Barrancas Del Cobre--BigDog/The Breeze

[BigDogAdventures.com]

I've been dreaming since last year of riding some routes around the canyons of the Mexican states of Chihauhau, Sinaloa and Sinora that I've been so very close to--but took other options--mainly because me and my riding partners weren't sure these routes and roads even existed.

Google earth was my map for some of this ride---some roads were not known to me or Mexican maps------oh I wasn't the first mind you, not by a long shot--but these routes sounded interesting.

I made a call to my friend Tim Rhoads who lives in Missouri and ask him if he'd join me---for reasons I'll explain more later----his face got all scrunched up and this skeptical kinda scared look came over his face.... as his head nodded no---but out of his mouth came.

Hell Yes !!!!!



Me and Tim burned the midnight oil many nights preparing our bikes.
New tires, chains, sprockets---cleaned the air filters and changed the oil.
We adjusted the valves and completely tore apart our suspensions and swingarms
for a good greasing. New tires also--I no longer wanted to fiddle with finding or
shipping tires to Mexico as in the past. I wanted tires to last 3,000 miles of offroad
dirt and still be aggressive-----A Bridgestone ED77 up front and Rally Raid for the
rear did the job---and did it well !!!! A big thanks to "Dockingpilot" for turning me onto the Rally Raid tires. It is a huge tire and won't fit on a lot of bikes----and Dockingpilot uses them on his 950. My new and somewhat untested 5 gallon tank
that I had worked so hard to help get it made with Halls
Husqvarna of Springfield, Illinois would be put to the test
on this ride.


I picked up Tim in Rolla Missouri in snow and ice.
It was treacherous getting to his house, and we fought ice on the road
till we got far South.


We arrived safely, driving straight thru to Presidio, Texas where we would leave the
tow vehicle and stay at the 3 Palms motel for the night--after doing border town paperwork.


It was so nice and warm here--we had all day to get things done as we arrived in the early morning
and were prepared for a daybreak departure the next day.


After getting there---we discovered a stowaway !!!! Looks very suspicious.
Could it be ???---a tarp---feet as big as an anvil---kinda smelly ???
Naw couldn't be--Could it ????

"El (long pause) Perro Grande"

[gaspipe]

[GB]

On ya!! BigDog rides again

I'm still enjoying your Baja DVD.

[BigDogAdventures.com]

Originally Posted by gaspipe

Buenos Noches Mr. Stovepipe------grab a chair and a beer to wash down that popcorn---I'll try not to scare ya !!!

Me and Bruce laughed on the phone as I was telling him that the Mexican border guys weren't going to let me in Mexico because he saw my old visa (which I was suppose to turn in on the last visit) and didn't. Well after a small negotiation and 3 hale Mary's all was forgiven.
Viva La Mexico

[yelostn78]

mas! por favor!!!

[BigDogAdventures.com]

Originally Posted by Gadget Boy

On ya!! BigDog rides again

I'm still enjoying your Baja DVD.

Thanks Mr. Gadget---glad you liked that one. I hope this one comes together--I'm having Windoze problems out the poopee hole.

[gaspipe]

Originally Posted by BigDogAdventures.com

Buenos Noches Mr. Stovepipe------grab a chair and a beer to wash down that popcorn---I'll try not to scare ya !!!

You'll be missed in Baja this year, amigo. Let's go ride some singletrack when I get back.

On with the show!

[biketherapy]

[BigDogAdventures.com]

The Husky was all done----manual says to replace the rod every 6,000 miles ago-----with 17,000 on it after this trip----guess I'll just not worry about it--thing is quiet as a mouse-----smooth as can be.




I picked up Tim in Rolla Missouri in snow and ice.
It was treacherous getting to his house, and we fought ice on the road
till we got far South.
As in past trips
"El (long pause) Perro Grande would regret not having
A Frickin' Spare Tire"

And would again meet the fat man from Arkansas (who moved to Texas) with the highest priced tires in all of Texas----and Arkansas


We arrived safely, driving straight thru to Presidio, Texas where we would leave the
tow vehicle and stay at the 3 Palms motel for the night--after doing border town paperwork. The motel was full of riders---all were doing day rides over the border and then returning the same day. Don't know why they call it the 3 palms


It was so nice and warm here--we had all day to get things done as we arrived in the early morning
and were prepared for a daybreak departure the next day.

[BigDogAdventures.com]

Presidio, Texas To Nonoava, Chihauhau

We hit the road as the sun was coming up and breesed thru the border crossing
like we knew what we were doing. Tim's a little nervous---- or was it excited
as we crossed into Ojinaga, Chichauhau.

Pequiscaney Canyon---a cool canyon to warm you up to the much bigger canyons to follow.
It's just about 25 miles into the Mexican state of Chihauhau just West of Ojinga---a beautiful place.



I have finally after 56 years on this earth--come to the peak of my experience about packing.
We took very little--except the necessites----no hard bags--kermit chairs or ice coolers
would go on this trip. The casual clothes I packed consisted of one pair of light synthetic pants
where the legs zipped off to be used as shorts and a light pair of slip-on shoes
-----that's it--nada. I never needed or wanted anything else. My riding socks and shirts
would serve as my other casual clothes. I could have ridden around the world with what I had.
My riding gear prepared me for anything the weather thru at me including freezing temps,
hot temps, rain, sleet, snow or hail.

I guess I can sound a little cocky now------now that I'm home all cozied up
and we had none of the bad weather above.



"I'm gettin' kinda' Sweepy"

[BigDogAdventures.com]

The roads to here aren't worth mentioning--but we hit dirt North of Nonoava, Chihauhau
and rode thru some beautiful ranch country--the real riding has begun.

Here, Tim had heated us up a cup of hot tea on his Jet-Boil cook stove.
Tim had the larger Dirt Bagz and had food for a couple of days if need be.






We blew into the dusty town of Nonoava about 5PM and filled our tanks
at the Pemex (gas station) before finding the Motel.
There is one Motel in Nonoava and we got a nice room for about $350 pesos ($35).




I told Tim to wait outside and I negotiated the price of our room.
Since as you can see---I am quite literate (or is it full of it) in Spanish.
No---Problem-O for "El (long pause) Perro Grande.
(Big Dog ----for you Gringos)

My wife says I needed a new hat-----4 years ago !!
It just feels good and I can't part with it--sentimental value you know.


These very nice girls fixed our dinner for us.
We had a hoot with them---they couldn't speak a word of English
and I couldn't speak a word of Spanish---so it worked out really well----I thought !!!


Tim was hilarious-----he had his nose in that Spanish book and give it all he had.
His all-------wasn't good enough usually----but it was fun to watch.
He got so engrossed in to learning Spanish--and had a great time with it.
With all meals---you always get the thinnest flapjacks I ever saw--pretty dry
with no Aunt Jamima's. After that hot sauce on the table bout took my head off....
El Perro Grande was cautious after this.
It was a delicious meal.


A couple hours later the lights went out----a local electrician was there in an instant and
fixed the problem. He was glad we there to hold our flashlights on him while he worked.
Really nice friendly guy.
Our room had hot water and even a toilet seat--we were estatic--you don't always get a toilet--or a seat.
Of course you always have to guess which side the hot is on--as they just don't care which
side they put it on--I can live with that---saves a lot of labor.



These little boogers kept us entertained-----wife wants to go down and steal them--take them home she says.
Since our son has been kinda slow about giving her some grand children, she's getting desperate!!!

[Ensey]

Keep it coming.....

[BigDogAdventures.com]

Originally Posted by Ensey

Keep it coming.....

I guess I need to quit editing the video of this trip-------and get going on this ride report---------I'm hoping Tim will pop in and give some commentary.

[LaOutbackTrail]

Gracias amigos. Y mas, por favor.

[Gunslinger1]

Hell Yes !!!!!



The Breeze....they call me The Breeze.........(Mrs. BigDog does anyway) ........ and the facts are already getting distorted in this report so I better chime in.

Its about The Story and this trip has a lot of stories. I know you folks like lots of pics and that will have to wait until my son helps me post a few.
I first saw Senor BigDog about 4 years ago ( I did not know it at the time) while riding at the Falling Leaf Rally. Myself and 3 buddies were at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and in roll 4 guys that looked like characters out of Mad Max with boots, stickers all over thier bikes, something stuck to the top of their helmet, and dirty I mean really dirty like they had been on their bikes for a week or two. Come to find out they had. We stayed away from these cats as we we on very clean bikes and shiny boots.......you know the type. We ran into them at the Rally and I could not help myself and started to visit with the guy with the helmet cam......turns out it was Kevin Sweet we visit and he hands me a card.........Bigdogadventure.com TAT. What's that? A 5,000 mile dirt road across the U.S............your kidding me. I thought..........HOW KOOL IS THAT!

Time goes by and I find ADV..........and BigDog and gaspipe do Western TAT and a few other stories I read. I find Mark's website and then I start firing the questions..bikes, gps info, how do you do this, how do you do that, etc. I am sure... driving him cazy. That goes on for awhile.....Then I run into him in REI in St. Louis....imagine that........THE BIGDOG himself........the Legend....well 2 hours later we are still talking. After a trip to Arkansas for some riding and a Friendship was struck up. Anyway a little history on this deal...

NOW to straighen up this story...........The Blue eyed blond standing beside me is the one that said "HELL YES".........me I was still thinking Mexico........hell don't you know that's not a safe place, drugs, guns, banditos, dogs, small children and all that stuff?

Mark says, "Great".........Let's go in Feb and we need 3 weeks. 3 WEEKS!!!!!! How am I gonna get off 3 weeks I think to myself. Well after thinking about it for 3 hours............ I can see it in my head.........OK......we are going to Mexico. I was and at the same time.........Its hard to explain.






By the way........THis is gaspipe....he was with us the entire trip.




more in a bit

The Breeze