Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128204
- -_VII 2003 FMF Baja Mar ,...., Me on day one keeping the KTM 250EXC on two wheels. That would change. The Qatar MX Cup, no, Le Touquet, no, It'. the FMF Sand-8lam· Bam Elimilllltlon at Cantamar Dunes. (Above) Me, changing the air filter. Who says journalists don't do bike maintenance? through northern Baja attended by dealers and distributors from around the industry and a selection of journalists from various magazines. So why should you, the reader, care about a cool trip that you couldn't attend even if you wanted to? Well, actually, I guess the point is to open your eyes (if you don't already know) to just how cool it is to ride off-road bikes in Baja, to tell you what a beautiful place it is, or maybe just to rub it in. Perhaps my story will get you motivated to plan a trip down onto the peninsula yourself and see firsthand how fantastic the riding is. The trip started in Tecate, Mexico, a border town southeast of San Diego. Our group met at Rancho Tecate, a resort on the outskirts of town that has the nicest hotel in the area (think Motel 6). After a night of relaxing, introductions were made of By BLAKE CONNER PHOTOS BY MARK KARIYA P rior to the 2003 FMF Baja Mar ride, I had never had a concussion. I've been snowboarding for 20 years (with no helmet until three years ago), I skateboarded my teen years away on half pipes and on the street (no helmet), I rode BMX for years, and I've crashed streetbikes more times than I care to remember, yet I've had no concussions. As you've probably guessed by now, I was destined to smack my melon, and Baja would be the place. Of course, that wasn't the highlight/lowlight of my trek down to Baja California but it was definitely memorable, at least I think it was - I can't remember. The Baja Mar 3.0 - as FMF titled the trip - is an invite-only journey 44 MARCH 12. 2003' cue I ... DeVIlS the VIP guests, including off-road legend Malcolm Smith and professional and former racers like Danny LaPorte, Larry Roeseler, Marty Moates, current WORCS Champion Mike Kiedrowski, current GNCC Champion Rodney Smith, Destry Abbott, Steve Hatch and Paul Krause. The next morning we departed on what would end up being a 110-plus mile day through some of the craziest off-road terrain in the world. I hooked up with a great group of guys to ride with (it's always a good idea to buddy up with someone in such an unforgiving environment, which I discovered a few days later). I rode with FMF's art director Mitch Ikemoto (always ride with someone with the word moto in their name), Mike Beier and Ash Vaughan from Race Tech Suspension, and Bill Keefe from Primedia Publications. We hit the trail fairly early, and it was a long day. From my experience on last year's trip, I knew for a fact that fuel was going to be scarce approaching the halfway point and our fuel/lunch stop. Apparently, Ash and Mike had no concerns, as they rode like hellions from the start, roosting anyone and everyone in their wake, pulling wheelies and generally wasting the second most precious resource in Baja - gas (water is always number one). We spent the morning crawling through tight, twisty and rough terrain. One thing that you have to be cogn izant of is that there are endless opportunities to destroy a motorcycle in Baja. Being extra careful is the only way to ensure that the bike will get you to the Dos Equis at the end of the day. All it takes is being a little too aggressive, and a disaster like a