Just a few short weeks ago, we were invited to a part of the very first Legends Rally. We did not really know very much about the event but with Mad Media and UTV Underground involved we knew that no matter what, the event would be legit. I can assure you that it was legit and beyond!
Over the last several years of our team racing in the SCORE series in Baja we had heard about a place called Horsepower Ranch but had never had an opportunity to visit. Little did we know that we were overlooking one of the coolest places in Baja that we have ever seen.The Legends Event was hosted and presented by Horespower Ranch and Adventures on their pristine 100 acre property just a few miles outside of Ensenada.
But what is the Legends Rally? The idea was conceived by media visionary Matt Martelli who simply wanted to create a way for off road enthusiasts to experience a sample of Baja Mexico. But I can tell you that the real truth is that Matt’s vision evolved into far more than a sample but rather a full bodied experience!
Racing in Baja, our team covers a lot of ground in a short time but rarely do we have the opportunity to slow down and actually take in the sheer beauty and allure of Baja. This trip gave Brandon and I the chance to do just that while still getting a chance to expel a little high octane energy.
We arrived at HP Ranch on Friday afternoon and were greeted by their incredibly accommodating staff and after greeting a few familiar faces we were shown to our rooms. The rooms at the ranch are quite rustic and authentically Baja with its unique Saltillo and colorful painted tile work but mixed with nice modern appointments like full sized toilets and showers. With everything clean and in working order the rooms were just perfect.
We soon made our way to the HP Ranch bar area which is actually more of a museum of off road motorsports history. Endless pictures, posters and memorabilia tastefully cover the walls of this awesome bar. And once again the efficient staff catered to our every need (beer particularly). By late afternoon all of the events guests had arrived and were treated to a live mariachi band. By now the energy of anticipation was in the air. As the sun went down and the air began to turn crisp we were served a wonderful gourmet meal prepared by local expert chefs with fresh locally sourced meats and vegetables. This paired with some very nice local wines made for a great first evening.
We soon discovered that the demographics of the group was quite diverse. We had seasoned professional drivers like Lightning Larry Ragland and winning racer Chad Ragland and then we had some folks with virtually no off road experience what so ever. What a treat to begin your off roading experiences surrounded by a group like this! Hence the “Legends” moniker.
The group began to muster early Saturday morning met by a clear blue sky and perfect mid 60’s temps. After another great meal everyone was focused on strapping into their utv’s and heading out. We had agreed to help with guiding and sweeping duties so Brandon and I positioned our Polaris RZR’s toward the back of the group. Legends crew along with HP Ranch owner Todd Clement did a great job of staging the group and coordinating communications to insure a safe and organized ride. With some recent rain falling in the area the riding conditions were great with a bearable amount of dust. The “Ride” was nothing short of outstanding, the route left HP Ranch and wound into the foothills East of Ensenada then into the Ojos Negros valley. Next we headed into an unexpected pine forest where we were able to do some high speed rally road drifting. Most of the roads in the area are primarily used for ranching operations and we found them to be in surprisingly good condition. Baja offers some of the most diverse terrain in North America with Deserts, mountains Forests and canyons all together in a small area bordered on two sides by the ocean. It is one of the most unique places I have ever traveled. In the middle of the Pine forest we slowed the group and gathered in a beautiful meadow where they had prepared a great authentic Mexican carnitas lunch served banquet style on classy white stoneware with fine silver. Again we were treated like dignitaries. The remainder of the day was just as awesome, covering even more scenic plateaus and mountain ranges finally leading back down toward Ensenada and back to Horsepower. Throughout the day I kept thinking, “why haven’t we done this before”?
Another event that we were able to put together within the event was a poker run. The guests were able to gather sealed cards at random stop points during the day to try their luck in winning some very nice prizes. Thank you to the generous vendors who made this game possible.
Polaris RZR with a $500 Polaris accessory gift card
Vision X Lighting donated a set of their awesome 4.5” Cannon lights.
PCI provided a fully wired helmet
Kawasaki Motors with a really great “Kawasaki” EZ-UP shade canopy
Horsepower Ranch provided a two night stay at this awesome resort.
Even the lowest hand was rewarded with a $100 gift certificate for the Race-Dezert Store
Congratulations to the lucky winners! Hopefully we can include this game in future events.
As the entire group gathered for dinner on Saturday evening I couldn’t help thinking how lucky we all were to have had a chance to participate in this inaugural event. Baja is a very unique place with its stunning landscape, great weather, outstandingly eclectic food and drink and wonderfully historic culture. It’s really like no other place and Matt Martelli has invented a way to share it with others. I would highly encourage anyone who has ever wondered what Baja is like to Join the next “Legends Rally” You will not be disappointed.
Over the last several years of our team racing in the SCORE series in Baja we had heard about a place called Horsepower Ranch but had never had an opportunity to visit. Little did we know that we were overlooking one of the coolest places in Baja that we have ever seen.The Legends Event was hosted and presented by Horespower Ranch and Adventures on their pristine 100 acre property just a few miles outside of Ensenada.
But what is the Legends Rally? The idea was conceived by media visionary Matt Martelli who simply wanted to create a way for off road enthusiasts to experience a sample of Baja Mexico. But I can tell you that the real truth is that Matt’s vision evolved into far more than a sample but rather a full bodied experience!
Racing in Baja, our team covers a lot of ground in a short time but rarely do we have the opportunity to slow down and actually take in the sheer beauty and allure of Baja. This trip gave Brandon and I the chance to do just that while still getting a chance to expel a little high octane energy.
We arrived at HP Ranch on Friday afternoon and were greeted by their incredibly accommodating staff and after greeting a few familiar faces we were shown to our rooms. The rooms at the ranch are quite rustic and authentically Baja with its unique Saltillo and colorful painted tile work but mixed with nice modern appointments like full sized toilets and showers. With everything clean and in working order the rooms were just perfect.
We soon made our way to the HP Ranch bar area which is actually more of a museum of off road motorsports history. Endless pictures, posters and memorabilia tastefully cover the walls of this awesome bar. And once again the efficient staff catered to our every need (beer particularly). By late afternoon all of the events guests had arrived and were treated to a live mariachi band. By now the energy of anticipation was in the air. As the sun went down and the air began to turn crisp we were served a wonderful gourmet meal prepared by local expert chefs with fresh locally sourced meats and vegetables. This paired with some very nice local wines made for a great first evening.
We soon discovered that the demographics of the group was quite diverse. We had seasoned professional drivers like Lightning Larry Ragland and winning racer Chad Ragland and then we had some folks with virtually no off road experience what so ever. What a treat to begin your off roading experiences surrounded by a group like this! Hence the “Legends” moniker.
The group began to muster early Saturday morning met by a clear blue sky and perfect mid 60’s temps. After another great meal everyone was focused on strapping into their utv’s and heading out. We had agreed to help with guiding and sweeping duties so Brandon and I positioned our Polaris RZR’s toward the back of the group. Legends crew along with HP Ranch owner Todd Clement did a great job of staging the group and coordinating communications to insure a safe and organized ride. With some recent rain falling in the area the riding conditions were great with a bearable amount of dust. The “Ride” was nothing short of outstanding, the route left HP Ranch and wound into the foothills East of Ensenada then into the Ojos Negros valley. Next we headed into an unexpected pine forest where we were able to do some high speed rally road drifting. Most of the roads in the area are primarily used for ranching operations and we found them to be in surprisingly good condition. Baja offers some of the most diverse terrain in North America with Deserts, mountains Forests and canyons all together in a small area bordered on two sides by the ocean. It is one of the most unique places I have ever traveled. In the middle of the Pine forest we slowed the group and gathered in a beautiful meadow where they had prepared a great authentic Mexican carnitas lunch served banquet style on classy white stoneware with fine silver. Again we were treated like dignitaries. The remainder of the day was just as awesome, covering even more scenic plateaus and mountain ranges finally leading back down toward Ensenada and back to Horsepower. Throughout the day I kept thinking, “why haven’t we done this before”?
Another event that we were able to put together within the event was a poker run. The guests were able to gather sealed cards at random stop points during the day to try their luck in winning some very nice prizes. Thank you to the generous vendors who made this game possible.
Polaris RZR with a $500 Polaris accessory gift card
Vision X Lighting donated a set of their awesome 4.5” Cannon lights.
PCI provided a fully wired helmet
Kawasaki Motors with a really great “Kawasaki” EZ-UP shade canopy
Horsepower Ranch provided a two night stay at this awesome resort.
Even the lowest hand was rewarded with a $100 gift certificate for the Race-Dezert Store
Congratulations to the lucky winners! Hopefully we can include this game in future events.
As the entire group gathered for dinner on Saturday evening I couldn’t help thinking how lucky we all were to have had a chance to participate in this inaugural event. Baja is a very unique place with its stunning landscape, great weather, outstandingly eclectic food and drink and wonderfully historic culture. It’s really like no other place and Matt Martelli has invented a way to share it with others. I would highly encourage anyone who has ever wondered what Baja is like to Join the next “Legends Rally” You will not be disappointed.
