Baja Explorer

LA PAZ, Mexico
Hurricane Norbert regained power as a Category 2 storm in the Pacific today, churning toward Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and forcing hundreds of people to flee to shelters. Norbert was packing maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour and was due to make landfall near the city of La Paz tomorrow, missing a direct hit on the beach resort of Los Cabos, a popular destination for U.S. tourists, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Rescue authorities began evacuating people from low-lying areas on the western side of the peninsula, which is not home to oil installations, as the first rains lashed the coast. “This is now upon us, we expect the worst on Saturday morning,” said Jose Gajon, head of the Baja California Sur civil protection agency.

Fisherman in La Paz hauled their boats out of the water and tourists checked out of seafront hotels to head further north, while businesses and offices taped and boarded up windows. One of the main grocery chains in the peninsula began handing out fliers for customers telling people to stock up on water, tuna, bread and canned chilies. “I’m doing a lot of praying,” said Gibson Lewis, a tourist from Olympia, Washington as he tied up his boat at the marina. Others appeared relaxed. “The tourists are going to be hiding in their hotels, but the locals know. We have a culture here about hurricanes; we’re used to it,” said Ricky Lieras, a La Paz resident. At Los Cabos the beaches were deserted and honeymooners stayed indoors.

After crossing the peninsula, Norbert could pummel into the agricultural states of Sonora and Sinaloa early Sunday with heavy rains, but was not expected to cause any damage to mining interests in northern Mexico. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Odile, south of Norbert in the Pacific, strengthened today, threatening to dump rain on parts of Guatemala and southern Mexico, putting the region at risk of flash floods and mudslides. Odile’s winds reached nearly 60 miles per hour and it is forecast to become a hurricane soon.

Make sure you check the now extended free service from Baja Weather with THE LATEST weather forecast and hurricane information.

There has been a change on dates for the Coyote 300 desert race in La Paz. The event will be at the weekend 21st. June 2008. All other information in the post before.

Sun kissed many Americans are heading for Loreto Bay, a resort community that’s planning a total of 6,000 residences in the desert of Baja California. The 8,000 acres of the Loreto Bay Resort on Baja California snuggle on flat, hard desert between the charismatically craggy Giganta range and the spookily glassy Sea of Cortez. The most basic elements of nature — sun and water, rock and sand, the vertical and the horizontal — collide with that particular grace that only nature can produce. From a footbridge that gently arcs over a deep green estuary leading from the bay into the development, there’s a good view of the resort taking shape on this once-isolated spot: a 150-room hotel with a beachside cafe and gardens; 240 two-story adobe houses with cupolas; some homes painted bright blue or yellow, others muted pink and beige or green; another 300 houses and condos in varying stages of construction. Read more here…

A great weekend of race action is history - but we got some to look forward to: The Coyote 300 desert race with the finishline at the beautiful Tecolote Beach just outside of La Paz City! La Paz will host the XIV (14th.) edition of the annual Coyote 300, which happens to be one of La Paz’s favorite races. The race weekend will start with the revision, vehicle inspection, at the Malecon like last weekend.The race start is at El Centenario going via El Carambullo and Los Filos to check one at Los Inocentes, check 2 is near Todos Santos where the race course turns left direction Gulf of California. El Pintado, San Antonio and Los Planes are the next check points. From there it winds up direction finishline passing La Uva, Presa B Mujer and the last check before the checkered flag, El Coyote. Finish line is El Tecolote Beach. If you down in this are dont miss out on a great race weekend with lot’s of fun. Baja California Sur does not get any better…. For more BCS race footage and desert racing information visit Puro Offroad. Back online after some technical problems with plenty of Baja 1000 images, videos and maps.

Mexican rock singer and actress who became a superstar in the 1980s due to her wild personality and hard rock. Similar to Janis Joplin in her recording style, and with a personality like that of Madonna’s, Trevi filmed several Mexican films that sealed her fame. Gloria Trevi performing at the Carnival of La Paz. Read more about the whole Trevi story and the show here…