Baja 1000 Race Day – Chase 3 – Video and Messengers

This one from Brooke … oh yeah and check out the “zebra ass” picture he got …

  This might not be much but I will fill in some of what Chase 3 did on race day.

The day began with Dennis, Brandon and I in Chase 3.  We met with the rest of the team at the staging area to wish Tim and Sheila well before heading to the washout where the race vehicles would be dropping in to begin the real off-road portion of the race.

Here we found Ron and Michelle already staked out right on the course to get photos of the racers up close.  Brandon quickly joined them with his camera to film live action shots of the trophy trucks and others.  Dennis, Mark, Tom and I watched from the safety above.

After the trophy trucks came through and a few other classes, Dennis and I followed Brandon down the course to the first jump for a little more film footage.  A few good shots and we hustled back to the staging area at the start to get the last shots of the Jeep before they begin their journey out on the Baja 1000 course.

Once Tim and Sheila had the Jeep cruising down the course, Chase 3 headed down Route 3 to meet with Tom and Mark in Chase 2 around the 80 mile mark on the race course.  Here we would anxiously await the arrival of the Jeep for the first navigator exchange.

Merely by chance as we made our way down to the exchange area we were surprised to see 1503 coming down the trail to cross the road directly in front of us.  Luckily I was able to spot the Jeep in time to wake Brandon so he could jump out to film some action shots on the course.  Even better was the fact that this part of the course wound itself up a hill just off the road and we were able to film 1503 climbing the hill as we drove down Route 3.  Brandon was thrilled to capture some great action shots for the film.

We proceeded to the exchange zone to meet Chase 2.  Happy to arrive at the transition area we ate some lunch and prepared to wait for 1503.  However, the excitement of the wait was quickly interrupted with a call over the radio from BFG Relay that 1503 was stopped.  The next few minutes were spent anxiously awaiting first word on the condition of Tim and Sheila and then the Jeep.  Fortunately, both driver and navigator were fine other than the disappointment of being broken down.  Now to understand what might be the problem and what to do next.

With the help of BFG relay we learn from Tim that the transfer case may have broken.  Our decision is to send Chase 2 (the Jeep) into find 1503 to either try and repair the Jeep or tow it out.  After receiving some instruction on the best access route, Tom, Mark and Dennis head out.  Chase 3, now just Brandon and I, wait at the exchange zone for further instruction or to head to Borrego if we have not heard from anyone by 5 PM.

Shortly after Chase 2 left, they return to inform us that they have to try another access route.  Additionally, we decide Chase 3 should head to Borrego to notify Chase 1 and Chase 4 of the situation and have everyone head back north to assist with the extraction and possible trailering back to Ensenada.

Chase 3 makes Borrego but without having scouted the location before and no means of communication with the others at Borrego we are left to park and walk the large pit area to find the rest of team 1503.  Luckily, John and Michelle were spotted at the actual pit area as we searched and we quickly provided the account of 1503.

We attempted to make radio contact with 1503 on the course for further instructions but were unable to do so.  The team decides to pack up and head north to be closer to where we believe 1503 will be towed out of the course.

The team arrives at an access road at course mile 39 to meet 1503 and the Chase 2 Jeep team.  All in the team are well, although slightly disappointed and cold.  The Jeep is loaded in the trailer and Team Florida 1503 makes its way back to Ensenada heads held high with the knowledge that we made it to the Baja 1000 and ran well.

I realized after I finished that there was much more than I thought to describe our day.  However, much is not that exciting or intense so please feel free to edit as needed for content.

Baja 1000 Race Day – Race 1503

This one from Tim … also found an interview done by www.pirate4x4.com …

I would like to thank the entire team for their efforts in making this happen. I cannot tell the group how well everyone worked together in getting there, race week, the race and recovery. Much of what we did together is easy to take for granted, especially having been involved with a few other programs that did not have the support that our group gave. Someone actually
said they thought they went to Baja and gained weight due to the cooking effort Brooke put in. Just a good group. I did not realize the fun or angle the media piece would bring to the group. Rob really made the most of that and it was fun to see a little of that side and hear what he was doing with it.

Race day for me was a morning of anticipation. Racing on a motorcycle my expectations are higher and I am more tense. For the 1000 I was ready and anxious with a mindset of running patient. We had many jeep fans in the queue while we were sent off every 30 seconds. Many wished us luck and seemed supportive as well as still took pictures and asked for autographs. I signed a few dead presidents as well as a few T. Smiths.

When we rounded the corner and were about ten cars back it did not seem to be enough time to get helmets, goggles, radio wires, air hoses and window nets in place. For me it
was many years of learning, dreaming and working at bits and pieces all seeming to come together when I shook Sal's hand with him telling us we can do this and then down the dirt ramp holding for a green flag. It was dropped and off we went with some tire chirp. Between giving it a little fuel and the first left turn I had the emotion of it all coming together. A great
feeling of getting there... and with one left turn the feeling was past and the race focus took over. We ran the wash with many cheers (probably wanting us to go faster- and we would with another 400hp).

The humor for me is hitting a bump and having my window net drop. It seems for me that this happens or I don't get the steering wheel locked on and it comes off. So
there I am running the wash then up on a short road section trying to get the window net rod in a quarter inch hole and then the other end latched while steering with one hand or no hands at times. Sheila asked if I wanted her to steer about the time we saw 61mph on the GPS which was a no-no—60mph max on roads. Anyway I eventually got the net up without stopping and was only passed by one competitor that was faster anyway. We later passed him with some damage to his front wheel about two miles later. The next chunk of miles were nothing but hills, silt and general rough which is fun to me. A few goat trails you don't want to drive off of as we saw a few cars down in the ravines. Sheila only told me to slow down once. She told me to stop a
few times when visibility was zero. I agreed and the dust settled enough to make out silhouettes and the throttle got stomped again.

It was a nice site to cross HWY3 and see people. Most cars seemed to pit just after the crossing in a flat area. We passed many there. On to the next mountain range where silt, rock and hills kept you in check. We eventually got to some less
rough ground and made time. We had two kids try to throw a stick through the front windshield area (we don't actually have a windshield), other than that the locals were great fans and wanted to see you keep rolling. One almost head on with a local driving backwards but we had a little room to work out "sharing" the trail and never backed off.

On in to Tres Hermanos to the point of needing reverse and never getting power to the ground again. I was disappointed to say the least. Pissed at some point and accepting of "that's racing". Just hard to feel like you let the team down and there is nothing you can do. We did try to buy a Dana 20 transfer case from a local with a jeep but they did not bite. Not even when Sheila said we have money. Not sure we really did at the time and I probably had a feeling of easy targets for a second when we offered to buy it. The locals were very good to us and offered to help in any way except by taking my old transfer case/cash and giving me their good one.

Waiting on the chase jeep to get in was amusing to say the least. They had much to contend with by my maybe poor choice to push them to run the course backwards. Something about a major mistake and taking two hours to go 11 miles. The radio helped but I missed much of the three's conversation that had to be comedy. Either way it got cold and empty quickly as the sun went down. With the rear drive shaft off and a small fire built the rescue team arrived and off we went the other way with hopes of much easier trail. The rental jeep pulled the race jeep and we were cold. One bumper was messed up quickly. Dennis was my co-pilot back and constantly checked on the "three sisters" constellation- part of Orion I think after looking it up. Anyway Dennis kept an eye on the Three Sisters and never felt good about the road we guessed to get back to Ojos Negros until he saw city lights.

We did run across a father son team from Rhode Island that broke. We started to ask for confirmation of direction out but before we could we heard them ask for help in a desperate way. We opted to not ask for help and loaned some false confidence. We did support them until we made radio contact to BFG Relay which resulted in them sending in the Calvary to pull them out. Off we went again with John and crew converging at RM39 for a final load and rescue. A long day that we did not want to end that way. Acceptance and 364 days until next year.... or maybe double that. I think I will dislike transfer cases for awhile and then master reworking them so that they are never a problem. Why do we do it??? Bit by the bug, the challenge??? Hard to explain sometimes but we keep going back.

Baja 1000 Race Day – Race 1503 – Class 15 Sportsman Truck

This post comes courtesy of Sheila …

I feel I have to tell a little of the history first.  Tim has read about and dreamed of the Baja 1000 since he was 10 and got his first dirt bike.  He has been an avid off-roader through the years (motocross, trail riding/hare scrambles and 4 wheeling) and I don't think it mattered to him whether he got there on 2 wheels or 4.  Real life got in the way and a real plan never materialized.  About 8 years ago on a whim (very unlike Tim), he bought the
race jeep off the internet from a guy in California, site unseen, and had it shipped to Florida.  Craziness.  Planned to use it for parts for his Jeep Laredo that he has had since I have known him.  When it arrived, he was pleasantly surprised....it was race ready....it made no sense to take it apart.  He took it to Arizona and to Mexico to race it in a desert series called Whiplash and did well.  The haul was difficult (too much time away from
work for him and the two of his buddies that went with him) and after the two trips, it seemed he was satisfied with the accomplishments...think he felt lucky to have had the opportunity and it seemed that was that.

Well......darn that internet.......I believe it was Ebay.....he actually purchased a driving slot (cheap) from a team attempting the Baja 1000 that was short a driver.  They liked his off-road resume and he was in......holy crap, was he excited!  Well, they pre-ran (had a ball with that), but they never got off the line (long story that I will skip).  He learned a lot, but would not have returned with that team.  Two years later, he was invited to drive for someone else and, again, Tim never got his leg.  They broke early, got fixed, and the owner got scared and called it quits....very disappointing.  And the team was very unorganized, to say the least.  I went as a spectator both times.  When we left the second time, Tim said, "if we come back, it's in our jeep".

I was thinking many years later.  With the 3 kids and a crazy schedule, putting a team together was daunting and was put on the back burner (or so I thought).  Well, I don't exactly know when Tim decided to give it a go......in fact, I don't think he ever told me (or asked me).  I ran into Tom at Fit Club gymnastics (his daughter and my kids go there) and he started talking to me
about it as if I knew Tim was chewing on the idea.......well, there you go......I guess we are in for some work.  Turns out, one of the most difficult items logistically fell in his lap.....someone offered to haul it out there for us.....that turned the trip for us into 1 week, not 3 weeks, and it all started to seem possible.
Interestingly enough, that person did not end up hauling it out there....John and Juan ended up offering also and had better resources to do so.

Details of the preparation are boring and I will skip.  Just know we started way late in the game and it was a lot of work.  Couldn't have done it without the team.

Fast forward to Thursday before the race......we are taking the jeep through "contingency", a sort of parade of the competitors vehicles that ends in tech inspection.  Well, we were getting a lot of comments on the jeep.People seemed to like it......asked Tim a lot of questions about it.....we even ran into people who knew the previous owner and the racing history of the vehicle itself.....they were very excited about it and actually interviewed
Tim and the jeep (mostly the jeep) for their website or something......we had fans....it was weird.  Didn't put much thought into it at the time.  Well on race day as we were staging, we had more interest in the jeep....people were grinning like they knew something we didn't.  And I started to look around.  I don't pretend know anything about these vehicles mechanically.....my off-road experience is on a dirt bike and as Tim's "co-driver" in recreational 4 wheeling.....when it comes to the vehicle itself, I know next to nothing.  And as I'm looking around, I'm thinking these other vehicles don't look like
ours......they're prettier, shinier and definitely more expensive.   These people don't think the jeep is cool.....they think were nuts for trying the Baja 1000 in it and they think that's cool.  Do I say that to Tim during staging?.......not.  If he agrees with me, I'll crap my pants.

So, when we make the final turn of staging and head for the start line, I have very mixed emotions.  Not to be cheesy, but it is the scene from "Dust to Glory" and every other Baja documentary I have watched....and I'm in it. The street lined with race fans, the roar of the motors, the Tecate entrance over the road, the final checks of our wrist bands from the guys with the clip boards and the ear phones (you know the ones I'm talking about) and then we pull up to the line and Sal Fish is shaking hands with Tim through the window net and giving us some advice and wishing us luck.....absolutely surreal.  I'm in awe and so happy for Tim and thinking I'm so glad we put the team together and made it to this point......but at the same time, I'm thinking, we are way out of our league....

Well, through the first turn and into the famous wash, people cheering, that's all a blur to me.  I do remember Tim didn't feel the need to get air for the crowd (thank you, Tim), but we weren't going slow either.  Once we are passed the fans and out on the course, I am just getting acclimated.  We are talking
quite a bit and realizing that my eyeballs are bouncing too much to do much with the GPS and I better watch course markers.  We get into a rhythm of passing information and all is good.  The course was pretty rough for about the first 40 miles and about 20 miles in, it hits me.......we are doing fine.  The jeep is more than capable of the terrain (who needs pretty and expensive) and we are occasionally passed, but we also pass occasionally.  And there are some areas that we can get through easily, that others can't or have to try multiple times.  Some vehicles have already broken at this point.  There are a few pretty hairy areas that make me uncomfortable.....going across the top of a ridge and seeing two vehicles off the side in a ravine that won't be getting pulled out anytime soon......visibility issues with the dust and silt.....at times you couldn't see in any direction for several seconds.  But all in all, we are doing great and I'm having a blast.  The jeep seems to be holding up well and Tim seems very comfortable.

The break could not have been more anticlimactic.  The trail smoothed out at about 40 miles and we were cruising along and making some time.  We are actually able to talk a little and take a sip of water from the camel backs. We see a vehicle on the other side of a fence we are running down and I note that the GPS shows we are slightly off-course (turns out either side of the
fence was legal, but we didn't know that at the time).  We stop, Tim puts it reverse and we never move again.  Tim gets out, the transfer case is smoking hot and we wait.  Radio to chase crew threw BFG (this takes a while) and then we start the process of getting the chase crew to where we are.  Tim waits on the transfer to case to cool enough to try to find the problem....it never really does.  He takes it apart to find our day is done and we start the long wait for the chase crew.  The disappointment starts to settle in.  Did the whole team really put in all of this work for a mere 58 miles?  And are our other drivers and navigators really not going to get the chance to get in? The weight of it is heavy.  We don't talk about it, but just a few words.  About 3 hours go by.  The sun starts to set.  Several locals come through every hour or so and offer assistance or food or water or just want to chat.  One group of seven locals (one spoke English) show up with a jeep that has the transfer case we need.  After some joking about the coincidence, I tell them we have cash and get a look from Tim I have never seen before.  They don't bite, but want a picture with us and the jeep.  Why not.  The give us a box of pink cookies because they feel sorry for us.  We start to get cold and begin to focus on getting out of the desert.  Tim takes the rear drive shaft off, so that we are ready to be towed when the crew arrives.  We build a fire.  We chat a little with the crew by radio, but don't hear all the comedy that ensued on their way until we are being towed out.  The whole team reassembles at the highway and we begin to wonder how we will spend the next 24 hours....not on the course as we had planned.

Okay.....enough.....how am I feeling now?  Obviously disappointed, but truly glad that we tried.  We definitely went outside the comfort zone to chase a dream.  Three weeks ago, in the midst of the ridiculous amount of preparation, I said to myself, this is it.  Whatever the result, we won't do this again.
Too hard, too much work and doesn't fit in the family schedule.
Now I'm thinking, let's get back in two years, if life doesn't get in the way.

Contingency Day - “the day before”

Well, not sure why it’s called contingency, and to be frank, never bother to ask … what I can tell you, was that “the day before” the race is very hectic and quite the circus. We start with our breakfast and this time with our team complete, as Sheila and Michelle drove down the night before, getting into Ensenada around 2A.

The plan today is to go through contingency (which is like a parade), ending in tech inspection. The modifications that Ramon and his crew did, will get us through and the safety tech’s will make sure that our helmets meet code, every driving suit has the right fire rating, that 1503 has a survival kit, a first aid kit and everything else the rules require.

Tim leaves in 1503, the rest of us, make our way into town and find parking. Today, the streets are all closed off as the course starts in the town, makes a couple of turns and winds its way out of the city down a river wash. Michelle and I head in the truck into town … Abuelo, Rob and Brandon have managed to get press passes and they went in early (photographer, videographer and interpreter), as they’re allowed into special parts of the events. Sheila’s gone to registration … our plan is to meet up on the main parade route.

Imagine the street lined with vendors … then the race cars all in a line being pushed by the team towards the tech inspection area. When we  find 1503, it’s about 1 mile from tech, which is about 80 cars down the road … this is a slow process, for us it took 3-4 hours. It was our parade … trophy trucks, buggies, cars, sport trucks … all in line, all slowly marching towards the end … thousands of people milling about, locals, other racers, support teams, cruise ship passengers … we, like all others, where the attraction :).

Our “press team” gets fed, meets the “big name” racers, interviews the race organizer and shmoozes with the “race girls” … while this goes on … the team is pushing 1503 along, getting our pictures taken and enjoying the party. Along the way we pickup our transponder, install it into the Jeep and have it tested. The transponder is a safety device that all vehicles carry … it’s like “OnStar” for offroad racing … it allows race organizers to know where 1503 is at all times by having a GPS receiver and satellite transmitter in it. The tracker also can send "help” messages, should it roll over or hit something … the organizer also use the tracker to ensure that racers do not cut the course (cheat).

We get to the end … Tim and Dennis head into tech … and come out with everything we need to compete the next day.

We head back to our hotel, have some dinner, do a little more prep on the Jeep and then head over to the drivers meeting. Team Florida arrives a little early and we find a table. Within the next 30 minutes the hall fills up with 500+ people … it was at this point for me that it became a race … we’re going to race in the Baja 1000 … we’re here with Robby Gordon and other professional driver and riders from around the world … we’re part of this!

We get wished good luck by many … and head back to the hotel. Early night … tomorrow … we split up … Tim and Sheila will start the race. Dennis, Mark and Tom will be in the primary chase and swap at RM80. Brandon and Brooke will follow in another chase vehicle … Rob and Michelle will try to take pictures of everyone starting, then at another location … Abuelo and I will leave very early and get the truck and trailer to Borrego. The plan is to have everyone meet up in Borrego …

Tomorrow we race!

Tech Inspection … our first setback

  Wednesday, 2 days before the race was to be our busy day, with lots of things to accomplish. We needed to register, we needed to get our fuel delivery sorted, we needed to get our pit support confirmed, our radio frequencies registered, get and load the latest GPS tracks … but most important we needed to get the car through technical inspection … without passing this … we wouldn’t be allowed to race.

Some work on the Jeep happened first thing, then we gathered for a photo shoot … we put all our cars together … 1503 Race, Chase 1, Chase 2 and Chase 3 … we marked each car with the numbers 1503, so that we would be identified accordingly. When we got all set up … we looked like a used car lot … it was a rag tag group of cars and people … raring to go.

Dennis and Tim jumped in the race Jeep and headed out for tech inspection … the rest of us got in our respective chase vehicles and made our way into town. The plan was for all of us to do some sight seeing while Tim went through Tech Inspection.

Every car competing must meet a very specific set of rules. Usually these fall into 2 categories … safety and class. Safety rules, are the rules that the organizing body puts together to ensure that everyone participating is “safe”. These have to do with primarily protecting the occupants. Class rules, are rules that define what category you are placed into … so that the competition is fair. If you are racing in a class, all cars in that class comply to the same standards.

For instance, some classes dictate the engine, some the suspension, some the type of chassis. One of my favorite (and I think classic) classes is Class 5/1600. This is has to be a VW beetle (pre 1982). It can have modified suspension and must have a VW engine that displaces no more than 1600cc (1.6ltr). There is a Class 5/Unlimited … which is a VW Beetle chassis, unlimited suspension, unlimited engine (up to 2ltr)… or something like that. Tim and 1503 are in the Sportsman Truck class … basically, must be a truck (or Jeep) and that’s about it … as I understand it … it is a catch-all class … if it doesn’t fit into one of the other classes … it will fit here.

One of the things we have are handheld radios … 4 of them (although we learn that only 3 work) … anyways, when we are out, we each carry a radio, which has about a 1-2 mile range. Rob, Abuelo and I have one … Tom/Brandon/Brooke and Mark another … Tim and Dennis the third.

We hear on the radio from Tom that 1503 has failed tech inspection and that we are trying to meet up … apparently there is something wrong with the GPS … hmmm … why would we fail tech for the GPS … so we start walking towards a common meeting place … as we do, Tim and 1503 come around a corner. You could tell from the faces that not everything was well <g>. We get Tim to stop in front of the police station so we can figure out what happened and what we need to do.

As we start talking, it isn’t the GPS … it’s the fuel tank that is the problem. The Tech inspector wants the fuel tank covered in metal … and ours has the bottom and 4 sides covered, but not the top. To cover it, we will need to fabricate a metal lid for it. Luckily, the tech inspector gave us a business card of a local fabricator who could probably help us. So … I call Roman (name on card) and explain situation. He says he can help, and asks if I know my way around Ensenada … I say not really … so he says to wait and he will send someone to get us and lead us in … How’s that for service.

About 10 min after the call, 2 guys show up, I ride with them and 1503 and Chase follow us to the shop. Turns out Roman runs a business that builds offroad races … turns out Roman, is a multiple class champion, turns out Roman has won many a desert race … turns out, he’s a real nice guy.

Roman’s race shop has 5 offroad racers in it, different classes and in different state of repair / construction. They make some room in the shop and we back 1503 in… one of the fabricators (looked like the most senior one) gets on the job … he knows the Tech inspector that failed us and seems to know what needs to be done. Ruben works for the next 5 hrs to finish the job. We hang out for most of the time, but leave early to head to our meetings.

While Tim is getting work done, Dennis, Tom, Mark and I head to BFG meetings. This is BF Goodrich (the tire guys), they offer a free service to racers that use their products. They have setup 6 different pit stops around the course and they will fuel the car and perform any repairs that are possible … a great thing for teams like ours. We also confirm our radio frequencies, confirm our fuel provider and get the latest course plots from BFG for our GPS unit.

We rush out of the meeting in time to make registration and get our wrist bands, sing our waiver forms and get what we need to race on Friday … registration closes at 6P and Tim arrives about 20 minutes before that, Jeep ready and registers in.

We head back to our hotel and stay up until 2A waiting for Sheila and Michelle to arrive … 2 days to go … and I think we are set. Tomorrow will be contingency day and another attempt to pass Tech Inspection.

My apologies … out of sequence, but an update

It’s currently Saturday morning and we are all back at the “hotel” … which means, if you worked some of the math and timing, that we either finished with the best of the trophy trucks … or …

Team Florida and the 1503 Jeep, made it 58 miles into the course where the transfer case broke. With a broken transfer case, the Jeep will not move … so Chase 2 (our rented) Jeep went in to get them.

Everyone is fine, tons of stories … and I will work in the next couple of days to complete the story … what’s left to tell.

Wednesday – we fail tech inspection and cannot race unless we fix the Jeep … our visit to a local race shop.

Thursday – the circus that is contingency day, we are in the parade, and as one in the team said … “If this is a circus, we must be the bearded lady” … we definitely stuck out.

Friday – Race Day … 4 stories; 1. Tim and Sheila race and break. 2. Tom, Mark and Dennis to the rescue, 3. Our press team and thousands of pictures, 4. Abuelo and me enjoying the party at Borrego Pits.

Sorry again for not keeping this timely … I’ll try to get better with time.

A day of recon … and unloading the Jeep

What a great idea and how lucky we are to have someone on the team that is responsible for our happiness. Yep, no kidding … having someone who is making you breakfast and having it ready for you in the morning is brilliant. Brooke’s not a “motorhead”, but he signed on to come to Mexico and cook for all of us … wow … excellent and this is awesome … so, our morning starts with a nice, hot breakfast … and the entire team sitting around together … another great idea. This is no “cereal” breakfast, but eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc …

After breakfast, we decide to make the run back out to Borrego, you remember, 3 hrs there, 3 hrs back … to a part of the desert, that looks like all other parts of the desert. Tim, Mark, Dennis and myself load into our Ford rental … we call that Chase 3 (I’m hoping to get a cool nickname out of this trip … hopefully not … the electronics guy … which really wouldn’t be cool … and is nothing more that geekboy in racer speak <g>) … anyways … we all load into Chase 3 and head out. Oh yeah, Brooke has made lunch for us to carry.

It is becoming more apparent to me that this type of racing is about planning and managing logistics. For the race, Tim and Sheila (his wife, navigator … and dance mom) will start the race. At RM80 (Race Mile 80 – that’s 80 miles down the race course from the start), we will meet them and switch Sheila with Tom. They will then run until RM201, which is Borrego Pits, where Mark will take over driving duties and Dennis will navigate. They then will run the Jeep until RM400, which again is Borrego Pits (the course is like a figure 8), where Tim and Tom will get back in the Jeep. They run until RM530, and hand over the Jeep to Mark and I. We take it until RM650 and Tim and Tom will take it the rest of the way to the finish line, RM671.

So … today we want to see the places where we need to meet up with the race Jeep to swap drivers … hence the run to Borrego. We expect to average about 25-30mph on the race course, which means that it’ll take about 3hrs from race start to our first switch and another 6-7hrs for the next stop. We will likely start around noon on Friday … the first motorcycle leaves at 630A, then another one, every 30 seconds … there is a 3 hr wait between the last motorcycle and the first truck (figure 1030A), then a vehicle leaves every 30 seconds … fastest class first … so … we’re near the end of the starting sequence.

Our first switch will likely be around 3P and the next one between 9 and 10P … so seeing where things are is very important … Ok … so back on the road and out “Routa 3” … we stop to see RM80 (a place where the race course crosses the main road … then on to Borrego … which is a good thing, as what I thought was Borrego from the run on Sunday … was about 5 miles off … good thing … we figure out how to get to RM200 and recon how we’d get down there with our trailer.

Now … we did have a moment there … which put in question our entire chances … as we stop, and look around at what we first though was Borrego … and we eat lunch, chicken sandwiches, tomato salad with mozzarella and basil … did I mention Brooke is a great cook and personally responsible for our happiness … ok, back on track … I step away to take some pictures … and come back to Chase 3 … our 2 drivers and one of our navigators are in heated conversation … about … which way is West … hmmm.

After a few minutes of East, West, North and South … I cannot help myself and engage … now we have 2 drivers and 2 navigators in heated conversation about where West is … we do have 2 compasses which point out where West is … yet, this is not convincing enough for us … we draw in the sand, we put a stick in the middle of a circle and look at it’s shadow, but after about a minute, which feels like an hour, we conclude that this technique will tell us nothing … we try to find the mossy side of a rock (doesn’t work in the desert) … we stare into the sun, also not telling … in the end, we end up conceding that the compass might be right and accept what it tells us … This should be a good experience.

We talk to some racers and they help direct us to the actual Borrego Pits … we look around, make notes and head home. When we arrive Tom (navigator) and his son Brandon (videographer) have arrived with Chase 2 … our rented 4WD Jeep (for rescue … if needed). A few minutes later we are at the trailer ready to unload our racer from it’s transport …. crowds  gather, flashes go off, the mayor shows up, fireworks are shot and the Mexican Airforce flies formation overhead … Ok … we open the door and drive it out.

As we unload, I break one of the 6 lights on the Jeep … not a good start … and the team rallies to repair it … 5 racers later and 1 hour later … our illumination is back to 100% … Nascar teams have nothing on us … first mechanical challenge, no problem, oh yeah … we’re in race mode.

A crowd of other racers gather … Ok, 1 guy came to see us … his comment .. “Old School” and a knowing glance … we’re in … respect.

As it gets dark, we move the Race Jeep into our pit area (car port) and head over for dinner … did I mention we have 3 full, proper and excellent meals a day … dinner is pork tenderloin and rice … we walk past “big money” teams, they’ve got hotdogs … Oh yeah … we rock! We formulate plans for the next day … tech inspection, BFG Pit meeting, Registration, confirm fuel service. We are now 9 present here … tomorrow Sheila and Michelle arrive to complete the team.