My first Hare Scramble EVER! What a great day. Had a lot of fun though it was C-O-L-D COLD! I ended up at the in-laws later that evening in El Pueblo Magico eating homemade Carne Asada, Nopales and homemade tortillas. Brought Dad along to be my Publicist/Pit Crew/Crew Chief - he made friends w/verybody at the race. This was to be as expected. He was "picking up dust" w/some of the Los Ancianos guys. Going over all of the cool places people used to have acces to in San Diego (Mira Mar, Santee Pits and all). He still marvels at how much bikes have changed since his day and still loves the two-smokes and the smell of pre-mix. Dont' we all...... Rob and crew were there w/their race faces on. Rob, thanks for pointing in this direction. I'm still talking about it. Won't shut up, in fact. I even saw Chris from Moto-Forza of Escondido, CA. I went down twice (ya, only twice). Broken finger, bent clutch lever and a lot of dirt/mud but, other than that, we're good to go! Hoping to be ready for the Get-Ex-Treme at the Ranch.
You have experienced the best east coast gncc/enduro/xc race in our entire region. (this aint a SW dez race for sure). This year under real good conditions that went further past the good side into the too rainy toss your goggles and cold hand side. I am super happy I had my MSR elephant ears, wore my Acerbis vest and my long sports under tee!! I poured water from my boots after the race, it really was a duct tape the boots ride, I just didnt think it was really needed before the race.
Next go-around I'll be more "prepared" for sure. The temp dropped considerably while up on the mountain. When the sun poked out before the start I thought things were going to warm up a bit. Welcome to baja! Watching the pros come down off the hill and rip into the pit area was awesome! Good to see Ivan wearing #66.
I was commenting to some family about it the other day. I said I probably should've chosen a more remedial scramble to do for my first (like where I could use training wheels - HA!!!). But, it was still wicked pissah!
do the 0900 14 DEC Sat Anza Christmas GP its a fun course a nice mix of old school MX, trails and even a dirt road dez type section.
Mention is needed ZipTy Racing's Ty Davis (KTM) won the 40A class, with our local crew member Tommy Brun(KTM) finishing P2 behind him! On a side note I know Ty is an AXO guy but it was odd seeing him with orange 222 branded (Cairoli) gear!! Also local kid Noah Kepple won the his under 30 A class on a CR144 Husqvarna
Duct tape around the boot! I lost one of my top buckles, got a boot full of dirt early on. There was a tiny rock grinding on my foot, but was having way to much fun to stop! The drizzle and no goggles was just like home!
Knevo how'd you do? I never saw Baja Bound Tim, saw Baja Bound Jen only. Had race face on and one track mind, even saw one of the Mexican race promoters from the BORCS events and just like zoned out I forgot who he was!! Anyway you picked a good one, I'll take rain and cold over hot and dusty anyday!!
Result wise, not so good, but thats ok! I was in the 50b wave. Its been well over a year since i have done any kind of a race, so i had huge butterflys swirling around! Every wave before mine i would hit the start button, bike would light right off. On my way, i wanted a good start so bad i could just taste it! I may have clicked into gear before she lit off though. Well, i was last place off the line. So it was easy to start passing right away, then we came to that rocky uphill with the big crowd around it. Big bottle neck! I saw guys going around it at the bottom of it, but i was not gonna be one of those guys. I nailed good, and was having a great ride. Couple miles in there was another bottleneck on a crop of big rocks, thats where i made the video, sliding backward off the rock and crashing! With nowhere to go, i decided to go around that mess, this is where i found out that those are not bushes, but small trees. The last ten miles i race back and forth with another 50b guy, got him by 2 seconds at the finish. Gotta say, i am ok with only 1 lap, i was tired. This was one of the best race courses i have ever been on, and still grinning ear to ear over this! So much fun. We got home last night. I will pull some pictures later
Ran into Kris, the parts guy from Moto-Forza Escondido (where I picked up my TC) at the race as well. He pulled a 310 off the floor for the event. Saw him yesterday evening. Said he was still trying to thaw out (HA!) but had a blast. I've said it before and I'll say it again, never a bad time in Baja.
Knevo most excellent!! So glad you got to experience the best east coast race we have in our region, even the conditions matched. (except for your start, sorry about that). And don't feel one bit bad about the 1 lap finish, you're in the good company of at least 2 guys I know that rarely stop.... a guy from Wales and and another well known international rider/racer web guy both stopped after 1, 25 mile lap. (talked with Ty D before he ran grip heaters) I am lucky...I got in 2, on L2 which I rode super clean and fast for me, I cracked my outer rhs engine case on a hard rock hit and was leaking oil, the leak was on the non pressure oil side and was higher than the bottom case pump pick up luckily! so with the rpm up the pump was scavanging the oil before it rose enough to leak out the side, although Im sure some crankcase pressure pushed some out. Once i stopped or when i stalled, it commenced to gravity leak out the side, all good!. Additional thanks to ZipTy Racing- they had all the parts I needed and the motor is almost reassembled, I just need to finish buttoning her back up tonight and she will be ready to race this Saturday at the ranch in Anza. such is life of an ammie racer/rider...hahaha dont forget to go here you can find your fotos http://www.dirtfocus.com/photos2013/12-07_TecateHS/tecate13_index.htm
This is going to be a must do for 2014, nice winter break. Quite fast it seems. You-tube has a short flick on it, very cool. On-Da-Lay
Pat, "Quite fast it seems" Rob, Pat, the fastest Pro, winner Gary Sutherlin's avg speed on his fastest lap of 2 laps was 22.3 mph. My mid pack 50A avg speed on my fastest lap of 2 laps was 16 mph. It ain't a high speed adventure at all, its mostly all single track and wavy. But it is one of the regions most epic rides for sure!! Hope you or anyone can get down to do this race, its consistantly the best game in town. PS for 2014.....They said they are bringing back the Tecate ENDURO !! a real must do event!! andale!!!
Next go-round if anybody wants to head to la casa in El Pueblo Magico afterwards let me know. Mi familia is willing to cook for a small army - we just have to bring the Tecate.
Hey, if I had Ivan the Terrible on my hills I'd be gassin' it! Sutherlin was ripping it up coming off the hill on lap 1. Watching those two battle it out in the pit area was, as those flat bill'd kids in T-Mec would say, "Sick!"
The guy i was racing with slid out on one of those big rocks right in front of me. There was no where for me to go so i waited while he tried to pick himself up. About then here comes ramiraz, he was yellin and screamin for the guy to move, well i thought there was no where to go, but ivan made a qiuck pass on the guy, then sutherlin, so i thought they did so i went for! I made it it, still dont know how I also had a couple case basher rocks that had me concerned, bet i know where it was
Knevo is a badass. This seems like an event I should check out someday, might have to come out of retirement again for this one. The last time I unretired for a week was to do two night races that Knevo put on. They were a blast. Later,
I'll be planning for next yr., it really looks like lot's of fun, really old guys class should still have a few spots left. I'll have to get the info around August 2014. andale and such............
