Norra 2013

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by drc42

Which gets even trickier when you have multiple riders supported by the same team. Imagine if you were trying to support both a slow rider (like me) and a fast rider (like Gilkey). No way you would have caught back up if you waited at the end of a stage to fuel me up.

I had no problems keeping up with the over all winner for the 1st two years. I can't imagine anyone would think of trying to support 2 racers with one support vehicle. That just isn't going to work period.

That is unless you are Tim Morton and you all but live in Baja and have friends in every fish camp.

[beechum1]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I had no problems keeping up with the over all winner for the 1st two years. I can't imagine anyone would think of trying to support 2 racers with one support vehicle. That just isn't going to work period.

That is unless you are Tim Morton and you all but live in Baja and have friends in every fish camp.

I didn't know what I should have done. I learned that depart times should have been earlier, and I should have done all 3 S's before leaving in the morning. After that, I was behind all day!!

[Locker43]

Don't forget the photo op along the road as I rode past!

[crankshaft]

Originally Posted by Locker43

Don't forget the photo op along the road as I rode past!

You practiced the "Attack position" in front of the mirror at home didn't you?

[BAZZER450]

hmmm this really does need some thought .. As we are going to have two riders outta 1 truck ... and the speeds will be different between the 2 riders . i guess the course will have to be released and liason times posted to see the margin of safety you have on transit .. fuel will be an issue. Do you think the chase will have lotsa time to get from the start to the finnish of the specials? you guys really have me thinking this might be an issue. What do you think the biggest time difference could be and still keep up ?

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

I had no problems keeping up with the over all winner for the 1st two years. I can't imagine anyone would think of trying to support 2 racers with one support vehicle. That just isn't going to work period.

That is unless you are Tim Morton and you all but live in Baja and have friends in every fish camp.

[crankshaft]

Originally Posted by BAZZER450

hmmm this really does need some thought .. As we are going to have two riders outta 1 truck ... and the speeds will be different between the 2 riders . i guess the course will have to be released and liason times posted to see the margin of safety you have on transit .. fuel will be an issue. Do you think the chase will have lotsa time to get from the start to the finnish of the specials? you guys really have me thinking this might be an issue. What do you think the biggest time difference could be and still keep up ?

We had two bikes with one support vehicle and the speeds between the riders was pretty big. Our rule was to just assume that we where on our own and if the truck was there, then it was a bonus. Lots of gas stations along the way on the transit sections, the stages are the problem. After spending all kinds if money just to get here, why not spend a few bucks for a bigger tank? It's insurance right?


****EDIT**** !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

[Luke]

Originally Posted by BAZZER450

hmmm this really does need some thought .. As we are going to have two riders outta 1 truck ... and the speeds will be different between the 2 riders . i guess the course will have to be released and liason times posted to see the margin of safety you have on transit .. fuel will be an issue. Do you think the chase will have lotsa time to get from the start to the finnish of the specials? you guys really have me thinking this might be an issue. What do you think the biggest time difference could be and still keep up ?

Every transit has a half hour time window that needs to be met. There will likely be more than 30 minutes between the first bike to start and the last. The truck won't be able to make up a half hour on many sections. So even if the bikes are equal speed and have no breakdowns it can only be done for a few sections.

Providing 'bivouac' support for a bunch of bikes with one truck is not a problem. The truck drives from the day start to the day finish with all the riders' stuff and then spends the evening driving back up the course to pick up anyone who broke down.

IMO, with one support vehicle you can provide a single pit each day for several bikes, or you can chase a single bike and provide multiple pits each day for that bike. But you can't do both unless you're willing to let a breakdown on one bike ruin the race for the other bike.

[BAZZER450]

we are going to use mag 7 and i will have a 5 gal tank. would be nice to use a smaller one but then pemex stations would need to be very close to the start and finnish of the stages if your truck cant be there.I think the every man for himself and have the truck pick which pit support each rider gets through out the day . and meet up at the bivi everynight . maybe we can all get together and have a list of teams who are participating and say that if we need some emergency help we would know who to ask ? we could all carry extra gas /water ect ? just a thought

[oregoncoast]

Originally Posted by Maineroot

I picked up this 1973 Ford Quadravan 4x4 last week.

It was a former Ambulance for the Teton County Wyoming Backcountry Search and Recue unit.

El Spiderman is trying to talk me into entering it into this years race and ditching the bikes!!!!

El Dr. Feel Bueno?

The interior has operating lights above the gurney, hookups for vacuum pump and 2 heaters (NO A/C!).....

Hell yes you need to enter that thing! Best part, as a entrant you can help the bikes out on the way!

[Johnnymoto]

But I've never done any off road racing, and I think it may be a bit arrogant to just show up for this four day event and expect to finish. I've done some road racing, and I know may way around baja a bit, I've ridden about 20 days of dirt down there in the last few years , and have spent an equal amount of time on the pavement on my GS. I'll be riding a DRZ400, she's my Baja bike, I live in Chicago, but the bike lives in San Diego, she's a solid machine, very well maintained, I know her well and am very comfortable traveling on her. I'm not fast in the dirt by any means, but I can get through most terrain and keep up a decent pace. I'm in good shape and can ride long days. I have never used a rally book or computer before, so there will certainly be a learning curve with that. I have the option of doing solo, or teaming up with a friend. Any opinion on which would be better. Either way we'd both be on DRZ's, we have tons of spares, including the ability to bring a spare bike.

I'm torn between coming out to watch the prep the day before the race, scope it out, maybe head to bay of la for the 1st night, then head back to san diego or just throwing my hat into the ring and entering. If I race, do I solo or with a team mate sharing a bike?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[wrk2surf]

Racing is very dangerous and baja is very very remote.. I would strongly consider scoping out the program during 2013 and maybe do a little cross country, hare scramble or enduro racing back home. Perhaps try a Best in the Desert one day 250-300 mile race or AMA desert race to see if you want to even compete for hours on end in the heat and remoteness. It is a major undertaking and something not to take lightly!

[Racer20]

Well you sound like a similiar story as myself, I'm primarily road raced and had only done a 5 day tour before deciding to do the rally last year. I did have a lot of dirt experience dirt riding, just no desert racing experience. I do agree that Baja is a lot different and shouldn't be taken lightly but the rally is a ton of fun and not a lot of pressure to push beyond your limits. I was also torn on running solo or going with a teammate. My decision was run with the teammate and that's what I would recommend for your first visit to BAJA. I had also never done any rally navigation and ended up just entering a local enduro event before going out to get a little better feel of reading a roadbook and watching the odometer etc.

If you do decide to run the event just be realistic about your expectations and you never know how things will end up.

Originally Posted by Johnnymoto

But I've never done any off road racing, and I think it may be a bit arrogant to just show up for this four day event and expect to finish. I've done some road racing, and I know may way around baja a bit, I've ridden about 20 days of dirt down there in the last few years , and have spent an equal amount of time on the pavement on my GS. I'll be riding a DRZ400, she's my Baja bike, I live in Chicago, but the bike lives in San Diego, she's a solid machine, very well maintained, I know her well and am very comfortable traveling on her. I'm not fast in the dirt by any means, but I can get through most terrain and keep up a decent pace. I'm in good shape and can ride long days. I have never used a rally book or computer before, so there will certainly be a learning curve with that. I have the option of doing solo, or teaming up with a friend. Any opinion on which would be better. Either way we'd both be on DRZ's, we have tons of spares, including the ability to bring a spare bike.

I'm torn between coming out to watch the prep the day before the race, scope it out, maybe head to bay of la for the 1st night, then head back to san diego or just throwing my hat into the ring and entering. If I race, do I solo or with a team mate sharing a bike?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Johnnymoto]

Thanks for the replies guys. Racer 20 that sounds good. Glad to hear that you made it through coming from a similar background. Racing, even in it's humblest/mellowest forms, is unlike anything else, and I know that. I also found some car events that are local between now and then that use the same navigation, I was planning on hitting a couple of those so I'm not totally green. I still may take this year to scout it out. How tough are the challenge sections? I know that's a really hard question to answer without having a relative point. Any of you guys know Simpson's, its towards the ocean southwest of mikes and coyote?

[Johnnymoto]

And as far as expectations, my expectation, or plan, as always in Baja, is to go with the flow, take what comes, and bring it home in one piece. I'd be happy to finish dead last.

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Johnnymoto

Thanks for the replies guys. Racer 20 that sounds good. Glad to hear that you made it through coming from a similar background. Racing, even in it's humblest/mellowest forms, is unlike anything else, and I know that. I also found some car events that are local between now and then that use the same navigation, I was planning on hitting a couple of those so I'm not totally green. I still may take this year to scout it out. How tough are the challenge sections? I know that's a really hard question to answer without having a relative point. Any of you guys know Simpson's, its towards the ocean southwest of mikes and coyote?

There is nothing as technical as Simpson's in the NORRA Mex 1k race. Logistics, distance, and pace are the main issues with this event. Not having any brain farts helps a lot but it seems to get many.