Vinny

man, would love to go, not sure if it will happen right now or not, too much up inthe air so to speak. In any case have fun, I was up there solo on the 990 in June and had an absolute blast, got lost, then got really lost, then got even more lost, then I wound up in Carson City and I have no freaking idea how I got there, but the riding was great!

Thanks for the suggestions folks. We wound up staying at Ensenada Beach House at estero beach. nice clean rooms, very good beds, secure bike parking and a killer restaurant, $35 a night for a room with two queen size beds. Recommended.

Thanks for the suggestions folks, it will keep me from having to cruise all around Ensenada after the end of a long day of riding. Anything will be better than the El Palomar in Santo Tomas. Not that its a bad hotel, ok, its a dump, but the biggest problem is the sound of jake brakes right outside the window all night long. Have any of you stayed at Coyote Cals just north of Erendira? I've ridden by it many times but never stopped in to check it out. Doesnt look like they have a very secure place to leave the bikes though.

I've stayed at Estero Beach Resort. Pretty nice place......easy to get in and out of.....nice pool (with swim up bar) Thanks. Estero Beach Resort is bit over budget, so near the beach is probably out. Saw a place ensenada beach house that looks nice. Any other recs on the south end of town? May just have to cruise around and see what we find.

Doing a little ride next month and would rather stay in Ensenada than the dump I always stay at on the highway in Santo Tomas. Any of you guys have recommendations on a place near the beach with good parking for the bikes? thanks.

That new Husky is sweet!! congrats. Is that EFI on the 2008? If so how do you like it? the tech days look like fun, alot more fun than cursing and throwing tools across the garage by yourself. I was working on my new 990 adventure yesterday and needed 3 hands for several things. I wish I had checked the forum as I would have come over and enlisted some help Hope you guys do one of these again soon as I will need about 4 hands to put on my Scotts stabilizer and upper triple clamp kit. Then there is the whole SAS and canister removal after that.

The standard route, leaving Ramonas on the main road to Ojos about 6 miles to the El Rayo turnoff, then about a mile in, brand spankin new locked gate put up by the ejido. Or, go further past the El Rayo turnoff to the road that goes by the fire tower, about 6 miles in, brand spankin new locked gate, also put up by the ejido. Then I tried the section of the 2006 SCORE Baja 500 route, about 25 miles in, brand spankin new locked gate, put up by the ejido. At that point I gave up and went into Ojos and picked up Mex 1 near Independencia as I wanted to make gonzaga by nightfall. I talked to one rancher by Santa Catarina. My Spanish sucks, but from what I gathered the ejido is putting up gates all over from Tecate - Rumorosa - Ojos, to Valle T. As you may or may not know, that route has gotten very popular with off-roaders of the big 4 wheeled variety, and large guided groups. The rancher said that they did it due to injured/killed livestock, gates being left open etc and they had enough of it, which is completely undestandable. He tried to explain to me a route I could use but you know ranchers and directions.......go down here a little ways and make a right at the big tree, then take the left fork where there is a rock next to a big bush, blah, blah, blah. I have an idea of what he was talking about, but have not had the time to check it out.

have any of you guys found a decent way from Laguna Hanson to Valle de Trinidad since the locked gates popped up in the fall? I've been thinking about going down soon and do a little exploring to find a new way though. I've got some ideas that I was not able to try in November due to time contraints.

Thanks Doc. The stock cans with the cats are coming off, hence the SAS "mod" and the fuel cannister needs to be "canned" for my numerous get offs. I'm really a dirt bike guy but I must say, this big bike is a hoot, just like an overgrown dirt bike. Big trips planned for this baby!

Mike Tripes is an ex-KTM Factory mechanic and he's real friendly and sharp. Give him a call at 619-258-7151 Thanks!

Looking to do an SAS and cannisterectomy on my 07 990 Adv. I've poured over many chopped up threads on advrider and the whole thing still looks terribly confusing. So many damned hoses and plugs to keep straight. I'm very comfortable working on carbed thumpers but this injected twin is a whole different animal to me. I have yet to get the plugs, blocking plates and resistors required but the parts should be here any day now. If any of you have done these procedures I'd love to get some input or even help. Hands on help of course produces free beer and tacos.

Ron, I have not heard of any recent problems around the SF - Gonzaga area. I think most of the issues are along the northern west coast, for obvious reasons. Also you may consider crossing at Tecate, heading east to El Hongo, and doing a ride from either Rancho Ojai, or Rancho Santa Veronica to Languna Hanson. At the north end of the laguna hanson park there is a hotel called Rancho Rodeo del Rey, 50 bucks a night. Email them ahead of time so they know you are coming. Once I pulled up at Rodeo Rey needing a room but they were all closed up. So not wanting to spend a cold night on the ground sleeping in my gear, I rode back home in the dark. The ride is doable at night, and actually quite fun, just a little slow. You can safely park your vehicle either at Rancho Ojai or Santa Veronica for 5 bucks a day. Or if you are dual sported, just ride from home. From Santa Veronica its about 60 miles to Laguna Hanson (about 2.5 hours), where you can buy gas either at Rodeo Rey, or at Ramonas at the old saw mill a little further down the road. navigation on this ride is more complex than the SF to Gonzaga run so you for sure want to go with someone that knows the way. If you have only limited time for a ride you can cross the border at around noon and be at Rodeo Rey well before dark. Have some breakfast in the morning, ride back and be home around noonish the next day. Also, you can do the SF-Gonzaga ride even if none of you know the way. Just leave SF on the highway and you can ride some dirt tracks right next to the highway most of the way to Puertecitos. When the road turns to dirt at Puertecitos just follow it for 50 miles and it takes you right to Gonzaga. You know you are at Gonzaga when you see a Pemex on your left, and a store on your right (rancho grande) you cant miss it! At Gonzaga you have two choices. You can camp on the beach at some palapas, or get a room at Alphonsinas on the north end of the settlement. Done this way its a very easy cruiser with zero navigation required, and will give you a little taste of the cortez side. So if you find a partner that has not been before it will not be a problem.

Sure thing Ron. Also, if you dont have a GPS you can do it also. When you leave from behind the south Pemex in SF you want to take a turn south asap. you will have to kind of feel your way south making some various turns but its wide open and easy to see where you are going. Dont go too far inland as that will take you up into the mountains on the SF 250 course. After you feel your way south, eventually, you will come upon a long straight road headed south that has a powerline running along it. Once you find that road you will follow it as it becomes deep sand whoops for many miles, then turns into a bone jarring rocky two track that meanders a little ways inland until it spits you out onto Mex 5 just north of Puertecitos. At pretty much anytime you should be able to bail off the route, bushwhack to the east and you will hit the highway after only a few miles. After Puertecitos, just continue to follow the rocky road all the way to the Pemex at Gonzaga. Use caution on that road as thereis quite a bit of traffic and many blind curves. Hope that helps, have a great ride.

As of October 2007 the traditional route from Laguna Hanson to Valle de trinidad now has locked gates on it. I tried 3 other route options to no avail. Since I didnt have the time to find a way through I ended up going into Ojos and getting on the highway. I'm sure there is a way though but it will take a little exploring to find it. If anyone has figured it out please post a track if you are able. Word from the locals is that the Ejido is putting up locked gates on many roads from Tecate, La Rumorosa, to Ojos Negros and Valle de Trinidad. Also word on the street is that they will leave one route open from Hanson to Trinidad although my Spanish was not good enough to understand exactly what route that is. FWIW

San Felipe to Gonzaga is 100 miles. Mex 5 is now paved from SF all the way to Puertecitos. If you are on a dirt bike, I would suggest starting from behind the south Pemex in SF, take score course through sand whoops, and rocky two track to Mex 5 just north of Puertecitos, a short run on slab to the graded (albeit poorly graded) dirt road that runs along the coast into Gonzaga. The 2006 Baja 1000 gps track will show you the way. The first 50 miles will take roughly 2 hours, the rest of the way will be about 1.5 hours. Throw in an extra hour for stops and pics, and you can be in Gonzaga easily in 4.5 hours. Make sure you have gas to go the whole way as trying to scrounge gas in Puertecitos can be time consuming and expensive.