Rosarito-Ensenada bike race Saturday: fewer folks but festive

The start of Saturday's Rosarito to Ensenada Fun Bike Ride will not look anything like the 1998 scene pictured above (it's one of only a few race photos in our database.)

Because of a poor economy and safety concerns stemming from Mexico's drug war, crowds are expected to be down substantially, but the mood among competitors should be just as festive and the Tecate girls at the finish line just as beautiful.

"Sadly, we are anticipating only about 3,500 riders, and we attribute it mostly to bad press in the United States," said Gary Foster, race director. "For our business, 7,500 is average, and break even is 5,000."

Foster's frustration is understandable. As mentioned before on Outposts, some media outlets have unfairly implied that all of Mexico is unsafe, even though victims of the drug war have been almost exclusively people involved in the drug trade or authorities waging the  war against them.

"We in the U.S. are fueling the drug demand and supplying the weapons, yet we are quick to assign blame on Mexico and paint a distorted portrait for the sake of sensational ratings," Foster continued. "The media campaign against Mexico is doing nothing to hurt the bad guys. It's hurting no one but the average citizen: the taxi driver, the hotel housekeeper, the cook, the souvenir shop owner. Tourists are not the target, nor are they in danger."

Registration will be open from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Rosarito Beach Hotel. For details, click here.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[George A]

The worse thing that happened to us at the Rosaritio Ensenada Bike Ride was the massive hang over I had the day of the ride. Which honestly, has happened for the last 5 years my friends and I have participated. But, the beautiful scenary, the wonderful people along the route and the wondeful weather got me through it in less than 4 hours. We spent most of our time at Los Arcos (best TACOS and Dos Equis EVER) Restaurant eating, drinking and shooting the mouth with two others that have done the ride forever. It was a wonderful time. We will be there in Septemeber and this time we're bringing our families.. About safety??? About the same time I was riding through Ensenada my Fiance was getting run over by a car driven by an older lady in a MALL PARKING LOT. She suffered minor injuries (LUCKILY). Oh, by the way, it happened in the good 'ole USA.. I obviously was safer in a DRUG WAR ZONE than what my wife was in "CIVILIZED" area of souther california. Please, come see for yourself. VIVA THE BIKE RIDE and VIVA MEXICO

[Steve Cabriales]

This was my 5th time in 3 yrs of going to the ride...I felt perfectly safe in Rosarito for the 3 days I was there.... the ride was Great !!! as usual and the fiesta at the end was very enjoyable....took the tour of the fox studios on friday and also went to puerto nuevo for some lobster ...never felt unsafe ....the only violence I heard about was on the television...2 people were killed....in san diego......I recomend that any and all go to see for themselves....I will be there again in Sept.....

[jhon gilian]

I take the challlenge and go to Rosarito for the Bike race. Man the ride i so beatifull and fun. then i go to ensenada, nice party, nice people, a perfect day sunny. Right now i'm i san diego happy for my idea to take the bike race. in my opinion all the bad information is on the media. take a time to see mexico is really fun. we also have drug war in us, and we never see, cause the media never shows. i go for the race in september whit all my family!! yeah!

[J. Alvarado]

I'm happy to inform you all that I did the bike ride yesterday and I lived to tell everyone. All kidding aside, I've been going to this ride for the last six year and it's been great fun each time. The towns and the people are still great to visit. It is a shame that the Media is given this region a bad reputation. In fact, with all the extra police patrol it is probably even safer than before, as long as you are not dealing drugs. The bike ride is a great tradition and it will be a shame if it goes away due to the Media tunnel-vision information given to the public. FYI, the next ride is in September and I'm planning to be there.

[MLK]

The US media has been quick to push for sensationalized ratings. Replaying the Car Jacking story over and over again without giving it the perspective timeline. CNN and FOX were equally irresponsible. Trying to scare people, Nothing more..
yes there are occasional problems in Rosarito, as there are everywhere.. We are not special. Nor is Long Beach Memorial Hospital where 3 people were killed yesterday.. Get over it.. Unfortunately our gun toting society is out of control. Life goes on.

Rosarito is a great place to visit and live. Like it or not. I have lived in Rosarito for 20 years and LOVE it. Surfing, Dirt bikes. My kids are growing up in a culture that doesnt push children to act older than they are. Family matters..

[Bajasteve]

Yesterday, People were Robbed, Burglarized and Scammed many times over in California. Yet, it's not news worthy to Southern Californians. There is a drug war going on down here, Yes. If you are in the Drug trade or are trying to open a club, restaurant or other cash type business here in the middle of the drug war on the Cartels turf, I would advise you to watch out as these are 99% of the victims of the kidnapping. I am a successful businessman that has a home in Rosarito and spends much time there. I feel safe and have never felt the least bit unsafe throughout these whole bad guys killing each other thing that has been going on for the last year. I say you can live your life in FEAR or you can live your LIFE. I would encourage all to come down to Rosarito. The weather is great today, the restaurants and bars are all waiting to give you the service and experience that you expect and deserve. With the tough economy you will find that Rosarito/Ensenada is a big value for the dollar. Come on down, bring the family and HAVE SOME FUN!!!

[Tio Foncho]

Yesterday around 4PM in Rosarito a 16-year old boy who was practicing for the bike ride in his neighborhood in Rosarito was kidnapped by a squad of heavily armed commandos. A police officer in a guard shack who tried to intervene was also kidnapped and his decapitated body was found this morning in the back of a car at K30 on the Scenic Road. The boy is the son of a prominent Rosarito restaurant owner. There is no known drug connections. This was a kidnapping-extortion.

So much for Vicky's plan to stay safe by not being involved in the drug business. Do you have any more bright ideas?

[Vicky]

Hello Fellow Riders!
I live in Rosarito and Hell am i alive.
Im here to tell how things are REALLY over here.

ITS "N-O-T" LIKE THE MEDIA OVER THERE TELLS YOU IT IS.

I've heard, like you, by my local news all about gunfights, but I have never been in one. Want to know how?
I have nothing to do with the drug bussiness. I f youre like me:

HAVE GOT N-O-T-H-I-N-G TO FEAR ABOUT @ ROSARITO
What we, the rosarito people, have to offer you its good times and happiness,
what our local government has to offer you its your safety, you as a US tourist are the most important people to the security and law enforcing troops, we all want you to feel and live the Rosarito that we live daily, Beautiful.

If you are coming to this race (CONGRATS, that means that you've trained to achieve certain level of strength and stamina) , i can assure you, you'll be safe.
So bring your bike, the kids, even the dog!, and have a good time this saturday

HAVE FUN IN ROSARITO!!!!
so come on over

[IZZY MARTINEZ]

Hello,
First let me say that being a rider and having done the ride almost every year since 1997 and being a Mexican born American am very sad disappointed and frustrated by the consequences and the obvious inability of the corrupt Mexican government to better the situation.
I agree with your statement except for the part where you state that the US is the one supplying the firearms that are killing the drug traffickers lookup real statistics don't listen to politicians like Hillary Clinton who like to bash our country. Most of the wepons they are using don't even have country of origin or serial numbers and in fact are not US made. Unfortunately the demand for drugs is there and if it's not through Mex. they get here anyway. Hope things improve soon. SEE YOU SAT.