Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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arrived, I was lying unconscious in the bottom of the ditch with the bike on top of me still running and puking gas on me. I'm glad I missed that part. But... hello, guys, could you have at least taken a photo? In the process, I had ripped the hydraulic clutch line out of the master cylinder and was in no condition to ride to the fuel stop without it. Ash decided to ride the bike out for me and gave me his YZ426. The thing about Baja is that if you crash like I did and really mess up the bike, you may never see it again, because you aren't going to get it out if you aren't on it. That's how desolate the area is where we were, as 99 percent of the trails we were on are only accessible by motorcycle, horse or foot. You just aren't going to get a truck in there. When I started the YZ426 on the first kick, I realized that maybe I wasn't that bad after all. On the other hand, I still had no recollection of the crash and in hindsight still don't remember riding from the crash site to the refueling site at all. Pretty creepy. When we got to the fuel stop, I was still really hazy. Since there were still around 40 miles of trail to ride, I knew I would be taking the highway back to Tecate. All of the guys offered to escort me back, but I didn't want to ruin anyone else's fun. Besides, I wasn't in the worst shape of the wounded - that honor went to Brion McHale, FMF's operations manager, who had a lethal hangover and decided to join me on the easy path yonder. It was nice to know that I knocked the crap out of myself on a rock and still looked in better shape than he was. Then it hit me. Something someone said while standing at the fuel stop made everything click, and in one second I could remember everything - perfectly. Yikes! I suddenly remembered going over the rise and realizing that the trail turned left and then back to the right to avoid the deepest section of the wash. Being a road racer and a heavy front brake user, I grabbed too much front and endoed into the ravine, nailing my head on a rock (as my excellent Shoei helmet shows ample signs of). If I had locked the rear brake instead, I would have highsided into the wash, which would have been better, but there was no way that I was going to avoid the crash. Everything else came back as well, other than the aforementioned ride back to the pit stop. The whole concussion thing is way too weird and not really a lot of fun, but it sure made this story a lot easier to write. After making my way back to Rancho Tecate, I started to feel pretty okay as far as my head was concerned. After waiting for everyone to get in from the trail and thanking those who stopped to help, I said my goodbyes with another partially memorable Baja trip in the books - hey, the parts I remember were a blast, and I can't wait until next year. CN it? As America's only weekly mOlorcycie publication. we're the only lhing you get mat you even realize IS late! (When was the last time you knew your monthly magazine was a week later than usual?) Mosl Cycle News subscriptions are delivered via 2nd Class mail. The bulk of wba< you pay for on your annual subscription is postage. You are paying for bener delivery than what you have been receiving... why? Around the beginning of 1997, the U.S. Po,tal Service reclassified all publications inlo whal they call "Periodicals" for the purposes of delivery speed. Tha< means they now lump your Cycle News in with alllhe monthly publicuuons and deliver them with the same urgency (or lack of urgency). All Cycle News can do on our end is gellhe paper shipped immedialely afler each weekend's events. and into the mail system. which we do, every Tuesday morning. withoul fail (e,cept on weeks with a Monday holiday. Ihen we prinl Tuesday and ship your paper on Wednesday morning). Afler thaI. it's OUI of our hands. and you need 10 register your delivery complaint With the U.S. Postal Service, not us. We're as frostral· ed as you are. and until there's some bener method (at a reasonable COSI) to get your Cycle News dcUvered quicker. we're all stuck with the same problem. Here are your alternatives for bener service: If you are able 10 pay for fasler service. firsl-class mail delivery within Ihe United Slates for Cycle News, annual subscription price: 5130.00. (Outside Ihe U.S.. firslclass delivery is available for 5150.00: Canada & Me,ico are 5145.(0). Cycle News' loll-free subscription hotline is 1-800-831·2220. - orRegister your delivery complaints with the U.S. Postal Service on-line at www.osps.comlfeedbacklfeedback.hlm or. call the U.S. Postal Service loll-free consumer hotline . 24 hours a day. seven days a week - al 1·800·ASK·USPS (1·800·275·8777). Please keep your message brief, 10 the poinL descriplive of your delivery problems. and as polite as possible. If the USPS hears from enough customers. they can only pay attention and improve lheir service. cue I e neVlls MARCH 12, 2003 47