Anybody racing the baja 1000 in Ensenada this year?

Year after year we have guest that want to rent ATV's for thanksgiving to go to the desert.
We do offer atv rentals here in San Diego that you can take there. But if this is your first time riding in the dunes. Then Thanksgiving Weekend is not the one to learn it all. Unless you hire one of our motorcycle guides to show you around out there.

It is a ZOO. with with crazy people on crazy machines.
Simply go ATV riding in the desert on another weekend to get familiar with the place.

Our Senior guide and long time adviser Richard Smallwood had one of his notorious fun rides with some buddies last week.. As usual they did not the usual Baja Ride. They did the real thing, read up in his own words what took place there:

JUST GOT BACK FROM A FEW DAYS IN BAJA, THIS TIME CONCENTRATED IN THE HIGH MOUNTAIN PINE FORESTS.  A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL EXCEPT DAVE T. WHO BROKE HIS FOOT.  WE PUT A SHOWER CLOG ON HIS FOOT WRAPPED IT WITH A LOT OF BANDAGE, THEN TAPE AND HE RODE BACK [OFF ROAD] 60MILES THAT WAY--------WITH THE HELP OF MY MAGIC PILLS OF COURSE.
WE HAD BEEN RIDING THROUGH THICK, ROCKY, GNARL TERRAIN WHEN HE CAUGHT HIS FOOT ON A DOWNED LOG.  WE GAVE HIM FOUR OF MY MORPHINE PILLS AND LEFT HIM THERE FOR ABOUT 1 3/4 HOURS WHILE WE CONTINUED UNTIL WE CAME TO THE ESCARPMENT THAT LOOKS DOWN OVER LAGUNA SALADA DRY LAKE SOME FIVE TO SIX THOUSAND FEET BELOW.  THERE WE HAD TO CLIMB ON FOOT THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND, ROCK HOPPING OVER HUGE BOULDERS PILED PROBABLY THREE OR FIVE HUNDRED FEET HIGH TO GAIN A VIEW BELOW.
 WITH THE HELP OF THE PILLS DAVE WAS FEELING NO PAIN WHEN WE GOT BACK TO HIM SO HE RODE BACK WITH US.  THAT NIGHT WHEN WE GOT HIS BOOT OFF THE SKIN HAD POPPED LIKE A GRAPE FROM THE IMPACT OF THE HIT.  ONCE BACK TO THE CABIN THE PILLS REALLY BEGAN TO TAKE EFFECT AND DAVE BEGAN GETTING GROGGY. HE STARTED TO PASS OUT AND HIS HEAD LOLLED BACK LIMPLY SCARING US.  HE SNAPPED OUT OF IT, BUT WAS LIGHT HEADED AND SCARED, AS WELL,UNTIL THE PILLS WORE OFF.  SUCH A LIGHT WEIGHT, THAT FROM ONLY FOUR PILLS.  WHEN MY HIP CAME OUT ON THE RIDE LAST YEAR, I TOOK BETWEEN FIFTEEN AND TWENTY OF THOSE LITTLE BABIES BEFORE THEY FOUND ME HOURS LATER.  IF YOU HAVE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OF A SLOTH, I GUESS THERE IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FULL SPEED AND DEAD STOP.  OR MAYBE I JUST GO THROUGH LIFE IN A NUMB STATE.

Richard is now 72 (he been saying it for 3 years, so we think he is about 75 years young today).
And they all made it back in  one piece.
 This is not what we do with our guests on our Motorcycle Rides, this is what we do for fun!

HALLOWEEN SEEMS TO BE MY WITCHING TIME.

TWO YEARS AGO IT WAS LOST WITHOUT WATER BELOW THE SUMMIT (famous off-road trail near Valle de Trinidad) FOR THREE DAYS. 
THIS WAS JUST A MINI-ADVENTURE YESTERDAY.  MY BUDDY, DAVE MCCOLLUM AND I SPENT THREE DAYS CAMPING IN THE PINE FORESTS IN THE LAGUNA HANSON AREA HIKING THE MOUNTAINS LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE BIKE COW TRAILS.  ON THE WAY NORTH TO LA RUMOROSA ABOUT HALF WAY FROM LAGUNA HANSON MY CAMPER VAN SUDDENLY DIED.  AFTER CHECKING THE USUAL PROBLEMS WE DECIDED IT WAS AN ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND I WOULD SOMEHOW HAVE TO GET TO LA RUMOROSA ABOUT 25 MILES AWAY TO GET HELP.
  WHILE I WAS UNDERNEATH THE VAN STILL TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM A LONE MOTORCYCLE CAME BY AND STOPPED.  THE RIDER, ALBERTO GONZALEZ, SAID THAT HE BETTER GIVE ME A RIDE, BECAUSE IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE WOULD BE COMING BY THAT DAY\IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT THREE PM. AT THE TIME. 

I WAS STILL UNDERNEATH AND JUST TALKING TO A VOICE.  I ASKED IF HE COULD WAIT ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR ME TO GET THE PART OFF AND HE SAID " NO PROBLEM ".  WHEN I GOT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH AND SAW HE WAS A RACER PRE-RUNNING FOR THE BAJA THOUSAND, SO I WAS A BIT CHAGRINED, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS CAN BE WHEN YOU ARE DELAYED MEETING YOUR SUPPORT CREW AND GAS AND THINGS.

  ALBERTO PUT ME ON THE BACK OF HIS RACE BIKE AND GAVE ME A RIDE I DON'T CARE TO REPEAT.  AS I GOT ON I REMINDED HIM I HAD NO HELMET, MY WAY OF SAYING I WAS SCARED SHITLESS-------TREAT ME GENTLY PUHLEEEZ !
HE DID TRY, BUT HE HAD LOST A LOT OF TIME AND ANYWAY BEING ONE OF THE TOP CONTENDING PRO RIDERS, HIS IDEA OF GENTLE AND MINE ARE ABOUT AS ALIKE AS THE LITTLE TOY CARS ON THE MERRY-GO-ROUND ARE TO RIDING A BRAHMA BULL IN THE RODEO.  I WAS HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE, MY LEGS FLAPPING IN THE BREEZE LIKE A WITCHES CAPE WHILE RIDING HER BROOMSTICK.  I HAD NO WAY TO STAND UP TO ABSORB THE SHOCKS OF THE ROCKS OR RUTS WE HIT AND I QUICKLY DETERMINED THAT HE MUST BE IN THE PRO CLASS, BY THE FACT THAT HIS SUSPENSION WAS SO STIFF THAT I THOUGHT MAYBE HE WAS RUNNING FLINTSTONE TYPE STONE WHEELS, THIS BEFORE I FOUND OUT AT THE GAS STOP IN RUMOROSA THAT HIS TEAM CAME IN THIRD IN LAST YEARS THOUSAND BEHIND THE TWO HONDA FACTORY TEAMS.  ANYWAY YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE ME, I AM SEVERAL INCHES SHORTER, BESIDES THAT I HAD TO THROW MY UNDERWEAR AWAY.
  IT WAS AT THE GAS STOP THAT I LEARNED WHAT THIS GUY WHO TOLD ME
" NO PROBLEM "  REALLY HAD TO COPE WITH, AS I LISTENED TO HIM TALK TO HIS PIT CREW WAITING AT SAN MATIAS PASS.  AFTER HE LEFT ME WITH THE SUN GETTING LOW HE HAD TO RIDE "ALONE",  [PROBABLY A HUNDRED RACE MILES FURTHER]  DOWN THE GNARLY RUMOROSA TELEPHONE LINE TRAIL TO THE DESERT BELOW, THEN ACROSS LAGUNA SALADA AND ON THROUGH WHAT I CONSIDER THE MOST TREACHEROUS PART OF ALL BAJA TO ULTIMATELY GET TO HIS PIT CREW WHO WERE WAITING WITH THE LIGHTS FOR HIS BIKE AND GAS AND THEN HE HAD TO RIDE ON INTO SAN FELIPE.

TO ALBERTO I OWE MY THANKS  TO A GUY WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE A FELLOW TRAVELER STRANDED IN A TOUGH SPOT AND TO MY SOILED UNDERWEAR.

 THE HAPPY CONCLUSION TO MY STORY IS THAT I FOUND A MECHANIC IN RUMOROSA, WHO DROVE BACK TO MY VAN AND FOUND THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION FROM THE BATTERY TO THE FUEL PUMP THAT HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE CONTINUAL JITTERING OF THIS TRAIL,
A TRAIL THAT COULD RENDER OBSOLETE THOSE VIBRATING BELTS THAT WOMEN USE TO REDUCE THEIR BUTTS.

RICHARD

Yes we do have van rentals.  We have 10-15 passenger vans available and they can go to Mexico, Las Vegas, and almost all locations in the Southwest.  Our vans are perfect for Mission trips, church trips and charity activities.    We also offer Mexican Insurance.  If you need more cargo room, we also have open trailers and closed trailers, and roof racks for rent.  Discounts are available to return clients as well as clients who rent more than 1 van.  Please call our office in advance as our van are frequently rented out. 

I DID NOT GET AS MUCH OFF ROAD RIDING IN BAJA IN THIS 2008, AS USUAL OR AS I WOULD LIKE DUE TO THE HIP AND THEN AN UNFRIENDLY COW WHO DID NOT HEAR ME BLOW MY DIRT BIKE HORN, BUT THE NEW YEAR IS ALMOST HERE AND I WILL BE READY TO GO.

I HAVE EXPRESSED TO SOME OF YOU WHAT THE PLEASURE I GET IN BAJA IS ALL ABOUT, BUT HERE IT IS ANYWAY:
THE CAMARADERIE; THE COMPETITION; AND THE PLEASURE I GET IN NATURE.
WITHOUT THE FRIENDS, THOUGH THE OTHERS WOULD NOT BE AS PLEASURABLE.
BUT GUESS WHAT. LIFE IS JUST AS FUN, JUST AS IMPORTANT, JUST AS FULL OF ANTICIPATION, DREAMS AND NEW TRIPS TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS IT EVER WAS. TRY TELLING THAT TO THE KIDS.


RICHARD