Geronimo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 91
Registered: 6-12-2005
Location: Salome Arizona/San Felipe BC Mex
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Baja Mil Race/Pit report
Left Salome at 5:30 am, right on Plan. For once I was not running solo as Jayson Campbell, recently returned from Iraq was in the right seat. Jayson
was going to his first Mil, though it was by no means his first race. We stopped in Yuma for Gas and a few supplies, had to wait a little for some
Fry’s chicken to cook, and we were on the road again. The border was fast and the construction in Mexicalli only took a few minuets. Three Poles
checkpoint was closed so we hit Rice and Beans San Felipe at 10am local time. Shrimp for lunch, checked the filming plan for ARTTV with Martin and
Rob. Rob told me about Billy’s Prerunner getting jacked from Estero Beach. We said our good byes, after Beers at San Felipe Liquors, gas at the
Rodriguez Pemex we were on the road to Coco’s.
Pavement to Puertocitos was even further than a month before when I went down. Aired down at Cowpatty (20psi was perfect with the overloaded Ranger).
I set a moderate pace over the sisters and let Jayson enjoy the scenery, but I really wanted to make Coco’s by dark.
The plan had been to meet the rest of the guys down there as they were leaving SF at first light. We were surprised to see the Toyota of DanOver and
Walt about 7 miles out of Coco’s. They said that the Deans were out in front. We went on and found Deano and Mean Dean changing a tire about a mile
up the road. After asking Deano why he waited to cut a tire so close to the end, we went about helping change it. A spare was wrestled out of the
back and quickly determined that there is a difference in the 8 lug pattern on a 99 F250 and the 8 lug pattern on Deans 04 F350. The other tire was
under the truck so the barrowed winch handle from DanOvers 99 Super Duty was pulled out and found to not fit. I dug mine out; it was the same as the
99. A little discussion on the matter and the generator and my 4” grinder had the tire on the ground in no time. 10 minuets later we made Coco’s
just as the sun went down. After extensive negotiations with Coco we paid five bucks each to go trough Cocos so we could set up were the Checkers
wanted us, about 200 yards after the Checkpoint. We made camp and went to sleep early; it would be that last time we would get a chance. In the
morning we set up the pit and got the Checker flag up on my 37’ mast. A SanFelipeOffroad, banner along with some 120 signs were strategically placed.
The only assignments we had was to fuel and install the lights on the 120 of Stuart and Eric Chase, do a drivers change for Rich Severson, and fuel
and change drivers for Joe Cota. Other wise we were just an emergency pit for the Checkers and a couple of San Felipe Teams.
The Cota guys including old friend John Castillo showed up, they expected there sporty car about 2am. The Flamingo racing guys decided that they
didn’t want to scratch there trucks so they set up at Coco’s. We were expecting Brian with the Chase light bar and fuel in the late afternoon.
We settled in, taking passing times and car numbers for Tony’s articles. Listening to the weatherman for info. First trucks came through and we
started getting ready for customers. Brian arrived with the lights and fuel. We made assignments and were able to put about 7 guys on the stop.
Stuart called in that there were no problems with 120 cars, I told him the location of the pit and that we were ready for them. I had the most class
1 experience so after getting the car in position I went about checking the CV boots, and doing a visual on the car. The light bar went on, took
about 20 gallons and they were out in less then 3 minutes. Nothing is as good for the adrenalin and a good pit stop. Eric and Stuart went on to a
10th place finish with a brand new car. Excellent day!
It was all about waiting listening to checker main and the Weatherman for news on the rest of the cars. I talked to Rich “Stretch” Severson and told
him where his guys were, he honked when he came by. George Seely and the Hummers went by later and then the wait continued. We received a call from
Joe Cota that he was stuck coming off the lake bed and wanted to know if we had anyone in SF that could come get him out. We couldn’t think of anyone
that wasn’t already out on course. He said the starter was out and they were going to stop at Dave Dietrich’s well equipped shop in San Felipe if
they could get unstuck and find a replacement. An hour or so later the call came that the replacement starter didn’t work; the old starter and the
car were on the way south, we would deal with it in our pit. The prospect of the car making it down from San Felipe was good, a little tight on the
2am closing of check 3, but doable. The options were discussed and going into Calamage where we knew there were stuck cars and deep water with no
starter was considered a very bad idea. We waited and listened, talked to Checker 2 and they said that Joe went through the check with about 3
minutes to spare, they serviced him and he was on his way. The 4am check 4 closing was nearing, all eyes were staring south. Chase cars were heading
in and out regularly and then, at about 15 till closing he comes in. We were set up past this point for just this reason. He came in and the starter
came out. We discussed the 1/8” difference between 091 and regular starters. Joe decided that it was the solenoid so it was changed, no go. It was
close to 5 when I called them out of the race and the pit was closed. Somewhere in there we found that Juan Gallo had gone by us in the dark and that
George Jackson had gone out before check 3. I rested for about half an hour before sun came completely up.
It was a good night with most of the checkers cars going by running well. We enjoyed being a part of this group and hope to do it again. The pit
team all worked well together and between Pit captain Deano Watkins and me we had all the tools we needed. A good Day, or was it two?
We packed up and headed for home about 10am. Dean had no spare and Danover had the shock problem, so a slow pace was a must. We went into
Alfonsina’s, and Bufeo sightseeing. Jayson drove and I saw all kinds of things as I had never rode that trip before. Just before the sisters we came
across a trailer in the road and started to go around. These guys were in a late model F150 towing a Fourfinder on a trailer. They were switching a
hitch around that was dragging. My highlift jack was need so I started to unload it, then the decided that we could all get on the bumper and make it
work, it did and we took off. I had some cones on the back that I had unstraped and forgot to tie back down. A guy comes up to tell me that I
dropped them and we see the Flatbillers picking them up. We wait and they pull up “are you guys Score officials” “nope” say I, “Did you see a Rhino
last night”? “We saw three” “This one was twice as black, twice as loud, and twice as wide as the rest” says the flatbiller spokesman. I told then
that about closing time a Rhino went by and maybe that was it, they all looked pretty black. They said they were going to La Paz but through San
Felipe? We drove on. The trip was uneventful; we saw old friend from the Mad Manxster days Bruce Myers up in the sisters in one of his duel sport
cars. Later we were stopped by some nationals in a XJ that were asking about the Flatbillers , we told the story and they looked annoyed and headed
south. We stayed in radio with the rest of the guys and they all pulled up in Purtocitos while we airing up.
Rice and Beans for dinner after a shower at the Eijdo, early to bed.
Taco’s in Mexicali, Thirty minuets at the border, asked lots of questions by race fan/customs agent, declared many pounds of Baja dirt. Salome by 3pm
Saturday
06 Baja Mil – Coco’s corner Checker 2.5
\"The only cure is to be perpetually South Bound\"
~Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers from the song Mexicosis
Geronimo
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Great report. Excellent memories of another 1000 in the books.
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
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Mood: Blessed with another day
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Great report Geronimo. All sounds very familiar. However you choose to look at it, good or bad, you guys just missed out on the multipal gas baths
we enjoyed at the Gonzaga pit dumping hundreds of gallons of fuel, but never any on the racer. That wonderful warm Mar de Cortez water never felt
soooo good friday morning in front of Franks house.
See you in Baja
Gadget
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Geronimo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 91
Registered: 6-12-2005
Location: Salome Arizona/San Felipe BC Mex
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Pic's added!
[Edited on 12-5-2006 by Geronimo]
\"The only cure is to be perpetually South Bound\"
~Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers from the song Mexicosis
Geronimo
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Geronimo
Junior Nomad
Posts: 91
Registered: 6-12-2005
Location: Salome Arizona/San Felipe BC Mex
Member Is Offline
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A couple more
\"The only cure is to be perpetually South Bound\"
~Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers from the song Mexicosis
Geronimo
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