The battle to get the Varaderos into Mike’s Sky Ranch begins, before the bikes are even fired up. That late start makes for a late arrival and the breaking of one of the Baja’s cardinal rules; don’t ride at night, off road, through territory you’re not familiar with.

Diving the Honda Varadero into the melee of a Tijauna traffic circle makes this tour’s stutter start preparation worth it. The act is a stinging belly-flop plunge into a different culture. It’s an act of faith that inserting the big adventure bike into the swirling vortex of squealing family sedans, rattle trap busses and braying taxis will work out. Miraculously, it does.