A Baja 500 Trip Report From Rancho El Coyote

We got the call this week after the Jefe had done all the final race planning and the guys had just about finished their pre-running: We would be at Race Mile 262, which would put us at Rancho El Coyote!!! I was stoked to hear this as the other option they had for us was the desert area of San Felipe, which at this time of the year is starting to get hot!!

Fellow lurking Nomad and pit boss, HelloMrSoul, arrived at my casa, we loaded equipment, said goodbyes and we were off to Ensenada.




Our Ensenada arrival: (First photo is for Ken Cooke)









We cruised thru town, enjoying the festivities, seeing fellow humans involved in the act of excitement.

We headed over the the THR/Precision Concepts hotel to check in a get some final direction from Bob. The team was focused and the bike looked great!













Before leaving, one of the guys told us a story about a pre-run on Thursday where a rider was a few miles outside of Ensenada when he came around a corner to find a fellow rider down. He pulled over to help only to have a gun put to his head before having his bike removed from his possession. That's the story I was told.









We were given a stack of promo material to compliment our sticker collection and we were off, heading south thru some beautiful country and winding canyons. We took the left turn out towards San Pedro Martir and headed up the mountain.

This area is one of Baja's most unique and unknown areas (at least it was unknown to me until recently). I had past by this turnoff for 25 years totally unaware of the gem that is SPM.

Anyway, we braved the hidden vados and arrived at the Ranch.






We headed out to the race course to find the best place to pit. Here's is the San Pedro Martir, and somewhere over the is Baja Dark Skies Inn and Astrobaja.








We wandered around the ranch and met Alfonso and his brother Esteban. They showed us how they made some leather products from the cow hides. Incredible. HelloMrSoul may have more to say about this as he was hyper focused on the experience. I'm just a city boy.












Camp:








At 6:30PM, the dinner bell was rung and we headed over for some conversation and comida. The dinner hall, or dining room, or whatever the heck you'd call it was full. We hung with some locals, some race spectators, and the Team Honda pit crew. All good guys...............

Dinner consisted of some marinated chicken, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, something else that I forget, and tortillas. Desert too...........





It was time to turn in. We had a long day ahead of us manana. We set up the chairs and watched satellites and stars revolve around us. HelloMrSoul hooked up the kids in the campground with glow sticks and marshmallows.


Setting sun:





opposite horizon view:






More to follow......................


[Edited on 6-2-2013 by Ateo]

[Edited on 6-2-2013 by Ateo]

We awoke before Dawn, shedding sandals, putting boots on. We turned the race radios on. Robby Bell (4X) had left over an hour ago and the first report we got was he was in the lead thru Ojos Negros. We met the pit crews and other friends again for a delicious breakfast. Fresh fruit, buttered bread, potatoes, eggs, salsa, pineappla juice, coffee, tortillas. Kicked arse!






We headed out to the race course, Team Honda getting thru the gate just before us.








Setting up the pit:











Bob had scheduled a rider change at our pit, so about 2 hours before the action got hot, Taylor Robert and his chase vehicle piloted by Mike arrived. He was loose and relaxed, putting on the game face about 15 minutes before hopping on the bike and taking off like a bat out of hell.




And of course the adrenaline spiked as the choppers and riders started arriving. While Taylor was testing the radio in his helmet and connecting in with the helicopter feed, he heard "Nice line Bell". Bell was not supposed to be on the bike as that section was scheduled for David Pearson. Like everything in life, nothing ever goes as planned and we learned David was out of the race with an injury.














The helicopter appeared and shortly thereafter Robby launched into view. We briefly ran on to the course to get his attention and he slammed on the brakes, sliding right into the pit. We dumped gas, Taylor got on the bike and bam, it was done.

Robby hopped in the chase vehicle with Mike, as his day was not over with Pearson's injury and I hopped into the back and led them off the course, and out to the gate where they took off down the mountain to Colonet.


We packed up.





It was about this time that I heard the Weatherman say "4X is down at Cuatro Casas, repeat went down hard". Crap. Taylor had handed over the bike to Steve Hengeveld somewhere down by Colonet. Weatherman again came on saying "4X is down with a broken leg, needs chase vehicle and emergency response".

We headed down the mountain, slowly and carefully, as our day was done, monitoring the radio. It would turn out that 2 of our riders had to be sent back to the USA for medical care. They ended up taking 5th place.

It wasn't THR's day like it was last year when they won this event -- but they gave it there all -- as that is all they know how to do.

Thanks for the invite HelloMrSoul. It was a great trip and let's do it again.

Our exit from Rancho El Coyote:







[Edited on 6-2-2013 by Ateo]

One last thing to add from my buddy HelloMrSoul that was funny:

There was a great amount of fun at the 500. Funniest had to be what we only heard on the radio.

Weatherman: "We have a rider down at mile 280 unconscious. I need to know who this is. We have a rider knocked out at mile 280."

Weatherman 30 seconds later: "We have a rider knocked out at mile 280. I need some details."

Weatherman about 15 minutes later: "Rider at mile 280 has revived himself and is back on the bike and proceeding forward. Repeat, unconscious rider has apparently revived himself and is back on the bike."

We all imagined some guy compressing his own chest, reviving himself.

[Edited on 6-2-2013 by Ateo]

Great photos, Ateo. Great commentary on the 'revived' rider!

on a sad note I just heard chuck neugebaurer on the 15X bike was found dead on the course of an apparent heart attack.
RIP Chuck

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy on a sad note I just heard chuck neugebaurer on the 15X bike was found dead on the course of an apparent heart attack. RIP Chuck

im hesitant to paste something from baja ****** but this is all i've seen on this

He ran the low 500 2013 yesterday reached A Pits his team saw it came very pale to get very thirsty and told him that it seemed to be a heat stroke which had to abandon the race and replied: "I will arrive to the finish line let me run" forward some fans saw him along the path and stopped to help him with water Mojandolo and dale to take and he said to them "I wanted to continue" and I moved in the second Pits his team returned to give water and your bike team told him that he had to stop running because it looked very bad, too tired! And he replied: "CORRERE death" more forward was his motorcycle pulled and a few meters the was already lying lifeless, apparently of a heart attack. His close friends say that he already knew that was going to die, had problems of the heart, and he wanted to die doing what more he liked and wanted to die in ssa BAJA 500."

Lots of speculation right now. He helped some of our ATV teams from tie to time (along with his sponsor swimsuit illustrated). Heat sounds like a definite problem. Was not aware of any problems with his heart.



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Honda coming in behind sportsman 271x:





Pictures from my friend.

Right! And thanks Jon for the great photos and story.
Speedy healing to your team mates.