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Otay Wilderness to Barrett Junction - Sun 03 FEB

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My GoPro was pointed too far downward. I managed to grab a few stills from the video. Thanks to Dave for organizing. How did it go at the border after I split off? Did you ride along the fence? Nice meeting you all.

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precisely why i would get a gopro - just to pull stills from the video. I can never seem to get my camera out in time and I never had the courage/stupidity to take a shot while riding. looks like an awesome day. nice jailhouse jacket btw. did you put a new pipe on the scrambler? It looks different from how i remember.

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precisely why i would get a gopro - just to pull stills from the video. I can never seem to get my camera out in time and I never had the courage/stupidity to take a shot while riding. looks like an awesome day. nice jailhouse jacket btw. did you put a new pipe on the scrambler? It looks different from how i remember.

Same pipe. I did rip out the airbox restrictor plate, got rid of the OEM Mickey Mouse mirrors, and got Excel rims!

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No water crossing that way anymore? or was it dry this time?

No water, just rocks.

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It was dry last time I was there 2 weeks ago

Long time SDL!

No water, just rocks.

Thanks gentlemen... fond memories of that crossing... don't think I ever saw it dry in the Winter.

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Awesome ride yesterday, thank you Dave for organizing. sorry didnt take many group pics but here's my lil' recap as well as my solo part of the ride in the afternoon.

Starting at 8am on a clear day we explored a fair bit of Otay (so clear we could almost touch the Coronoda Islands from the the antennas) and the gate at the bottom was opened so we were able to ride all the way to Barrett Junction. I got to ride behind tvscum and his 900 scrambler for a little while in Otay, he did a good job in the ruts and crossing the rocks @ marron with such low clearance, I enjoyed that, great looking bike! Passed the (dry) river bed we met with Beezz and a buddy (Im bad with names sorry) on the big KTM adventure and we all rode to Barrett Junction.

it was about 10:30am then and after chatting for a few at the cafe we split with some of us going east and the rest heading back west on this superbowl sunday.

I was part of the group heading east and after a few minutes, thanks to Paul's GPS file, we entered the "fence trail" on Humphries Road in Tecate. At this point it was 5 of us: the leading V-Strom, 3 KTMs including a 950 adventure, and my klr. Fun exploring this area! The Border Patrol just waived (would have been funny if they stopped us and asked for IDs: 2 Americans, 1 Italian, 1 Romanian, 1 Frenchy), on we went. My first pic of the day by the old railroad tunnel entering Mexico (that old rusty gate is actually a super secure intl border):

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Beez and our two other buddies turned around somewhere south of Campo while Dave and I managed to ride the fence as well as a few off trails all the way almost to Boulevard. the precise location we re-entered pavement is California 94 & BIA Road 15 which means we rode the fence trail for a good 20 miles. Dave mentioned trying to take it to Jacumba next time, I hope to be able to make that ride.

Anyway, upon re-entering the 94 Dave and I split, I think it was around 12:30, he headed west while my plan was to push to McCain valley. And since I was all by myself now I took the leisure to stop every now and then to snap more pics.

First things first, quick pit-stop in Boulevard to feed a couple gallons to the KLR and a pint to myself

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Then quickly back on the dirt, entered McCain. All new to me so yea, an old mine, stepped one foot inside and turned around.

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And the spectacular Sacatone Overlook from where I could see the Salton Sea as well as the old railroad, again, nested in the mountains. I read that with binoculars (more like telescope) one is able to see this from Sacatone overlook:

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But I didn't have binoculars so what i saw instead was this (the railroad, and apparently the old cars, almost dead center on the pic. Salton Sea on the top left), not bad:

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Next I lost myself in the many trails of lark canyon, I must admit that I felt a bit unsafe riding there by myself with the klr (the broken levers on the side of the trails added to the mood, but I didn't add my broken levers to the trails), so I applied the old saying: When in Doubt Gas it. It worked again and again for me that day. I also learned that riding in sand is a bit like riding with a flat tire, I mean two flat tires, only worse. Weight back, squeeze tank with knees, let the front dance around. Oh, and gas it.

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Did not cross one single bike in Lark (or any of the trails we/I rode that day matter of fact), only saw a couple parked trucks by McCain road and that's that.

It was starting to get late and a bit cold so I decided to head back, plus I had been alone for too long at that point. Took me more than 30 minutes just to find my way out of lark canyon (!) and west bound on the 94 I was. about 10 miles later I came upon the junction @ the old railroad Museum and with less than 15psi in my tires i felt better on dirt, I hooked a left (Paul, thanks again for the GPS track) and a few minutes later I was back at the border fence.

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Many more BPs at that time of the day, about 1 every 1/2 mile.. I got stopped once and was asked the usual "what are you doing here" & "where are you coming from and heading to" questions. Seems the BP had a hard time believing my answers as he probably saw no point of riding a motorcycle all day through dirt roads.. I was nice and polite, he looked me up and down, smiled, and just said "ok man.. well good luck". This particular BP was pulling one of those trailer thingies that erases foot prints on the trail (you were right Dave).

Here is the old railroad bridge/border we all visited together earlier on, different angle and later in the day:

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I followed the fence more closely this time around and made it almost to the actual border check point in Tecate, this is how far I took the trail (Googlemap does not show most of the trails by the fence unless you 'satellite mode' it btw). At one point in Tecate i was riding in wilderness on one side of the fence while looking at kids playing soccer in the street in front of their homes 10 feet away from me right on the other side of the fence..

Anyway, from that point I jumped back on Tecate rd and from there to the 94 west and home by 5pm (9h total ride, 8h on the saddle, 200 total miles with about 150 on dirt). Good times, good meeting everyone and good seeing you again Brian. Till next one.

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Dang Kato, looks like you had a hell of a ride after we split up! I'm anxious to get out in that area, so whenever this Jacumba ride is, I'm in!

I took a couple of pictures on my phone earlier in the ride:

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Those are the best I have of the group. After we split from Barrett Junction, I (Justin), my Dad (Jeff), Mike (Black DR-Z), and Dan (Blue Yamaha 250) cruised back down 94 towards Jamul, then took Otay Lakes Road again, and rode up the same road as before, to the top of Otay Mountain

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From there we decided to ride down the west face of Otay, towards the power plant and the 905. After a nice 300lb mountain bike ride to the bottom, we dove into a small and wet valley which is basically surrounded by the prison. We got back on pavement, and said goodbye to Dan, then we jumped back down into the valley, and rode all the way from the prison to the Cricket Wireless Amphitheater, passing under the 125 freeway and through some muddy patches. I unfortunately did not get any pictures from Otay down, the GoPro was dead and I was being lazy.

I did however lay down GPS Tracks using my phone from when we met in Jamul, till my Dad and I got home.

Here is a screenshot of most of the tracks

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And I can post the GPX file if anyone is interested in pulling up more detailed tracks at home.

Thanks to everyone for a great ride, I can't wait to get out with all of you more often.

-Justin

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Good meeting you Justin, see you again on trails soon. plus we're neighbors I also live in San Carlos. But hey looks like you guys had fun too, I'd love to get the info for that little "wet valley" to the Cricket Wireless Amphitheater, never been there before and I ride around there pretty often

that second pic you posted reminded me of those 2 dude in the civic (I think it was) looking for a place to shoot.. "you can make it!" ahah that was funny

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Yeah, that jaunt into the "wet valley" looks like fun, but your tracks show you guys took a nice little law enforcement loop around the East Mesa Juvenile Hall, the George Bailey Detention Facility, and the Federal Immigration lockup before you scooted down underneath Highway 125. I'm surprised you didn't get rousted by a sheriff, or one those Corrections Corporation of American "private security" goons. Every time I drive over that Hwy. 125 valley bridge (the one that looks like it cost about $19.5 million) I look over that wet valley and drool.

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Great pics and fun ride guys! Looking forward to exploring a little deeper in to the trails East of Tecate sometime in the future. Kato & I saw plenty of side trails just waiting to be explored.

I'll have to stay clear of Lark Canyon though.... Vstroms hate sand worse that tigers hate cinnamon.

Cheers!

Dave

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