11-06 Baja 1000, and More! (Part 2 of 4, the race and L.A Bay)

CONTINUED FROM PART 1 at: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=21081

Our pit gets set up...





[Edited on 11-28-2006 by David K]

We wear yellow Baja Pits team shirts...

A drive through sun shade is erected where we will service up to 110 contestants (about 45 motorcycles & ATVs and about 65 four wheeled racers).

TW shows up to say hello!

He plans on watching the action about 7 miles up the course where some good jumps are located.

Notice the 'Team Nomad' on this shirt! This fellow and many others would come see the progress of the 110 Baja Pits team racers we kept posted on the big sheets taped to Roy's 4Runner. Because of the distances involved in the Baja 1000, Baja Pits used satellite phones to communicate with other pits.

[Edited on 11-27-2006 by David K]

The first motorcycle to pass EL CRUCERO was bike number 1x at 12:02 pm.

Here was the first Baja Pits motorcycle we serviced...

One of the ATV racers getting fuel and lights bolted on...

Baja bug getting ready to race

Lights on!

Here's a Class 11 (Pure Stock VW sedan)...

This Pro Truck had rolled and came in very late... Many racers were stuck in Calamajue wash which reported to have a 4 foot deep water hole!

These guys were at our pit for a while, but eventually got it going!

I want to mention that La Tijereta (Kris) came by before the racers arrived and was kind enough to give me a program and sticker... I was in Ensenada too early on Tuesday to get one at the San Nicolas Hotel (Score HQ), and I even asked Sal Fish for one!

Unfortunately, someone took it while we were jumping up to get a vehicle number!

We crashed about 3:30 am and Roy stayed up long enough to post two more of our team passing through.

As it was getting dark on Thursday, one of the chase helicopters landed near us (night flying is forbidden in Mexico).

Here it is getting warmed up to take off, Friday morning...

[Edited on 11-27-2006 by David K]

When it lifts off, the dust grows!

We drive the 55 miles to Bahia de los Angeles, find rooms for everyone at Las Hamacas Motel for Friday night, and see this... Turns out our friends at Camp Gecko witnessed the Red Bull race truck flip and explode... Photos taken by aha baja of it are posted in another Baja 1000 thread here on Nomad. Baja Nomad '4baja' is reported to have saved the racer's life by pulling him from the flaming truck.

Before it gets dark, we want to visit friends and show Josh a few of the sites...

Here is the monument to two lovers... Hector & Sunshine.

One of them has been removed! I have photos of this monument as it has changed over the past 6 years! Located next to the road, between town and Camp Gecko.

Mike's Mountain... on top of which is a rock shelter and supplies for camping... a 5 hour hike up. Read Graham Mackintosh's first book, 'Into a Desert Place' for more on Mike and his mountain.

Here's a zoom on the peak of Mike's Mountain...

The beach in front of Guillermo's where we had a great fish taco lunch and cold beer... Viva Bahia de los Angeles!

La Gringa area... skipping stones!

The volcano at the north end of Smith Island... the source of the title of Mike Humfreville's book 'In the Shadow of the Volcano'.

We visited with Paulina, Bedman, elgatoloco, aha baja and others at Paulina's place and learned that Mary Ann Humfreville and the boys had already returned to California.

Paulina told us where Mike was, so we could pay our respects. He shares a spectacular view of this bay he loved so much with the locals also buried there... people he had the greatest respect and admiration for!

Beautiful in so many ways!

We turn over a rock and find life!

More friends...

Big star fish ... and are those eggs?