Baja Jan 2014 recap

[OaklandF4i]

The gas pump in Bahia Asuncion we drove by 4 times and missed because a large SUV was in front of it. The Policia thought it amusing when we stopped nearly across the street from it asked where to get gas. And did I mention I love baja yet?

 

[OaklandF4i]

Pics along the coast thru the Vizcaino dessert to church at Punta Abreojos

 

[OaklandF4i]

Fun!



I ran them on a KLR I had, and did lots of freeway miles, but running much higher tire pressures. Never had a chunking problem. Not sure I'd choose them again, but they didn't fall apart.

I may try one more rear. They are cheap and just up the pressure on the highway this time. The Heinendeau (spelling) and Mefo are 3-4 times as expensive and look even more streety. If those center rectangles hadnt chunked, it would have gotten a glowing review. Perhaps air pressure is the solution.

 

[Mr Pepsi]

Back to the dirt. The next day we ride from Turtle Bay along the coast via Puerto Nuevo, Bahie Asuncion, and number more fishing villages to Punta Abreojos before heading back to the 1 and San Ignacio. Good days ride and only one locked gate to make our way around with a tires width of room from the canyon below. Andy did have another get off. I suggested if he faced the other direction he might have better success on the bike Bars, shift lever, rear brake lever, bark busters... hell just about everything is now getting bent and bent back on a regular basis. But not lasting injuries... just good stories and the bike becoming more authentic... you know... Like Brad Pitt said in the Mexican.... Authentic

That sure is a damn scary ass big frickin rock he could have hit his noggin on!

 

[OaklandF4i]

At Rice and beans in San Ignacio we make the decision to ride on to Mulege where we will spend a few days chillin, watch the Niners Seahawks game and do some exploring from a fixed base. Well, we get to Santa Rosalia and i notice at the gas stataion that Andy has flat number two. No Mulege tonight. Lets just throw some air in it and limp out to the Motel Moro on top of the hill for the night. We can change it there, eat, and rest.

Like the trail stand I made from scratch in the garage before leaving?
0$ and worked great over the trip. And a pic proof for my sister that I am still alive!

 

[OaklandF4i]

Upon arriving in Mulege the next day, we go out to Hotel Serindad as its Saturday and there is usually a pig roast. We are informed no roast, and since there is no roast, there really isnt a reason to stay on the south side of the river and pay a huge premium for the room. Back into to town we go. We do one quick loop of town assessing our options when a retired gentleman from Washington living here now on a KTM Adventure flags us down. We chat about the options (I've spent many occasions in Mulege) and he convinces to try out the Terraces motel where two other bikers are staying. Good call Alan! We arrange a doble for $100 pesos a night. You do the math.....

 

[OaklandF4i]

to be continued...

 

[Cabrito]

Dude!

I can't wait until I have some time to read this report properly...

 

[ThumperX]

This is wonderful, thanks!

 

[OaklandF4i]

With the cheap hotel and nice surroundings of Mulege, we stay a bit. Just short of a week if I recall. Its Saturday night and time to see what kind of fun we can drum up. Around 8:30 we go out and look to get a drink.... but everything is closed or closing!

We find one restuarant bar open, so we decide to make the best of it. We are afterall the only customers, so lets make it worth the it for the bar tender. Tequila, and more tequila. Javier the bartender is from Sinoloa... so we share some stories. He informs us business just hasnt returned since the last hurricane and everything closes early. He eventually has to shut down and we stagger out to small sqaure near the entrance of town where we know a street vendor is usually set up. There we come upon Cory from Montana on what looks to be mid 80's XR600. Cory is an interesting character and you probably wouldnt approach some one like him normally.... but we had our tequila swagger on.

We learn from Cory that yes everything closes early. But just down the block on the second floor is a bar open with a pool table. Nuff said.... We ask if he wants to join, beer on us. He replys, no I wouldnt go in there. Even in our tequila haze that made stop for a moment... but only moment. On to the "sports bar"!

Now this place is a sports bar in name only. No TV's, just two pool tables. But its open and they are serving booze. We get upstairs and open the door to a full bar. No gringos, and by the looks we got, not many ever come in. Safe thing to do... go to the bar and order two Tecates to survey the place. There is some serious pool being played with pesos changing hands each rack.

Halfway through our Tecate, a 50ish locale asks if we want to play. Alberto says its 20 pesos a game. No biggy, thats $1.60. Andy gets up first and Fernando, the guy running the table ups it to 50 pesos. Andy loses a very close match setting me up next. As expected, Fernando ups the wager to 100 pesos. No problemo. They obviously see us as a gringo ATM tonight.....

Oh but Fernando, you just got hustled. I quickly dispose of him in a single inning. At this point, its clear that Fernando is the guy to usually beat and the bar go's quite The far table stops playing and everyone is watching us. Another challenger approaches and the wager is doubled again. This is repeated a number of times. Third game I take the winnings and buy a large round of tecates and hand them out to folks around the table. Folks ease up a bit and start talking with us, not about us. Alberto introduces me to his daughter and cousin. Fernando starts giving us the lay of the table and the patrons. Who is real trouble and who isnt. Even lets me use his stick to play. Its getting late and fellow who has been eying us all night from the corner says he wants a game now. Fernando whispers its time to leave anyways, throw the game. Which I do... for a 100 pesos.

By now its about 2am its time to move on to a place thats a bit of a disco on the weekends and only opens up late. Andy, I, and a group of our new friends from the "sports bar" all stumble down to it. I take more of the winnings and buy more drinks. Andy goes back to pool table at this bar and starts playing. I stay up front socializing. They have this shot where they poor liquor in the glass and overflowing on the bar counter... then set it and the bar aflame while drinking with straws. Silly Mexicans, you dont need a straw as I grab the flaming shot and down it without the straw..... as the terrified bar tender throws a towl at my face... arty

Much later Andy comes back up front. One of the guys we were told to steer clear of is welching on his pool wager. Its nearly 4am now and a good a time as ever to just let it go and retreat to the motel. Good night Mulege!

 

[OaklandF4i]

The next day was spent recovering...... Street tacos and orange fanta do wonders for hangovers. We spend some more time with our neighbors Rich and Melody from Washington. Just retiring, they are starting their travels on their BMWs. You can see there website at http://2wheels2live.com, though I think their facebook page is more up to date. We trade stories, go on some rides, and enjoy Mulege. One particular trip was out to the cave paintings at San Borjitas. A little less visited than La Trinidads. Another day just bar hopping on the beachs of Bahia Conception.

 

[OaklandF4i]

I always suspected I was an adopted Mexican child. I was tempted to knock on the door and say I was home.... and here to stay. And a random picture of Mexican female bikini football on TV. Yes... it was entertaining.

 

[OaklandF4i]

We hit the pavement to Loretto where we spend an uneventful night. The next am we rode out San Javier, then hit the dirt again north to Comundu, San Isidro, La Purisma, and ending in Bahia San Juanico. All but a few miles off the pavement

 

[OaklandF4i]

The houses of San Isidro, water crossing, entering Scorpian Bay, our accomadations on the beach, and yes he surfing doing a hand stand!

 

[OaklandF4i]

Next day we take the coast, or low road north back to San Ignacio. At first I thought this was a mirage... but it was cows lost in the dunes. Or maybe they werent lost.... Fishing villages on the coast and our arival at the lagoon of San Ignacio.

 

[OaklandF4i]

Random and not chronological, but worth noting. We stopped at this "truck stop" just south of the turn off to bay of LA for some nourishment. Much cleaner on the outside, less flys. Mattresses on the floor for drivers to take a siesta. The cook was at least 6'4" if she was an inch, and an easy 300lbs. Biggest Mexican I have ever seen man or woman. We are talking Bama O line big. Well she was a bit of tortilla nazi..... and took offense I believe when we vascilated on maize or flour tortilla's. For a moment... I thought we might go hungry had a trucker not intervened and told her to give us flour. As I sat waiting for my meal and surveyed the environs, I noticed the picture of the last supper in front of me and wonder... well if this was to be my last

 

[OaklandF4i]

Both Andy and his bike are getting pretty beat by this time... so we decide to make a b line for Catavina. Maybe detour to Mikes Sky Ranch if the bikes and bodies feel up for it in the AM. At Catavina we meet Tom from Perth who is riding his bicycle and trailering his surfboard. And people think motorcyclist are nuts.... Good guy. His website is thedirtytwo.com Also shared a couple of beers to celebrate Australia day with him.

Here I also meet Tim Morton and get to chat for a few minutes. Thats two baja champs in one trip!

In the AM we find that Andy's bike fuel was not shut off, float bowl not working correctly, and couple gallons of fuel has filled the carb, airbox, cylinder, and even seeped into the motor oil. When we attempt to start it we make a smoke screen the Marines would be proud of......

So its time to dissassemble everything to get to the bottom of it, fix, clean it, and fresh oil. After two hours the bike is humming along again. But I think its also the point of saying its time to go home..... and skip the Sky Ranch.

 

[Mr Pepsi]

But I think its also the point of saying its time to go home..... and skip the Sky Ranch.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!
Someone send him a new bike.

 

[OaklandF4i]

The next AM we decide to ride to Ensanada for our last night in Baja. We stop at Mama Espinoza's for a great meal (Milanese... like chickfried steak without the gravy) and what has become of my tobacco habit. Yes, no more to mix and I lowered to chewing cig's in their wrapper like bandits.

In Ensanada we encounter this guys old Honda (he was doing some masonary work at the hotel). Sweet bike and he had some big plans for it. We had the worst meal of Baja at Papa's and Beer in Ensanada, but the entertainment at Paris made up for it. Final pick of my tire before we leave. Pretty much shot.

And thats a Baja wrap for 2014.

 

[OaklandF4i]

A couple of notes about the bikes, gear etc. I am conflicted about the Kenda 270's. They did provide better life than a D606 or Pirellis in my experience. May try another set with higher pressure on the pavement. They provided acceptable off road performance given what they are.

Klim Dakar pants (thanks to my sister for a great gift). BEST pants I have ever owned hands down. I also own the Moab version.

Giant Loop bag (again, thanks to my aunt for the gift). The shape and way it mounts works better than any saddle bag I have used before offroad. Its stays put and you hardly notice it when standing. The quality of construction and durability is top notch (american made). It is however very expensive at nearly $400 and is not comepletey waterproof. Andy crash tested his many times.... Still, a big thumbs up!

STI heavy duty tubes. Very reasonably priced at half the big name brands (like $10). Never had a flat on the trip. Andy was another brand and had three.

Primary drive sprockets and o ring chain. Rockymtnatv economical brand. Didnt need an adjustment the entire trip. For a econo chain, this held up better than some far more expensive o ring chains I have used before.

Tusk fender bags. Again, for the price these are awesome.

Topeak mini morp pump. This thing rocked for its size AND fit nicely into the front fender bag. No worry about running out of o2 cartridges trying to get the bead to set.

Tusk bark busters on Andys bike. At less than half the price of either the Acerbis or Cycras I run on my dirt bikes, they were easier to fit and repair after crashes (slightly softer) and better articulation. I'll be buying a set when I replace mine.

Acerbis tanks. I have IMS's on my other bikes and also have an IMS for the XR. Cant tell you how much more confident you are far from town with 5.8 gallons versus just over 4. It doesnt tank much of a navigation error to get you in trouble and extra 1.5 gallons gives you more wiggle room in baja. big thumbs up to 200 mile range!

Trail stand. I was cheap and made my own for this trip. I will however buy one of those fancy folding ones for the next trip. Tire changes are so much easier and I am now sold on their value.