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100X
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 11-3-2021
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Mood: Thankful
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David K and Roadie you are bringing back fond memories!
My first real Baja motorcycle trip we actually rode right across the US/Mexico border at Jacumba and all the way to Cabo. All Honda XR's, no chasers
and only one pair of shorts, one t-shirt and flops in a small bag taped to the handlebars.
Three of us went. The fourth rider, the only one that had done anything like this before, backed out the night before! All we had was one AAA map and
a handheld compass. "Hey, if we just keep heading south, we have to get there, right?" What a trip! So many great memories!
JZ, something like David K and Roadie are suggesting would be as rewarding as any Baja 1000, and I have done those too.
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6699
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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Do the NORRA race first. It is good prep for the Baja 1000 which is harder. Unless you have a lot of friends that can pit you, plan on $10k for
the 1000, and even then it will cost you a little more. This year we had 3 teams from the area that made it on quads. One from Guerrero Negro made
it Ironman....now that really has ghosts chasing you.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4165
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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this Class 11 Beetle came in last yesterday
https://www.facebook.com/dirtsunrise
Harald Pietschmann
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2240
Registered: 4-23-2006
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Love class 11!
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100X
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 11-3-2021
Member Is Offline
Mood: Thankful
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The true heroes of Baja!
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64488
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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My wife also loves Class 11... What fun!
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2423
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
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Mood: Happy
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I wonder if any here rode the course recently as I ride weekly. In just this year alone it is very difficult to ride. Also David when is last time you
drove all dirt to la paz? there are locked gates everywhere much pavement riding . I think JZ give the San Vicente 200 a shot first
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4165
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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I started recording gates a few years back
some of the good trails are gone
in the south pretty much all the good stuff is gone
Harald Pietschmann
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4165
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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especially along the MEX1 most dirt roads are now off limits
ranchers used to be happy to see visitors
the occasional slow 4x4 was OK
with the arrival UTVs that has completely changed
ranchers explicitly told me so
bikes blasting through ranches were mentioned too
[Edited on 11-22-2021 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2240
Registered: 4-23-2006
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A throughly understandable and predictable response from the ranchers to
Entitled and rude tourists who feel baja only exists as a consequence free playground for their entertainment.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17332
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  | especially along the MEX1 most dirt roads are now off limits
ranchers used to be happy to see visitors
the occasional slow 4x4 was OK
with the arrival UTVs that has completely changed
ranchers explicitly told me so
bikes blasting through ranches were mentioned too
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Knuckle dragging off-roaders ruined land access.
Same old story, repeated the world over.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5815
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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There are a couple of nice ranch roads that I have used the last couple of trips SOB, that are gated, but not locked. One of them is signed with
"shut the door" (in English), but not keep out or other closed signs.
Forgive me for not mentioning where they are, or providing tracks, I would like to keep them open!
I drive conservatively, and the few times I have encountered vaqueros have been friendly encounters.
[Edited on 11-22-2021 by AKgringo]
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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100X
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 11-3-2021
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Mood: Thankful
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It used to be that there were plenty of gates to keep livestock in place. You would ride up, open the gate, ride through, and close the gate behind
you. Never an issue.
Last time I got a good ride in down here (I sadly say) was in 2014, with my 2 daughters. We did a week of riding between San Ignacio and Loreto and
saw few gates. The ranchos we stopped by were very welcoming, making sure we tried their prized citrus, etc.
As this year was the 54th running of the Baja 1000, racing here has gone on longer than the vast majority of Nomads have even known of the place. The
opinion that off roading has all of a sudden ruined it, I feel, is misplaced.
Today, if I saw a gate and it didn't specifically prohibit entry, I would open it, ride through it, and close it behind me. I would ride
conservatively if around a rancho, livestock, vaqueros, or any other sign of civilization. If I was truly in the middle of nowhere and I saw someone I
would at a minimum slow to about 10 MPH and wave, but would more likely stop and talk to them, even with my broken Spanish.
Of course, I'm also the guy that has asked federates to show me their guns, let me see if they really have bullets in them, and the like, and can tell
you that if approached with a smile and a positive attitude, pretty much every person you meet can become a great memory.
I saw a few vaqueros on course during this pre-run. I slowed to about 10 MPH, waved, got smiles and waves in return, proceeded slowly for a couple
hundred yards, and resumed my pace.
Sure, there are off roaders that I wish would leave Baja alone, but the vast majority are very nice, considerate people that probably even get the
best views and experiences on the peninsula. To paint them all the same is to paint all gringos the same or all caucasians the same or all Mexicans
the same or all [fill in the blank, whatever you just so happen to be] the same.
Many people who now love Baja and even call it their home may not know how much off roading contributed to their enjoyment of the peninsula. Whether
they realize it or not, many would not have even dared venture down here their first time if it were not for off roading (or fishing, but that is more
about the water and often involves an airplane and little inland experience).
Off roading, for better or for worse, had a huge part in opening the peninsula up. Going back to the 60's it was the first reason for many gringos to
come to a place that few came to. They had a great and safe time in a magical land and the reports went north. Their kids felt safe coming down. The
adventurous of their friends and neighbors felt safe coming down. Off roaders were maybe the largest group of Baja pioneers and "paved" the way for
many to follow, as well as economic improvement for the peninsula, which then encouraged even those less adventurous to come down.
Even if there are a few inconsiderate off roaders, try approaching the next one you see with a smile and a positive attitude and see if your opinion
doesn't start to change.
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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TacoFeliz
Nomad
Posts: 265
Registered: 7-22-2005
Location: Here
Member Is Offline
Mood: Exploratory
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Thank you 100x. Very well said.
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100X
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 11-3-2021
Member Is Offline
Mood: Thankful
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One only need to run north of Loreto along the beach to see what has happened to access in Baja over the last couple decades. Everything fenced off,
even where there is noting there. Very hard to find any beach access, where it used to be wide open.
(Not due to off roaders, by the way.)
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4165
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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Baja is seen widely as a playground with few restrictions
the way the US desert used to be
tearing it up is on many visitor's mind (not all, of course)
the folks making money with exploiting Baja are using exactly that for their advertising
it seems to appeal
names carry a message
"Rip to the Tip"
"Rip to Cabo"
"Desert Assassins"
"Tearing up Baja"
donating a few bucks to a Baja orphanage does not make things better
hiring David Kier to show some rock art only softens the Rip for TV
Harald Pietschmann
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100X
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 11-3-2021
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Mood: Thankful
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Luckily Cameron has grown up since the early Rip to the Tip days (Ox passed away on one of those trips).
Now he does "Trail of Missions."
There is a lot more going on than a few bucks to a charity.
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64488
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Harald, should I say no if asked to take people to places, even when I want to? How about you? You actually have an off-road touring business. Of my
hundreds of trips, and a dozen taking a group, only twice was it for a tv show and was paid for my time.
Nothing destroys roads and terrain like Mother Nature and her flash floods. You can stop all off road driving but the next hurricane will still waste
the countryside and not just along the roads.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4165
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | Harald, should I say no if asked to take people to places, even when I want to? How about you? You actually have an off-road touring business. Of my
hundreds of trips, and a dozen taking a group, only twice was it for a tv show and was paid for my time.
Nothing destroys roads and terrain like Mother Nature and her flash floods. You can stop all off road driving but the next hurricane will still waste
the countryside and not just along the roads. |
nothing wrong if someone pays for your expertise and knowledge
it is hard to say no
I have done my share of TV - declined the majority though, because I did not like the way they wanted to portray backcountry travel
they never had a problem finding someone else
floods destroy water crossings and a few parts of ranch roads
easily fixed
the races destroy the entire length of ranch roads
that takes a bulldozer for a day or two
yes, there is compensation paid by SCORE for that
only it is rarely used to improve ranchers lives
the money never goes where it was intended to
no wonder the ranchers still block roads on race day
the people who live off the country and with it are not happy
they are peeed
the spectators from the Baja cities don't make things better
trash everywhere
a lot
at least locals have started to put up signs reminding spectators not to litter
around my house is has reduced trash by 50%
good!
I live right next to the race track
I'll be picking up trash for the next week
I still really don't appreciate that spectators chit right at my front gate
Harald Pietschmann
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100X
Nomad
Posts: 234
Registered: 11-3-2021
Member Is Offline
Mood: Thankful
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Personally have never seen an upset rancher of vaquero.
Almost all spectators are locals.
It is their land/country, culture, decision ultimately, and the support for racing, especially down south, seems pretty unanimous. I choose to go with
the flow, respectfully. Otherwise I would go try to impose my will where it might be better received.
A life of fears leads to a death bed of regrets.
Find someone who will take care of you, and take care of them.
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