Baja 1000 Course Notes Flag a Silt Party After Checkpoint 4

Around race mile 763, the notes for the 59th Baja 1000 stop being polite. Two entries marked BIG JUMP sit 0.34 miles apart, danger flags 27 and 28 of the 38 numbered on the Cabo loop.

Then the road gives way to silt, at mile 767 and again at mile 768. A third BIG JUMP, flag 29, waits at mile 773. From there it is about 15 miles to Checkpoint 4 at Santa Fe, race mile 788.59.

Two miles later the notes say it in capital letters: SILT PARTY. A concrete canal at the left of the road follows within a tenth of a mile, flag 30.

Every one of the 38 flags marks a spot where a truck, a UTV or a bike is about to need a plan. Rain ruts show up 18 times in the notes. Narrow bridges squeeze the loop at miles 248, 261 and 262, three in under 15 miles. The notes also list 55 speed zones, 49 at 37 mph and 6 at 60.

Pre-running opened Oct. 24 at 8am, and SCORE covers pre-runners with insurance only if the team is registered and fully paid. Online registration closes tomorrow, Wed., Oct. 28, at 9pm PT. The race leaves San José del Cabo on Friday, Nov. 13, bikes at 1am and the four wheel classes at 9am, and every class gets 40 hours.

Mile 790.51 is not on the highlight reel yet. It will be.