BajaNomad - Markin the course

Markin the course

burro bob - 10-6-2007 at 02:46 PM

Sitting here at Rice and Beans in San Ignacio after a week long trip down the peninsula to mark the Baja Mil course, so I thought I would make a quick post about some of what I saw.
There were 5 vehicles putting out markers and we hop scotched down the course so I did not see all of it.
To respond to Gringorios post about Calamajue, normal amout of water there should be no problem for 4wd.
Lots of cattle along the course in Baja sur.
Water on the course at Laguna San Ignacio, we detoured around it. Could be a problem if it rains again before race day.
The course markers for the Cabo 500 along the course in Baja sur are the same green color as the SCORE wrong way markers. We pulled down some of their arrows and put ours up over others. No all the marking teams did. Make sure of what you are looking at.
The mile before the finish at Cabo is an impassable mud bog. Do not try to get through at this time. A work around or repairs will be made before the race.
Very green in Baja sur. Lots of flowers.
Cabo sucks.
burro bob

woody with a view - 10-6-2007 at 02:54 PM

Quote:

Cabo sucks

i don't know ya but i already like ya!!!!!

surfer jim - 10-6-2007 at 11:15 PM

burro bob....can you tell a little about how the course is marked?....

how many people involved....do you hang out the window to put up ribbons....how often are markers placed....just some of the labor involved in this effort....how do you know where to mark the track....been doing this for a long time....?

[Edited on 10-7-2007 by surfer jim]

07 1000

Norm - 10-7-2007 at 08:04 AM

Where is a good place to watch the race near lapaz ????
+What would be the best time ??
Thanks~ Norm & Sue We will be there!!!!

David K - 10-7-2007 at 08:31 PM

It is following the Pacific coast (beach or close) from above Punta Conejo to near Todos Santos... then more inland to Cabo.

Baja Nomad 'Rob' may have some ideas of good places to watch... ???

TW posted a map for the recent Cabo 500 here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=26821

The Baja 1000 is likely using the same route (south of San Javier).

[Edited on 10-8-2007 by David K]

burro bob - 10-8-2007 at 10:05 AM

Jim
Most of the ribbons were placed by hanging out the window. Attached to bushes and trees with zip ties. My arms are 2 inches longer than when I started the trip. The ribbons are roughly every half mile, but there are many places where they are further apart. You don't stop and put out ribbons in mud bogs, sand washes. or silt beds. You just try to mark the exit real well. Probably the hardest part of the job was climbing in and out of the truck to pound in stakes and putting signs on them.
There are mile markers every 5 miles. We put an arrow in between the mile markers so you should see a sign every 2.5 miles. We also marked dangerous spots with down arrows where ever we thought necessary.
Intersections and Y's are marked with arrows and wrong way signs.
We had the course marked on GPS. It was GPS'ed a couple of weeks ago. Not sure by who. We also had Sat phones, race radios and are real slick new toy called ION EARTH. It is a PDA from Dell and a sat. receiver/transmitter/GPS box. The two are connected via blue-tooth wireless connection (our blue-tooth connection failed after 3 days). The PDA showed the course and where the other marking vehicles were located in almost real time.The unit can be programed to up load at different time intervals depending on how much you want to pay. We could tell who was moving and who wasn't, how far away they were both as straight line or course miles, and direction to them. Real expensive toy but everybody wanted a couple for their teams.
This is the first time I marked a course for SCORE. I have helped mark the Pete's Camp poker run several times. It was about 50% rookies and 50% veterans. Scot Steinberger was in his prerunner putting out mile markers. He was supported by a chase truck with three guys. There were 4 other teams (one group of three) and we took different sections depending on the type of vehicle needed. Some times we teamed to do a section with another vehicle and other times we solo'd a section. Most every one was either a driver or a co-pilot (I being one of the exceptions).
We did not start marking until where the course left San Telmo road. The course right outside of Ensenada probably won't be marked until right before the race. The rest of the early section will be marked this weekend.
The whole trip was real beautiful and I got to see a section of Baja that I hadn't seen before. Everyone got along real well considering all the type A personalities involved.
Norm.
No course near La Paz as David say's. I don't know the area well enough to suggest an access road. Just aim for the Pacific coast and you will cut the course. By the time the racers get that far south they will be pretty spread out. Lots of nice high points where you can see the racers for a long ways. Lots of nice beaches to hang out on if the race gets boring also. If you go anywhere else along the race route, except right at an access road, plan on staying the night. The course is very narrow in sections and there is no place to bail if you get a racer on your tail. Find a good spot (not very hard) and stay put.
burro bob

chill out

Johnny.r.Johnson - 10-20-2007 at 12:46 AM

Hi Guys,

After you get through coarse marking, come on over to El Juncalito for a cool one at Johnny Johnson's (Off road veteran of the Baja 1000)
My place is going to become available for long term lease because I am moving next door. So come take a look and have a cold one.

See Ya,
Johnny

TMW - 10-20-2007 at 08:01 AM

Johnny good to hear from you. Your name has come up many times, hope all is OK with you.

David K - 10-20-2007 at 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Johnny.r.Johnson
Hi Guys,

After you get through coarse marking, come on over to El Juncalito for a cool one at Johnny Johnson's (Off road veteran of the Baja 1000)
My place is going to become available for long term lease because I am moving next door. So come take a look and have a cold one.

See Ya,
Johnny

Hi Johnny,

Welcome to Baja Nomad!

Here is a photo I took of your buggy at the 1973 Baja 1000 that you and Bobby Ferro won the race in! This was the day before the race in Ensenada...

Anyway, nice to 'see' you again!!!

David

scan.jpg - 48kB

Current Photo

Johnny.r.Johnson - 10-20-2007 at 10:37 PM

Hi Guys
Here a current photo of me and friends
Parnelli Jones, me, Walker Evans,
at the 40 Anniversary party of the Baja 1000.
John.

Photo,

Johnny.r.Johnson - 10-20-2007 at 10:53 PM

Becky10449 - 10-20-2007 at 11:01 PM

Hi David,
John is trying to figure out how to send a photo to you and is having trouble. Is there a trick to it? It won't attach.
Becky

bajalou - 10-21-2007 at 07:42 AM

The photo has to be less than 50kb in size to be able to insert in the posts.

David K - 10-21-2007 at 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Becky10449
Hi David,
John is trying to figure out how to send a photo to you and is having trouble. Is there a trick to it? It won't attach.
Becky

If Johnny sends it to me, I will reduce it to under 50 kb and post it here... if he isn't able to... my email is info AT vivabaja.com (put Baja *** in the subject line)

Minnow - 10-21-2007 at 12:30 PM

Johnny you are a legend. Good to have you here. Great news that you are still in Baja. Didn't you win the old Mint 400 a couple of times also?

For the record, I have been posting here since the beginning of Nomad and I still have a time downloading a suitable picture. I would post a lot more pictures if it were not so damn difficult.

LaTijereta - 10-21-2007 at 01:53 PM

Here's Walker / PJ (Johnny was at the bar) :lol:

Minnow - 10-21-2007 at 02:03 PM

Those guys were my HERO'S!

LaTijereta - 10-21-2007 at 02:13 PM

Johnny came back from the bar...
Found Doug Robertson on Bilstein fame..

Minnow - 10-21-2007 at 02:17 PM

Wait a minute, that looks like Horsepower ranch, not Long Beach.

LaTijereta - 10-21-2007 at 02:28 PM

Leave it to Johnny to go to Ensenada to find a cold beer...

Minnow - 10-21-2007 at 07:53 PM

:lol:

Becky10449 - 10-21-2007 at 10:35 PM

David,
John emailed you a couple picture to your vivabaja email. Hope you got them.

To LaTijereta,
If you will notice behind Parnelli and Walker, John and I were behind them talking with Rod Hall. John had already gotten his beer.

The picture that was taken saying it is with Doug Robertson actually is at The Horse Power Ranch back in May and it isn't Doug. It's Donny Robertson, Doug's brother. Doug is behind him in the blue jacket with Bob Bower next to him.

John and Becky ( the newbies)

David K - 10-21-2007 at 10:52 PM

Hi Becky,

Yes... I just posted the two photos in the Off Road Forum here on Nomad...

They arrived to me pretty small already... John should be able to just click on the 'browse' button below where one types a message (in normal post or reply, not 'quick reply') to add a photo out of your PC's files... Unless the photo is 50 kbs or larger... then it needs to be reduced first...
Anyway, John can keep sending them my way and I am happy to post them for him until he learns how...

[Edited on 10-22-2007 by David K]

Becky10449 - 10-21-2007 at 11:01 PM

Thanks David,
John is going to try to send you a picture again

New Boat

Johnny.r.Johnson - 10-21-2007 at 11:12 PM

My new Boat
Johnny

Becky10449 - 10-21-2007 at 11:15 PM

David,
John tried to send a picture and the error sign flashed real fast and went off and then it posted the message but no picture was sent.

David K - 10-21-2007 at 11:21 PM

Let's move this to the Johnny Johnson photos thread, and let Burro Bob's Course Marking thread be...

I will check my email now and post anything John sent me... on that thread...

Gadget - 10-24-2007 at 09:00 PM

JJ a newbie on Baja Nomads!!! That's a hoot. Can't someone give him some sort of honorary mega star, original Baja stud membership deal. Johnny, had a hoot listening to you guys talk story at the Legends party at Horsepower this year. Will try to look you up next time I'm bouncing around your neck of Baja.

Becky10449 - 10-28-2007 at 09:35 PM

Gadget,
It was my first party with all the off roaders and got to meet many of the legends. What a fun group of people with so many stories. Everyone had a great time. JOHN IS A HOOT.
Becky

Becky10449 - 10-28-2007 at 09:41 PM

(At the Horse Power Ranch)

David K - 10-29-2007 at 07:58 AM

Becky, I haven't received any more emails from Johnny since that one time...