BajaNomad

Crossing the Divide...canuck bikers trip

shari - 12-7-2013 at 10:29 AM

Some friends of our from Tofino B.C. arrived a few days back to visit and do some filming for their documentary about a father & son team taking a motorcycle journey together. Their project is really neat and I thought I'd share it with you all. Here is their website..check out the photo page and blog too.

http://www.crossingthedivide.tv/

First stop when they got here was for sopes at Juanitas!



Bruce had never caught a fish before so he really enjoyed fishing with Juan and they got some fantastic lobster fishing & sealion footage too. His motto is...you catch it, you clean it and eat it!



Here are Kiel & Ashley trying their first lobsters in Baja.


they are heading south so watch for them!

Their POEs for the US and Baja?

durrelllrobert - 12-7-2013 at 10:42 AM



woody with a view - 12-7-2013 at 11:30 AM

oh, to be a baja virgin again!

OR NOT!

Pompano - 12-7-2013 at 12:46 PM

You gotta love these kind of adventurers. I fondly remember a similar ride. Cheers and good luck!

windgrrl - 12-7-2013 at 04:12 PM

True Canadians...stylin' the MEC gear!!

Have an awesome tour,
W

Crash

BeemerDan - 12-8-2013 at 10:16 AM

Sorry to say, They had a crash near San Ignacio and the girlfriend has a broken collarbone, Thankfully it wasn't worse.
From what I gather they were run off the roaad by a car passing a tractor trailer rig on a blind hill.
Sounds like the bike is totalled too.

TMW - 12-8-2013 at 10:59 AM

Wow that is too bad. Wishing her a speedy recovery. Sometimes you just can't fix stupid as in the driver of the car.

DianaT - 12-8-2013 at 11:01 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BeemerDan
Sorry to say, They had a crash near San Ignacio and the girlfriend has a broken collarbone, Thankfully it wasn't worse.
From what I gather they were run off the roaad by a car passing a tractor trailer rig on a blind hill.
Sounds like the bike is totalled too.


Dang, that is terrible. I hope she is back to where she will receive the best treatment and glad no one was killed! Best of luck to them!

durrelllrobert - 12-8-2013 at 11:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BeemerDan
Sorry to say, They had a crash near San Ignacio and the girlfriend has a broken collarbone, Thankfully it wasn't worse.
From what I gather they were run off the roaad by a car passing a tractor trailer rig on a blind hill.
Sounds like the bike is totalled too.


Yikes! Succumbing to a stupid driver in Mexico after surviving the icy roads and logging trucks in Canada.

shari - 12-8-2013 at 11:18 AM

WHAT??? strange they havent called us?

BeemerDan - 12-8-2013 at 11:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
WHAT??? strange they havent called us?


I'm not good at posting links.
Check www.advrider.com in the trip planning section under Americas for the info they posted

Speedy recovery

KasloKid - 12-8-2013 at 11:36 AM

Crap, that sucks.

I've ridden Baja myself numerous times and with my son quite a few times, and always get into a debate about where to position oneself on the highway. I always right on the edge of the right lane on the corners and hill rises, and he rides close to the center line. I've had to bail a few times with oncoming cars and trucks, in my lane.

Hope for a speedy recovery and hope the ride continues when healed up.

KasloKid - 12-8-2013 at 12:15 PM

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=939607
Quote:
Originally posted by BeemerDan
Quote:
Originally posted by shari
WHAT??? strange they havent called us?


I'm not good at posting links.
Check www.advrider.com in the trip planning section under Americas for the info they posted

DianaT - 12-8-2013 at 12:17 PM

I noticed on that other forum that someone suggested they contact Terry and Gary in San Ignacio since they are so close, but someone else said the web site links were not working.

They have had lots of trouble with the website, so the best place to find them is on facebook Ignacio Springs And their phone number is on that page. 615-154-0333

Maybe someone who is a member of that forum can post that information. I sure hope she gets to a different medical place right away.

[Edited on 12-8-2013 by DianaT]

shari - 12-8-2013 at 12:31 PM

We tracked them down and I just got off the phone with them...Kiel & Ashley were in the Sta.Rosalia hospital last night but released and are in a hotel there now waiting for the insurance adjuster...luckily they had insurance and hope it covers getting Ashley home where she may require some surgery...so they can come here to recover and regroup if needed...we can go pick them up or whatever they need...so very sad but so very glad they are alive!

thank you Beemer dan for letting us know.

shari - 12-8-2013 at 01:01 PM

here is what Kiel just reported on ADV rider

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=939607&g...

I tried to join up with baja nomads to update everyone over there, but it seems they have a number of people per day sign up limit. So if someone wouldn't mind copying this post over we would be super grateful!

I just wanted to say how happy and lucky we are to have this totally unknown support network in Baja. It is absolutely incredible how many people have offered aid and assistance from both friends and strangers! This is an incredible community of people we have down here. Sherri and Juan are close friends who have offered us a place to stay and pickup and have been just damn amazing. Your the best. I can't say it enough. Travel in a foreign country with a different languages can be scary sometimes and intimidating some times, but the unconditional generosity of most people in this world is heart warming.

Looking through our policy information I fear we have not purchased roadside assistance as part of our insurance policy through HDI seguros. We will see what the adjuster says when she arrives here in the next hour or so. We have friends that have already offered to drive here to get the bike, but if anyone knows of someone headed north with a pickup truck or trailer with extra room, it can't hurt to start looking for some other options. I think towing might be out of our price range!

Thanks again to everyone. Looks like our medical insurance will be covering a flight home for ashley to get surgery and me a head scan. Not exactly how we pictured our epic father son ride going, but it could very easily have been much worse! Lots of love to everyone! We will get ourselves and my bike (angie) all patched up and we hope to continue the journey when we're all healed!
***************

DianaT - 12-8-2013 at 01:09 PM

Quote:
Looks like our medical insurance will be covering a flight home for ashley to get surgery and me a head scan.


That is the best news!

Good to hear

BeemerDan - 12-8-2013 at 01:13 PM

Sure sounds like they've got alot of support down there.
I also pm'd them on ADV and suggested he get in touch with Ricardo over at Rice&Beans as well known in the moto community and lots of truck drivers stop in there.

Shari, I'll be back down in Jan/Feb and will be sure to stop in and say hi!

shari - 12-8-2013 at 01:36 PM

we want to get the moto out of the coralon as soon as possible, maybe Gary & Terry can store it at Ignacio Springs till a ride north is found for it...good idea about R&B...maybe a truck can just put it on for them to get it to san diego.

Here were the last pics I took of them as they pulled out yesterday...dang it.



motoged - 12-8-2013 at 02:34 PM

Rice and Beans would be choice #2 after the Yurts....

vgabndo - 12-8-2013 at 03:13 PM

Wow, I was lovin' their story and went to visit their blog. I'm so happy for the good outcome. The ADV motorcycle demographic knows the need for protective gear, and it seems clear that things could have been a lot worse without it.

This could be a lesson for the many bikers I pass in Baja wearing little soup bowl helmets and short sleeves.

You can't write this kind of drama into a documentary script, there is gold in surviving this set-back and making it part of a captivating story. Did the GoPro get it??? Hang in there guys, I wish I was nearby to assist.

shari - 12-8-2013 at 03:18 PM

I just called Kiel again and it sounds like the insurance company is doing a great job...english speaking rep says they will look after getting the bike to TJ for repair if it's not a write off and Ashley will fly home...so that's all good...knowing them, they will be back on the road soon.

MMc - 12-8-2013 at 04:51 PM

Their doc. just got a twist. I'm am glad they will alright.

fishbuck - 12-8-2013 at 05:19 PM

Man sorry to hear that! As much as I love riding motorcycles I gave up riding street bikes when I lived in Socal. Way to much chance of getting hit by a car there.
I have never even considered trying it in Baja. Road to narrow, to many risks.
Broke my collar bone about 5 years ago practicing on my motocross bike for a race. She will have a permanant reminder of her Baja trip and everyone will ask what happened when they see the big lump from the break.

shari - 12-9-2013 at 09:15 PM

Well, today was a knarly day for the kids. Apart from hurting bodies & dampened spirits, they suffered through a baja nightmare at the Ministerio Publico in Sta.Rosalia. They needed a police report to get the bike out of the yard and when they went to get one, the big bad agent tried to fine THEM $300 accusing Kiel of driving off the road because he was drunk or stoned...he said the problem was he didnt get a blood test after the accident to prove he wasnt under the influence.

Oh man, Kiel was peeed at how an agent could turn things around and blame them and did NOT want to pay them a dime. Luckily the insurance agent told them not to pay and to show them the letter they carried from the Baja Tourism Board fully supporting them on the film and asking all other government agencies to help them out. The bad guy changed his tune after that and decided to give them the paper they needed and let them go.

We had a long chat about it and how good a story it will make for their film...a classic Mexican show down! We got a description and name of the guy and Juan is gonna have a wee chat with him about his conduct.

So another day before they can get out of dodge and back to Vancouver Island for treatment...the insurance company will pay for them both to fly home business class...so they can get home, rest, recuperate, regroup and get back on the road when they are ready.