Marbee40

WOW! Great picture! BUT, no centavo's for you, mi amigo! The picture is worth exactly one ice-cold barley-pop at our next non-riding get together. For the rest of you, keep trying! HINT: Ask the BP! Again, very nice picture! BTW, ______ likes to be fed fresh rabbit (rare please), and occasionally chew's on International Hikers if they get too close! Jim

LOVE my 650L. The other available bikes have there place....like the KLR which is likely MUCH more comfy and parts are more available worldwide (or so I've read), but it can't touch the L off-road. It IS a heavy bugger due in part to the steel frame, but so be it. If Husky can ever get around it's "gucci" attitude towards bike building, they will be a force to be reckoned with! Little things like hydraulic clutch vice cable make simple trail fixes a show stopper. The BMW HP2 is too durn 'spensive for the average Joe, but a BEAUTIFUL machine. ....and so goes the debate. For my money, this bike has been a definite survivor! Bought in late '03 and still pumping along!

SDAR and all, This was my first "trip" with SDAR, even though I've been a "member" since '05! What a great way to get started by doing volunteer work and possibly contributing to the re-opening of trails! We ALL know that getting ANY trail re-opened is next to impossible and any effort which lends to this is worthy! Thanks for the invite. The pictures were GREAT! I met with "Jon" at Thousand Trails and we completed about 50+ miles of easy trail riding over Otay Mt. and a few other trails, ending up just west of Tecate. GREAT dual sport day! Then we buzzed thru Campo and around to meet with the group at Corral Canyon and off to work. Repairing fence seemed a relatively easy task. Drive a few fence stakes, stretch a little fence, and tie a bit of wire....sounds simple. Until you realize that only a few USFS employees usually have to do this by themselves. I would DREAD doing this every day as my only job. Then there was the "boot camp" gate guard, keeping the non-volunteers out that stood his post for the ENTIRE DAY! Poor bum. Anyways, as for the casualties of the day, my bike will live to ride another day. I didn't need that daggum mirror anywho, so don't sweat it! Considering how much fuel it cost you to give my sorry butt a ride home, I think we're MORE than even. Again, DON'T SWEAT IT! Let's put together a BBQ repair fund for Gunner. Opening the back of your pickup to find that his BBQ had committed hari-kari was just too darn funny. Kudo's to Gunner Chief for the OUTSTANDING lunch! I'm still paying for them durn dogs! Funniest comment of the day was the new PC name concocted for folks traveling northbound: International Hikers. I guess ya had to be there. I sincerely hope that MANY of you plan to be at Corral Canyon next Saturday. Even if you can only give 4-6 hours of your day, the effort will go a LONG ways towards getting a favorite riding area opened back up soonest. This effort also puts our group (and the 4x4 folks) in a good light when fighting off future closures in our county. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! Finally, I look forward to meeting more of the SDAR gang in the near future. Thanks for having me!

Admin, I've just come back after being gone since '05 and you graciously logged me back in! (THANKS). Q#1- I went into "MY CONTROLS" and noticed my old email addy is still there. I then scrolled down to the bottom left and tried to change my email from the cox.net to my new yahoo.com addy and it says my yahoo.com addy is already in the system. My main concern is that if anyone (including admin) tries to email me it will go to my closed cox.net acct. How can I update this? Q#2- The time for each of my posts must be from Zimbabwe or something cause it ain't PST. How can I change that? EDIT: I fixed this one by myself (wonder of wonders!) Go to MY CONTROLS, Options, Board Settings and VIOLA! GOT IT! Out! Thanks again for a very PROFESSIONAL and informative place to spend my geo-bachelor evenings! Jim

Uncle Cam, Thanks for the words, bro! I've only got print photo's and the wife has the scanner up on AK. What I need to do is take the pix over to Tar-jey and get them put on disc and then I'll upload. Thanks again, Jim

Just a little write up I did for pre-running the 1000 this year. Editors welcome! Enjoy Rock_Gardens_and_the_Baja_Mil.doc

All, I've got no choice in the matter. Gotta ride. If I have to park somewhere, lock it and call the insurance company in advance, so be it. I'll be there on way or tee-other!

WOW! I've had a few close ones over the years, but those hills look STEEP! That is NO JOKE! You guys get two thumbs up for sharing. You just KNOW I'm gonna go find that trail and take a peek. If any of you decide to revisit, lemme know cause I wanna go borrow a helo! I look forward to riding with this intelligent adventurous bunch soonest!

In the last six years, I've been up Otay about 10 times, twice at night . The two night runs were with other bikes, but still a bit on the hairy side. I've run into illegals on two different occasions. I've got contacts with BP, so both times I called the Brown Field dispatcher both times the groups were caught. I stayed clear and I don't mess with em. Not worth having someone e'splain to the bride and chitlin's that Daddy got bonked. I give to charity at work, not when someone might take me out. Wish I could carry my plinker on the trail, but that's a whole other thread! I've also taken the BP Land Nav course twice (perishable skill, doncha know) and we covered the area from Mount Miguel (over near Auld golf course, Eastlake) to the south side of the lakes (just north of the base of Otay). Both times we had to radio in about illegals. THEY ARE OUT THERE. Watch your hiney, but don't stay home because of it! Hopefully everyone is aware that Otay has old WWII gun-bunkers and barracks. These are located up and down the entire west coast. Minor details are listed in hiking guides for San Diego. Neat stuff. The one right before the cell towers on Otay Truck Trail has a resident. $5.00 for anyone who knows the name of the resident! (I'll pay on the next ride we all go on!) BP feeds him occasionally. Have a great day and ride safe!

Opinion: Agree with the comment about Garmin and Software. Lots of different software out there, but I really like the compatibility of the WorldMap and Topo from MapSource (Garmin). I've had my eMap (discontinued in 2004ish) for about 7 years. Used it in Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, and all over the states. Smallish screen, crappy connection point for downloads and ext. power, but OTHERWISE it's been semi-bulletproof. I say semi because 3 years ago I wiped out HARD on San Felipe wash (50+mph) and cartwheeled. (I've got pictures of my speedo filled 3/4 with sand!) My eMap was mounted on a RAM mount, middle of the bars. It was STILL there when I finally picked up my bike. The face was scratched, but still readable. I finally called Garmin and they said "Send us the GPS and $99.00 and we'll send ya a new one!" I already had 200+ into it, so maybe I shoulda bought the eTrex, but I bit the bullet and paid. Now using my new one. Still love it. Vibration is NOT a problem with most of the Garmin's. I also have an eTrex (for wife). Both GPS's have been mounted (on a RAM mount) in my buddies Class I off-road car for testing and racing. ZERO problems. 200 miles of pre-running for the 100. ZERO problems. I love my Garmins. The RAM mounts ain't cheap, but WELL worth the mula. www.gpscity.com has really good info and "answers" to loads of questions. They have a couple of test geeks that use everything they sell. Finally, for converting different types of gps formats to something readable in any gps, go to www.gpsbabel.com and download their free converter. A little goofy, but works like a champ. Have fun! Jim

Steve, I'd be willing to do the occasional weekday ride. Just don't tell Chief Gunner...we both work for the same place! Or better yet, maybe he can sneak out, too! Friday's are best. Standing by! Jim

All, I will be meeting with (?) , 8am, at Thousand Trails off Otay. I'll be there early. I can't print my form (at home), so who can I email it to? Thanks, Looking forward to some LABOR!

Jon, I will be there, 8am at TT Rv park. I'll be on a beater 650L. Gunner Chief invited me. See ya! Jim Streicher marbee40@yahoo.com or 619-994-2310

Oh my. That is one killer photo at the end of the article. Kinda sum's it all up nicely. Glad to see the humble "Lesson Learned" comments. BP isn't always available to come to the rescue. Thanks for sharing.

All, This was written by a good buddy of mine, Chuck Albrecht. As you can see, Chuck works for the Border Patrol, but this info is good for ANYONE working with maps, GPS, etc. Chuck used to work here in SD and one of his jobs was teaching a two-day land nav course of which I graduated from...twice! (Perishable skill, doncha know!) Enjoy, Coordinate_Systems_and_Understanding_Them.doc

Marbee (Jim) here. '04 XR650L (Pig-L). Always up for a ride, especially early AM on weekends. Living in Chula Vista/Eastlake at the west end of Proctor Valley road. Please add me to the email roster for upcoming rides/bbq's.Thanks, Jim

That BLOWS! Nothing like a buck-20 across North Africa! Back to banging it out on 650's! LONG LIVE THE XR! (Hehehe, just kidding). I don't think ol' Cambell or Hengeveld care to try their luck.Marbee

That BLOWS! Nothing like a buck-20 across North Africa! Back to banging it out on 650's! LONG LIVE THE XR! (Hehehe, just kidding). I don't think ol' Cambell or Hengeveld care to try their luck.Marbee