Husky Trip to the Tip

I have talked to Mike Kay about all of this, and I feel that there has been a lot of miscommunication regarding this trip. All of the information I had was not up to date. I am not sure weather I am or am not going at this point.

-Blake

I'm in. I got the time off work. I've known Mike for 20 years, and consider him one of my closest friends. I've known Scott (norcalslowpoke) for about 20 months, and he's very cool too (except when he's spitting rocks at me). And I can think of nothing better to do (almost!) than have a great ride with those guys, and others, in baja for a week. If we end up in Cabo, that's cool. If we end up back in Tecate, that's also totally cool. In fact, I'm 100% fine with trips outa the hotel we start at. It's all good in my book. My bike is ready. Just bought the Yaesu radio!

I'm a novice dirt rider, but I think I"ll be fine.

Mike is plenty fast, but he's old enough not to show off -- and he'll ditch no one.

I don't have a crystal ball, but I've been with Mike in lots of foreign countries, including Mexico (through to Belize, and back), Brazil, North Africa, and Europe, and each trip has proven to be a deposit in the "fondly memorable" bucket of my 44 years of existence. I'm ready for the next deposit.

Blake, it would be great if you and your family have reconsidered, or you still might. No worries either way. Life's too short to sweat it. But we do need to plan and possibly rely on you, so please think it through carefully, and be definitive in your decision in the near term.

Scott, I'm fine with supporting a driver, if you have one lined up.

Best, Ed

Blake: I purposely waited several hours to cool off after reading your post #129. Now that I've returned, I see it's been edited away. Glad I waited.

I'm not sure what the miscommunication is that you refer to. I may be ignorant, but I don't feel anything has been miscommunicated to me so far. Maybe it has and I just don't know it?

Mike made it very clear from day one that this was going to be rugged, grueling, tough, tiring, etc. We wouldn't be staying at the Ritz-Carlton. We would have one chase truck, maybe two if we were lucky. What's the problem? Is something going on here that I/we don't know about?

I find it ironic that you are concerned that some of us might let the group down by not being up to the task, yet you and yours are (potentially) willing to let the group down before we even start the trip! The "reasons" in the original post were pretty weak. What's the real reason? If you don't want to go, just say so. I can accept it.

C'mon man, life's an adventure, there are no guarantees. I might crash 2 miles into the trip, or my bike might throw a rod on day 5. Big deal, it was fun while it lasted. Who knows, your bike might blow up 3 days into the ride...

I urge you and your father to reconsider. Why not come and have some fun? Of course there are going to be problems -there always are. We'll deal with it. We're all big kids here, aren't we?

My bio? I'm 49, raced my first enduro in 1978. District-14 enduro champion in the 125 "A" class in '87. (can you say "sand whoops"?) I only race every now-and-then when I feel like it now, in the geezer class. This may be my first time to Baja, but it ain't my first rodeo. The photo below is an example of the rocks we ride around here. I understand Baja has a rock or two...
I also have logged over 60K miles of Sport-Touring.

My bike has less than 500 miles on it. I have purchased and/or installed a new chain, steel sprockets, extra filters, Motoz Desert H/T tires, Ultra-heavy duty tubes, skid plate, hard wired my GPS, and installed Baja maps into it. Put new tires on the trailer, mounted two spares, new wheel bearings, lights, and wiring to haul three bikes a mere 4,500 miles round trip for this ride. How do you think the other two guys who's bikes I'm hauling would feel if I bailed out on them now?

All totaled, I've spent over $1,500. on parts, prep, hotel, airfare (wife included) etc. most of which is non-refundable or returnable. Crossing the Mexican border for me isn't exactly something I get to do every weekend. How committed and prepared do you think I am?

I'm takin' an Ambien and going to bed!

Damn, just found out I'll be laid off for that exact same period of time. My companies idea of a Xmas bonus

If there was anyway I could come up with the cash, I'd be there in a heart beat. Best of luck to all. Personally for me it's never the destination, just the adventure getting there, then ya relax by the pool or beach admiring women wearing dental floss & sipping on an ice cold libation

But the thrill of the ride is what turns my crank

Dan

Will try and post more comprehensive post later but have a meeting in a few. I was and continue to be in. I already purchased a non-refundable ticket from the East Coast to LAX on the 25th and have and continue to prep the bike. About the only thing that has not been replaced or upgraded on my bike in the past month is me. The large amount of money already expended is not the "reason" I am still in but certainly plays a factor. I have been wanting to do a trip like this for some time and it appears we have a good group. I am 38, in good shape depending upon your definition of shape I guess, and believe I am a good intermediate rider. I will be glad to take a turn at the wheel of the chase truck or anything else I can do for that matter. Look forward to the trip.

Hi Guys.

I feel i should sort of clear the air a bit and post.

1) George and I have talked for months about him not joining the trip, only making it part way, and right now it will probably be Mr. Uptite riding the first 1/3rd or so. So its nothing new or unexpected. Its not so easy to leave for 7-10 days, but 2-3 is doable. He might even take along a buddy or two. Anyway, its always great to have George along, and i really hope we get him for the first part of the trip.

2) Blake/BC Visin. Blake was part of the chase team at least weekends Baja 1000, a race that didnt exactly go so well for us, on many levels.
Thats racing. Lots of raw emotion, and sometimes it can be a bit over the top.
Ive ridden with Blake, and known him for a couple years. He's a great guy. He and i had a long talk on the phone and agreed to chat some more and try to work things out, again on various levels. Lets just give it some time. If he decides to join us, thats awesome, and if not, thats our loss, but we will work around it.

3) Chase Truck/trailer
My chase truck is a '02 F350 4x4 crew cab deisel-with 150,000 miles. It just had a $1200 service, and it just got new clicker, battery and more as well. Its certified by the local dealer as 'ready for baja'. Its a tough truck, with a few battle scars, but its strong and ready even if it has a few scratches here and there.
Trailer:
I just got a 3 axle enclosed trailer (car hauler) that we can take. Down side is it WILL get the third degree at every military check point, etc.
its a bit heavy, and its a bit harder to tow on the narrow baja road.
Upside is everything is enclosed, lots and lots of room, etc.
Other option is my brothers 2 axle flatbed. Its a tough trailer that we've taken down there before. Upside is ya get waived thru check points. Its light and a bit narrower. Downside is its smaller, and open.

I will probably test out my new trailer a bit, and if it feels good take it.
If a few guys back out of the ride, then i will just take the littler trailer.

One issue coming back up with all the bikes is registration--something less likely to come up if we are waived thru with an open trailer.

Anyway--its 'tough' equipment. No fancy sticker kits, no logos, just basic functional stuff.

4) Chase Truck driver:
If Blake (his dad was the chase truck driver) decides not to go we can either recruit another driver, or just take turns driving it ourselves.
(there is only one paved road--so its impossible to get lost!)
Right now i am leaning toward having one rider drive one day, rotating thru volunteers. With the understanding that any hurt or just tired rider can park it and be the driver (i will bet money that it plays out this way). We have over 10 riders, and its a 7 day ride, so a few guys wont have to drive at all.
I also have the option to hire a local Mexican off roader to drive, or ask some buddies of mine who have done this for me in the past.
Lets just wait a couple weeks and see how it plays out. Worse case we all take turns. No biggee. Guys who have never been outside the US before dont have to drive at all, for safety reasons.

5) Baja Safety:
My chase truck is built with the idea it can go anywhere we go, and extract a hurt rider and trashed bike. However--in practice--usually when there is a bad crash in baja we ask a local rancher to drive the rider to the truck, or even straight to a clinic. Its faster that way.
A $100 bill does the trick, every time.
Obviously every injury is different. Some stuff can be dealt with at a local clinic, some stuff is best done at a major local hospital, and some stuff demands a bee line for the US border. Ive been part of all three, many times.
For example--at last weekends baja 1000 we had 5 guys go thru a barbed wire fence, 3 of them breaking bones. One guy broke both wrists! All went straight to San Diego. Returning the next day with casts...point is--it happens, all to often. But we will deal with it.

6) Getting to Cabo by Jan 2nd....
My wife is flying to Cabo on the 29th. She is taking my 2.5 year old, and my 4 year old. First time they will travel outside the USA.
I HAVE to meet her on the night of the 2nd. No matter what!
So if we are running behind, i have to jump in the chase truck and finish up. Thats the deal i have with her.
If early on or in the mid parts of the trip we start running behind, we will HAVE to take pavement and 'catch up' with the schedule. Bikes can and probably will be in the trailer for 2-3 hours or more on the way down at some point or another. Or you can ride on pavement and follow the truck for that part, or just park the bikes on the trailer.
Point is:
I have to stay on a tight schedule.
If my truck crashes or is broken or stolen, we will have to rent a car or a taxi or whatever and continue on. If someone injured needs to be driven to the US border, we will do it, then drive back, and resume the trip 'on schedule' meaning further down the baja penninsula.

7) Memorandum of Understanding

We are going on a tuff, grueling long ride down in baja off road on motorcycles. It aint no relaxing vacation. Its an adventure ride.
This is NOT a race. We are NOT going to be roosting each other.
Thats how the 5 guys went thru the barbed wire, messing around!
We will take it easy, ride a relatively easy - but almost entirely dirt -- track, about 150 miles, or 5 hours per day (plus time for flats, crashes, lunch, etc.)

Accomodations will be primitive! We might not always have running water, we might have to snack on peanuts and crackers for lunch somewhere, etc. We WILL try to eat nice food (im a food snob) and stay in nicer hotels, but its baja, and in places its rugged.

All that said, i think you will be amazed at some of the very cool places we will stay and eat.

If you cant handle a day without a shower, if you cant eat a taco off a taco truck, if you cant handle being out of cell phone range, then yeah this trip aint for ya.

THERE WILL ALSO BE THE ACCUMULATED EXHAUSTION OF THIS TRIP!

Please watch for and be aware of sleep deprivation, and physical exhaustion and understand its affect on persons behaviour. Someone cranky and moody--they are proably just tired and the best thing is to just leave them alone till they get some sleep. 7 days riding IS tiring.
Especially the first 2-3 days. By day 5-7 your body will get the rythem down and you will proably get stronger and stronger and feel better.

8) Radios/sat phones/Communications
--As ive stated before:
We will have a radio in the chase truck, and a sat phone. We will also have a few radios amongst us on bikes, and really i highly recommend you get a radio for your bike. I will have my Kenwood VHF with Baja Designs push to talk. Same one i took to the baja 1000.
Ham Radio Outlet in San Diego, CA can hook you up. Radio is under $200.

9) Drama
Im not into drama. If you think this is a bit out of your league, PLEASE take a good long look in the mirror and make the call to get out.
No harm no fowl. Please!
If you have a bad time on this trip--PLEASE agree to work it out with me on the phone or email, and not on the internet.
Im so close to being done with the internet, its really all i can do to even log on anymore.
Im going to talk to everyone about this on day 1, and everyone as a group must agree to not take cheap shots if things dont go as they expect.
Its not my fault if things dont go as planned. Its not my fault if you have a bad time. You dont have the right to assault my reputation on the internet, no matter what, nor anyone else associated with this trip, Mexican or American. I will ask you to agree to that on day 1. Thats how seriously i consider this.
Even saying something like "he was sort of a pussy" or Mike's truck broke or whatever will be considered slander by me.
You dont know if my truck broke, and you dont know why, if it does.
So you dont get to comment on it.
KEEP IT POSITIVE, and everything will be fine.

10) Asprin and Pepto
I take an aspirin each AM when i do these rides. Helps with the blood, and the aches and pains. I have Pepto to treat any upsets in the stomach. I also ride with some toilet paper. Just ideas for ya. Highly recommended.

11) The Route
Tecate to San Felipe (via Laguna Hanson, Valle Trinidad)
San Felipe to Bay of LA (coast road, beach, and some pavement)
Bay of LA to San Ignacio
San Ignacio to Loreto (via Scorpian Bay, Purisima)
Loreto to Ciudad Constitution (via San Juanico)
CC to La Paz (via Santa Rita/Conejo)
La Paz to Cabo (via Todos Santos)

12)
Its all good.
Im really psyched about the trip, despite a couple hiccups, and cant wait to go ride with y'all.

Considering that I had been planning on riding Baja with two buddies who don't have dirt experience, and who don't yet have the bikes to do it, packing our own gear and winging it, our Husky themed trip is like an A+ on a report card. Experienced companions? Capable machines? Chase truck with trailer? My initial thought was "How can it get any better?"

Personally, I'm thrilled to be going. I'll go if I have to crawl to the border. Well, okay, that is a bit extreme, but hopefully I'm getting my point across. As to what Mike said, I can buy into it just fine. I'm also very committed to making this trip happen for as many of you that want to experience it. I'll take a day driving the chase truck. I'll help fix bikes, set bones, and tie tourniquets, and provide as much moral support as I'm capable of doing. This trip is not an ego thing for me -- it's a dream. An adventure. I understand the changing nature of a trip like this, that plans not only can, but will change. If I wanted predictability and a near-guarantee of safety, I'd stay at home.

Like Mike, I will have my family waiting for me in Cabo. I have to make it there, and barring a crippling injury will get there one way or another. Maybe I'll end up with 300 dirt miles instead of 1300. Whatever happens, I'm good with it.

Not wanting to spend a lot of time on a soapbox, I do want to say one thing about point 9 that Mike made above, and that is to say I agree wholeheartedly. If you hear me say anything negative about other riders or my experience, then slap me. If anyone does have issue with me, bring it to me and let's work it out like adults. I'll do you the same favor. Life's too short to be petty. (Unless you're Tom Petty, but that's different.)

I'm really looking forward to meeting you guys and getting to know you better. This trip will be as great as we make it.

One last thing. Mike, thanks for the effort, time, money, and equipment you are putting into this trip. It is greatly appreciated.

Y (P.J.)

All I can say is that Mike is going way above and beyond because he loves this Husky community, loves sharing a passion with like-minded people and of course loves Baja! I had the pleasure of riding Baja with Mike and it was nothing but the best experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. I still dream about those fish dinners in the bay and racing down the beach with Blake and the Husky boys! I can't wait to get back down there for a shorter, more technical ride. Personally, I don't know how he does it for zero compensation!?!? He is literally giving everyone the shirt off his back.

This trip sounds like a lot of fun and I'm a decent rider, but man...I'm not man enough to do it! My trip to Baja with Mike was only 2 days and I was dead tired after the ride. My hands were vibrated to hell and I could barely hang on at the end. Also, my @r$e was very tender too.

The thing about Blake is that he is a very thorough young man. He is probably the most organized and prepared kid (young man) that you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. He's a bit cocky, upfront and will not pull punches when needed, but he will do any and everything within his power to help you out...no matter what. He is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. His father has raised him right and both are very warm to be around sharing a beer. I hope that for all your sakes, he goes. He would be a huge asset!

One last person to mention is George. There is nothing that I could say about him that would do him justice...HE IS LARGER THAN LIFE and has a living legend aura about him. I could spend the entire trip drinking and listening to his stories! Happy birthday bud.

Here is my ride report and some pics to get you guys all pumped up and ready to go!
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=748390

And last but not least, you can't come to Baja and not ride on the beach! I tried to take a little video and managed this.






I am one happy camper...can you tell?

I am in 100% agreement with 100% of what Mike wrote.

I had a hunch Blake's remarks were 'post Baja 1000'. I do hope he and his family will reconsider, but if not, I understand.

When (not if) I get whiney, cranky, ornery, etc., feed me! It happens when my blood sugar drops. A good salutation for me from each of you would be: "Gary, what have you eaten lately?"

Like Mike and PJ, I too have a 'deal' to be in Cabo by the 2nd, as my wife is flying in on the 1st. If we don't show up by evening, there are going to be some very nervous women in Cabo.

Mike: Thanks again for putting this together. If not for you, I wouldn't be headed for the the ride of a lifetime!

BTW,
You only have,




Four weeks!

Yossarian - TE610 - Most definitely on the trip and a member here.

SepticSkeptic - TE610 - Most definitely on the trip and a member here.

I'm in.

I'm in.

Isn't everyone a member here?

I am in and a member here.

In

I'll be riding a 1966 Husky 250 2 stroke with a 1.5 gallon tank, I replaced the rings and tires in the 1980s, should be good to go...






















07 TE510, member

Man.. I wish I was in better finacial shape and could make it.... Looks like quite a few 610's this time..

BTW.. careful.. There's a Husaberg in the beach pic..
have an awesome time and be safe everyone..