A lot of people ask me which trips I like the best and which trips will
be the most fun for a group of buddies.
I always have the same answer. I refer to the company tagline, "Lifetime
Memories." The trips that are most enjoyable are the ones that drop you
in a unique environment filled with interesting people, terrain and
adventures.
There are some vacations where you could be in California, Florida or
Michigan and never know the difference unless you venture out the city
limits. But when you are in places like Mexico, you know you are in
Mexico and everything you experience is unique and makes for great
conversation...and memories.
I try and make each trip unique, but this month's ATV trip is one that
needs little added help to make it distinctive. Enjoy.
All the best
_________________________
Down Mexico Way.
This trip starts in San Diego (I will resist the urge to tell you what
Will Farrell thinks that name means in the movie Anchorman). Everyone
flew in on a Friday afternoon, checked in the St. James in GasLamp and
did a little tour of Old Town.
Old Town is a small neighborhood near Downtown San Diego that is as
authentic Mexico as a US tourist trap can get. I thought I would get the
guys ready for the real thing with a transitional area where they could
practice 5th grade Spanish without the risk of insulting the locals and
ending up in an Mexican prison.
After dinner we hit GasLamp and took in the sights and the
sounds of the bars and clubs. It was an early night for me as I had to
make sure we made the shuttle to Mexico in the AM.
There was no checkpoints going down to Mexico, and I thought that was
strange until I realized...why would anyone need to sneak anything into
Mexico?
We hit the Baja beach and spent the next few hours learning the art
of high performance off-road ATV. I went off course for a bit and
found myself riding in the surf (see image on left). I also found a way
to flip the vehicle a couple times causing some serious bruising that
would not show up until the following week. Those guys on TV that launch
these things airborne and do some sort of Superman move...they make it
look easy...don't try it...it hurts.
After we became masters in our own minds, we hit the highway (very
scary) and went to an authentic Taco stand, a bit better than "Toxic
Hell" (Taco Bell to the layperson). Following lunch we hit the
mountains, where the trails were rocky and the views were incredible.
One of the guys said that he was out of control and close to death about
30% of the time...I figured that was about right. I tried to blaze
through a puddle and hydroplaned about 5 feet and promptly fell off and
was soaking wet (I was slowly losing respect as the "Adventure Guy" with
every minute).
We survived an incredible day and checked into the resort before
meeting up with our guide, Marcus, for lobsters on the beach at Villa
Ortega. The view was incredible and staying down here forever, leaving
all our corporate troubles behind, did not seem so bad. We asked Marcus
what he did when not riding. His response: "sleep"...and we all just
nodded. It was one of those moments where you wanted to ask him, how he
bought things and why he did not work more and he might answer with a
simple, "Why?" And you would realize Marcus was smarter than you
originally thought.
That night we were all pretty tired and just sat in the hot tub all
night drinking Mexican beer and reliving our day (no one drinks
Coronas).
Truly one of those unforgettable trips. One where you come home and
try and tell someone about it and you get frustrated because you just
can't convey the experience in words or pictures.
Darren Hitz
Hitz Adventures
p:248.910.8152
f :480.393.4077
darren@hitzadventures.com
www.hitzadventures.com
WHAT'S NEW
March of Dimes
I recently had the pleasure of attending a walk to raise money for
the March of Dimes. This organization raises both money and awareness
for Premature babies. I include this piece not only to promote a worthy
cause but to suggest a way to get out and enjoy nature.
There are tons of events like these in your area, and if you are
blessed enough to have a nice day for it, it is a great excuse to get
outdoors and break free from the daily grind.
Ok. I know it is Spain and not Mexico, but it
was as close as I could get to our theme this month.
Widely regarded as the world's first modern novel, Don Quixote
chronicles the famous picaresque adventures of the noble
knight-errant Don Quixote de la Mancha and his faithful squire,
Sancho Panza, as they wend their way across sixteenth-century Spain.
Don Quixote is a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La
Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with the chivalrous ideals touted
in books he has read, he decides to take up his lance and sword to
defend the helpless and destroy the wicked.
After a first failed adventure, he sets out on a second one with
a somewhat befuddled laborer named Sancho Panza, whom he has
persuaded to accompany him as his faithful squire. In return for
Sancho’s services, Don Quixote promises to make Sancho the wealthy
governor of an isle. On his horse, Rocinante, a barn nag well past
his prime, Don Quixote rides the roads of Spain in search of glory
and grand adventure. He gives up food, shelter, and comfort, all in
the name of a peasant woman, Dulcinea del Toboso, whom he envisions
as a princess.
In this American adaptation of Kurosawa's "The
Seven Samurai," a Mexican village is plagued by a ruthless bandit,
Calvera.
With no one else to turn they pool their money and hire a
gunslinger, Chris, and ask him to pick out others to help them. With
the West becoming civilized, gunfighters are a dying breed and Chris
finds six other men desperate enough to join him. They travel to the
village and must defeat Calvera once and for all.
This is one of the best time wasting sites ever. I
linked you to the section on Mexico so I could have an excuse to
include it in the newsletter.
If you download the software it
basically links you to cool sites across the Internet full of random
images, videos, facts and games.
Trust me, spend a few minutes and you will be hooked....I am not
getting paid for this promotion, but if you work for StumbleUpon, I
do accept donations.
