2012 Score Baja 1000 Point to Point race

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by The Walrus

I'm not sure folks here really understand............but this is some Baja Sur reality for you.........

From SCORE's Facebook page:



Even that torrent with the standing waves in that wash will subside faster than most people think (less that a week I would bet). These are "flash flood" types of events. As soon as the water is low enough they will be driving through and the bridges will have "go-arounds". You guys need to remember that pavement and all of them fancy bridges are fairly new to Baja.

Road south of Loreto is closed, and the road between Loreto & Mulege is closed due to washout.

[Strong Bad]

Word this morning from a guy who drove from San Ignacio to Insurgentes late yesterday. He tried to get to the coast at Lopez Mateos but the water was over his headlights........

[Strong Bad]

So anyways...Who's pre-running where and when??

Just got the schedule, looks like we be down from the 25st to the 31st.

Yeah Baby, Sano's Steak House in Ensenada Thursday night!!!!!

[Strong Bad]

My good buddy and great orator Bob Bower wrote this a few years ago, it is always appropriate to think about and hand out to the new guys on the team esp. on peninsula runs. Many big teams put this in their chase books and hand it out at their pit meetings.


WHAT ABOUT YOU?
I will be blunt. Not brief. This may be the wrong time for brevity. Deal with it.
It is possible that there will be at least one less member of the greater off-road community around, come November 18, 2012. Someone could die because of their involvement in the Baja 1000. Dead. Gone. Will it be you? “Of course not”. “No way”. “That stuff happens to other people!”
If it pleases you, just toss this thing now. After all, it's just the ranting of one of those guys who never lacked an opinion, or wasted the opportunity to thrust it upon you. Now is the time. There’s a trash can around here somewhere. Toss it if you want to. If, on the other hand, you might be open to what one guy with a little experience has to offer, read on.
People, the single biggest danger to our safety as we involve ourselves in this race is us. Us. We represent the single largest jeopardy to our own well being out of all the freak things that could happen. On the surface, it would seem that those most in danger of clobbering themselves are those that have less experience down there. I wonder.
I am one of those with experience, and I know how seductive it is to tell myself that my experience gives me license to risk more than those without it. “The rules are for the new guys” “I can compress time frames”. “I can eat later”. “I don't need to take a nap”. “If I follow this stupid overloaded truck all night, I'll miss my deadline”. “I've got great lights, and I can see past all 6 vehicles ahead of me and take them all in one pass”.
This race is one long son of a gun. All drivers will feel the pressure to drive past sunset. It's a given. It's a must! There are loads of stories about Baja at night. What is interesting is that very few of the really scary stories come from the race cars. The most amazing and most tragic come from the highway travelers. Is that you? Have you had “Your Story” yet? It's out there, waiting for you. There have been times when the situation happens very far north. Like a tanker full of fish crashing around Santo Tomas, and closing the highway for over 5 hours. Now your time frames are shot. What do you do?
The history of what goes on and how we deal with it is not something to take lightly. Motorhomes crash. People fly, land, and suffer. Tractor-trailer rigs roll over and burn. A pickup full of drunk locals veers over the line and smacks a perfectly good Bronco with chasers in it.
It is not a case of “Will it happen?”, but a fact that it will happen. To whom, we don't know. We will know when the flash comes on the radio. Not right away mind you, but only after all the wrong information has had its chance to stab the hearts of those that know names, and care.
Know this. Medical assistance for emergencies comes late, and is lacking. You have to hope that someone associated with the race will be close by and help you. It is first aid at best. Worse is going through a nasty wreck, and you coming through it fine, but your buddy is bleeding and out cold. You were behind the wheel. How do you feel? He trusted you to take care of business so he could sleep.
Here is what you should do to increase your chances of staying out of harms way.
Eat food even if you are not hungry.
Drive for a maximum of 6 hours and give it to your partner. (There is only one Ironman)
Leave early. Plan on getting to your destination late.
Don't drink alcoholic stuff. Period.
Do not use drugs. Period.
Ask yourself, “Are we important enough to the people in the race car that they will feel good about us getting maimed trying to catch them?”
Ask yourself, “Would I do this if my kids were with me?”
Now…
Think about the great time you will have when you make it back home.
Think about the great feeling of being involved in the toughest off-road race in the world, and getting back home to tell the tales.
Think about how those at home will roll their eyes, and be patient, when you start on one of your stories.
Think about how proud of yourself you will be when you hear a horror story about someone else and realize you did things the right way, and went through the danger successfully.
It may sound corny, but think about how happy your Mom & Dad, or wife, or sister or brother, and yes, your kids, will be when you talk to them after you are home, safe and sound.
You've just had the adventure of a lifetime, and you are back! Wagging your tail, your mouth going like a ducks butt, telling everyone what an experience it was.
I'm going to the Baja 1000. I am going to have a ball. I won't forget a moment. It will be the biggest, baddest damn race ever.
And, I'm coming back from it. With stories. With experiences. With laughs. With memories, and with the pride that comes of doing a good job.
What about you?
BB
“Life Is A One Lap Race!”

[airborndad]

Great post Strong Bad
be safe everyone 100% of the time

[shazaam]

283x
xr650r
Marty Seefried

I have a chase vehicle going down the 1, but have noone to see me thru san felipe. If anyone in the sporsman over class wants to hook up let me know. all who are pre running, be careful of the ruts, they are deep.

[Cornbread82]

Originally Posted by shazaam

283x
xr650r
Marty Seefried

I have a chase vehicle going down the 1, but have noone to see me thru san felipe. If anyone in the sporsman over class wants to hook up let me know. all who are pre running, be careful of the ruts, they are deep.

We should be by San Felipe about the 1st 201X. Ed and I talked and I think that our plan is out the window We are just going to see how long it is going to take the chase trucks to get around or if they can

[hammerinn101]

Need Pre run Help next week 25-29, Pleae P.M. need chase help.

Dave
271x
dr.hammersteinn@hotmail.com

[Baja Dad]

Just crossed the border on the way back in to California.
Three days and lovely Baja pre-running
Courses real nice at this time will get chewed up a lot more by the trucks and cars
Had no problems long ride. Yesterday went from Bay of LA Road crossing Down to San Ignacio
and back on our Ktm 640's well over 500 miles
The course is a little choppy some deep washouts leaving LA Bay
Going up the hill towards El Arco real big washouts real Rocky
At the road crossing over to the west side of Highway 1
Real tight twisty for about 6 miles then opens up into some real fun fast riding
You have a highway crossing then it continues on some fast fun sandy roads
Lots of sand deep in places.
Then out to the 2nd highway crossing with the back bay off to your right
Then aprox 23 more miles backto Hwy 1 then into San Ignacio.
Then it was back on highway 1 noth 245 mile to LA Bay.
I'll try to post a few pictures tonight or tomorrow after I get back home

[KZJohn]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

So anyways...Who's pre-running where and when??

Just got the schedule, looks like we be down from the 25st to the 31st.

Yeah Baby, Sano's Steak House in Ensenada Thursday night!!!!!

MMMMMMM!!! Sano's. Good food, nice ambience, cool retracting roof in the bar.

I have read the contents of your "what about you" post before. They pass it out every year at the last team Kellogg meeting before we head south for prerunning/racing. It is more than good advice, it's the truth. Read it, heed it, come home alive.

[Ridgway]

I'm going on Pit Pass Radio in few minutes if anyone is interested. I'll be on after Eli Tomac.

http://www.pitpassradio.com/

[wrk2surf]

great interview Chris ! I caught the last of it after picking up the kid from football.. its amazing how many people have Malcom Smith stories!

[Baja Dad]

Originally Posted by Ridgway

I'm going on Pit Pass Radio in few minutes if anyone is interested. I'll be on after Eli Tomac.

http://www.pitpassradio.com/

Missed you this weekend!!
Had a great ride!!
did you go Pre-running?????

[Ridgway]

Originally Posted by Baja Dad

Missed you this weekend!!
Had a great ride!!
did you go Pre-running?????

We did pre run but we stayed around SF. Heading back down tomorrow morning.

[Ridgway]

Guerrero Negro, heading south tomorrow...