Home from the Baja 1000

[AngerIssues]

We may still be Anger Issues racing, but after a trip like that, I am certainly a little less angry.

I don't know where to start with the story, and I'm sure it's nothing like the racers. Hell, I don't even know what happened in the race yet!! I know the jeep went through 275/400 way ahead of Moss. So far ahead, in fact, we assumed he had entered class 8 or something. Keep in mind it was a VERY dark night... and Í'd had about 20 beers.

Once we used the GPS to find the 275/400 junction, we were surprised to see a lot of the locals didn't seem to know exactly where the two spots came together - we were practically alone, except for 400 entries coming by twice!! :eek:

We literally camped in between to two race courses, surrounded by trees that seemed big enough to protect us (or were those cacti?).

Anyway - I will get some pics up when the camera comes home with the last team-mates on the plane. Larlar, the kitty, and the twins come home tomorrow. :p

The short version of the story:

Thursday night - El Centro at the HO-JO
Friday night - RM 275/400. wow.
Saturday - Bloody Mary's at Pete's camp, tacos on the malecon at San Felipe, long drive down the coast and eventually the Bay of LA (should have not stayed so long at Petes!!). Love the new lights and bumper
Saturday - nearly all dirt - Bay of LA (2007 race course) to San Juanico. more WOW :D.

I know, I know... I need pics. Me with the yellow-fin tuna, dad on the XR600 or the WRF450, Lara on the surfboard.

buzz-words for the trip:
MP3 players - too cool. Enough music to wear-out a good hearing aid.
fresh fish, and more more more fresh fish (halibut, Sierra, corvina, dorado, ahi, shrimp the size of your hand!)
hella lights (not bad for the money)
stuck in the mud on the salt flats for about 5 hours
blown hub
multiple beer stops every day
more bumps than you could ever count (but still not enough!)

I tell ya, it's almost enough to make me give up racing... almost.

Special thanks to Cal and Cynthia Wagstaff for making us right at home once we arrived in San Juanico. It was just awsome.

NOW I can read what the hell happened during the race.

Ken

[Broncodawg]

Thought I heard a bunch of gringo hooting and hollering down course from the Borrego BFG pit.:D Sounds like a killer trip and will be doing something similar next year if its a loop race. Hopefully Sal spills the beans on that at the awards. We need PICS, especially of the mud baths!:p;)

[fj40]

Looks like you had a great time.... now, lets see those pic´s.

[AngerIssues]

First pic - just trying photo bucket guys.

Here is Pop (Ray) and Lara (in back) leaving the HO-JO at El Centro for the 1000. He is the Jo... (ha ha).

We have all our crap for 10 days... jack, tools, fishing poles, shovel, ax, cooler, bedding, and a few beers :o)

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0003.jpg

Here is where we spent the night... RM375 and 400 (roughly). Right where the two courses came together. You might not have seen us in the night.... unless we were smiling bright!
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0007.jpg

The first road crossing of the 1000 on the San Felipe Side. Lara with her San Juanico buddies Mike and Kenny. They were pitting for Wide Open Baja, but somebody goofed and put them on the "alternate route in case it rained"... it didn't. 80% of the cars didn't come through there!! Ooops.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0006.jpg

The morning after the 1000. We got sucked into Pete's camp. Couldn't resist. It put us way behind schedule, but was FUN!
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0009.jpg

Open road below Puertocitos. Nearing the sea of cortez again.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0014.jpg

Bay of LA - staying more days next time!
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0021.jpg

Where you DON'T want to stay in Bay of LA!!
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0023.jpg

Just a cool road... somewhere/nowhere
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0027.jpg

[Blanco]

Nice front bumper!
When did you get that?

[AngerIssues]

Right after I crashed Negro in the parking structure at work. Well, actually he crashed himself... nearly ran me over in the process :o)

[straightaxle]

Well, actually he crashed himself... nearly ran me over in the process :o)

Wow, kinda like Knightrider? Otto Pilot!

[BajaBronco13]

Hey Ken,

Do you have a leak underneath near the the passenger side rear tire?

Bronco is looking really good.

[Blanco]

Wow, kinda like Knightrider? Otto Pilot!
I was thinking more along the lines of Herby. http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/roflsign.gif

[AngerIssues]

Hey Ken,

Do you have a leak underneath near the the passenger side rear tire?

Bronco is looking really good.

Good lord you guys don't miss a beat. I KNEW someone would see that. The condomsation in the exhaust drips a bit. Well... something wet is leaking underneath. Either that or Lara had to pee before departure!! :D

Just the exhaust dripping. I like to let him warm up. (Negro, not my dad).

[Blanco]

When did you edit your post above?
I just looked & noticed you added a bunch of pics. http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/16.gif

[BajaBronco13]

Good lord you guys don't miss a beat. I KNEW someone would see that. The condomsation in the exhaust drips a bit. Well... something wet is leaking underneath. Either that or Lara had to pee before departure!! :D

Just the exhaust dripping. I like to let him warm up. (Negro, not my dad).

ha ha ha Just wanted to make sure you weren't the Exxon Valdez.

Nice pics Ken. Keep them coming.

Chris

[AngerIssues]

When did you edit your post above?
I just looked & noticed you added a bunch of pics. http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/16.gif

I edited last night... but maybe better to put more here.. so you don't have to go back and look.

Here are more


Here is the Deaver one I accidentally deleted. Found in the middle of nowhere - too much crap to take home with us:

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0029.jpg


sorry they are so big... but much easier than resizing...and the extra detail is nice. Can you tell we had a new camera which still had the clear-plastic lense cover on it? You can tell which photos it was there (fuzzy) ... and which ones it wasn't (clear) (thanks Lara).


Sunset at "no tell'em creek". OK, San Juanico.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0123.jpg


Lara's brother Justin - surfin' it up at SJO/Scorpion's Bay
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0114.jpg


Had to go fishing, of course. Cal Wagstaff (and Cynthia too) were our gracious hosts!! This is Lara's dad (so I had to be on my best behavior)... he he. They have a bitchin' house there! Adelio is their buddy with the boat. We gave at least 1/2 our fish to him and his family. Boy, they must get sick of eating fish at some point. All we ate was fish and shrimp, and I loved it!!

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0004.jpg


Me modeling my newest SCORE shirt - completely ruined with the blood of a fresh Ahi - 5 miles out. yummers. Sashimi was only a couple of hours old. Practically still warm!!

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0008.jpg


Dad had been "feeding the fish"... earlier. So I guess he needed some mouth-wash :o)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0019.jpg


We caught Dorado, Ahi, and Sierra Mackeral... the latter went into the ceviche (yum!). Some people think my dad and I look alike??? I just don't see it!! (he he). OH... I got to see two humpback whales completely breach (sp?). Come completely out of the water and BLAM back down. If that don't make you feel small and insignificant...

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0023-1.jpg


So I tell my dad to take it easy.... both he and Cal used to race against Malcom Smith, Jack Johnson, and Casey Folks (etc). My dad gets on the XR 600 and all I see is a rooster-tail and a blurr!!! bye!! I get stuck on the utility quad that "only" goes 46 max. It takes me an hour to catch them! Lara on the faster quad.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0041.jpg


Lara with "Negro". Once you have a black car, you never go back.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0032.jpg


Fishing from the cliffs. We caught corvina and Ray (pops) caught a halibut on a swim-bait or a spoon. More yum-yum.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0039.jpg


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0042.jpg
hey - I will put the captions UNDER the photos... brilliant!! They had this bizarre idea to have whale watching tours. They build this SPOOKY boat on contract. The boat pilots took it out to see ONCE... it scared the crap out of them... they came back, beached it, and walked away. There it sits today. Now it's "los banos" mucha del dia (or something like that). Thomas Crapper would have been proud of this one!!


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0044.jpg
love the colors in this one. Not bad for 150 dollar camera/video camera.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0051.jpg
Gotta love this... one of the small stores, but notice the gas station in the background? 5 gallons at a time. These boys could teach a course on how to siphon gas without ever touching it or getting it in their mouth!!


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0072.jpg
This was pretty much the day's activity.. if you don't fish or ride bikes. The surf is legendary (don't tell your friends). You just pull up a vehicle, get out a lawn chair and a cooler, and watch the world go by. Doesn't SUCK.


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0084.jpg
Another option... but not as good as La Ventana... from what I hear (hell, I've got a torn ACL, what do I know)


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0091.jpg
Thanksgiving dinner - about 50 people we didn't know... who treated us like family!!



http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0058.jpg
Some cute couple on the beach!!


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0097.jpg
The day we have to leave. Cal dressed up in his Sunday best!! (it was Friday though Cal???)


http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/kwlskeeter/PICT0098.jpg
Notice the torn-apart steering column? See the ignition switch hanging down? Think I fixed it? ha ha.

Ya know... I rarely smile when I have to LEAVE someplace. I came home a slightly changed person... which is not a bad thing for most people

We took the "high road"...as we had been stuck for 4-5 hours on the "low" road coming in at night. Everyone says "you just don't do that"... oh yea??? wait until next time. I'll try it again - at night!! I'm a stubborn jack-ass... maybe I didn't change that much.

Guess that's it!!

Ken, Lara, Ray

[fj40]

KOOL!!... Now I have Envy Issues.
Been planing on a fishing trip for a while, better get on it.

[Blanco]

I did'nt see any surf in those pics of any size?
But the Fish sure were good sized!

Looks like you had a great time. :D

[11wnb]

Ken, Where did you get the shade/bikini top on the back of your bronco? Did you make it or buy it somewhere?

[AngerIssues]

I did'nt see any surf in those pics of any size?
But the Fish sure were good sized!

Looks like you had a great time. :D


The surf there does not get big very often, but those that love to surf swear it's about as clean a break as exists anywhere... just goes and goes and goes. It is not uncommon to see 4, 5, or more waves in a row, all being ridden at one time. Mostly big boards, great spot for learner and expert alike. This was probably the smallest day also. I wanted to try, but better get my knee surgery first. Looking like January. Now I just need some dead-guy's ACL to sew into my own.

[AngerIssues]

Ken, Where did you get the shade/bikini top on the back of your bronco? Did you make it or buy it somewhere?


It's a bit of a long story. Ask me again when I finish it. Just kidding, we made it, did some stuff right and some stuff wrong.

By spring I will roll out version 2.0... I expect it to be much better. It worked for keeping the wind and rain off... but was far from perfect. If this goes well, I'll make a few and sell them! I looked and looked but cannot find one, so I did that instead.