Johnson Valley
Our first day filming Lost in Baja brought us to Johnson Valley, California. For Santana, this is not just another riding area. It is where he grew up on a dirt bike. The terrain is raw, open, and demanding. In many ways, it mirrors the type of landscape he will face in the 2026 Baja 1000.
There was no big production setup. Just open desert, wind, and miles of rock and sand.
We began the day with our first interview, sitting down with Nick Lake, a retired endurance dirt bike racer, veteran, and mentor to Santana. Nick has supported Santana through past races and understands the intersection of mental toughness and physical preparation. In our conversation, we explored the challenges he’s learned from deployment, and how those experiences translate to the unique difficulties of endurance racing. The discussion highlighted the discipline, resilience, and focus required both on the battlefield and on the course.
After the interview, we captured Santana putting time on his new Honda CRF450X. No staged moments. Just real riding in the same desert that shaped him. Johnson Valley is known for its unforgiving terrain, and watching him work through the sand and rock gave us a clear sense of what lies ahead.
The first day of filming was less about spectacle and more about foundation. We are not chasing dramatic moments. We are documenting process. The miles, the preparation, and the places that built him.
This is where the story begins.
