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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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I rode my 450 KTM in there about 6 years ago...solo....decided not to go down the widowmaker....hiked the rest....
I would be bummed to find all those campers....and trucks....as the prize.....
Thanks for the pics 
Don't believe everything you think....
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2432
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
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Mood: Happy
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Quote: Originally posted by motoged  | I rode my 450 KTM in there about 6 years ago...solo....decided not to go down the widowmaker....hiked the rest....
I would be bummed to find all those campers....and trucks....as the prize.....
Thanks for the pics |
Why be bummed at
the campers and trucks. If you rode your bike all the way in they could help you push it out JAAAA. Just kidding if you where alone maybe good idea.
Last time there was: 4 of us on motos only two of us rode out. The other two riders the bikes made it, but no rider on the bike.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64848
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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In 2003, when two other Nomad families joined my daughter and me in driving to Mission Santa Maria and camping two nights there, a huge Gringo Jeep
club arrived after dark and for the next couple of hours flowed in one after the other... They camped at the palms east of the mission, where we were
enjoying the campfire. After a quick look at the mission church, they all headed back out the following morning. There must have been two dozen
Jeeps!?
Here is that trip page: http://www.vivabaja.com/403/
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64848
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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OK, finally got to take a relaxing look and read the full story.
Thank you, Emerson!
I am glad to read that the drive is as tough as it always has been since my first trip there in 1999.
That the BOG was not full of water (as it was for our group in 2010) was amazing and lucky!
To emphasize what you wrote, lockers or a traction system like Toyota's A-TRAC or Multi-Terrain-Select is a must and 2WD-only will be tragic, as Issac
illustrated with his Chevy!
That cliff drop-off between the mission and the arroyo, going east, is the most challenging and good that you had a front locker to climb that final
step!
Will you attempt to hike El Camino Real from the Gonzaga side again? Like me, you got about 2/3 there when you ran out of daylight, as I recall from
that trip report? That hike is brutal and even tougher if done on a motorcycle as we recently saw on YouTube.
Thank you so much for your post!
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider | | ......
Why
be bummed at the campers and trucks. If you rode your bike all the way in they could help you push it out JAAAA. Just kidding if you where alone maybe
good idea. Last time there was: 4 of us on motos only two of us rode out. The other two riders the bikes made it, but no rider on the bike. |
Well....not a serious bummer, eh?!
Ralph intercepted me near the goat corral on my way to the trail and cautioned me about solo riding, mentioning other rider issues such as yours. I
tend to ride with safety in mind as majority of my Baja riding is solo....when not breaking bones in silt beds (DTbushpilot can't get enough pics of
that... )...
Don't believe everything you think....
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2432
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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| Quote: Originally posted by motoged | | Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider | | ......
Why
be bummed at the campers and trucks. If you rode your bike all the way in they could help you push it out JAAAA. Just kidding if you where alone maybe
good idea. Last time there was: 4 of us on motos only two of us rode out. The other two riders the bikes made it, but no rider on the bike. |
Well....not a serious bummer, eh?!
Ralph intercepted me near the goat corral on my way to the trail and cautioned me about solo riding, mentioning other rider issues such as yours. I
tend to ride with safety in mind as majority of my Baja riding is solo....when not breaking bones in silt beds (DTbushpilot can't get enough pics of
that... )...
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I hear you on solo ride you did
right thing. Many years on Honda factory Xr650 first time hit slit . Bike sucked down 2 feet hit rock Dead stop. Slit passed filter throttle wide
open. Got me and bike going again with small can WD40. Then asked my Teacher on ride How to ride slit. He said simple go around it dummy Riding out of the Mission up that nasty place on a Xr650 with 5 gal tank 3
pack packs handful. Last time on my small light bike easy. Want to return but not liking the motels there.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18377
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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sad to see crowds in the back country  I prefer to see people backpack or offroad
in small groups. Caravans? Ruins the solitude!
and steamed to see ignoramuses camping in a crowd inches from the water 
who would want to camp so close with tents inches apart? and have to listen to a dozen people snore all night? yikes!
the water sources are important for wildlife. if camping, set back a couple hundred yards and let the wildlife have water. your visit will even more
enjoyable if you allow the wildlife to be. Camp too close to the water, and wildlife will just stay away and you wont see them.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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The trail sounds much more challenging than when I drove part of it in May 2011. The part about the pickup truck driver walking back to Cataviña
was interesting! One of the Londos from Tierra Del Sol 4WD club walked beside the 10 or so Jeeps as the rest of us drove in 2007! I am planning an
early 2019 run. It's a great trail that sounds as if it has gotten more challenging over the past several years.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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like all difficult trails that see a lot of visitors this one got more "difficult". Like Moab, like Rubicon etc.
It is because the visitors are driving the caca out of it. The only reason trails/roads get more difficult, is because they get torn up by bad
drivers. Most drivers are bad drivers.
I have some basic experience of 30 years on rough terrain. It is amazing when you see what people think is the right way.
And don't bring the nature does it story.
Harald Pietschmann
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2432
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
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Mood: Happy
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This time cant agree with you on Nature does it story. I have been off road and dirt bikes over 50 years. After heavy rain many roads gone to any 4x4.
Even our dirt bikes can have a tuff time to go past wash outs. You are correct more 4x4s make route more difficult. Some rigs are not set up as nice
as your MB go any where rig. I was impressed with yours on Pole line trip.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64848
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Spinning tires are the worst (other than rain) on roads!
1) Lower tire pressure
2) Use low range
3) Use traction control or lockers
DON'T SPIN TIRES... CRAWL... it saves the parts, too!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | Spinning tires are the worst (other than rain) on roads!
1) Lower tire pressure
2) Use low range
3) Use traction control or lockers
DON'T SPIN TIRES... CRAWL... it saves the parts, too! |
In a best case scenario, you have a set of tire deflators and air compressor, properly functioning low range transfer case, your vehicle has locking
differentials, and mud-terrain tires with 5/32nds or more of tread.
The vehicles that I have witnessed having trouble leaving the trail (Mission Impossible) didn't have locking differentials, moderately acceptable all
terrain tires, broken steering components, and were being pulled by a simple tow rope with metal hooks on both ends (hazardous at best/deadly at
worst).
Whenever I tackle the simplest of trail, I always pack quality yank straps into my Jeep. Yes, more than one.
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