It is only fitting that since I have spent the last 2 years wasting allot of time at work scheming on how to get back to Baja that the first 15 minutes back at work I should spend writing up my race report. So hear it is.
I found SNR's coments on the time he spent on deciding what to wear interesting since I to spend allot of time deciding between back pack, flight vest, fanny pack and all the other combo's. This became a big deal after I loaded up all my basic stuff, tools, water, power bars, goo packs, spare tube, radio, cell phone etc. It's nuts what all that stuff weighs. If your doing a 100 mile section not that big a deal. Solo, big deal. Some smart guys needs to do a study on the force that is put on someones legs as they are hitting, or rolling, woops for 100 miles at a stretch per pound of gear. It's a big deal. During pre riding I tried all the combos and ended up with my flight vest, basic tools, spare tire on the fender, no radio( for most of the race) power bars and goo packs. Still allot of weight. IF there is a next time all my tools will go in a small tool pouch on the bike.
As for my bike, as you guys may know I was going to run a 08yz450 with a wr ignition. After it fried a couple of coils their was no way I was going to risk a break down in Baja. So, I bought a 09 ktmxcf. Put on a 100w trail tech stator, 8" hid head light, 30w helmet light, scott damper, fmf exhaust system with a mega bomb, Maxiss desert tires, bib insert in the front and hd tube in the rear with 17lbs of air. Changed the rear at rm 400. Suspension was totally stock but fortunatley worked great. Why a 250 not a 450? Because they work great back here in the east and I wanted to down size. Did I give anything away, sure. But not much and I was very happy with it. But, if my life depended on the best possible finish you cannot argue with the success of the Honda 450x. Of course nobody rides them back here for the same reason everyone rides them out west. A stable bike at speed is going to give up something in the slow turns and visa versa. That is why KTM's rule in the East. You can argue brand loyaltly all day long but the results don' lie. All in all very happy with the bike and the lights and can't wait to hit the gncc's next year.
My first big surprise and mistake was the sun in my eyes the first 40 miles and not pre running that section. That combined with the dust was a big shocker at the start and unlike SNR my plan was not to sprint at the start but keep from crashing my brains out which meant taking it slow. I was getting passed right and left but resisted the erge to race till my eyes adjusted, my 52yr old bod heated up and my nerves combed down. That took until about rm 40.
From 40-160 I thought was the best part of the course. The sun was up, the course had a good flow and nobody was passing me anymore. That probably meant they were all in front by now but who's counting. I had visions of smashing my new fmf pipe on the rocks coming down the summit but it didnt happen. As it turns out the sections that seemed to have all the woops were the ones I had not pre rode and that included rm 160 to 200. I was happy to see berrego but was a little freaked when I could not find my pit crew. Turns out they were where they should be at the Baja pits about 5 more miles down the course.
I was expecting to get to berrego and my pit crew at about 11:30. I was figuring about a 40mph avg with the lagona salada area but I didn't get there till 12:30 or a avg of about 33mph. So, on went my lights and off went my jacket. Good with the lights, bad on the jacket.
All was good in the SF loop till about zoo road. I had pre rode the bottom SF loop but not the top. Big mistake. The unending woops from zoo road to rm 400 ripped me a new one. It got dark, the trucks started passing me and I started freezing my ass off. Problem was I didnt know I was getting so cold till I got to my pit at Berrego. I was working so hard to get through the woops I did not realize how cold I was getting. I've never had a problem with hypothermia but it was now a problem. I could not carry on any kind of a conversation with my pit crew. It was weird for both them and myself.
Fortunetly we had the camper with the heater going and about 20min of food, heat and no woops I was on to the Mikes loop with allot of layers.
In the Mikes loop it was cold but at least the woops for the most part were over. That lite KTM worked real good here. I got to help turn a buggy back up, wait along with about 6 buggies for a trophy truck to get through a water crossing and relay breakdown info on two racers back to there pits. All in all, interesting loop.
When I got to rm 490 my wife and father were set on my calling it a day. They were a bit concerned after my condition at rm 400 but I felt ok and the fact that in 72 miles I would be under 100 miles to the finish was enough for me to continue on. I did take about a 10 min nap. When Debbie woke me up she asked me what I wanted to do. What I wanted to do was sleep but I knew I would regret it the rest of my life.
Fortunetly the next 30 miles was easy and when I got to the coast the sun started to come up and it seemed the end was near. And it was closer but that last 100 miles was LONG! The course was tore up and the miles could not click off fast enough. Coming into Ensenada I was really scared I would get off the course and by that time my mind was so fuzzy if I had I would probably still be out there today.
Next thing I knew there was Sal Fish, my wife Debbie, my father and who else but Tim and Jennifer Morton. Very Nice!
Would I do it again? I will have to echo what I have heard which is not if the San Felipe loop is involved.
I was expecting the same course as the 07 500 just longer. So I was figuring finishing in about 19 hrs. Boy was I wrong. That course was nothing like the 500. The 500 was fun, flowing and really pretty darn easy. This 1k was total crap! I had looked at the 07 map and compared it to what looked like the course and it looked like allot of it was the same. Not even close. It was woop central and even though I had really trained hard for it it kicked my tail. My expected 35mph avg turned into 25mph and a finish of 27hr 45min. Allmost 9 hrs longer then I expected.
I did get a plaque for finishing solo and I will cherish it forever. Also, this morning before coming to work I had to renew the license for my rv. I now have a Alabama tag the reads B1K SOLO. Oh yea, its vain. But don't really care.
It's all been worth it!!!
Gary Barr
4th class 50
4th solo bike(I think, can't really figure it up till they post all the sportsmens times)
Ps Good meeting all you guys out there. It was very kind of everyone to say hello and I really appreciate it.
