The Rally Raid : Mexico, 2013 - Page 9

thelawnguy81 · 02-19-2013, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WacoDirtryder

Looks like you guys had a blast.Tom did both of thoses KTM's make the whole trip with only one of them not starting?

Now that one was below the belt!!

thelawnguy81 · 02-19-2013, 04:39 PM

Well the blue one had a little intermittent brake light failure... That made for some excitement a couple times... I mean who comes to a stop when a little Mexican kid is chasing his baby goat across a highway with a whip?!?

slowoldguy · 02-20-2013, 08:12 AM

Hmmmm. thelawnguy81 had interweb access .......but still no pics. I must have looked way too cool doing my standup wheelies across the rough stuff. What other expanation could there be?

TXjames · 02-20-2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowoldguy

a google map of our routes you can post on the thread?

Will this work SOG?

slowoldguy · 02-20-2013, 08:55 AM

Uhhh....Houston. We have a problem. At least on the phone screen.

Edit Works great on laptop!!!! Thank you!! Hmmm.

Glad I didn't have this down there. Never would have gone to some of those places. lol.

TXjames · 02-20-2013, 09:06 AM

Yeah, probably best viewed in a PC. I just embedded your SPOT track figuring that's the easiest way to get the route posted. It should save Rick a lot of work.

FYI, others can get greater track resolution by increasing the '% fill' and clicking 'Go'. If desired, you can see 100% of the tracks. Don't worry SOG, I removed the side trek to the Pachuco bordello.

slowoldguy · 02-20-2013, 09:30 AM

Well dang. Seems we missed a few dozen good bets along the way. Guess we'll just have to go back.;)

BTW, guys and gals. Don't trust that the yellow roads shown are easily passable. Boots on the ground say they are not always as pictured. Allow plenty of time and do the unknown ones early in the day. "Do as I say. Not as I did." We could have effed up royally 2 out of 7 nights. And maybe even 3. As it was we made it with very little light to spare to El Oasis, Tolantongo, and Zaragoza. Not. Smart. At all.

Even knowing the "rulz", we were just a tad over-ambitious.

SchizzMan · 02-20-2013, 10:01 AM

It WAS an ambitious trip plan all things considered. But y'all did pull it off, so........

You'll probably be a lot happier with your next attempt. Live and learn.

slowoldguy · 02-20-2013, 10:16 AM

Lots of thoughts still flying around in my head, schizz. Smaller bike? Less time on the tropical side highways? Learn to ride? Learn to pack? Better maps? Try out the gear before relying on it on a Mexican mountain?

We'll never be able to plan for everything, but some things were easily within our control and we just didn't do them. Saved by the kindness of strangers, the skill-sets the nephews bring, and sheer dumb luck. The first two are somewhat reliable but we'll try to avoid counting on that last one as much next time.

Now. Where are those damn pics I was promised, boys?? Andele. Andele. Arriba. The natives are getting restless. And you know how patient I am. ;)

SchizzMan · 02-20-2013, 10:37 AM

Well, that's the joy of it all, ain't it? When I look at what jdowns is doing on that little Kawa I realize that I can only aspire to being a student of travel and never an expert. That might be what hooks me more than anything else.

Woke up this morning thinking about Honda's new 450cc rally bike and what it might take to adapt to such travel. Few riders travel far and wish for a bigger bike from what I've read.

After our last trip Trice bought a new seat bag so he can leave his panniers at home. That should unleash the inner Hooligan.

slowoldguy · 02-20-2013, 10:43 AM

Yup. The trashcans are staying home next trip (if there is gonna be any Class 2 or above dirt). I'll come up with something as I own every softbag ever made, I think. Taking those dumpsters and the stock racks off I could have saved at least 50 pounds of metal.

With a careful pruning of gear and the purchase of lighter items (without going all ultra-light) , I think I can get 75 pounds off the bike and that's enough to make a difference.

veriest1 · 02-20-2013, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowoldguy

Oooh. Here's a topic for us. How many of y'all have experienced what I have come to call mountain fever? I got it day 3 of this trip. Came on in the afternoon and stayed with me to Tolantongo. Very debilitating. Gone by the next morning. I have had it before and it can happen on paved or dirt but I know it has something to do with heights. You just suddenly and without warning loose your equilibrium....or something..... and get this feeling that there is a giant magnet on the cliff side of the road trying to suck your bike over the edge. Takes forever to get over it if you try to ride through it but then it is gone and you are back to just normal blood curdling appropriate fear levels.

I've had it on The Devil's Backbone in Utah. Before I got across that tightrope I had decreased in speed from 80 to 10 and I still wanted to be crawling on my belly. A buddy of mine regularly gets it on The Black Canyon of the Gunnison but only traveling north to south. You just want a helicopter to pick you up and get you off the mountain.

It will flat-ass slow you to a crawl. I wouldn't have cared if there was a rock the size of a washing machine in front of me on the Rick's ditch side, I wasn't going over to the cliff-side rut. lol

I know what you mean. I've gotten it in the mountains and also get it when near barbwire fences at times (this is most notable when they're covered in briars). The latter occurs when memories of hurtling through such fences on 4 wheelers come flooding back at inopportune times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

Well, that's the joy of it all, ain't it? When I look at what jdowns is doing on that little Kawa I realize that I can only aspire to being a student of travel and never an expert. That might be what hooks me more than anything else.

Woke up this morning thinking about Honda's new 450cc rally bike and what it might take to adapt to such travel. Few riders travel far and wish for a bigger bike from what I've read.

After our last trip Trice bought a new seat bag so he can leave his panniers at home. That should unleash the inner Hooligan.

You're sure right. These thoughts closely mimic how I'm setting up the 950SE for touring. I just need a Wolfman waterproof duffel to complete my "modular softbag system." A 20L dry bag will have to suffice for now.

slowoldguy · 02-20-2013, 11:04 AM

Larry. BTW. I thought of you, and more specifically your orange bike, a hundred times. Perfect for this trip. Well, if it was fuel injected. So....almost perfect!!

SchizzMan · 02-20-2013, 11:13 AM

Kathy (at Lone Star BMW) was showing me the dry bag system she uses. There's so much available now and with a steel net you can secure it as well. Looking forward to chucking my BMW tail box/drogue in favor of a 30L dry bag like Jimmex uses. That should get me to 130mph.

simmons1 · 02-20-2013, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowoldguy

Hmmmm. thelawnguy81 had interweb access .......but still no pics. I must have looked way to cool doing my standup wheelies across the rough stuff. What other expanation could there be?

The camera broke when he focused it on you?

02-20-2013, 08:12 AM	#123
slowoldguy ^OP Tire Tester Joined: Jun 2004 Location: West of Waco, Texas Oddometer: 6,206	Hmmmm. thelawnguy81 had interweb access .......but still no pics. I must have looked way too cool doing my standup wheelies across the rough stuff. What other expanation could there be? __________________ Roll The Bones IV- What's coming next? http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/ "If you can't fix it with a hammer you can damn sure teach it a lesson". slowoldguy screwed with this post 02-24-2013 at 03:51 PM

02-20-2013, 08:55 AM	#125
slowoldguy ^OP Tire Tester Joined: Jun 2004 Location: West of Waco, Texas Oddometer: 6,206	Uhhh....Houston. We have a problem. At least on the phone screen. Edit Works great on laptop!!!! Thank you!! Hmmm. Glad I didn't have this down there. Never would have gone to some of those places. lol. __________________ Roll The Bones IV- What's coming next? http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/ "If you can't fix it with a hammer you can damn sure teach it a lesson". slowoldguy screwed with this post 02-20-2013 at 10:07 AM

02-20-2013, 09:06 AM	#126
TXjames High Sider Joined: Jul 2010 Location: Central Texas Oddometer: 732	Yeah, probably best viewed in a PC. I just embedded your SPOT track figuring that's the easiest way to get the route posted. It should save Rick a lot of work. FYI, others can get greater track resolution by increasing the '% fill' and clicking 'Go'. If desired, you can see 100% of the tracks. Don't worry SOG, I removed the side trek to the Pachuco bordello. __________________ Roll The Bones IV - Barcaloungers beware! http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/

02-20-2013, 09:30 AM	#127
slowoldguy ^OP Tire Tester Joined: Jun 2004 Location: West of Waco, Texas Oddometer: 6,206	Well dang. Seems we missed a few dozen good bets along the way. Guess we'll just have to go back.;) BTW, guys and gals. Don't trust that the yellow roads shown are easily passable. Boots on the ground say they are not always as pictured. Allow plenty of time and do the unknown ones early in the day. "Do as I say. Not as I did." We could have effed up royally 2 out of 7 nights. And maybe even 3. As it was we made it with very little light to spare to El Oasis, Tolantongo, and Zaragoza. Not. Smart. At all. Even knowing the "rulz", we were just a tad over-ambitious. __________________ Roll The Bones IV- What's coming next? http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/ "If you can't fix it with a hammer you can damn sure teach it a lesson". slowoldguy screwed with this post 02-20-2013 at 10:02 AM

02-20-2013, 10:01 AM	#128
SchizzMan del siglo XX Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Austin, Tx. Oddometer: 5,849	It WAS an ambitious trip plan all things considered. But y'all did pull it off, so........ You'll probably be a lot happier with your next attempt. Live and learn. __________________ '09 WR250R, '12 R1200GSA "As long as there's a horizon and I can see it, then I want to know what's there, mentally, physically and visually" - rtwpaul

02-19-2013, 04:39 PM	#122
thelawnguy81 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Waco, Tx Oddometer: 268	Well the blue one had a little intermittent brake light failure... That made for some excitement a couple times... I mean who comes to a stop when a little Mexican kid is chasing his baby goat across a highway with a whip?!?

02-20-2013, 10:16 AM	#129
slowoldguy ^OP Tire Tester Joined: Jun 2004 Location: West of Waco, Texas Oddometer: 6,206	Lots of thoughts still flying around in my head, schizz. Smaller bike? Less time on the tropical side highways? Learn to ride? Learn to pack? Better maps? Try out the gear before relying on it on a Mexican mountain? We'll never be able to plan for everything, but some things were easily within our control and we just didn't do them. Saved by the kindness of strangers, the skill-sets the nephews bring, and sheer dumb luck. The first two are somewhat reliable but we'll try to avoid counting on that last one as much next time. Now. Where are those damn pics I was promised, boys?? Andele. Andele. Arriba. The natives are getting restless. And you know how patient I am. ;) __________________ Roll The Bones IV- What's coming next? http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/ "If you can't fix it with a hammer you can damn sure teach it a lesson". slowoldguy screwed with this post 02-20-2013 at 10:21 AM

02-20-2013, 10:37 AM	#130
SchizzMan del siglo XX Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Austin, Tx. Oddometer: 5,849	Well, that's the joy of it all, ain't it? When I look at what jdowns is doing on that little Kawa I realize that I can only aspire to being a student of travel and never an expert. That might be what hooks me more than anything else. Woke up this morning thinking about Honda's new 450cc rally bike and what it might take to adapt to such travel. Few riders travel far and wish for a *bigger* bike from what I've read. After our last trip Trice bought a new seat bag so he can leave his panniers at home. That should unleash the inner Hooligan. __________________ '09 WR250R, '12 R1200GSA "As long as there's a horizon and I can see it, then I want to know what's there, mentally, physically and visually" - rtwpaul

02-20-2013, 10:43 AM	#131
slowoldguy ^OP Tire Tester Joined: Jun 2004 Location: West of Waco, Texas Oddometer: 6,206	Yup. The trashcans are staying home next trip (if there is gonna be any Class 2 or above dirt). I'll come up with something as I own every softbag ever made, I think. Taking those dumpsters and the stock racks off I could have saved at least 50 pounds of metal. With a careful pruning of gear and the purchase of lighter items (without going all ultra-light) , I think I can get 75 pounds off the bike and that's enough to make a difference. __________________ Roll The Bones IV- What's coming next? http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/ "If you can't fix it with a hammer you can damn sure teach it a lesson". slowoldguy screwed with this post 02-20-2013 at 10:56 AM

02-20-2013, 11:04 AM	#133
slowoldguy ^OP Tire Tester Joined: Jun 2004 Location: West of Waco, Texas Oddometer: 6,206	Larry. BTW. I thought of you, and more specifically your orange bike, a hundred times. Perfect for this trip. Well, if it was fuel injected. So....almost perfect!! __________________ Roll The Bones IV- What's coming next? http://www.rollthebonesrally.com/ "If you can't fix it with a hammer you can damn sure teach it a lesson".

02-20-2013, 11:13 AM	#134
SchizzMan del siglo XX Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Austin, Tx. Oddometer: 5,849	Kathy (at Lone Star BMW) was showing me the dry bag system she uses. There's so much available now and with a steel net you can secure it as well. Looking forward to chucking my BMW tail box/drogue in favor of a 30L dry bag like Jimmex uses. That should get me to 130mph. __________________ '09 WR250R, '12 R1200GSA "As long as there's a horizon and I can see it, then I want to know what's there, mentally, physically and visually" - rtwpaul

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