Husky Trip to the Tip

[Mike Kay]

Sorry if I confused things up. The other thread was one I started on ADV asking about radios.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=530950

Thanks for posting the link. My first time lurky on ADV in 3 years....
Great to see the extended frequency list. Confirmed that BITD is .490
Just a coincidence about MURS .940

If you are really really a radio geek or want to be one, there is a link from a year or two from JohnnyAirTime on TT in the Baja section about a 50 watt dirt bike radio set up he figured out. 50 watts can go a long long long way on a desert night in the wide open. Like hundreds of miles...

While the cheaper 2 watt radios are ok for hunting or fishing, really for dirt bikes 5-6 watts is the minimum, and in practical expereince they only work for 1-3 miles on the trail. 4-5 miles if you are on the top of a hilll.

Remember if you break down in baja and cant get anyone, try to climb a hill....and if you get a flat, try to find a big rock.

Sucks having internet at home. Kids dont get any attention....

 

[Coffee]

Mike,

If you could you could use a 'CB', I have a portable you guys can use along with a magnet antenna for the roof of vehicles.

My hunch is that would only add to the confusion, but anyone is welcome to it...

 

[Mike Kay]

Mike,

If you could you could use a 'CB', I have a portable you guys can use along with a magnet antenna for the roof of vehicles.

My hunch is that would only add to the confusion, but anyone is welcome to it...

Kind offer as always from you. I think your sextant is all we need.

Truck will have a 50 watt VHF radio. It will replace the old one, stolen by one of the guys who posts all the baja lies about me on fatguyonthesofa.net
He also stole my truck, and was declared a criminal by the judge, but i digress....
My new truck radio is my Xmas present to myself. Still have the old rusted magnet mount antennae...

Truck and bike radios are the way to go. Been doing this for years. 50 watts in the truck, 5-6 watts on the bikes. VHF. Works great. Sat phones are for saying hi to the wife. At last count we have 4 radios and 2 sat phones on this trip.

 

[Ruffus]

Mike,

If you could you could use a 'CB', I have a portable you guys can use along with a magnet antenna for the roof of vehicles.

My hunch is that would only add to the confusion, but anyone is welcome to it...

In mikes case it may be okay, but for me, not understanding in anyway shape or form, listening to the CB conversations down kind of comica l, but not very useful.
I will say that if you need help. most Mexicans I've met in 1990 & 2000, are very friendly & bend over backwards to lend a hand & do superior work to what I found in the rest of North America

 

[Mike Kay]

most Mexicans I've met in 1990 & 2000, are very friendly & bend over backwards to lend a hand & do superior work to what I found in the rest of North America

Its SO true. I call it 'living off the land'
The idea being that we can and will find all the resources we will need from the local communities-and we can adapt and bend to our environment. Hole in your radiator? Do like the mexicans do, take off the cap and put in water every 5 miles...it will get you home. Need to fix that taco'd front wheel? Ive seen a Mexican put deisel fuel in a paint can full of dirt, lite it, and then use the flame to soften the aluminum rim, then pound it back....The baja Mexicans are very very similar to the USA Alaskans. Its a place full of 'can do' spirit and know how. The more we can access that otherness, the safer and better off we will be.

Bringing down Orange County, like some guys do, is IMO, NOT the way to do it.

I was raised for a time in a chicano household, and while im Irish American, i speak spanish and actually have distant family down there. Plus my wifes Argentinian. So all in all ive sort of morphed from a blue eyed guy from Michigan to a hybrid Mexican trucker, or something. In Spain everyone laughs at my spanish. Its full of working class Mexican slang and accent, but comes from the mouth of a blonde/blue middle class American dude.

Just sayin' the bajaians are a special breed, and we will do best to lean on them, when needed, and to give-as needed. Its the (old skool) baja way.

Gotta go put the sausages on the grill.

 

[Coffee]

At last count we have 4 radios and 2 sat phones on this trip.

 

[Mike Kay]

Yep. Thought you would like that.

Radios. Sat Phones. Dedicated chase truck driver. Laptop for WIFI. Spot. AAA maps. Baja Almanac in the truck. GPS.
Emergency contacts. Rider meeting scheduled. Forward weather report.
Radio frequency triple checked. Tuned up chase truck. Tuned up bikes. Insurance. Boxes of Baja 1000 spare parts. Spare wheel sets. Tools.
Even 'Dust to Glory' in the trucks DVD player...

Im running '349x' on my bike. Suggest you guys do too.

 

[xymotic]

Yep. Thought you would like that.

Radios. Sat Phones. Dedicated chase truck driver. Laptop for WIFI. Spot. AAA maps. Baja Almanac in the truck. GPS.
Emergency contacts. Rider meeting scheduled. Forward weather report.
Radio frequency triple checked. Tuned up chase truck. Tuned up bikes. Insurance. Boxes of Baja 1000 spare parts. Spare wheel sets. Tools.
Even 'Dust to Glory' in the trucks DVD player...

Im running '349x' on my bike. Suggest you guys do too.

I think we really ought to have a Helicopter with a video crew and a still photog. I've read (and it's true) you can't really "do Baja" properly without a Helicopter. A masseuse would be good too, but we definitely need the chopper. JUst kidding... On a serious note though, somebody's bringing a blender right?

 

[Yossarian]

I must have fallen asleep at some point. When I read Mike's latest post, I had to ask myself, "We have a new chase truck driver?"

 

[Yossarian]

Oh, hey. My local AAA does not have any Baja specific maps, just one big map of Mexico. Go figure.

If any of you California guys would happen to bring an extra Baja map - assuming you can get them from AAA at no cost - I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Mike Kay]

I must have fallen asleep at some point. When I read Mike's latest post, I had to ask myself, "We have a new chase truck driver?"

We have a new chase truck driver. He is a buddy of NorCalslowpoke.
We are paying his room and buying him tacos, and we are gonna give him $25 a day, it will come out of the $150 each rider kicks in on day one.

He is aware its a 'serious' job. He is driving down to Tecate with me, and I will have plenty of time to go over the truck, radios, sat phone, etc.

I like the idea of a dedicated chase truck driver. Gives us the option to carry on if someone ends hurt and heading to a US truama center. Plus one guy will get to know the truck well, and on that narrow paved curving road, thats valuable. Safety first.

-

Helicopter with video feed. Its not as impossible as it might sound. The old chase truck driver, Mathew, is a helicopter pilot and baja fanatic. He's offered to helicopter over us down there. For $200 each we could swing it.

Massuese, thats an easy one. If you guys want i can organize it to have a massuese stop by your rooms in Felipe, Loreto, Cabo.
After one baja 1000 i sort of collapsed in my room. The maid came by--and i payed her $20 for a back and neck rub. She told me if her husband found out, or if the hotel found out, she would be in trouble.
A message after a day or two of riding is awesome.

Blenders:
Maybe we can rent one!! (jk)

Its all good. Kids birthday today. Gotta run.

 

[life_in_sepia]

My local AAA does not have any Baja specific maps, just one big map of Mexico.

This could prove valuable: http://www.baja-almanac.com/

 

[xymotic]

I will swing by on Monday and see what I can grab

Oh, hey. My local AAA does not have any Baja specific maps, just one big map of Mexico. Go figure.

If any of you California guys would happen to bring an extra Baja map - assuming you can get them from AAA at no cost - I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

 

[Mike Kay]

This could prove valuable: http://www.baja-almanac.com/

Ive got the 2nd edition in the truck, along with their foldout map.

You and I had the 1st edition in the old truck when we drove to Cabo in '96, at least i think if was '96.

The 80's version, edition 1, was the best.

I also have the Lizard Lady DVD with all the single track stuff. Can print it out if anyone is interested in playing around with single track stuff.

 

[JCH4]

Mike, is Matthew willing to fly the entire trip if we each kick in $200?

 

[Mike Kay]

To late now to schedule a helicopter with him. He is gonna fly to Poland and see his family, and no not in a helicopter.

Maybe next time.

 

[Norcalslowpoke]

Ive got the 2nd edition in the truck, along with their foldout map.

You and I had the 1st edition in the old truck when we drove to Cabo in '96, at least i think if was '96.

The 80's version, edition 1, was the best.

I also have the Lizard Lady DVD with all the single track stuff. Can print it out if anyone is interested in playing around with single track stuff.

Ive got the 2nd edition for my bike, for all to gaze at as needed.

I also have a couple fold out baja maps I can give to another rider. I'm suspect of this set as they, surprisingly, did not have Mikes Sky Ranch on them..but they look ok for general layout, main roads.

Thanks again to Miguel for organizing this.

 

[JimO]

Still trying to make this trip. Threw a chain in Baja on my '05 450 which was going to be my Trip to the Tip machine. Drained my oil and found 1 tooth off a gear on the magnet.

So waiting for some parts for my '08 510, intake valves. (a long story) 2 broken bikes in the garage has got me busy.

I'll keep you all posted.

Jim.

 

[Yossarian]

Still trying to make this trip. Threw a chain in Baja on my '05 450 which was going to be my Trip to the Tip machine. Drained my oil and found 1 tooth off a gear on the magnet.

So waiting for some parts for my '08 510, intake valves. (a long story) 2 broken bikes in the garage has got me busy.

I'll keep you all posted.

Jim.

Jim,

I hope that the parts come in time for you to join us on the trip!

 

[xymotic]

Alaska is running a deal for travel after 1/5
$75 each way LA to Cabo.

So I'm thinking of having my GF come down for a couple days and flying back the 7th