T-day weekend ride report (Javi and Tree)

[Tree 0]

We had a great time in Baja with the rain conditions were perfect. Very little dust and some mud to play in.

Day 1- after picking up Javi and getting to the border at O'dark thirty. We are gearing up and see this mexican dude walking across the parking lot then about 30 seconds later comes border patrol trying to run him down. didn't see if they got him they were out of our veiw. Anyway head across the border at first light about 5:50am. Uneventful trip through compadre trail just a good time dodging puddles and not having to eat dust. We get to Ojos, gas up, and are off again through tres hermanos. From tres hermanos to the 1 it is a little more difficult with some rocks and large rain ruts. Javi ran into a bush that consumed half of his front fender but nothing hurt. He just had to eat alot of mud the rest of the way since the remaining fender didn't stop much. After the 1 we take a dirt road with lots of mud puddles. I think I swamped Javi a couple of times with my wake. Following the GPS we find a hidden trail at the far end of a ranch that brings us out to the coast. Cool we are on our way. We end up missing a connector road to stay on the coast as there is a lot of fences and we missed the gate so we end up looping back to the 1 about 2 miles from where we went in, which was probablly a good thing as I had to go on reserve to get back to the highway and luckily there was a Pemex right there. So we ended up doing about a 35 MI loop, but it was fun. After getting gas we stay on the highway to Erendia. Check into Coyote Cals (Hostel) about 2:30pm and head to a cafe in town for a late luch/dinner (first and only meal of the day). The food was great. The we return to the hostel to relax and drink some beers. There was a small crowd but it was fun. They had a pool, foosball, and ping pong tables to keep you entertained. A small bar and fire pit outside were we wound down before heading off to bed.

Day 2- Get up early eat some pancakes and eggs (included in the cost of the stay). Loaded up and head out by 8:30am. We gas up at the Corona place (milk jugs) and head down the coast. This had to be the most fun and seanic part of the trip. We pass the seclude beach, shipwreck, and to pirates cove. At one point we are following the coast and end up on the top of a cliff we have to get to the bottom to cross a little valley and back up. We see a trailer on the hill so Javi goes up to get directions. A guy comes out with a machette but He seems to know we are not a threat so he talks with Javi and points us in the right direction. we have to go through a fenced area that is really muddy he points us to a trail that will take us around the fence. His family went to town to get some supplies and he needed some matches to start his stove so Javi has a lighter in his pack and gives it to him and we are of again. To say this valley was muddy is an understatement it was like ice. I went down once but nothing hurt and it was fun. We get through the valley and are rolling back along the coast. Along the way I had a pretty good get-off through a mud puddle that I think Javi got on his helmet cam. Again nothing hurt and we are on our way again. We end up at pirates cove (Camalu) were we stop at a nice new hotel restuarant for lunch of shrimp cocktail and a couple beers. According to my GPS this is were we planned to hit the 1 to San Quintin but when we got gas in Camalu they said you could stay on the coast so we decided to try it. We ended up running into nothing but fences so we went back to the 1. We ran the pavement to San Quitin were we stopped at a local bike shop (Tatos Motos) to by some oil as Javi's bike was leaking some along the way and he also added some at erindia but it wasn't the synthetic stuff he had been using. luckily they had the oil he wanted. He bought 2 bottles + 1 for me as I was a lttle low. They also had a used front fender they sold him for 30 dollars (ouch). We got directions to the Old Mill were we were staying and headed out. We got into the old mill about 2:30pm. It was pretty dead around there we were the only ones at the restaurant and cantina. After dinner we met up with some other riders that were staying there. They had done a trip to gonzaga bay and cantevena. They were going out to another motel/cantina (jardine's) for food so we decided to tag along. That's the place to stay. it's all new and more of a crowd with a band in the cantina. We had a good time chating about bikes and baja and called it a night.

Day 3- Woke early so we could get into town for breakfast. Stopped at a place that was recommended, but it wasn't really that great. After eating we geat back on the bike to head to Mikes and Javi breaks the kick start lever on his bike (on no). A guy comes out of the restaurant and askes if he can help. So Javi thinks maybe Tatos has something. The guy gives Javi a ride to the shop were Tato is just locking up to head out but Tato gets and old kick strter off a bike and says it will work and charges him $40. He gets back and the spline shaft on it is too big and Javi trys to combine the one that broke with the one he just bought but the bolt on the one he got from tato was frozen in. The guy that gave him a ride to the shop offed to take him to his house were he has tools and can drill it out or whatever. I wait with the bikes while they are trying to get it fixed. After sitting around I think to myself I wonder if my lever would work since I have the e-start button. They get back and have managed to get it together but it doesn't look like it will hold up. So, we decide to try to use mine. It worked with a little bit of binding against the frame but nothing major. Javi offers the guy that helped us $20 for his trouble but he wouldn't take it. So we are off to Mikes. Road the 1 to the observatory road about 20 Mi. in we hit dirt road that goes by the cyote ranch and over to mikes. We get to Mike about 2:30pm and hang out. We were the only ones there until 3 guy show up also coming from San Quitin. I actually saw them at Jardines the night before. Another early night of beers food and bike and baja talk.

Day 4- woke up early hit the road about 8:30am and was back at the truck by 11:45am. We took the quick route back mainly the 3 and compadre.

It was a great Trip. I never felt scared and the people were all very nice. We'll have to do it again for sure. Javi took about 200 pics so I'll add those some as soon as he gets them onto a disk.

[blind_in_1_ear 0]

you know Tree, that's how it SHOULD be all the time down there....great people, good times...

VERY GLAD you guys had fun, sounds like it was a adventure, and then some work-arounds.

nice write up, good notes of where you are/were and having a little experience down there...kinda felt

more "centered" knowing where you were riding around.

good on ya for the write up!

and again glad you made it safely.

Blind

[2Wheels 0]

Sounds like you had a nice ride except for a few difficulties. Thanks for the write up.

[Tree 0]

Finally got around to putting up some of the pictures there are about 100+ more.

Javi pointing to Mikes Javi with his broken kick starter

Sea food platter in San Qintin Shrimp cocktail at pirates cove Shipwreck a friendly local we got directions from

Me pulling the bike out of some Bushes as the back end came around on me in the mud

Views of the coast

Me and Javi at the start

Javi Tres hermanos

[bikeslut 1]

awesome!

[dirt dame 561]

Sounds like a real adventure with nothing REALLY bad happening along the way, just some small misadventures to make things more interesting for you.

[slosher 0]

Man that looks fun..

[firematt 0]

Great write up and pictures Tree. Looks like I missed another fun trip with you guys. I hope to make the next one. Ride safe and have a Merry Christmas.

Matt.

[Tree 0]

Yeah me and Javi plan to do San Felipe in March. Then I've been thinking maybe San Quitin again for memorial day weekend. I'll post when I have all the dates set and a definite plan.

[Crawdaddy 96]

Yeah me and Javi plan to do San Felipe in March. Then I've been thinking maybe San Quitin again for momorial day weekend. I'll post when I have all the dates set and a definite plan.

I've only ridden West from Mike's....never SE towards San Felipe........and I'm overdue for another run along the beach to the Tugboat above San Quintin......I might be game to join you guys for one or both of these rides