November is upon us and we’re revving up for the 13th edition of the Rocky Point Rally! Looking off the streets and out to the beach, however, we can see it’s not all about bikes this weekend as there will be bikini bods taking over 26 sand volleyball courts at Las Palomas for Rocky Point X, Funkalicious Volleyball’s Fall volleyball frenzy! Saturday night is also a big night out at CEDO (Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans) with their Fall Fiesta to include an auction, dancing, dinner, and a raffle! Other events coming in November include the Mermaids Market (back on the 16th at Shrimp Plaza), Buen Fin expo highlighting local businesses (also next weekend), Salsa cook off and fiesta at Shrimp Plaza on the 23rd, another wine tasting at Tapeo somewhere in there we believe, and of course the Patti Springer Art in the Park festival in Las Conchas on the day after Thanksgiving, along with DIF’s annual Black & White Ball….
…yet, for this Weekend Rundown we’re taking a ride down the Rocky Point Rally alley…so have fun, be safe, and we’ll surely see you out on the streets of Rocky Point this weekend!
13th Annual Rocky Point Rally
Register
Be sure to stop by Barclin-Circle K along the Puerto Peñasco – Sonoyta Highway on Thursday or Friday before hitting Puerto Peñasco and register for this year’s Rally. An added bonus for all registrants this year is you’ll be automatically entered into a raffle for either a condo or hotel stay for the 2014 Rally! Hey, that’s not a bad $10 – and all proceeds from the Rally Charity registration are distributed among 7 different local charities. Winners to be announced at the Saturday night Concert @ Bonita RV Park (end of Calle 13) around 10ish…gotta be there to win. By the way, you don’t have to be a biker to register…all donations welcome! Registration tent also plans to be at Old Port on Saturday so you can still register for the raffle, plus don’t forget this year’s Rally pin!
Welcome!
After registering on Thursday, head over to Plaza Gobernadores in the Old Port for this year’s Welcome and Official Kick-Off to the 13th Rocky Point Rally with a taste of Mexico! 4 – 7 p.m.
Run
This year’s rally features two separate poker runs, a Mystery Run from the U.S. with stops beginning in Why, AZ, and a Friday night Walking Poker Run along Calle 13. All proceeds from the Poker Runs go to local charity organizations that year after year receive support from the Rally. (Cards are $10 US per person – to be paid at final stops). Here’s what you need to know.
The Mystery Poker Run is a “mystery” because as opposed to winning with a traditional poker hand, all players have a chance at winning because each playing card is given a specific point value. The point chart will be available on Friday evening, from 4 – 6 p.m. at Playa Bonita Hotel where Mystery Poker cards need to be returned. Prizes for this year’s Mystery Poker Run also include either a beach condo or hotel stay for next year’s Rally so get on it!
1st stop – Flores gas station in Why, AZ
2nd stop – UETA-Gastrak Duty Free shop in Lukeville, AZ
3rd stop – Vasquez Licores in Sonoyta, Sonora
4th stop* – Registration booth at Barclin’s Circle K Puerto Peñasco – Sonoyta Highway
*For those not coming from AZ, you can pick up Mystery Poker Run card at 4th stop at registration
5th stop – Puesta del Sol cantina @ Playa Bonita Hotel
(You can pick up more than one “stamp” at final stop)
(Turn in cards Friday 4 p.m. – 6 pm at Puesta del Sol cantina @ Playa Bonita Hotel)
Winners to be announced Friday, Nov. 8th, 7:30 p.m. at Beach Party at Playa Bonita Hotel.
Friday night’s Walking Poker Run along Calle 13 will be played with more of a traditional poker hand BUT you have six tries to get a winning hand! That’s right there are 6 stops on the Calle 13 Walking Poker Run so when you hit the last spot you get to choose the best 5 cards to declare your hand! Walking Poker Run 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. (Cards are $10 US per person – to be paid at final stops). Prizes for 1st and 2nd place.
1st stop: Gua Gua
2nd stop: Revolución Bar
3rd stop: Chulas
4th stop: OD Bar
5th stop: Duke’s Restaurant & Bar
6th (Final stop): Castaways
Ride
This past year the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve and Grand Desert of Altar was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and the Rally is offering rides out into this spectacular part of the desert on both Friday and Saturday mornings. Meet up at Barclin’s Circle K (registration spot) for a 10:30 a.m. departure – go early and grab a cup of coffee to get started! (Expected to take about 2 hours there and back) www.visitaelpinacate.org
Cruise
Hop off the bike and onto a ship – a pirate ship that is. Friday and Sunday noon trips on the pirate ship will take off at noon from next to Balboa’s Restaurant – the trips are FREE for all those wearing Rally registration bracelets and there’s a cash bar on board.
*Note – the Saturday boat cruise with EcoFun has been cancelled this time around. Sorry 🙁
Fiesta!
There’s music for everyone this year, starting with the traditional Friday night Beach Party at Playa Bonita (4 – 8 p.m.), this year with rocking country music from Sour Diesel Trainwreck, “a 4 piece high energy Americana/Southern Rock/Alt Country band from Mesa, AZ. Their style is lyrical and vocal driven, organic and acoustic and at times dark and aggressive with a sound that is a little Alt Country a little Rock and a lot of soul. Sour Diesel Trainwreck will also be taking over Bonita RV park on Calle 13 on Saturday night for a big last night Rally concert! (Saturday, 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.)
On Friday, after the Beach Party winds up at Playa Bonita, the music continues (8 p.m. – 12 a.m.) as you head back toward Calle 13 (just in time for the Walking Poker Run) and down in front of Peñasco del Sol Hotel where one of our favorite local bands Agua de Coco will be mixing up rock and salsa with Manzanares out of Santa Fe, NM. Local blogger Joe Houchin describes Manzanares as “an incredibly talented ensemble of creative musicians who play in a space all their own and with such precision you’ll be compelled to move with every beat of their rhythm, which is rich and varied but Latin focused with a lot of percussion, bass and modern flamenco licks.”
Calle 13 picks up around 11 p.m. with tunes from Tijuana joining the fiesta! Look for the tunes outside of OD Bar.
During the Friday night Street Fest, a Wet T-shirt contest over at Rocky Point Beach Club will be offering folk a chance to be a judge by raffling off judge seats at just $1 US. These raffle tickets can be found at registration booth on both Thursday and Friday as well. John “Shotcaller” Monteiro from Phoenix will be emceeing the night! Speaking of wet t-shirts in November (what’s up with that…brrr?) Duke’s will be having a wet t-shirt concert as well on Saturday starting around 8 p.m. Somebody bring a warm towel, please!
Parade
Back at its afternoon time, the Rocky Point Rally Bike Parade is asking folk to start lining up around 3:30 p.m. in front of Black Dog on Blvd. Fremont (just down the street from the Red Cross). Yes, we know this means tearing yourself away from the mayhem in the malecón for a bit, but the parade is a highlight of the Rally for the entire community and its always fun for folks to toss out candy along the route. Parade is set to take off at 4 p.m. and wind its way around town before ending up at Baja Hotel & Cantina for an After Parade Fiesta – again with the tunes of Manzanares and Agua de Coco! Come to Baja for the music 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Parade Route
4 p.m. Start off from Black Dog on Blvd. Fremont
Right hand turn onto Blvd. Juarez
Right hand turn onto Ave. Adolfo Mateos just before the baseball stadium
Right hand turn onto Blvd. Josefa Dominguez
Right hand turn onto Blvd. Sonora to traffic circle with Blvd. Kino, veer left onto Kino
Kino to Ave. Miguel Hidalgo (watch for rough street)
Left hand turn onto Blvd. Juarez and straight back toward City Hall
Veer left onto Campeche and head toward Mirador
Parade ends at Baja Hotel & Cantina in the Mirador
Old Port!
Over the years the festive malecón mayhem has grown into its own event…taking over local bars terraces, windowsills, and patios from about Thursday noon through Saturday…and Sunday if you’re lucky enough to still be here. We hear there will be tequila tastings (BooBar on Thursday around 5 p.m.), and of course a burn out or two as people parade through the crowd. On Saturday, be sure to take a breather from the malecón and head over to be part of the parade (line up at 3:30 p.m…..parade starts at 4 p.m.).
Alright, that’s the rundown – stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the ride!