Baja Asylum Run 2007 - Dirt to the Tropic Of Cancer

The Baja Asylum Runs (BAR) were conceived three years ago by lasvegasrider and I while we were swilling a few cervezas in Creel - attending a Horizon's Unlimited meeting. The first BAR ran in March 2005, the next BAR in February 2006, and 2007's BAR was February 11th - 26th of 2007. This year's attendees were: Ibarra, lasvegasrider, Gypsyrider, jonz, BigDogAdventures.com, leewildwater, and I. A full crew - any more would be simply impossible to manage.

The Magnificent Seven rides again.

As would be the case, as the ride date approached, personal matters and business got in the way, and at the last minute, leewildwater and Ibarra had to bail out. Jonz could only run with us for a week, and that would leave just four riders for the LONG HAUL anticipated for the '07 BAR.

And then there were five.

Mark and I spent considerable time in the final two weeks mapping and planning a series of routes to use (or not use) as we traversed the Baja peninsula. We both were using Garmin 276C GPS units, which are really the best out there for now for our purposes, but we did anticipate doing a good deal of exploring and creating new routes as we rode. Jeff just acquired a refurb'd 2610 which Mark would program with our data when he arrived, and I emailed lasvegasrider the data to load into his trusty old Garmin V.

Mark and I trucked west from Tennessee, hauling the BigDog Husky TE610, a tricked out XR650R I built for GyspsyRider, and a crusty old LC4e I bought recently and had yet to ride at all. I was a bit nervous about the LC4e, as I had a grand total of 3 miles on it since I bought it, and didn't have the time to go over the bike since I was preoccupied building the XR650R. It was a shoemaker's children sort of thing, I reckon. I had intended to bring my XR650R on this ride, but I just didn't have time to get it done. Anyhow, the LC4e was a 2000 model, with a little over 10,000 miles on the clock, and was largely bone stock - including the mainshaft ball bearing. I changed out the usual cracked DID wheels, and installed a Dunlop 756 front and a Bridgestone ED78 rear tire - always a decent combination for Baja terrain.

We congregated the morning of February 11th in Calexico. At 0730, THE CALL came over my cell phone. It was lasvegasrider - his freshly rebuilt KLR685 had broken down enroute. He was out.

And then there were four.

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I went back !!!

Send money, tires, chains and sprockets to San Francisquito--Baja, Mexico--population 1

Day 1:

It was pretty much unanimous - no one wanted to ride that godforsaken stretch of asphalt known as Mexico 5. To make matters worse, the previously mangled and delightfully destroyed road from San Felipe to Puertecitos has been re-paved.

We needed to go another way. as luck would have it, BigDog and I had some tricks up our sleeves.

Jeff arrived promptly at 0830, and Mark quickly programmed up his 2610 with the data while Jan Marc finalized his packing scheme for his new XR650R. We crossed the border into Mexicali at about 1000, and got tourist visas for Jeff and Jan Marc.

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Finally ready to roll, we headed west out of Mexicali at the crack of 1030

Why west? To the Laguna Hanson route? Nope - something special is planned for the BAR '07 riders.

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BAR 2007 is underway.



[more in a bit]

More jealous-ness.

About 15 miles out of Mexicali, past the PEMEX refinery a ways, but before the climb to La Rumerosa, is the northern end of Laguna Salada - the dry lake. We turned south off the highway and our tires touched Mother Earth for the first time.

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gaspipe [the original] - back in his element once again. My home away from home, perhaps.

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Our plan is to work our way south, to the Hot Springs in Guadalupe Canyon, and after that, back to civilization for fuel. Gas was going to be a bit of an issue, as the IMS tank for the Husky 610 was still not released, limiting BigDog's bike to about 150 miles of range. My 640e was a total unknown. I had *no idea* what it could or couldn't do. Not too bright to test it here, but I didn't have much choice.

Jonz and GypsyRider are carrying well over six gallons each, so they'd be our tankers.....if we needed it.....

[more later]

I’m so ready for this!

This should be good!

Dammit!
Poor Mike, that sucks.
I wonder what happened to his bike?

On with the report, por favor, amigo.

Gracias
CA Stu

Piston skirt problemo, I think. Hopefully Mike will stop on by and chime in [that's a hint if I ever saw one].

Hey, Bruce! That sucks about Mike's KLR. I hope this isn't a problem area for the 685 kit- I know several people are doing or thinking about doing the upgrade (?).

keep it coming

Looking forward to another epic adventure of some sort... What type of twists and turns will this one have?

Later,

WooooooooHooooooooo, bring it on

Please add my email to your list for 2008. I live over in Chula Vista (about 2.5 hours east of Mexicali on I-8) and would love to do this ride with new friends. My email is Stenberg@Bajahuskys.net. Thanks. Steny

Steny,

I saw BajaHuskys stickers all over northern Baja Next time I'm out that way, I'll hunt you down.

GP

Glad you all made it back, can not wait for the report.

The ride south was a relative easy, wide and sandy road. The weather was exceptional, and the combination made for some 70+ mph cruising.



The question is, where will we come out?

Jonz - and Ol' IronSides - his '03 640ADV.

GypsyRider, and the XR650R I built for him.

gaspipe's kRuSTy '00 640E

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It was about here that I noticed my countershaft bolt was loosening. I had to stop every 15 miles and tighten it, which was becoming a bit tedious. But these are the things that get you when you don't prep your bike adequately before a ride. Well, not much I can do about it here, but somewhere in the next day or two, I need to find a refracionaria and get some threadlocker. PITA.

As we approached and then passed a huge olive grove, we turned into the base of the Sierra Juarez range which rise five thousand feet above us. The road became nice and rough, with a couple water crossings and rock galore.


It was then we were told no further may you go on your motorcycles.... No motorcycles allowed. Undaunted, we proceeded on foot - rumors of a tienda urged us up the hill. BigDog almost knocked me over on his way to a cool drink....

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A Coke and a bench later, we were watching a nekkid woman across the canyon. Old perverts we are, I suppose. I made the pic small enough so you can't see her. This is a family site, right?



The hot springs are channeled into eight hot tub/camping areas with BBQ pits, palapas and parking (as long as you're not on a bike ).



After swilling back our Cokes, we ambled down the hill, mounted up, and headed back out the canyon to the dry lake - southbound.




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