Baja 1000 trip anyone?

[bajatex]

I am throwing it out there for anyone interested. I am going on another baja adventure for the Baja 1000 11/19-11/23. Some of you might remember my Baja 500 trip report, if not check it out. I plan on leaving from the KOA outside of Tecate again and going down to San Felipe for 2 days to watch the race. I will probably stay at Mike's Sky Ranch on the way Back. This is a no chase truck trip so you and your car must be prepared to do 400-500 miles. I have to be a little selective in who goes because I won't get stuck babysitting. E-mail me tex@bajadesigns.com

[K-fab]

Originally Posted by bajatex

I am throwing it out there for anyone interested. I am going on another baja adventure for the Baja 1000 11/19-11/23. Some of you might remember my Baja 500 trip report, if not check it out. I plan on leaving from the KOA outside of Tecate again and going down to San Felipe for 2 days to watch the race. I will probably stay at Mike's Sky Ranch on the way Back. This is a no chase truck trip so you and your car must be prepared to do 400-500 miles. I have to be a little selective in who goes because I won't get stuck babysitting. E-mail me tex@bajadesigns.com

Can I follow on a bike?

[bdkw1]

Originally Posted by K-fab

Can I follow on a bike?

I'm planning on going down on a bike. You got a desert tank for that thing yet?

[bajatex]

Well I had another epic baja adventure, this time it was just my Dad and I in my car. I hadn't touched the car since the 500 trip as I was busy doing a job for a friend. Tuesday night before I left I took the steering rack off to clean and grease it. Wednesday night was the only night I had to get the car ready for another 400+ miles in Baja. I replaced the heims on the tie rods and replaced the crappy hex style steering wheel quick release with a sweet splined one and that is all the prep I did, I was winging it and solo to boot. I bought a new clutch and chain but I didn't install them I just packed them. I took a spare axle, CV & boot, microstub axle and bearing, fuel pump & filter, spindle bolt, 2 clutches 1 new 1 used, 3 chains, 10 or so master links, misc. 1/2" bolts etc. We took sleeping bags, tent, cooler, emergency food supply, fire starters , tarp, chairs, matches and anything else you can think of I took. The car had to weigh 2200 lbs loaded with me and my dad. With about 1 1/2 hours of sleep , we left san marcos at 5:30 Thursday am. We arrived at the KOA outside of Tecate @ 7:30 and were off by 8. We followed a similar route through the Pine forest as our baja 500 trip stopping in Independencia for fuel then back out to the race course. We followed the race course up to Nuevo Junction then peeled off and went out to the highway at jamau. we topped off Fuel in Valley T then pounded pavement down to San Mateas pass where we hopped back on the course acroos the drylake bed to Morelia Junction. We peeled off the course again and took the zoo road into San Felipe. With no one to wait for we made great time arriving at the Cortez @ 2:00. We were ripping all the way down and I can't say enough about how tough my car and that little V-twin engine is. We met some cool guys at the Hotel and had dinner and drinks in the bar. Friday we loaded up and went south about 20 miles to watch the race. we got to see the first bikes come through, what a close race that was. The Trophy Truck that we sponsor just coincidentally happen to be doing a major pit at the location I was watching. Rick Johnson came into the pit first truck on the road but Andy McMillan got by when we were pitting Rick. Met some more great people out there and exchanged e-mails, typical baja. We went back to the hotel about 10:30 and had a few drinks at the bar before hitting the sack. I had arranged for a panga @ 7am saturday morning to take my Dad and I fishing. We went out about 20 miles to this big Rock out in the middle of the Sea of Cortez and just slayed the trigger fish and cabrilla. What a cool sight to see San Felipe and the Mountains from the water. we got back from fishing at 11, loaded up and took off for Mikes Sky ranch at noon. We jumped back on the course at Morelia and went backwards on the course just to end up in a huge silt bed that was not there on Thursday. I had the RC on the rev limiter and we barley made it through without getting stuck but we made it. My dad was shitting himself. We hauled up to Mikes and got there @ 1:30. Mikes was awesome as usual. Meet some guys in manx buggies that had never been through the Pine Forest so Sunday I led them on a great ride through all of the cool stuff, stopping at Ramonas and the lake for nips off the Jegermeister and a few Tecates, just a few. They were Parked at santa Veronica so once I got them back to the Compadre I high tailed it to the KOA racing the Sun that was dipping behind the mountains. We got to the truck just in time to load up before it was dark and get across the border with no wait at all. I knew it was ballsy to go alone but I was confident that we could make it and if we had issues we were experienced enough to handle whatever came our way. I will admit that I was a little nervous, who wouldn't be but wow did it add to the adventure. All said and done I never touch the tool bag the whole trip not once. We just put gas in it and drove the piss out of it, no flats no nothing. Unbelievable. What a trip and one I got to experience with just me and my old man. The stories he has for the boys back in Texas. Until next trip(Tecate to Cabo in March)hope you enjoy the read. Sorry for the poor penmanship.

Bajatex

I only took a disposable camera, sorry.

[bdkw1]

That sounds Waaaayyyyyyy better than My trip.......

[bajatex]

Originally Posted by bdkw1

That sounds Waaaayyyyyyy better than My trip.......

Do tell.

[TutTech]

Wow sounds awesome.. and yes lack of sleep or almost no sleep sounds about right for any trip of this type. Sounds awesome and glad you had a great time and everything went great for you even making it through the silt.Sweet.
Oh and don't feel to bad my car weighs 2,000 pounds dry without all the stuff you added. ha ha.
But ya that is a good deal of weight for a mini so awesome that you jammed right a long with that extra stuff and still had no problems even in silt etc. that says a lot about your car.

Good times.
Ya do tell more stories please.

[bdkw1]

Originally Posted by bajatex

Do tell.

Saw an ad on RDC for pit help in San Felipe. I figured, what the hell, I'll stand around and drink beer in SF and wait for a truck to go by. Made the mistake of going down early to pre-run with them. The pre-runner (Amplified 4 seater) showed up with zero prep. Spent a whole day nut and bolting it and fixing problems. It ended up spiting out a trailing arm bolt @ RM150. They limped it out to RM163 where we trailered it into SF. Spent the night there and hit the welding shop in the morning. The outer bolt is a blind bolt, bung in the end of the "torsion" tube type deal. No way to lock it down......... So I tack welded them in......... Back in action to finish the pre-run. Got back Thursday afternoon as the truck arrived. It wasn't in much better shape than the pre-runner. Worked on it till 12 or 1 Am. Did an early tech at the start finish. Off the line it went. About RM 35 it hit a booby trap and bent the P-side beam and drag link in the swing set. I was sitting at the Jamu turn off with the spares and had to turn around. 3 hours later in the Baja pits it was back in action. Sitting at the road crossing at Rm77 got a call over the radio that it wasn't shifting, stuck in second. Melted shifter cable. They didn't have a spare....... Cut it apart to get all the melted crap out and Mcguyvered it back together. another hour or so down time and there off. Hauled arse to 160 to fuel them, met them as they were driving in, perfect timing..... Headed back to Borrego. Got a call a little later that the R&P had gone @ Rm198. Culhane screws Me agian.......... Went in back wards on the course from RM200 in a crew cab Cheby with a drop down lift and 20" rims.......... That took a while. Got it out to the highway and loaded it up as the had no spare. Got back to Ensanada about 3AM. Loaded up the next morning and they thought it was a good idea for Me to drive the Kodiak and 50' race trailer back to the shop by My self. So I loaded up My bike and headed out. At that point I didn't even know where there shop was......... Stopped after the last toll booth the take a leak before the border wait. When I come out of the can, theres 3 of Baja's finest surrounding the rig. 25 min of haggling and various threats and bluffs and I was on My way 300 peso's lighter. Pinchy bandito's con badges....... Missed the RV lanes at San Isidro and got shuffled into the car lanes........ That was a tight fit...... After a few calls I found there shop, dropped the rig, unloaded My bike and rode home......... In the door by 10PM. Well, at least I got a job out of it..........

Ever meet Mikey Childress's dad? Rev. Ray rules........

[TutTech]

Wow! Now that is a story.. not maybe a great story but a story.


You said you got a job out of it and met Childress's dad.. that is cool.
Well that is to bad about the rest of the story and sounds a lot like everyone I have heard lately.
No prep or little, teching last minute, failing tech and fixing stuff. sheesh what's going on?

Anyways good story thanks for sharing.

[K-fab]

Baja never fails to give who ever goes there a story. Good, bad, fun, not so much. There's always a story and they're priceless AFTER you've made it home.

I'm gonna have to go there again one day. Hey bdk - need a spare wrench turner for the 500?