2009 Baja Bound Benefit Ride - "The Swine Flu Rally" Ride Report

[fastlearner]

Got back from my Baja ride last night. Had an awesome time. Tim Morton's Baja Bound did a great time of organizing and running this trip. This also was the second annual benefit ride for RiderDown. Baja Bound donates all proceeds to RDF over their cost. Really generous commitment to the charity. If you're considering a Baja trip next year, consider doing next year's RDF trip with Baja Bound. www.bajaboundmoto.com

I flew in to San Diego on Tuesday (a day early) and stayed at this place. B.B. recommended it because they can get their trucks and trailers in and out easily. Clean and cheap, just the ticket. Right in Old Town, there were plenty of good bars and restaurants within walking distance. When I got in Tuesday night Tatonka called me around 10pm and was already well lubricated at a nearby cantina.

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Day 1, Rancho Ojai to Ensenada:

As planned, Baja Bound picked us up at the hotel. The bikes were all in tow and looked well maintained and ready for some flogging. I'd be on one of the XR650s. Most others were on CRF450x's and two local guys brought their own Huskys. Tim Morton was going to ride lead, Chilly rode sweep, and J.D. and Tom (Tim's dad) drove the chase trucks.
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There were 6 riders in our group. There were supposed to be 9, but three guys from Canada bailed at the last minute. We crossed the border at Tecate. Easiest border crossing I've ever seen. We didn't even fully stop the van. Just drove slowly through the gate and waved. J.D. said "They'll let anyone INTO Mexico. Different getting OUT." We pulled into a very KOA-looking campground called Rancho Ojai to suit up and get on the bikes.

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We rode out of Rancho Ojai at around 4:00pm for a 70 mile shakedown ride to Ensenada. Just wide two-track and dirt road to get used to the bikes, the pace, terrain, and other riders. We got up to speed quick. Had the 650 tapped open in 5th a couple times. We got into the San Nicolas hotel just before dark and got right to the bar. The place is full of cool Baja 500/1000 memorabilia.

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[fastlearner]

Day 2, Ensenada to Mike's Sky Rancho:

We rode city roads out of town, through one military checkpoint. They just waved us through, no problem. A little bit of highway and we made it into the coastline hills. Really cool twisty two-track in the grass and brush.

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We gradually wound our way down to the coast. Really, really fun riding.

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Next was some beach riding. Not a soul in sight. Really remote stuff. The 650 was really stable in this stuff. A lot like riding in snow. Once ground speed got up to about 20mph the bike started to plane and actually tracked and the rear really drove well.

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Little town in the distance named Endiro was our gas/snack stop.

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Chilly - our sweep rider:

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Tim told us that in last year's 500 a trophy truck crashed into this ravine

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One of the benefits of going on a tour with Tim is that he knows all of the best, safest spots. Best tacos of my life....

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You can tell that Tim is a race-hardened veteran. Nothing gets him upset. Here, he's improvising a footpeg that broke off of one of the Huskys with a Motion Pro tire spoon in the middle of a dry river bed populated by about 30 cattle.

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More awesome single-track in the canyons and brush.

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We pulled into the infamous Mikes Sky Rancho for the night and the bikes assume their rightful place inside the compound next to the pool.

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Tim's in the blue gear.

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[fastlearner]

Day 3, Mike's Sky Rancho to Horsepower Ranch:

Another sign of Tim's knowledge of the area. He knew the location of a good welder along the day's route to fix the broken footpeg. It was more cool single and two-track to get there.

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Later in the day we did some really cool bushwhacking and some barely-there trail up to awesome peaks.

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Near the end of this trail, I made a poor line choice when crossing a creek bed g-out. I slammed the skid plate into a big rock, stopped the bike dead. The rock pushed a screw on the skid plate into a radiator hose just over the water pump. It was a lucky break. Close enough to the end that we could loosen the hose, cheat a little from the top end, and make the shortened hose work. It stayed that way for the rest of the tour.

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Bruce V.
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We pulled into Horsepower Ranch for the night. It's an awesome, big place with a MX track next door (we didn't get to ride it though). Another benefit of riding with Tim. This place is invite-only and we were the only ones there that night.

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The Baja Bound guys have a cool tradition of branding your boots.....with your leg in it by the way. bb for Baja Bound. HP for Horsepower Ranch. A little bit of a scary proposition after everyone's had a few margaritas.

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Day 4, Horsepower Ranch to Rancho Ojai.

Our last day of the tour. We started out with some sick single track that was barely holding onto a steep, steep hillside.....too sketchy to stop for pics. More rolling hillsides with two-track. Early in the day I had my chain break in two places simultaneously. Chilly and Tim got me going in short order with master links that they were carrying. That's another awesome part about riding this way. On trail fixes were done fast by these guys, and every night J.D. and Tom would go over the bikes. At the gas stops during the day when we met the trucks they were there to make any needed adjustments.

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After more sweet single-track bushwhacking we ended up on top of a rocky peak. Would have been a trials playground.

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We finished up the day and the trip with some very technical jeep track that was formerly part of the 500/1000 course. Eroded rain ruts made for a surprise around every turn. This is where the only injury of the trip occurred. Tatonka went down and separated his shoulder. He gutted out the rest of the ride back to Rancho Ojai on some winding dirt road.

All in all, it was an awesome riding experience. If you're interested in riding Baja, look for next year's RDF benefit ride with Tim Morton's Baja Bound.

[xr650rocketman]

Great pictures and report.....Thanks!

Mike's looks exactly like it did 25 years ago when I first went there.

Tatonka will heal up quickly I hope...

[Tatonka]

Great report Tony!!

Let's not forget to mention that we had some great sponsors helping RiderDown make this a helluva deal for everyone who attended as well as helping us raise additional funds for our injured riders!! :thumb

Prizes included a LoJack Anti-theft device, a SPOT Personal Tracker (with a full years worth of service) and some gift certificates from the always awesome crew at FastWay/ProMotoBillet! Everyone got some nice BajaBound Moto and RDF swag as well.

Oh yeah...no one got kidnappped, decapitated or came down with the dreaded Swine Flu!! :cool

[Hokie]

nice write up!
I can never remember details like that.

[Gatlin5]

Tony,

Great write up, thanks enjoyed it.

[mx24mom]

wow Tony! That was awesome!

[oldquadridr]

That was great...looks like ALOT of fun

[David Bailey]

Great report and photos! Looks like a lot of fun!

Next year... hmmm... tempting.

[Tatonka]

Next year is here and we're taking reservations! Let's go!!!

:thumb:thumb

[Tatonka]

What will this year's trip be called? Survivor's of the Swine...? nah.....

[Croft315]

great report, made better by those pics!
holy sweet goodness...!
:D

[oldquadridr]

so are they gonna aloow quads to go yet???? dont know if I could make it without 4 wheels...lol

[Tatonka]

Sorry Dave - no quads on this ride! :fiddy:

Revenge of the Swine - Part Duex commences in just over a week!!

[fastlearner]

Revenge of the Swine.....I like that. Wish I could make it this year.

[Tatonka]

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp220/tatonkabv/RiderDown/06Baja1000Timondonkey.jpg?t=1269190877

Better than a Honda?