Baja - RSV, Lake Hansen, Mike's SR, Labor Day weekend, pics and stories

Huge thank you to Mike and George for the tour!

We had perfect conditions. Sat it rained, a reportedly rare thing in August, making heat a non-event and very fun dirt.

It was nice to meet all you fellow Husqvarna riders (and one KTM rider )

I think we had 12 riders, maybe 11, not sure. One broken collarbone but otherwise I didn't hear of any other significant injuries to body or machine.

I got a front flat, 2.5 inch thorn into UHD tube, wasn't leaking until I pulled the thorn out...put it back in and it stopped, we decided to change the tube anyway. George gave me grief for not having his replacement axle nut and not having my 12mm slug with me, but using 2 - 6mm hex tools and it was off without issue. I found the front to be flat again when unloading back home.

Thanks Mike K, George, Scott, Blake, Doug, Mike, Bob, Gary, Jeff and everyone else whose names escape me. Great ride!

Brett, small bald guy on a TE450.






George looking for his lost cigarette or paying homage to the dirt Gods


The most H at Mike's in 30 years!











Getting gas at Valley T, nice breeze!


Dr. George helping the broken collarbone back into place as much as tolerable

Yeah, that guy, Jorge in Mex, stares at the ground a lot...

I think he'd just finished a bio break and was pulling up his state of the art pants! George, get some new boots already.

New boots? I would have figured Hi-Points for George!

Come on guys, where are all of your pics? Maybe you're all out playing for the holiday

Blake, the mp3/ham mixer I have can be found here, IXRADIO INTERCOM SYSTEM: http://ixcessory.com/

a few picts

Hats off to George and Mike for putting together a great trip. It was great meeting all and hitting those high speed BAJA trails. Gary,

EPIC!

Thats how to describe the ride. Rain in August in baja?! Temps in the mid-80's?!
No crowds on labor day weekend?! Dust free in the desert?!
12 riders and not one ahole?! It just doesnt get much better than this weekends ride. Great group, awesome vibe, and perfect conditions--simply EPIC.


I'm already thinking about the next ride, sometime after the baja 1000-Dec or Jan. Details to be announced.

I know there are lots more pics out there. Lets see some more pics!

To get all the picks go here:

http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49897&l=4624d&id=574651950












Great trip, great conditions, great bikes and great guys!

If anyone wants a high res picture to print, PM me your email address and I can send it.

-Blake

Great pics! Goes a long way towards capturing the experience. I know there are more photos out there.

Gordon has a couple landscape shots looking back at Mikes i would love to see. (hint, hint)

-thanks for posting Blake, very cool!

First Big thanks to Mike for co-hosting the ride. Jacked up his back but drove the chase truck unselfishly to support the ride Thanks. Know a lot on this forum get to ride in the rain often but here in So-Cal it's kinda like a 100 year storm just don't happen. So this turned from a good ride to the epic side.

Started out of Santa Veronica about 5 miles some sprinkles each mile got more and more then just a steady rain, can see in some of the pics by 30 miles into it soaked to the bone. Kept the trail route down in lower altitudes and avoid the lightning and colder temps. As we were prepaired for 100+ temps so no jackets or rain gear turned into a very pleasant temp for riding. Got to hwy just above Ojos Negros just sprinkling now for a 15 mile Hwy run to dry out back on to Baja course at KM78 to Jamal road then into Valley T for fuel and lunch, Group 2( the big guys on the 610's and Jeff on the BIG KTM) took hwy there and ate the resturant out of food so they were closed when we got there. Power bars and Gator aid lunch. Hung out for hour or so looking up the Mountain towards Mikes when look like heavy rain clearing out started heading up the mountain. Rain had smoothed out many of the roads and washes to pool table smoothness absolutly perfect. Comment was I'm always looking down hell yes ever try smoking in the rain looking up? 2 long draws then it's out bummer. Hommage to the dirt Gods nope quart of gator aid for lunch just had to P, When some of you get older you'll understand it's the simpler things in life that makes it worth living for a good P and dump.
Get up to Mikes took route around Memorial tree(Ron, Rich) flood had just gone down at the stream crossing but left big mud bog sucked a few into it before some of the kids camping there showed the rest the MC bridge down stream 50 yards. Comments were Damn and deep to.
Great food, hospitality as always at Mikes. End of leg 1
For thoes interested here is basic cost Rooms at Santa Veronica $70.00 (2) beds=$35.00 dinner $10.00, breakfast$10.00. Mikes $60.00 per bed includes dinner and breakfast. Everyone was to chip in $20.00 for mikes truck fuel and the gas he carried for top offs,gator aid ,water and trail snacks, Personal gas was probaly $12.00-$15.00 for both times at Valley T, bar tabs both places?? tips? Getting to ride with group of great guys like this priceless Mike and I both feel the same . Stage 2 later. Thanks for joining us . Later George

Absolutly, No such thing as Might do It's a must do, some rides are better than others.Only because of the weather. Well try to make them all fun and safe making different routes for the bigger bikes and less experianced riders. Later George

2 Pictures up is Brian giving a salute. He seperated his shoulder got him harnessed up, now he's a BIG BOY, told him if it weren't for Jeff and the other big guys to lift him in the truck for me would have had to gut him first to lift him in. Later George

Pics


Jeff and his loving dog saying adios from Mike's

Cowboy on the roadside. Saw quite a few horses in the area, more or less free to cross your path.


Mike's pic of the valley

Scott in red shirt talking to Brett as we wait for Scott's son Blake to show up.




Baja Store stop for cold drink or 3 Musketeer.

Old boots are like "elven boots of stealth" and didn't the bad ass "Snake Pliskin" wear Hi-Points in the movie "Escape from New York"?

I knew that would be an awsome ride! Thanks for the pics.

I think I could even be up for some of this "epicness" in the future......looks like good, simple fun in the outdoors. Thanks for sharing the pics fellas.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/27665

A helmet cam video of riding from Mike's Sky Ranch. Just gives you a taste of what the road looks like, although there are tougher sections that I think some of our riders went on...

Makes me want to get a helmet cam...