Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride To Top 20 Million Mile Mark This Saturday

Now in its 30^th year the Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride will surpass 20 million total miles covered with its Sept. 26 event.

About 5,000 riders are expected for the festive scenic ride, much of it along a coastal route, from Rosarito to Ensenada, said ride organizer Gary Foster.

During the past 30 years since 1979 the iconic twice-yearly event has been held 52 times and almost 400,000 riders have participated, Foster said.

5,000 Cyclists Expected This Weekend For Rosarito-Ensenada Fun Bike Ride

Cyclists from Around the World Roll Into Baja for the September 25 Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride.

The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars.  Parents tow children in bike trailers. And racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007.

Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bike Ride Starts 31st Year With Race This Saturday

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---The Rosarito-Enesenada 50-Mile Fun Bike Ride will begin its 31^st year this Saturday with the first of two yearly events.

"Five-thousand cyclists are expected to ride on April 17,” said San Diego event promoter Gary Foster. “The event had 4,000 last September and only 3,000 one year ago in April, so Baja tourism is definitely increasing."

Participants came from throughout the world but mainly the United States and Mexico. Following a course along the coast and through rural countryside, the ride is geared both for serious competitors and those who take a more relaxed approach.

“This is one of the signature events for our region and attracts a great group of people,” said Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres. “We’re pleased to have the event, the riders, their friends and family visit us twice each year.”

Further information, entry fees and registration is available at www.rosaritoensenada.com. Participants also can register the day of the event.

Sometimes called a “party on wheels,” the Rosarito-Ensenada  50-Mile Fun Bike Ride has attracted hundreds of thousand of participants since its start in 1979. The next ride will be this September.

The ride always begins near the front entrance of the Rosarito Beach Hotel and concludes with a Finish Line Fiesta, which this year will be at the Corona Hotel in Ensenada. It will feature food, drinks and music.

 "Lots of people are taking the round-trip bus ride from San Diego that's available from the event organizers for $89,” Foster said, “That's a great option for people who don't want to drive.”

Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride Draws 5,000 In A Full Weekend Of Tourism Activities

The Rosarito-Ensenada 50 Mile Fun Bike Ride had 5,000 participants --- an increase of more than 40 percent from the April edition --- as the event in its 30th year passed the 20 million mile mark.

The Saturday ride along a scenic route from the seaside resort area to the port city of Ensenada was one of several high-profile weekend events for Rosarito, including the first in a planned annual sand sculpture contest and the annual steak and lobster festival.

Bike ride organizer Gary Foster attributed the ride’s increased attendance to the growing awareness that Mexico’s highly publicized crackdown on organized crime did not affect visitors or daily activities.

“The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family,"

Foster said.

Foster also thanked the Baja Secretary of Tourism and the city of Rosarito for their support.

Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres was the official starter as a sea of cyclists filled Boulevard Benito Juarez from the starting line near the Rosarito Beach Hotel and stretched blocks to the north.

“I want to thank you all for coming to Rosarito and for trusting us,” Torres told assembled cyclists.and their many supporters “Enjoy the ride and come back every year --- or more than twice a year.”

Cyclists came from throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. Abut 400,000 riders have participated in the event which began in 1979.

This year’s riders included men and women of a wide variety of ages. The youngest rider in the iconic and festive event was 7.

Following the successful bike ride, Rosarito on Sunday hosted Baja Sand 2009. The event sponsored by the State Secretary of Tourism and the city is the first in what is hoped will become an annual event for Rosarito.

As well as a competition between more than 20 amateur teams, Baja Sand 2009 also featured an exhibition by Archisand.

Archisand, a team of architects and craftsmen, was founded by in 1989 by Greg LeBon. It has won the 10-man division of the U.S. Open at Imperial Beach six of the past nine years. More than 300,000 people attend that annual competition.

“This is a great venue,” LeBon said Sunday. “We’ve been tremendously impressed by the hospitality of the people and the cleanliness of this beautiful stretch of beach.”

Raul Aragon, Rosarito’s state tourism delegate, said the number of participants exceeded expectations. The first full-scale sand sculpting competition is scheduled for May 2 of 2010, he said.

While the sand sculpture competition was taking place, people walked the nearby grounds of the Rosarito Beach Hotel and sampled food from Rosarito restaurants during the city’s annual steak and lobster festival.

Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride To Top 20 Million Mile Mark This Sept. 26

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---Now in its 30th year the Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride will surpass 20 million total miles covered with its Sept. 26 event.

About 5,000 riders are expected for the festive scenic ride, much of it along a coastal route from Rosarito to Ensenada, said ride organizer Gary Foster.

During the past 30 years since 1979, the iconic twice-yearly event has been held 52 times and almost 400,000 riders have participated, Foster said.

“This great anniversary edition of the ride will be as festive as years past, both for our many riders and the thousands of people who come to view the event and cheer on the participants,”

Foster said.

Added Rosarito Beach Mayor Hugo Torres, whose city hosts the event:

“The ride is one of the signature events for Rosarito and this region of Baja. It attracts excellent people and creates a great atmosphere. We’re greatly looking forward to it.”

Participants can register online for $45 through www.BetterSignUp.com, or they can register on the day of the event for $50 at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. More information is available at www.RosaritoEnsenada.com as well as www.rosarito.org

The Rosarito-Ensenada ride has been called the Original Party on Wheels. Revelers in costume roll along, tossing candy to children along the course. Beach cruisers strap boom boxes to their handlebars. Parents tow children.

Racing teams form pace lines, trying to beat the official record of 1:52:54 set in April of 2007. Other participants just ride for the enjoyment and atmosphere.

Transportation packages from the United States are available, Foster said. Tour companies transport riders’ bicycles at no extra charge, and because the buses return to the United State through the rapid SENTRI lane, cyclists avoid a wait at the border.

Many hotels offer special rates and are participating in the Border Fast Pass program which can cut border waits by half, especially on the weekends, Foster said.

The Finish Line Fiesta is free for participants and spectators, overlooking the Ensenada harbor with panoramic views of the cruise ships at sunset. Live rock-n-roll, jazz and salsa plays into the night while local chefs serve their best.

Massage therapists are available to work out every knot, and there will be a lot
of celebrating with ice cold beer and award-winning wines from Baja’s wine country, Foster said.

Shuttles are available on the event course from the finish line to the start line before and after the event. So if participants stay in Rosarito Beach, they can take the shuttle back to Rosarito after the event.

“The corridor from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada is safe for tourists, and Baja remains a beautiful and affordable destination for travel with friends and family," Foster added.

Foster said that this recent e-mail from a frequent ride participant summed up the spirit of the event:

“Thanks for another great experience! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve done this ride since the early 1990’s. All I know is they keep getting better!”