1972 NORRA 500 Baja pre-run story

Dead Battery Story

Hope I'm not boring you with the stories ??


Here's another one. Blackie says everybody likes these Baja funny stories.
This another Baja pre run tale, 1972- 500.
Please keep in mind, no paved highway, last Pemex station is Camalu, the rest of the gas is purchased out of barrels at restaurants and small ranchos along the way.
This trip I have a new race partner. Wore out my last one.
He is riding an early Honda XL350, converted to dirt.
I am riding a 1972 DKW, (2 stroke with large tank)
No trick pack packs like we have now or camelbacks for water.
We use Army surplus stuff.
Army web belts with old metal canteens.
Army knapsacks with a multitude of straps hanging off of it, so you can attach about any thing you feel like carrying.
The jackets we used back then were Army field jackets with a bazzillion big pockets. The emergency food I carried back then was usually hard candy and tootsie rolls. This trip I was also carrying some little cans of Vienna sausages and Denny Moore stew.

Sat. AM leave Ensenada, down the pavement to Camalu, end of pavement. Then on to El Rosario.

We ate at El Rosario and headed towards Rancho Santa Yenez.

En route my partner had a flat front. That repaired we continued on.

Just before Santa Yen he gets another flat. This ones on the rear and takes a bit longer to repair.

If you are familiar with motorcycles you will understand changing a 6 ply BARUM tire out in the dirt. Not fun!!!
Now the time is getting to late afternoon, maybe 4 PM. We still have about another 100 miles to Papa Fernandez.
Just west of Laguna Chapala dry lake he gets another flat. Another front, easier to fix, after you find something to put the bike up on.
Just as we were stopping to fix this flat we come upon a Mexican trucker and his family that have stopped for the night.
I made the decision to spend the night here , as after fixing the tire we would not make Papas before dark
Now we get to the real story!!

Back in these days the whole family traveled the "camio" together. Dad, mom, and the kids. As I remember this family was , dad, mom and 3 kids. About 9, 6 and a baby.

While my partner was fixing his tire I went over to the family and practiced my limited Spanish with dad.

They had an old flatbed, stake sided truck and as usual it was loaded to the top. I didn't matter if they were carrying rocks or feathers they would be loaded to the top of the stake sides.

Mom was starting a fire to cook their dinner. I could see it wasn't much but sure did smell great.
I asked if we could stay the night with them and share dinner. "no problema"
With the OK from Papa I gave mama several cans of Vienna sausage and a big can of Denny Moore beef stew.
Needless to say one of my memorable meals in Baja.
We all bed down by the fire and go to sleep.

Early the next morning I am awakened by a loud click, click, click sound.

I look up and see Papa jacking up the truck. I think, a tire went flat during the night.

Always thinking of my stomach I think , go help change the tire and maybe be offered some warm tortillas and coffee to start the day.
I go over to the truck and I don't see any flat tires???

I ask Papa what's the problem?? He tells me the battery is dead.

I look around, truck fully loaded, sitting on the side of the road in medium soft sand with a dead battery.
We sure can't push it to bump start it. No other truck or vehicle with jumper cables to give him a start.
WHY IS HE JACKING THE REAR OF THE TRUCK OFF THE GROUND????
The answer tomorrow.

Part 2

As he was jacking up the truck he tell the oldest boy to climb up on to the top of the loaded truck and get something??
I watch as Papa starts to remove the outer rear dual tire.
Still thinking of breakfast, I give him a hand removing the tire and wheel.

The oldest boy throws down a long rope. He is still up on the truck still getting something else.
I watch, and he is rolling a rim with no tire on it off the side of the loaded truck.

During all this mama is build up the fire and starting breakfast with no concern at all.

Now Papa gets the empty wheel rim and starts to put it on the truck where we just removed a perfectly good tire and wheel.. I'm thinking what the heck is he doing.
The oldest boy gets down off the truck and starts winding the rope on the empty wheel rim. As he does this, Papa goes to the fire and gets a cup of coffee, a warm tortllia filled with beans and some leftover dinner, wraps it up and starts eating his breakfast.
Mama makes another tortilla and beans and gives it to me and one for my partner with a cup of coffee.

After eating Papa puts the younger son other son in the cab of the truck behind the steering wheel.
He turns the key on and puts the gear shift in third or fourth gear and gives the boy some instructions on what to do.
I'm still in the dark. How are they going to start this truck???

By this time mama has fed the kids and put all their stuff away. Already to travel down the road.

Now Papa gives everyone instructions what he wants them to do.
I WATCH!!!
The rope is wound around the wheel, Papa, mama, and the oldest son grab ahold of the rope and start pulling on the rope and unwinding it from the wheel.
The wheel starts turning faster and faster as they pull the rope off the wheel.
Just as the rope is about to unwind from the wheel, Papa yells to the son in the cab and he lets the clutch out. The engine pops a couple of times and dies.
NOW I GET IT!!!
Papa goes to the cab puts transmission in neutral and oldest son starts to rewind the rope on the rim.

Buy this time my partner and I realize the drill and on the next try, papa, myself and my partner pull on the rope spinning it easier and faster and the truck starts.
Papa runs up to the cab, puts transmission in neutral, letting the engine idle. We all pitch in, do the reverse process with the empty wheel and put on the good tire and wheel.
We all say our goodbuys and off they head towards Santa Ynez and we are off to Papa Fernandez.
Just another Baja story.

Corky
KEEP THE RUBBER SIDE DOWN

James Garner and a fan before the 1972 Baja 500:

1969 to 1972 NORRA BAJA 500

Pavement ended near Camalu in '71/'72, but had reached El Rosario in 1973 with the amp'ed up building of Hwy. 1 that year. The 1973 Baja 500 turned east at San Quintin using a little known mountain road that bypassed El Rosario and popped out near El Arenoso avoiding the newest section of pavement by that June.

For those unfamiliar: "The sisters" were the outrageously steep, rocky, volcanic grades in the road between Puertecitos and Gonzaga Bay (~1958-1986)... Seems everyone who made it over them gave them a name... My parents just called it "The Gonzaga Grades". I drove them when I was 16 (1974) in my dune buggy, and I just called them "fun"!

There were crosses along the edge where the less than lucky went over (brakes failed?) and crashed below... many wrecks were seen in the canyon.

I did the same trip again when I was 17... some photos of those two times on the Gonzaga Grades + one last time photo in 1979 with my 4x4 Subaru:

1974:




1975:




1979:


[Edited on 5-22-2024 by David K]

Watermark-free James Garner photos from the 1972 Baja 500, pre race day impound parking. From the 1974 book, Off-Road Racing by Engel.

Thanks for sharing