Baja Safari’s Mike Overcast Celebrates 25 Years!
Baja Safari started in 1982 as the first tourist transportation commercial service from San Diego to San Felipe, Baja California Mexico. With such Baja Legends as Art Mays of BonitaFest fame and Mike of Mikes Sky Rancho, the customized tricked-out coaches and huge shrimp dinners were only the start of the fun!
Mike and his family have lived in San Diego for over thirty years. His Grandfather served under Patton in WWII. His Father served in the U.S. Navy for over thirty years. His Father served on river boats in Vietnam and as a teacher at the Navy Ocean Systems Services Command. His Godfather still serves as an senior engineer for the Hubble Telescope and Advanced Defense programs.
Mike first caught the travel bug when his Grandfather told how he trained for his war service in the deserts of California and the far away lands of North Africa, Italy and the Battle of the Bulge. Mike graduated from Marian High School, located on the border across the river in the US from Tijuana, in Mexico. He served on the Marian High School Blue Ribbon Committee while he served on various City of Imperial Beach committees, including the Beachfront Task Force and the Human Relations Committee.
Throughout the eighties, Mike Overcast served in various roles with associations in San Diego county, the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, as the Executive Manager. The Sandcastle Committee, as the Promotion Director. The Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce, as the Executive Director. Since 1985, he has been working with travel professionals on projects south of the border.
He worked to establish an Office of Protocol under the International Trade Commission of San Diego. The Baja Safari Mexico Club was set up in 1986. He concluded many cross border functions, including but not limited to, tours & VIP transportation, assisting the Founder of the Mexican PAN Party, Sr. Clouthier. In 1987, He founded the Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce and served as the Corporate Secretary and Executive Vice President at the same time.
In 1988, Mike served as the Chairman of San Diego’s South Bay Chambers of Commerce Executives Committee, which represented the business communities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, Coronado, National City, San Ysidro and Bonita and helped organize the largest American Congressional delegation ever to visit San Diego. The event, in association of the Air/Space America air show, included Vice President G. H. W. Bush. In 1991, he was chosen, along with several other Mexican companies to serve as an official “host agency” for the Republic of Mexico for the 1991 Total Eclipse of the Sun, in Baja California Sur.
From 1994, the Baja Safari Mexico Club has designed and executed many public, hands-on, science related programs. As an example, in 1997-98 we worked with the Scripps Institute Aquarium on the “Year of the Reef” project through public education and a Snorkle Tour of the Cabo Pulmo Reef system, in Baja California Sur. In 1999, the State of Baja California awarded Mike Overcast the “Amigo de Baja California Award”, for his work with the Tourism Department. Also in 1998, Mike and his Baja Safari Mexico Club, collaborated with the Automobile Club of Southern California in promoting travel to Baja California, Mexico.
From 1999, the Club formed a Tour company in Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S. Cabo Safari was the first Off-Road oriented, Eco-Sensitive tour company in Los Cabos. We assisted the Los Cabos Hotel Association in two major events. The American Society of Travel Agents Convention in 1999 and the Western Travel Writers Assocaition event in Los Cabos in 2000. He also organized the Baja 2000 “Race Party” with help from Jack Daniels himself and the Cabo Wabo Cantina.
Also in 2000, Mike won the right to participate in the Mexico Visitor Card program. Mexican Immigration, approved of the Baja Safari Mexico Club, selling the Republic of Mexico official tourist cards to the American public. He has participated in many Television and Film shoots in Baja California and Baja Sur. As an example, he was the Executive Producer behind the E! Entertainment program, “Wild On Baja”. Baja Safari is the only company that E! Entertainment has ever allowed to own and use a ‘broadcast copy’ of a “Wild On” program, because of the success of the show.
From 2002, he has focused Club efforts on safety issues. Being a member of the San Diego County Emergency Medical Services Committee, as the Mexico Represenative. The American Consulate in Tijuana now has a full-time duty officer, serving the needs of Americans travelling in Baja, for emergency services, because of his work. Security Services now serve as our primary business for travellers in Mexico. Our division SPEED Mex provides complete powersports support for desert off-road racers in Baja Mexico. Baja Safari has teamed with AMEX (American Medical Xpedition) for medical support and evacuation services for international travellers in Mexico.
From 2004, the Baja Safari Mexico Club enhanced its promotions of the surfing and offroad communities. Beyond the crazy surf and off-road stereotypes, deserved or not, Baja Safari sponsored more people and events than any other Baja Company. The club hosted the infamous ‘Viewing Party’ at the Baja Safari Ranch in north county of the unreleased, off-road classic, “Dust To Glory”. Baja Safari also sponsored the “Dust To Glory” Hollywood Sunset Boulevard Red Carpet premiere party and the theatrical opening in San Diego. Baja Safari are longtime supporters of the “Wind an Sea” Surf Club, San Miguel SurFiesta, California 4×4 Club, CORVA and many other Surf and offroad competitions.
In 2005, the CABO 500 offroad race, founded by the Baja Safari Mexico Club, invited American racers to southern Baja for the first time. Offroad racing has been an institution for over 50 years in Baja Sur, but never with North Americans. In the Dos Mares CABO 500, we teamed with the local Baja auto club, the state off-road association and the national federation of off road racing. In 2006, the first American racer won a southern Baja offroad race at the first CABO 500, which ran from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas. Danny Anderson of Las Vegas, in a Class 1 Jimco, smoked the rest of the field, with over an hour lead. An International offroad race in southern Baja. Danny was awarded the “King Of Cabo” Trophy, the annual trophy to the winner of each years CABO 500.
Baja Safari also opened the first Baja offroad resort, Cabo Safari Ranch, dedicated to the offroad lifestyle. The ranch has hosted many racing and teams and off road clubs to become the “Home of Offroad”. In 2007, we sponsored seven off-road teams in various classes and events including the Baja Champion Class 11 Baja Safari Team. We also proudly promoted Operation Desert Fun 5, a desert adventure to benefit the Cal-Diego Paralyzed Veterans Association and Cal 4 Wheel. No other Baja company supports the off road community like Baja Safari.
Through the teams extensive professional expertise, the Baja Safari Mexico Club has been a pioneer in developing critical new services for club members and the international traveling community in general. An example of real-time Baja travel information, only available from our Club, is our in-house “Baja Weather Service”. Our division, the only weather services recognized by the United States National Weather Service, based only on Baja California, Mexico. During Hurricane season, sometimes we are the only organization that has ‘a handle’ on storm conditions in Baja.
This year, Baja Safari has special plans for its Members and New Adventures for New Members! New tours this year are vintage DC-3 Tours of Baja California and Baja Helicopter Safari’s. 2008 will be a celebration of twenty-five great years of adventure! The Baja Safari Mexico Club continues to stand up for Americans and International travellers seeking unique travel experiences and who value life.
Here is what some people have said about the staff of Baja Safari.
“Mike, you showed me the real Wild side of Cabo and Baja. I have been all over the world and you shared true treasures I would have never discovered myself.”
Brooke Burke, “Wild On, E! Entertainment Television
“The Sheriff Department of the County of San Diego commend Mike Overcast in providing innovative resource assistance.”
Sheriff Jim Roache, County of San Diego
“Dear Mike of Baja Safari, What a lovely low key travel trip our snorkeling safari turned out to be. You organized well, the company was neat, the weather perfect, the fish cooperative and the stark scenery unequaled. Even the shelling was good (not that we need any more shells we have been to the South Seas and the Red Sea). We even liked the bumpy roads and the sometimes dimming lights, since that added to the safari adventure, reminding us that we were not on Main Street, USA. Thank you again.”
Elibet Marshall, Baja Safari Member and Tour participant
“Dear Mike, your staffs knowledge of the Wine Country of Mexico is unique. I never thought a coach tour of Mexico could be so enjoyable”.
Mary Gimble, University Club of San Diego
“To Baja Safari, thank you so much for your fine services! I dont know what my family would have done without you!
Samuel Knox, Baja Safari Member
