2017 Baja Barf - its on and its happening... now!

[1962siia]

Loving the photobomb!

 

[HadesOmega]

DAY 4 - MULEGE TO SCORPION BAY
Today I took the one of the 3 routes today. I wanted to do something different. Dmitry had pointed out that the middle route the one I would take today was the most easiest route but because of rock washout and such it was probably the more difficult route. Worried about the conditions I decided if it was to hairy for me I would turn around and blast up the San Javier Comondu route but luckily I didn't need to. The route was the "middle route" which was south of Bahia de Concepcion where we rode yesterday. Which is like 40 miles south of Mulege.

When we got there everyone aired down and I must'be aired down too much, I was running 18 front and back and I've run that much before. But I must've have had 10 bends on my front wheel after today! OaklandF4i told me to just go ahead so we can make good time and go ahead I did. I literally rode the whole dirt road to San Isidro. It probably took maybe an hour and I was riding probably 80% but it really wasn't that hard. The lower tire pressure also gave me more confidence because the ride was less harsh. It would just float over those rocks. It was pretty rocky in some sections but nothing hard. Its about the same difficulty as the San Javier/Comondu route last year. It was just as scenic as you'll see in my pictures. It was fun flying over the vados I was launching off of them.

After we took a break in San Isidro and passed through La Purisma OaklandF4i took us through some sandy and rocky sections that went through the mountains. It was a lotta fun too maybe a little too rocky but nothing the Cactus Puncher couldn't handle. I hit 50MPH in some section, we kind of had to be careful of the cows though. Also as we got closer to San Juanico we saw all these yellow wildflowers growing beside the road it was great!

Then I had the brilliant idea to ride the beach up to San Juanico/Scoprion Bay. Then lets just say it went all downhill for me there. I was fiddling around with my camera and I rode straight through 2 bushes and dumped my bike. The sand was pretty deep also and twisty. Very difficult to ride the DR on that stuff. Then we had to ride down this like 4 foot sandy ledge. I did not want to go down that thing. Everyone makes it down ok till I go down it I can't even keep the bike up and the bike and me kinda just topple over it. Saltwater helps me get the bike up after his amusement, it was quite comical. Then we're riding around the beach and there is a creek crossing we need to go through. Everyone kinda takes their own route back, well I cross one section of the creek and no problem it was pretty shallow. Then I have to cross another section and well it LOOKS shallow it was like fuckin 4 feet deep! I make this HUGE splash and me and the bike are now soaking wet but I got through it ok. Also disaster strikes my action camera stop working because the splash kinda submerged my camera and I didn't have the rear cover on it! So it stops working a little down the beach. I ride the beach back and stop because my GPS batteries are giving me grief again and I wanted to get tracks so I swapped the battery out and everyone is way ahead of me. I fly down the beach at about 60mph no video because I drowned my camera. The beach had all these little whoops too wasn't too hard to ride over them but I was pretty tires by now. Then when I get to San Juanico there is is this red kinda muddy looking stuff on the beach and I see Saltwater stuck in it. So I try to find where there is less of this stuff and try to ride through it and I get stuck. I think if I charged right through it WOT I probably would have made it but I back off and everyone had to help get my bike out. The stuff was stinky too and it got all over my rear wheels. It was like a giant mass of kelp or seaweed that washed up on the shore. So if I see anything like that again I definitely won't ride through it.

Let's just say I pretty much had it after that and I didn't want to camp on the beach with that nasty stuff so I got a hotel room with EricB for the night. Later we discover that Windsor's rear wheel bearing was destroyed and he needs a rescue. EricB enlists the aid of Miguel from last year from the El Burro restaurant. They go rescue Windsor and all is well. Luckily later that night my action camera started working agin YAY! Ion Air Pro 3 tough!

Also I think the Cactus Puncher took the most beating after today's ride. I broke an offroad light mount, drowned my camera, I must've drained a cup of water out of the airbox, got that stinky seawead all over my rear wheel, blew my accesorry fuse when I soaked the bike, and got like 10 dents on my front wheel. Me and the Cactus Puncher were beat but you know what I was happy! I got to ride a new section today and I totally ripped it. Got to explore and take pictures of wonderful scenery. Had a beach adventure. Once we left the pavement we literally rode dirt the entire way to Scorpion Bay! So no complaints about that!

Ready for another day of riding!

Shadow relaxing

The road to San Isidro, great fun and scenic!

Near the end of the road was this spectacular view points of San Isidro and La Purisma. Totally worth the ride!

This is the road that goes down to San Isidro not far in the distance.

This is the rockpile I walked over to get those shots.

This is one of my best pictures I think the whole trip. Saltwater just happened to be at the right place at the right time when I pushed the shutter button. It's Saltwater looking out to San Isidro.

 

[Eric B]

Trying to keep the Baja vibe going.

 

[stangz]

View attachment 491198

Trying to keep the Baja vibe going.

 

[2strokeYardSale]

They have cactus in parking lots?

How was the WR450F? 35-40 mpg? Change the oil once?

 

[HadesOmega]

Added my novel to the pictures. If you want more info on the picture have another look through arty

 

[SFMCjohn]

... wonderful read!

... glad you added the descriptions,
for some reason I had asSumEd the
pics of the
road to San Isidro was instead pics of
the area west of Mulege ...

... now looking forward to doing
the San Isidro road someday ... arty

 

[kalle]

Whales in Laguna Ojo de Liebre

When John mentioned the BARF Baja Ride and asked if I was interested I said I was as long as we went whale watching. It's something I experienced 8 years ago in San Ignacio and I've never forgot. Being in the presence of a whale yet alone petting it is like standing next to a 2000 year old redwood tree for the first time or watching lava flow into the ocean. After staying overnight in Catavina we slabbed it 100+ miles to Laguna Ojo de Liebre which is just south of Guerrero Negro. It's 25 miles off the highway past the salt ponds. We camped on there and had dinner at the restaurant. The boat trip was 1 1/2 hours and cost $41 each. Nice to mix up the water and land on a trip to Baja.

[youtube]Mlzs5c1k54Q[/youtube]

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Kalle Hoffman
San Francisco, CA

 

[HadesOmega]

On the road to to La Purisma was this nice view. There's also a road there that goes through the water wonder where it goes?

We stopped and took a break at this little church in San Isidro.

Pictures on the dirt road out of La Purisma to San Juanico.

Thumbsup!

This is a picture when we were headed to the beach. We were waiting for Hank and Hank decided he was going to slab it to Scoprion Bay instead. So from here we hit the sand!

Alongside the sandy road was grass, cactus, bushes, and those little yellow wildflowers.

Hilary getting ready to tackle this sand section.

Or so I thought. Everyone took off and I notice no Hilary behind me so I wait for a few minutes and still no Hilary. So I turn the cactus puncher around and go search for her and I find this... I seriously thought she had dumped her bike and was just trying to look cool waiting for someone to help her pick up her bike. But she was actually pinned under her bike or the giant loop. That's why I casually snapped this picture then I was like OH YOUR STUCK ok let me help you. haha

Hilary dumped it one more time prior to going over the ledge, but she got down it pretty gracefully after that.

The Cactus Puncher after a it's battle with the beach.

EricB made it back after the San Javier/Comondu ride. He told us the scoop on Windsor and just like last year headed out with Miguel to rescue another KTM. While he was getting ready to take off I filled the KLX up. Unfortunately all my action cameras were dead. I took Eric's bike for a spin taking the LONG way back haha. He said it ok as long as I don't ride it on the beach haha after hearing what happened to my bike. I snapped these at the cliff down if you head out towards the beach from the barrel gas pump. It was funny after I filled my bike up my bike I told the guy I would be back with another moto. I pull up on KLX and he's like otro moto!? I guess he forgot haha.

Pictures of the KLX with Scorpion bay in the background. Also let me tell you what I thought about the KLX250/350. It was super easy to ride machine like my KLX140. The power was not that impressive as say the XR400 but it was easy to control, you can easily slide that bike around and its gobbles up tough bumpy terrain with more grace than the DR pig. It was lightweight also. I could probably pick it up more times than my DR650 haha. Maybe I should have opened it up more. But it was familiar to my little friend the KLX140L. I think it's a nice looking green machine also. EricB makes everything look easy on this machine!

Pretty all the bikes have made it to Scorpion Bay it's a good day. The Cactus Puncher here all fueled up at the hotel.

You see all the kinda dark red cotton candy looking stuff? That's the seaweed yuck.

I pulled the airbox plug and this all the water that drained out.

 

[HadesOmega]

After draining the water out of the airbox and replacing the accessory fuse I took the DR out for a little spin. You can see all that red crap there in the background, that's just the a small amount of it. I suppose you could have camped at those palapas also.

There's that seaweed bleh also notice the Cactus Puncher is missing a light.

Saw these people riding what looks like an XR or CR down the beach

Dinner at El Burro hey look Windsor has made it!

It's time for my annual GRANDE Burrito, had trouble finishing it this time but I did

Norcalslowpoke sportin the sombrero and a drinkie

Saltwater having a good time playing dressup

END DAY 4

 

[Motorcycle RN]

More fotos

 

[Eric B]

All these pictures are great!

 

[MotoHedon]

Thanks for the pics! I shared the pic of me under my bike with the caption " caught making out with my bike again" I'm glad you captured our special moment. I'll get my pics up soon.
Hilary

 

[Jerrykap]

Nice work you guys & gals. Is it premature to say it looks to be another great trip?

 

[HadesOmega]

DAY 5 - SCORPION BAY TO SAN IGNACIO
Today we were on the return trip now. I wasn't feeling so well, for some reason my right shoulder/collar was hurting. I don't know why I might have slept in some weird position or I may have hurt it picking up my bike the other day, so I was dragging ass today. I wound up riding kind of the sweep crew.

Norcalslowpoke and EricB were going to leave after Windsor was all squared away. He wound up getting a ride from Miguel to San Ignacio. So it was myself, Norcalslowpoke, and EricB the three amigos. We rode at a kind of medium pace about 50mph or less. It was fairly uneventful ride actually. I've done this route twice already and I know not to get crazy in the mudflats section and to stay on the car tracks. Keeping with the prevailing theme of the whole ride there was LESS sand than last year. The super silty sand box section where everything crashed last year was like only half as silty. There were some deep sand section on the way to the beach but the Cactus Puncher made quick work of them. Haha I can tell some people were having trouble on that stuff because I'd see the tire tracks get all crazy eventually.

We got to the fishing village and EricB handed out stickers to the kids. We got them to hold up the stickers for a picture. It was great. Then we finished up the mudflats section in no hurry, stopping to take snack breaks on the way. Norcalslowpoke gave me a bit of a scary when he kind of fish tailed his bike. He said that he leaned forward a bit and the rearend totally lost traction. That's how tricky riding on this stuff was.

We rode through some deep sand sections towards the end but the Cactus Puncher had no problems flying over that stuff. It was even a little whoopie. Then we got to the graded road and sped it up a bit. Then I noticed near one of the vados was a fender pack. Looks like someone lost a fender pack a Wolfman one. So I stopped and we recovered it. Turns out later we found out it was Cabrito's and reunited him with it.

Then we hit the slab and headed to San Ignacio. On the way in we ran into Cabrito and Saltwater trying to get their bikes washed. That was a great idea since I got all that seaweed crap all over my bike. So later I got my bike washed. We pulled into the town square and hung out. It was quite a sight seeing all the bikes lined up at the townsquare. That was pretty much it we got a room at Rice and Beans. I checked out the mission and it's garden. Then I checked out a placed called La Huerta, a nice hotel not far from the Mision de San Ignacio. Wowens and MotorcyclRN were staying there. Unfortunately MotorcycleRN's DR350 was dead in the water. We thought it may not be getting spark but we confirmed it was. It seems like something is wrong with the valves.

Sunrise at Scorpion Bay

Saltwater is there changing his front tube again.

Suns up let's ride!

The Saltwater, Cabrito, and WFO unit riding out.

Sleeping doggie. The dogs are very friendly in Baja.

See you later Scorpion Bay

MotorcycleRN and Norcalslowpoke getting ready to roll out.

 

[anytwowilldo]

Thanks for the pics! I shared the pic of me under my bike with the caption " caught making out with my bike again" I'm glad you captured our special moment. I'll get my pics up soon.
Hilary

Now that is funny! When I saw the photo I thought you were kind of cuddled up with it and had a smile on your face.

 

[Cabrito]

When do we get to see some of the various drone videos that were shot on this trip?

 

[HadesOmega]

Out just cruisin around with EricB and Norcalslowpoke. We just passed a rancho and these very sandy roads. More sandy roads after this also.

Taking another break out in the muddy flats. Picking out way at a decent pace.

Not far off was a fishing village.

Lots of birds hanging out for a meal

I forgot my stickers but EricB had a bunch. He was handing them out to all the kids. First he gave one and the kid put it on his bike. Then more and more children came out. It was great

 

[HadesOmega]

Towards the end of the mudflats we started to venture inland and ride the sandy trails. We noticed there are a bunch of eagles nests perched on top of powerlines.

That familiar white building with some tagging on it.

After the sand sections it spit us out onto nice gravel road where we could really fly down it. We actually took a slightly different route from last year heading straight to the road. Good thing we did or else we wouldn't have found Cabritos fenderpak.

After a lot of gravel roads we hit the slab to San Ignacio for another 30 minutes of so.

BARF Baja has taken over the town center

Mision de San Ignacio

 

[HadesOmega]

Right next to the mission was a garden with lots of different cactus