Alacazem 2011.02.03
February 3 to 10, 2011
Visible Planets: Morning: Mercury, Venus and Saturn Evening: Jupiter
Off Road Races and Chinese New Year of the Rabbit
Last week I watched a preliminary running of the Baja 1000 – a famous off road race that takes place each year in the rugged deserts of Baja California, Mexico. We had motorcycles, ATVs, trucks and dune buggies cruising past our casa at breakneck speeds in the attempt to garner points to qualify for the ultimate day of racing competition. Mexican families and curious gringos lined the bumpy, washboard dirt road, giving drivers thumbs-ups, sharing laughter and making big eyes when a vehicle slid sideways or caught big air. From the pila up on the hill, we could see a wide expanse of the course winding its way along the coast, over hills and down arroyos, dirt rising like plumes of smoke in the distance as the racers traveled closer. Standing on the road, dust flew and metal rattled, tires gripped and drivers bounced, waving to the crowd as they passed by. The day was hot and sunny, the entertainment superbly macho.