Mike Overcast and Company

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Professional Services in Baja Mexico, provided by the Baja Safari Mexico Club, CABO CLUB and SPEED Mex racing services. We also invite Americans to a customized local races in Baja Mexico. The CABO 500 & the CABO 1000.

Over 25 years of service excellence.

Mike Overcast and the team.

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, served on river boats in Vietnam and as an instructor San Diego's Naval 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 near Tijuana. He served on the Marian High School Blue Ribbon Committee while he served on various City of Imperial Beach committees, including the Beachfront Development Committee and the Human Relations Committee.

Throughout the eighties, Mike Overcast served in various roles with associations in San Diego county, including 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.

At the time, Paul Clark of the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, Mary Kay Forsyth of the Coronado Chamber of Commere, the late George Webster, the director of the National City Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Chamber of Commerce of San Diego named Mike as the Chairman of the South Bay Chambers of Commerce, a position he held for many years.

In 1985, Mike's racing efforts were sponsored by the amazing George Hurst.

Since 1985, he has been working with travel professionals on projects south of the border. He worked directly with Economist Milton Friedman, 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.

From 1987, he is the Founder of the trade association, Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce and served as the Corporate Secretary and Executive Vice President at the same time. In 1988,while serving as the Chairman of the South Bay Chambers of Commerce Executives Committee, he helped organize the largest American Congressional delegation ever to visit San Diego. The event, in association of the Air/Space America air and trade show, included Vice President G. H. W. Bush. And the only time the French Concorde visited Brown Field and flew in Southern California's skies.

In 1991, Baja Safari 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, Baja Safari and Sr. Roberto Van Wormer Sr., forged a working association 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.

Baja Safari sponsored the UABCS Baja Mexico Plant Symposium and the Underwater Diving programs, to further the educational offerings in Baja California Sur.

The Parr Family of Los Cabos, welcomed our team into theirs during this time, educating us to the magical ways of Southern Baja Mexico.

In 1999, the State of Baja California awarded Mike Overcast the "Amigo de Baja California Award", for his work with the Tourism Department of Baja California, Mexico.

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 the first Eco-Sensitive tour company in Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S. 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 Association events in Los Cabos in 2000.

The CABO CLUB, a division of Baja Safari, also organized the Baja 2000 "Official Race Party" with help from Jack Daniels himself and the Cabo Wabo Cantina. We celebrated with Dan Smith's Enduro Racing Team, after they won the race and enjoyed their stay at the Hacienda Beach Resort at Lands End.

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 Location 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.

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. In 2004, the club hosted the infamous 'Viewing Party' at the Baja Safari Ranch in north county of the unreleased, off-road, now, 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.

The Mexico Club are longtime supporters of the "Wind an Sea" Surf Club, Southern California 4x4 Club 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, also started in 2005, we teamed with a local Baja auto club, the local off-road association and the national federation of off road racing.

Our racers were sponsored by the Incredible Hotel California and our guests continue to be transformed by their experiences in Todos Santos with Author & Executive Chef Dany, Debbie and Alejandro Blanco and his family. We'll never forget walking through the 'for sale' building that the hotel now occupies, before it was transmuted by its then, new owner, John. Our original host John Stewart and his hospitality, will forever stay in our hearts!

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 off-road race in southern Baja. Danny was awarded the "King Of Cabo" Trophy, the annual trophy to the winner of each years CABO 500.

Cabo Safari welcomed Off-Road vehicle and product dealers from around North America, Japan and Europe throughout this time frame, after offering and delivering the most aggressive sales producer incentive program, ever provided the industry.

Mike served as one of the Start Line tire workers with "Radio Bob" for the sanctioning bodies tire sponsor at the 2006 Baja 1000, after ten years of helping Bob Hynes during numerous Baja off-road races. Bob was the founder of the Baja races radio relay services. Baja Safari also opened the first Baja offroad resort, Cabo Safari Resort, dedicated to the offroad lifestyle. The ranch has hosted many racing and teams and off road clubs to become the "Home of Off-Road".

In 2007, we sponsored seven off-road teams in various classes and events including the Baja Champion Class 11 Baja Safari Team, during the 40th anniversary of the Baja 1000 event to Cabo San Lucas . We also proudly promoted Operation Desert Fun 5, a desert adventure to benefit the Cal-Diego Paralyzed Veterans Association and Cal 4 Wheel. Baja Safari had a record setting travel year after our shift to southern Baja California, promotions with Volaris Airlines, Hotel California in Todos Santos and many off-road related manufacturers. No other Baja company supported the off road community like Baja Safari.

We celebrated the 40th Baja 1000 in Los Cabos with friends and family to finish out the year!

In 2008, Cabo Safari Resort and our Los Cabos operations sustained the 2007 gains and secured the customer base originally started with our exclusive work with the Five Star, Five Diamond, Latin America Resorts of the Year, while we developed our regional ecotours. The Hotel Cabo San Lucas and Hacienda Beach Resort tour hospitality groups transferred their last customers to our operations.

That year, Mike Overcast and his team enjoyed the sponsorship of the 100 Year Celebration of General Motors with unique tours and service offerings for their truck dealerships throughout North America.

Through the teams extensive professional experience, the Baja Safari Mexico Club has been a pioneer in developing quality services for their Membership and the traveling community in general.

An example of real-time Baja travel information, only available from our Club, is our "Baja Weather Service" division. The only weather services recognized by the United States National Weather Service, based soley on Baja California, Mexico. During Hurricane season, sometimes we are the only organization that has 'a handle' on storm conditions in Baja.

Our SPEED Mex division provides racing and security services for the specialized desert off-road racing community. The San Felipe Baja 250, Baja 500, Baja 1000, CABO 500 and CABO 1000 are all covered for international travel choices.

Since 2009, our club continues to deliver specialized services to numerous publics, who require exceptional experiences in Mexico.

We have delivered Baja experiences to hundreds of thousands of Baja fanatics and newbies. Stay tuned, we have some very exciting advancements scheduled this year! The Baja Safari Mexico Club continues to stand up for Americans seeking unique travel experiences and find value in life.

Here is what some people have said about
the staff of Baja Safari.

"Cabo Safari showed us a great time during the Baja 1000 for the 40th running of the race and exceptional service capabilities for the CABO 500."
Jack Cummings, Market Manager, GOODYEAR TIRES RACING

"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

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Mike Overcast and Company