One day after a killer race over a couple of cold ones, two guys named Bruce Barlow and Bill Steider talked about how the world needed a motorcycle club for the more mature enthusiast. A club that served the needs of the seasoned veteran. A club for old guys. It was 1960 and the Los Ancianos Motorcycle Club was born…the legend had begun.

The name Los Ancianos means “The Elders”, as they decided that one would have to be thirty years old to be eligible for membership. That may be the only single constant rule the club has ever had. There have been written rules over the years and rumor has it there are a set of bylaws somewhere but nobody knows for sure. Off road motorcyclists tend to be an independent lot and these guys are no exception. The common bond is the personal joy of unpaved motorcycle riding and racing, and a love for Baja California.

In 1960 the Ancianos put on their first event: The Mother’s Day Run at Uha Basin. They followed it up with dozens of desert races sanctioned by the AMA in District 37. Those races led to the infamous Tecate 500. First run in 1973, it was a grueling two day enduro starting in Tecate, stretching to San Felipe on day one and returning to Tecate on day two. Over the years the course and format changed, but the reputation never did. The Tecate was always considered one of the finest, most difficult motorcycle events in North America. Every year the top factory riders would risk injury to compete in a non-points event, in a foreign country, for a trophy or even a finisher pin. A coveted symbol of the Tecate Enduro.

These events epitomize the Los Ancianos. The high quality shows the pride of the club. The difficulty shows the toughness and riding ability of the members. The uniqueness and variety demonstrates the members’ knowledge of Baja. The countless dollars invested in these events by the members illustrate their dedication to “doing it right”.