Baja 1000, 2003 [Archive] - RidingArizona.com

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El Gato
11/16/03, 5:12 PM
Hey guys, just arrived in Ensanada and found a cool little enternet bar to log on. We needed to check on some course changes. Come to find out 40 miles of my section got silted out really bad and is unpassable from pre-runners then an unruly overgrown river bed has tore up the course so they had to re-route the course and now I have an extra 40 miles on top of my already 220 miles. Good news is that it's all highway, or is that bad news????

Anyways I'll stay posted and let you guys know how it's going. I'll be way down south for the two days on so I'll post maybe tuesday or wednesday.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

Zhvonte
11/16/03, 5:23 PM
good luck david......

I have no limitations, only my quad has limitations......
PCP-Z400
whiplash #374

Dezrcr
11/16/03, 6:03 PM
Good luck David, Todd, Harry, and Eric. It's a long race set a pace, and big home the big trophy:D. I be waiting for a call next Sunday for a Teawood's visit;)

Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330

Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.

Fistfull
11/16/03, 8:54 PM
I'll buy a round ;)

Sponsors: JAG C&C, Ben's Cycle Works, CC Plasma Designs
Little blue n big silver, Diesels of course ... http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/Fistfull/2003823161338_dieselengine3.gif http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/fistfull/2003616172440_icon_burnout.gif
#624

duneDS650
11/18/03, 1:43 PM
Just checking out the map on the SCORE website, I thought the Baja 1000 usually ended in Cabo San Lucas?

DS650 Whiplash #281 ATV (me)
400EX Whiplash #388 ATV (son)

Hoonson
11/18/03, 3:24 PM
DS- Only every third year and then it's an 1100+ mile race. I raced it in 95' when it was the 1141 miler from Tijuana to LaPaz. Believe it or not, that was my first desert race, actually my first attempt at racing ever! I was supposed to just be a pit guy, but one of our five rider team got sick. I wasn't asked to race, but instead was told I was going to race. It was a terrifying experience, but I've been hooked on desert ever since.
The Baja 1000 always finishes in LaPaz on point to point years. La Paz is East of Cabo.

Jeff Henson
Whiplash #21

Phil Brooks
11/19/03, 2:26 AM
I heard that speed vision was going to have some coverage Thurs, Fri, & saturday. Did not hear times? Anyone.....?

Whiplash # 611 Honda's "Crash Test Dummy"
02XR400 & 02XR650 Thanks to : Monkeybutt parts, North Valley Honda, "ARMPUMPS" school of singletrack

mparks22
11/19/03, 11:23 AM
" I wasn't asked to race, but instead was told I was going to race. It was a terrifying experience, but I've been hooked on desert ever since."

What a way to get your feet wet!

Good luck everybody! Who gets to wear the helmet cam? Post some footage here!


"The trouble with being a good sport is you have to lose to prove it"

Mike Parks Whiplash#22
2002 whiplash 250cc Champion
03 WR450,FMF,Hinson,BRP,Applied,RealRacing,ThePit,Exc ell,IMS,Speedway,Vic's Plumbing,WD40,Wiseco,
00 YZ250, Loaded
00 Trail Boss

duneDS650
11/20/03, 8:06 AM
I checked the Speed Channel webpage and couldn't find a listing.

DS650 Whiplash #281 ATV (me)
400EX Whiplash #388 ATV (son)

Dezrcr
11/21/03, 8:04 AM
Well as of 7:00 this morning the 03' Baja 1000 should be under way!:D

Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330

Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.

El Gato
11/22/03, 1:40 PM
Hey guys, sorry for the long delay. It got pretty crazy down here with all the pre-running and race prep. My section was a 7 hour truck drive just to get on then a 3 hour drive from there, and we did it twice. I am officially POOR, $3.50 a gallon killed me. Pre-running went alright except for a loose flywheel that I luckily caught before one of the world famous WR450 sheared woodruff key. The bike was making a funny noise so I popped the inspection cover off and found a loose flywheel nut. A trophy truck pre-run team was there and had tools to pull the side case off and retorque it. I was 80 miles out on a 160 mile section 2 hours from dark, I got extremely lucky in more ways than one. I started to carry a lot more tools from there on out. The next day out on the same section I got a rear flat 40 miles out and opted to out ride backwards on the course instead of 120 miles forward and almost got smoked by Robby Gordon in his $250,000 pre-runner. I can officially say I got cussed out and flipped off by a Nascar driver. There was no fixing this one it was bad and nobody I ran into would lend me a tube because they didn't want to be stranded. I started carring extra tubes from there on out. Of course my chase driver (Greg Conroy) was gone by then so I got a ride with some locals to the end of the section with my bike and we fixed it there. I had a tube but not an extra spare rear wheel so I asked around and a guy ran out in the desert and recovered a ratty old S12 and we slapped it on and I took off to San Felipe on my last section. I had 40 miles of highway and there was a storm moving through so I had to endure 50-60 mph cross winds passing Semis on the narrowist road I've ever seen. That was the scariest thing I've ever done. It was a 8-10 hour truck drive to recover me at San Felipe but only a 3 hour race course drive for me so I had TJ's crew (my wife and Bill Williford) pick me up and we stayed there Wednesday night.

The race went flawelessly in the begining. Eric got us out front in the 30 class before mile 50 and soon got passed by the super fast Hollywood stunt man Moose McCoy. THEN Harry Nevel went over the bars somewhere between race mile 205 and 320 and lost a bunch of time, but no problem it happens. He cracked the gas tank so it poured gas all over the rest of us for the rest of the race. I have a pretty nasty rash on the inside of my thigh from my gas soaked pants. We were now 4th in class and behind our other team in the 40 class (bike #405). I got on and rode like there was no tommorrow. I passed an open pro team that was ahaed of us, the 3rd place team in our class and got back by the 405 bike. The 405 team had a road race champion on the team to just do the highway sections and he couldn't catch me on the 40 mile highway section, I was stoked about that. I rode 260 miles with 140 of it in the dark, it took me 5 hours and five minutes to knock it out. I handed off the bike to TJ in third but a heck of a lot closer. I put almost 20 minutes on the 405 team. TJ kept the gap about the same, but Eric bone headed his last exchange and wasn't geared up when the bike came to him for the last 100 miles. TJ sat on the bike idling for 5 minutes watching Eric gear up. Eric got on the bike and had a 30-60 minute lead on all of us in the chase trucks so we all hauled tail to the finish but Eric never showed!!!!! The lights went out and he rode out to the pavement, stashed the bike and got a ride back to town. After he was a couple hours late we split up and tried to find him. I stayed back at the finish with a radio and Greg, Bill and my wife took off to find him with the other radio. Eric came in in someones chase truck, we ran back to the hotel got the stock head light and they headed back out to find the bike, fix it, and finish. We HAD to finish so our team (bike #305X) would win the 30 class championship. I went to bed, I guess we finished. I had been up for over 24 hours and I was bumping into walls. I just woke up af

Zhvonte
11/22/03, 4:30 PM
all I can say is damn.....

I have no limitations, only my quad has limitations......
PCP-Z400
whiplash #374

Zhvonte
11/22/03, 5:09 PM
I think I know where I want to be next year.......

I have no limitations, only my quad has limitations......
PCP-Z400
whiplash #374

desertdog26
11/22/03, 5:47 PM
hey guys congrats on the finish, sorry about the bad luck but thats part of the fun, gotta have a story to tell right, tell harry i said hello and one of these days im gonna make it back there to do another race with you guys, i do miss the desert.

steve jones #26

Fistfull
11/23/03, 5:19 AM
Thanks for the report Dave, with not being able to ride, that really hit the spot for me :D
Glad yall made it through without any permament damage ;)
Got enough gas to get home [:p][?][:p][:p]


Sponsors: JAG C&C, Ben's Cycle Works, CC Plasma Designs
Little blue n big silver, Diesels of course ... http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/Fistfull/2003823161338_dieselengine3.gif http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/fistfull/2003616172440_icon_burnout.gif
#624

Dezrcr
11/24/03, 8:13 AM
Well, at least you guys finished. What was the time you finished with after the light ordeal? Any flat tires (on the race bike)? Congrats on the finish, are you going to race it next year?


Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330

Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.

El Gato
11/24/03, 8:42 AM
quote:Originally posted by Dezrcr

Well, at least you guys finished. What was the time you finished with after the light ordeal?
Just over 24 hours. We were on pace for 18 hours. Team Honda did it in about 16. Those guys were flying.
quote:
Any flat tires (on the race bike)? NOT A ONE!!!!
quote:Congrats on the finish, are you going to race it next year?
Thanks, and NO!!! Well maybe you should ask me again in a year, but I've been there done that and now I want to try something else. TJ is talking about trying the AMA H&H series next year. One extreme to the other.

The best part of the race though was watching Team Honda 1X and the 11X bike of Andy Grider, Chris Blais and Dempsy battle it out. IT was a 1-2 minute split between the two teams up to about mile 700 until 11X had a minor crash that took out there lights. 11X actually was leading the entire race overall on time most of the race. Andy was pissed for being cut off the team last year and was going to do anything to beat his old team mates. At the Honda pit were I got on 11X took off in front of 1X because Johnny got a new tire and 11X tricked them and didn't get there tire as planned. Chris lifted the bike to put it on the stand and Grider kicked the stand away before he could get the bike on the stand, it dropped to the ground. He was yelling at the top of his lungs "GAS ONLY, GAS ONLY!!!" Bruce Ogilvey turned 5 shades of red and called the next Honda pits ordering them to get 1X out first when they came in together. Andy would have none of that. I would of loved to be in the Honda Semi the next morning to hear what Bruce had to say about the situation.


David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

Dezrcr
11/24/03, 11:55 AM
quote:Originally posted by El Gato


TJ is talking about trying the AMA H&H series next year. One extreme to the other.

The best part of the race though was watching Team Honda 1X and the 11X bike of Andy Grider, Chris Blais and Dempsy battle it out. IT was a 1-2 minute split between the two teams up to about mile 700 until 11X had a minor crash that took out there lights. 11X actually was leading the entire race overall on time most of the race. Andy was pissed for being cut off the team last year and was going to do anything to beat his old team mates. At the Honda pit were I got on 11X took off in front of 1X because Johnny got a new tire and 11X tricked them and didn't get there tire as planned. Chris lifted the bike to put it on the stand and Grider kicked the stand away before he could get the bike on the stand, it dropped to the ground. He was yelling at the top of his lungs "GAS ONLY, GAS ONLY!!!" Bruce Ogilvey turned 5 shades of red and called the next Honda pits ordering them to get 1X out first when they came in together. Andy would have none of that. I would of loved to be in the Honda Semi the next morning to hear what Bruce had to say about the situation.


Lizardlips has some good H&H stories to tell!

It is funny to see how bad Honda wants Cambell, and Hengeveld to win Mexico everytime. They do what ever it takes! How far back was the 11x bike at the finish?

Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330

Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.

El Gato
11/24/03, 2:20 PM
TJ grew up in Cali racing H&H's so he's pretty familiar with it. All he'll tell me is that they are hairball races.

I think the 11X bike of Chris Blais was only 20-30 minutes behind Steve's 1X bike which is amazing considering they had a crash, rode in the dark to get new lights, change them out with a stock head light, and ride 90 miles with it. By the time we got our lights fixed it was morning so we didn't need them anymore.

It was pretty wierd riding at night, especially out in the middle of nowhere. I just knew the Trophy trucks were going to catch me and make me into road kill, but they never did. They were actually a couple hundred miles back when I got off. Towards the end of my section all the Truck dudes were standing out in the race course dressed out in their fire suits waiting for their turn to drive. I kept looking over my shoulder but it was all dark. The locals thought it was cool I guess to get spot lights and flashlights and shine them in your eyes as you go by. I flipped on guy off and as I went by I noticed it was the light of a video camera...oops.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

Dezrcr
11/25/03, 11:05 AM
quote:Originally posted by El Gato

TJ grew up in Cali racing H&H's so he's pretty familiar with it. All he'll tell me is that they are hairball races.





Oh yeah forgot TJ is a surfer dude from Cali.



Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330

Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.

Fistfull
11/25/03, 5:37 PM
quote:Originally posted by El Gato

TJ grew up in Cali racing H&H's so he's pretty familiar with it. All he'll tell me is that they are hairball races.
I gotta ask, what is the defination of a "hairball" race?

Sponsors: JAG C&C, Ben's Cycle Works, CC Plasma Designs
Little blue n big silver, Diesels of course ... http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/Fistfull/2003823161338_dieselengine3.gif http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/fistfull/2003616172440_icon_burnout.gif
#624

El Gato
11/25/03, 5:45 PM
quote:Originally posted by Fistfull


I gotta ask, what is the defination of a "hairball" race?

That's exactly what I'd like to know.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

cherbini
12/10/03, 11:42 AM
Hey there....

We ran the Baja 1000 this year too.

I was a pit guy / driver for the 2x team. First guys on the course.

They did great for being a bunch of woods riders from Mass. 6th in the pro/open class and 46th overall elapsed. 21:20 I believe.

Just wondering if you ever ran into them / passed them, etc....any stories?

The 1x / 11x story is awesome. Steve really took up Johnny's slack. I was at the pit just north of puertocitos.....our pit was right next to them, so we got some decent pictures of their pits.

The honda pits were pretty crappy! They had a seriously difficult time changing out the first 3 tires that I saw them change...took about 4 minutes a piece. Then they even dropped the 449 bike.

Chirs was being very patient and cool with the tire problem. Steve only took gas if I remember correctly.

http://bonz.ai.bpa.arizona.edu/modules.php?set_albumName=album14&id=P1010070&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

There's some pics in there.

So, did you ever run into 2x?

El Gato
12/10/03, 12:10 PM
quote:Originally posted by cherbini

Hey there....

We ran the Baja 1000 this year too.

I was a pit guy / driver for the 2x team. First guys on the course.

They did great for being a bunch of woods riders from Mass. 6th in the pro/open class and 46th overall elapsed. 21:20 I believe.

Just wondering if you ever ran into them / passed them, etc....any stories?

Good job guys!
I passed the 2X bike about 20 miles into my section. About race mile 340. I though it was our class 40 bike so I past as fast as I could ride (they were talking trash), but it wasn't him. Sorry if I roosted you or him.
quote:
The 1x / 11x story is awesome. Steve really took up Johnny's slack. I was at the pit just north of puertocitos.....our pit was right next to them, so we got some decent pictures of their pits.

I hate to say it, but Johnny isn't what he used to be or maybe Steve is just faster than ever. Steve is going a lot faster than Johnny nowadays. All I know is that both of them make me look silly.
quote:
The honda pits were pretty crappy! They had a seriously difficult time changing out the first 3 tires that I saw them change...took about 4 minutes a piece. Then they even dropped the 449 bike.

Chirs was being very patient and cool with the tire problem. Steve only took gas if I remember correctly.

Most of the Honda pit people are just volunteers, friends of friends etc.. I got off the bike at the pit where your pictures were taken. If it's the same pit right off the pot hole highway that is. Those guys were a little out of it. I blew past the pit and had to come back because the lit up Honda banner was past the pits and pushed back a ways in the bushes. I turned into the dirt off the highway and knew I went to far. I looked over my shoulder and saw everyone waving. U-turn and back again. I hope I wasn't to rude, but I told those guys what I thought of their pit location.

I was in rare form that whole week. I made some enemies. The stress took me over.

Anyways, hope to see you on the trails soon. Thanks for posting. I hadn't talked to any other people that did that race since I got back.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

Fistfull
12/10/03, 12:20 PM
quote:Originally posted by El Gato
I was in rare form that whole week. I made some enemies. The stress took me over.

That's hard to believe Dave, your normally such a calm, patient racer in the pits :D[:p]:D;)[:p][:o)]

Sponsors: JAG C&C, Ben's Cycle Works, CC Plasma Designs
Little blue n big silver, Diesels of course ... http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/Fistfull/2003823161338_dieselengine3.gif http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/fistfull/2003616172440_icon_burnout.gif
#624

El Gato
12/10/03, 2:10 PM
quote:That's hard to believe Dave, your normally such a calm, patient racer in the pits :D[:p]:D;)[:p][:o)]

Yah right!!! Instant @$$hole, just add helmet.

Apparently my little hissy fit in the pits at Wickenburg is still fresh in your mind.:D:D

Your wife looked at me like I had lost my mind.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

El Gato
12/10/03, 2:22 PM
Awesome pictures BTW, Cherbini.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

mparks22
12/10/03, 4:11 PM
Yo man that was my MOM with the video camera, And the guy you roosted was looking for you after the race.;) JK.
Jeez and i always thought Todd was the dirty rider of the bunch;)?


"The trouble with being a good sport is you have to lose to prove it"

Mike Parks Whiplash#22
2002 whiplash 250cc Champion
03 WR450,FMF,Hinson,BRP,Applied,RealRacing,ThePit,Exc ell,IMS,Speedway,Vic's Plumbing,WD40,Wiseco,
00 YZ250, Loaded
00 Trail Boss

Popsracing
12/10/03, 4:55 PM
todd's definition of hairball:anything that takes your breath away....makes you choke like a cat w/a hairball.

national hare n hound: imagine 300 bikes lined up..starting at once and drag racing for 1-mile across basically virgin washed out,rocky,cactus,and joshua tree filled desert to a smoke bomb,....at witch time your funneled into single track(imagine the pima and dynamite area only w/rocks at 110mph)....then proceed to race on this single track as fast as you can for 4-hrs.....this to me is pretty hairball dude[8D]:(

tjOriginally posted by Fistfull

quote:Originally posted by El Gato

TJ grew up in Cali racing H&H's so he's pretty familiar with it. All he'll tell me is that they are hairball races.
I gotta ask, what is the defination of a "hairball" race?

Sponsors: JAG C&C, Ben's Cycle Works, CC Plasma Designs
Little blue n big silver, Diesels of course ... http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/Fistfull/2003823161338_dieselengine3.gif http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/fistfull/2003616172440_icon_burnout.gif
#624
[/quote]

Todd Johnson,
2001 and 2002 Az state Champion, Open Pro
Sponsors, Pops Racing, Big Gun exhaust systems, Devol, Goat Eyewear, and the fastest guy on earth - David Gronlund

Fistfull
12/10/03, 7:31 PM
quote:Originally posted by Popsracing

todd's definition of hairball:anything that takes your breath away....makes you choke like a cat w/a hairball.

national hare n hound: imagine 300 bikes lined up..starting at once and drag racing for 1-mile across basically virgin washed out,rocky,cactus,and joshua tree filled desert to a smoke bomb,....at witch time your funneled into single track(imagine the pima and dynamite area only w/rocks at 110mph)....then proceed to race on this single track as fast as you can for 4-hrs.....this to me is pretty hairball dude[8D]:(
Sounds like Cherry Creek last year, cept ya need to throw in a wash between the start and the bomb and rain/sleet/snow in the upper elevations :D:D

Sponsors: JAG C&C, Ben's Cycle Works, CC Plasma Designs
Little blue n big silver, Diesels of course ... http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/Fistfull/2003823161338_dieselengine3.gif http://ridingarizona.com/forum/uploaded/fistfull/2003616172440_icon_burnout.gif
#624

Dezrcr
12/10/03, 8:01 PM
quote:Originally posted by El Gato

Yah right!!! Instant @$$hole, just add helmet.




Now you see what everyone else does:D[:0].

J/K!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D;););)

Ben Hutchinson
Whiplash #32
BITD #330

Sponsors to thank:
Pit crew,Tucson Steel Dor, MotoWorks,MKB Construction, IMS Products, Sprocket Specalists, Maxxis, Big Gun Exhuast systems, Cycle Gear, Tag/One Industries, Doggone Graphix and Z Moto.

El Gato
12/11/03, 6:04 AM
quote:Originally posted by mparks22


Jeez and i always thought Todd was the dirty rider of the bunch;)?
I'm a clean rider when I'm on the bike, it's before and after that I need to work on.:([}:)]

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

asinine
12/15/03, 3:04 PM
Cool pictures Cherbini. We were on the 13X bike. Judging from the pictures it looks like we may have started close to you. It sounds like you guys had a good time. Our race wasn't pretty, but we finished and had fun.

Jim

El Gato
12/15/03, 4:35 PM
quote:Originally posted by asinine

Cool pictures Cherbini. We were on the 13X bike. Judging from the pictures it looks like we may have started close to you. It sounds like you guys had a good time. Our race wasn't pretty, but we finished and had fun.

Jim


AAHH, A Custom Cycle guy. I never saw you guys after the race. Did you have problems??? Of course we were kinda busy looking for our no-show.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

asinine
12/16/03, 9:56 AM
Thanks for the welcome to the site. I'm assuming you rode with Eric Brown. I heard you guys had a light problem close to the finish? It's tough to get that close and have a problem. Last year we had no problems at all until 60 miles from LaPaz and then broke a throttle cable.

We had our fair share of problems this year, but it was still a blast.

Jim

El Gato
12/16/03, 11:51 AM
quote:Originally posted by asinine

Thanks for the welcome to the site. I'm assuming you rode with Eric Brown. I heard you guys had a light problem close to the finish? It's tough to get that close and have a problem.

No, Eric rode with us:D. Yah it was very disappointing to have problems like that, but it wasn't any body's fault for the most part. It would have helped to have a spare light handy along the way, but that's team racing. I know I rode my butt off and so did Todd. I was pushing hard trying to get us back up towards the front. I rode as hard as I possibly could for over 5 hours and handed the bike off to Todd who rode just as hard oif not harder. Eric got back on and was ahead of the rest of us in the chase truck because we had to pick up our 40 class riders along the way as they changed riders so we ran straight to the finish instead of stopping at the road crossings to see if he had cleared yet. A mental mistake on our part because he was sitting at one of them as we motored by. We never saw him and he didn't see us. Me and Todd were really stoked because we had made up over 20 minutes between the two of us and we were hoping Eric could do the same, but he never showed at the finish. The bike broke and there's nothing you can do about that, but it was (and still is) hard to stomach.

The main part is the championship, and we won that so it's good for now.

David Gronlund #7
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, FMF-909, Works Connection, IMS Racing, N-Style Graphics, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

asinine
12/16/03, 4:35 PM
Well, congratulations on the championship. That's cool.

cherbini
02/20/04, 1:18 PM
Damn....been busy. Forgot to check back here....

Glad you guys like the pics. It really was a blast.

El Gato, the guy you passed at 340 would have been Neil Dennett. All the guys who rode were from Massachusets, so they ride in the sloppy, muddy woods. He really is a great rider, I believe he's going to try out for the ISDE this year.

He rode the first 440 miles of the course, 11 hours.

Yeah, the pit I was at was just north of puertocitos. Near the end of that bombed road.

Just about every rider I saw come into that pit passed it. Definitely not an ideal setup.

Have you guys seen this? Mouse McCoy soloed it this year, and they're making a film about the Baja1000 with him and a few others in it.

http://www.d2gfilm.com

It's not completely full of content but the trailer is bad ass.

I'll definitely be back next year. Hopefully to lay a few hundred miles down.

JC

El Gato
02/23/04, 6:28 AM
quote:Originally posted by cherbini

El Gato, the guy you passed at 340 would have been Neil Dennett. All the guys who rode were from Massachusets, so they ride in the sloppy, muddy woods. He really is a great rider, I believe he's going to try out for the ISDE this year.

He rode the first 440 miles of the course, 11 hours.

OUCH!!! The first 500 miles was some of the roughest part of the race course. Hats off to Neil.

That trailer gives me goose bumps everytime I see it.

David Gronlund
Whiplash #17
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, IMS Racing, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.

El Gato
03/03/04, 6:55 AM
Got a call from EB last night. He finally got a chance to read up on my race story and was pissed that I called him a bone head. I said he bone headed the exchange, not that he was a bone head. The same thing or not, it doesn't matter. Anyways he was mad that I made him look bad. Yah it sucks that he wasn't ready and it shouldn't of happened, but he wanted everyone to know that it only took 45 seconds to get ready not 5 minutes and he is not a bone head.[:I]
quote:Originally posted by El Gato


...but Eric bone headed his last exchange and wasn't geared up when the bike came to him for the last 100 miles. TJ sat on the bike idling for 5 minutes watching Eric gear up. Eric got on the bike and had a 30-60 minute lead on all of us in the chase trucks so we all hauled tail to the finish but Eric never showed!!!!!

In my own defense though, I did write good things about EB in this and other threads. Here's one example, I don't have time to research them all.
quote:Originally posted by El Gato

The race went flawelessly in the begining. Eric got us out front in the 30 class before mile 50...

He also told me that if he wanted to, not that he would, he could write bad things about me not clearing the bike at the next road crossing were he was stranded without lights. He was so far out by the time I got to TJ to pick him up we were sure he was long gone through those road crossings. Apparently he wasn't and that was a bone head on my part. I had already called myself on that mistake a few posts later. I may bad mouth someone for doing something wrong but I will always do the same to myself when I do something stupid.
quote:Originally posted by El Gato


Eric got back on and was ahead of the rest of us in the chase truck because we had to pick up our 40 class riders along the way as they changed riders so we ran straight to the finish instead of stopping at the road crossings to see if he had cleared yet. A mental mistake on our part because he was sitting at one of them as we motored by. We never saw him and he didn't see us.

All in all it was a cluster ###### of a race for ALL of us. Just as a reminder to everyone out there. Read the whole thread before calling me not just on post.


David Gronlund
Whiplash #17
Bens Cycle Works, Motoworks Suspension, Goat Eyewear, Cycle Gear, IMS Racing, AFAM, White Brothers, Pops Racing, Cycles West.