racer Ron's Raptor and we are in for lot's of fun...



















The tide is just low enough to do a beach run for a few miles. This beach is popular with clam diggers and is flat and easy for any vehicles. I have seen a school bus on it even.

























Stay tuned for the next part, with fun on a giant sand dune!

 

We go to a big sand dune south of where Highway one leaves the coast to go to El Rosario.

Next we take back roads and arrive at La Lobera.

Next we go to El Rosario and fuel up at Baja Cactus. I ask for Antonio, and go to the motel where the desk clerk calls Antonio. She tells me he will be there in 5 minutes... so I tell Cameron that Antonio is coming, as the 15 trucks finish filling their tanks.

The El Rosario de Abajo mission site is the next stop and I give a talk on the mission and El Camino Real...

We leave and drive the miles to the end of Punta Baja, where the catering crew has a most awesome lunch ready for us... a dynamite spinach salad with caramelized walnuts and poppy seed salad dressing, steak and chicken fajitas, cookies, and an ocean view!













A game they play is Cameron picks some words and if anyone is caught saying them, they must do 10 push ups. One of the words was TEN (so to avoid that, you said "nine plus one").











Cameron was in control!





A family tour, and far different than his Rip to Cabo events.





Family of 'rock farmers' must have really been surprised by our brief invasion.



La Lobera never disappoints!













Pangas turned into ponds













Cameron and Antonio 'BajaCactus'







At the second El Rosario mission (1802)







Punta Baja village















Cameron and daughter



What a great day so far... and it is only half over!

Stay Tuned for more as we head along the coast to Punta San Carlos...

 

After lunch and photos, the caravan and helicopter headed south to Punta San Antonio and ending the day at the Solosports Resort at Punta San Carlos...

But not without one incident, that would be a major problem for anyone without a team of off road racers, a helicopter, and a trailer of parts at Baja Cactus!







Seems the Raptor (stock) has the same spindles as any other Ford truck... but there are after-market gusseted spindles to prevent this... and the driver is actually one who makes them (I think I heard)! The truck was so new, he hadn't changed them yet but he had replacements in his trailer which was 12 air miles north... no problem! The caravan continued and the truck was repaired in short time and arrived not more than a hour after we all did at Solosports...









The coastal road to Punta San Antonio is pretty fast!



It is washboard, so Cameron lets more air out of his tires to smooth the ride for his baby inside.





New harbor at Punta San Antonio.



SOLOSPORTS, Punta San Carlos...



















Runway ends at the resort.





Helicopters don't need no stinkin' runway!



We each had a pup tent and it came with a pad and sleeping bag + pillow. These were in a wind sheltered area...

The players...

































End of Day 2 (Wednesday June 25).

Stay tuned for day 3!...

 

Awesome sub'd

 

Nice write up David!!!

 

Thursday, June 26, 2014

I emerged from my Solosports provided tent and wondered what would be in store for this group today!

The plan was to see Junipero Serra's first California mission at the Cochimí Indian site called Velicatá. I would give a lecture on the history, and then fly home with the copter. The caravan was to go to Santa Ynez for lunch, then to Coco's Corner and down Calamajué Canyon (via the mission site) and end the day at Bahia de los Angeles.

Casey's finger injury was serious, and he was going to fly back with me to have the hospital look at what could be done to save it. The day before, he went surfing and the leash cut the end of his finger when a wave took the board.

Everything takes longer with a group of this many vehicles and people, and the fine tuned itinerary/ TV script just required more time. The Coco's Corner/ Calamajué part was dropped and so was my talk at Mission San Fernando. One must be flexible in Baja!

From Punta San Carlos, we drove north, than east and up onto the big mesa for a super photo op. Cameron did a commercial for FOX Shocks (Shox) while we were up there.
On the long road from there to Mission San Fernando, the Raptor I was in got a sidewall gash from a rock in the road (BFG All Terrain TA). To make sure I could get to the mission for the talk, I was transferred to Casey's 2014 4-door Jeep JK he had just picked up from being modified with his suspension and drive train... Including manual locking front hubs!

Casey was driving with one hand, as his finger was well bandaged up.

After many miles on this long, slow road, Cameron instructed Casey and I to get into the copter and let his associate continue to drive the Jeep.

The copter took us over the mission and then landed in a clearing between the mission and El Progreso (Hwy. 1). The support truck for the copter was there to fill it up (top it off). Cameron had the caravan go out to the highway and wait for him, so they didn't get to see the mission or the nearby petroglyphs as planned.

We took off and headed straight for San Quintin and then north to Ensenada airport and on to Brown Field, then El Cajon.

Flying low over the boojum and cardon covered hills was amazing and seeing pools of water down in some canyons was beautiful.

I took a ton of photos, and will try and pick the more interesting ones to share here. Do come back and see as I will be adding a few at a time.

















Casey bragging about finger being just a 'flesh wound'! Then he goes and shows it doesn't take two hands to pilot a Jeep...

















Climbing up to the Mesa San Carlos.





The Edge...































In the next installment, I switch rides to Casey's Jeep before we both get into the helicopter.

STAY TUNED!

 

Day 1: Helicopter to San Vicente (Santa Marta Orphanage). Camaron's Raptor to Hotel Mision Santa Maria, San Quintin. Off highway at Colonet to near Camalu via Punta San Jacinto. Off highway to Mission Santo Domingo, near Colonia Vicente Guerrero.

Day 2: Ron's Raptor, San Quintin to Punta San Carlos. Off highway from hotel to Ejido Nueva Odisea via beach. Off highway from El Consuelo to La Lobera and out to highway. Off highway from El Rosario to Punta Baja to Punta San Antonio to Punta San Carlos.

Day 3: Ron's Raptor, Punta San Carlos to Mesa San Carlos to near Mission San Fernando. In Casey's Jeep last few miles before getting in helicopter. Touch down near mission to refuel copter and say good bye to Cameron and crew at refuel spot. Helicopter back to USA via Ensenada airport.

 

Casey drives well with one hand!











This is one long long road!



Jeep grab bar "Since 1941"... for Ken Cooke!









Jim McCoy brings the helicopter in to pick us up, as the time is running out for a mission lecture.



Casey gets in front and I sit behind Jim... the view is just as good from the back seat!













These are the cliffs where the petroglyphs are, just west of the mission.



Mission site is the clearing on the left... we are facing east, towards Hwy. 1.











Nearly all gone!



View towards the petroglyph cliff, on the far left as we are over the mission.



Time to refuel, and say goodbye to Cameron and Heidi.







Off to Ensenada...

More to come!

 

Cerro Matomí:











Nearing the coast by El Socorro:







El Socorro and its airstrip:







Los Pinos Tomatoes











Bahia San Quintin







San Quintin Pemex

More to come, stay tuned!

 

Canyon where Mission Santo Domingo is.



Punta Camalu





Rock Farmers





Highway to Meling Ranch and San Pedro Martir Observatory.



Pemex near the Observatory road (San Telmo de Abajo)



New Colonet motel





Colonet south side



Colonet north side, bridge over Arroyo San Rafael.



Ejido Erendira



Punta Cabras





San Juan de las Pulgas Cult (?) facility



Santo Tomas valley







Turning for Ensenada...



More to come... :bounce:

 

Wild horses?





That's Punta Banda on the far left.



San Carlos Hot Springs Canyon







Isla Todos Santos



Ensenada (El Cipres) Airport



Estero Beach

















El Sauzal



Toll Road Repair











Tuna pens





Natural Gas Facility







Baja Mar





La Salina (sand seems to have blocked boat passage?)



We weren't the only ones flying!









Beach camp



La Mision valley



La Fonda?





Only one camper?!







El Descanso mission next to that church.





Cantamar



See helicopter pad behind private bullfighting/ rodeo arena?









We found Jesus...











We leave the coast and follow near the Corredor 2000





Our shadow









Tijuana Olympic Training Facility, next to airport











Brown Field where we land to return to the USA.





El Cajon





YES, it was fun!!!

These were only some of the over 600 photos I took... If anyone would like to see them all, u2u me for a link to the albums (2) for the trip photos.