Wide Open Baja Adventures, in the heart of Florida, provides adventure seekers with a oneof-a-kind adrenaline surge. What are you waiting for?
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rland ia McFa nigan th n y C By n Jer by Joh Photos
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ide blue sky is the only thing I can see out the mud-flecked windshield. Judging from the crazy angle of our vehicle climbing up the rutted, rock-strewn trail, the incline is 60 degrees, if not steeper. Once we crest the hill—cliff is actually a more apt description—I see that the trail curves abruptly to the left. Too much gas and we’d have plunged right over the edge and down into a gulley thick with trees. “Never drive farther than you can see.” This driving instruction I heard earlier suddenly makes perfect sense. At the top of the hill is a checkpoint sign, a reminder that the navigator (that’s me, the person in the right seat) must check in with the pit. These checkpoints are situated at the most dangerous locations along the route. “We’ve cleared Checkpoint No. 2.” My announcement is delivered to the pit crew, thanks to the microphone in the forced-air helmet
that is also “mic’d” to the driver’s helmet, just like in a real Baja race. We’re on the “Bajacoaster,” a portion of the Level Two course that lives up to its name with extreme twists and turns and ups and downs. It’s not for the faint of heart, but the “wow factor” is huge. I’ve come to Wide Open Florida, part of Legendary Excursions, a unique Baja driving experience where participants tackle the most rugged terrain in Marion County driving vehicles that have actually competed in the Baja 1000. MARK TOWNSEND, OWNER OF LEGENDARY EXCURSIONS, didn’t originally plan to start a business dedicated to adventure.
A tennis coach for 25 years, he was fascinated with the thought of competing in the Baja 1000, the grueling off-road race that pits contestants and their vehicles against some of the roughest driving conditions in North America. “I have a bucket list I’m chipping away at, and the Baja 1000 was on that list,” says Mark. Having competed in the race several times since 1997, Mark realized most people wouldn’t have the time, resources or connections to travel to Mexico to take part in the race. Why not recreate a fraction of the Baja experience and make it available to adventure seekers? That’s exactly what he’s done with Legendary Excursions, which offers off-road adventures in California, Utah, Pennsylvania, Florida, Caba and Baja itself. The Florida location opened in July 2011 at Hardrock Off-Road just minutes north of Ocala. Participants can sign on for
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