Another Baja rescue story

[Jeff Knoll]

The brotherhood of Baja is an amazing thing, the common bond of complete strangers all trying to achieve the same goal creates a support network far beyond the grasp of the average suburban office worker who is content going home to his big screen and Monday night football. Baja is a harsh land and that difficulty binds the people that challenge it.
I would like to share a story of this brotherhood, I have many great stories of prerunning, chasing and pitting this years Baja 1000 but the bad part of my trip demonstrates the spirit of the Baja 1000 more then any other.

Sunday morning we found ourselves burned out and looking forward to getting home after a great week in Baja. We left La Paz around 8:00 am and headed north. Our drive home was shaping into a picture perfect ending to an unbelievable trip. We arrived in Vizcaino just after dark making great time and fueled the truck. It was the end of my 6 hour shift of driving but I felt good and said I would continue if some one else would check the trailer tires. At this point I would like to describe the roads in Baja most notably the infamous highway one. Imagine threading a needle in the dark over and over again with your friend shaking a flash light in your face and that’s what it’s like to drive the roads down there with a trailer. It’s been said before and I’ll say it again, Who ever thought a 16 foot wide highway with no shoulder was a good idea was either drunk or ate too much lead based candy as a kid, couple the poor road with the cracked out speeding truck drivers and you have a real fun road. You have not lived until you drive Baja highway one down to La Paz. Throw in the road to La Purisma for good measure, but that’s another story.\

Back to the story:
About 10 miles outside Vizcaino one of the cracked out truck drivers crossed the 6 inches into my territory sending me looking for a spare few inches of shoulder that was not to be had, the trailer drifted off the road and hit a conviently located concrete barrier obviously designed to total enclosed trailers, and send the axles into the after life. We limped the trailer about a half mile to a flat spot in the road that looked like it got a lot of use from gringos who hit concrete barriers with their trailers and got out to see what the damage was.
No sooner did we get out of the truck another race team pulled into our new home with the same trouble after hitting the same barrier. I think it was Agave racing. They where lucky and got away with only a bent leaf spring, we on the other hand where not so lucky.

Two bent axles(bad) and a wasted tire. The rear part of the trailer showed broken welds, the fenders where bent into the tires, the wood floor and sheer panels inside where broken away from the framing and the trailer siding was bent showing structure damage. Oh Sh!T! Good thing we are only 600 miles from the border.

The Agave team offered up anything they had and we walked away with a come a long.. This was the beginning of the Baja brotherhood. We wished the Agave team good luck and they left us trying to figure out a plan to get home.

Within minutes the saints from Alloy axle Fat City pulled up. Seems they like helping dumb a$$ rockcrawling Baja wannabes more then racing and offered any help they had. After some well disserved heckling we formulated a plan that got us to Guerrero Negro.

The next morning we went to work repairing the trailer best we could with again help from another team. I never got the teams name but they where from Tecate and had a 7 car. They offered us there welder, generator, and grinder. They figured we would need it a few times getting the trailer home so they left it with us and gave us a return address.

30MPH average speed from Guerrero Negro to Ensenada after the local tire shop owner hooked us up with an extra spare tire and a plan to change tires ever 100 miles to get us home. There is a great tire shop in Guerrero Negro by the way with tons of brand new BFG tires in stock( make a note of that).

We plastered the back door of the trailer with a note we where on weatherman and talked to chase teams all the way home apologizing for our slow speed and road hogging and all but one offered any help they could. Only one guy from Checkers never said a word until after he passed us and then bitched we where taking up too much road. (Sorry checker we where doing the best we could, should have radioed us before you passed)

Once we got to Ensenada the trailer finally gave up. Thank God we got that far. The leaf spring broke as we pulled into town and Scott from Rock Buggy Supply had that look like he was just done with the trip.Quinn had become ill, was passed out in the back of the truck with a high fever and was not looking good. Here is where the brotherhood gets even better and true friendship really shows. At 10:00 pm Monday night I finally figured I should start looking at an exit plan and see which of my friends might come and help us get the trailer and my Rockbuggy out of Mexico. The first call was too my wife to make sure she knew we made it to E town. The second was to Mark Underwood. He offered to call Shane Henry and come get us at once. That is friendship. Mark and Shane arrived in E town around 3:00 am hooked up the buggy and we bolted for the US in pea soup fog. 3 feet was about all we could see as I lead us through the back streets of TJ looking for the border crossing. We arrived at Shane’s an hour before Mark had to be to work and dropped the battered trailer in Shane’s Driveway.

I can not thank everyone that helped us get home enough. Mark and Shane are total heroes for pulling off the rescue and I look forward to repaying my debt.

That’s what Baja is all about. Can't wait to do it again!

[camo]

I know it sounds sick, but it is shit like that, that make's it so much fun. well maybe a week or 2 after you get home.

A note to those that have not been there or towed a trailer to Lapaz and back. This story hints and only barley just how intense it is to tow a trailer in Baja ( especially at chase speeds in the middle of the night )

my driving/chase duty included towing the trailer aprox 700 of the 2000 + miles in Baja and there were countless time that we could of or should have ended up with the same result or much worse.

As a side note I can brag that this was the first time in 3 trips down there that I did not knock off my driver side mirror side swipping an on coming mexi rig at highway sppeds. I must be getting better at the playing chicken with them.

Roggys comment when we got back to US roads was......sure is nice to pass oncoming Semis with a foot to spare instead of an Inch....ponder that and consider doing it at least a hunderd times in a week. down right scary

[Jeff Knoll]

Originally Posted by camo

I know it sounds sick, but it is shit like that, that make's it so much fun. well maybe a week or 2 after you get home.

A note to those that have not been there or towed a trailer to Lapaz and back. This story hints and only barley just how intense it is to tow a trailer in Baja ( especially at chase speeds in the middle of the night )

my driving/chase duty included towing the trailer aprox 700 of the 2000 + miles in Baja and there were countless time that we could of or should have ended up with the same result or much worse.

As a side note I can brag that this was the first time in 3 trips down there that I did not knock off my driver side mirror side swipping an on coming mexi rig at highway sppeds. I must be getting better at the playing chicken with them.

Roggys comment when we got back to US roads was......sure is nice to pass oncoming Semis with a foot to spare instead of an Inch....ponder that and consider doing it at least a hunderd times in a week. down right scary

Racing a car 1000 miles off road might be easier then towing a trailer with a deadline down in Baja. I will contend to how intense towing a trailer can be. after 6 hours you are just spent. Every semi you pass feels like you cheated death one more time. The guys that drive semi's for race teams have balls of steal, the bus drivers are out of thier minds. that must be the best paying job in Baja.

[Lance]

When possible, we had a "scout" truck about 1 mile ahead of the chase truck with trailer, who would radio back to the truck with trailer about oncoming semis and other hazards.... Was VERY effective in making it less gnarly...

[kodiak1232003]

Originally Posted by Lance

When possible, we had a "scout" truck about 1 mile ahead of the chase truck with trailer, who would radio back to the truck with trailer about oncoming semis and other hazards.... Was VERY effective in making it less gnarly...

thats a good idea'rr.

[Jeff Knoll]

Originally Posted by Lance

When possible, we had a "scout" truck about 1 mile ahead of the chase truck with trailer, who would radio back to the truck with trailer about oncoming semis and other hazards.... Was VERY effective in making it less gnarly...

we had that going south, it was kinda like some one telling you there where gonna punch you in the face a second before they throw the punch..... Much better!

[EMIEVEL]

I hitch hiked back from Cabo (Baja 2000 finish) in a cab-over camper on a 1/2 ton truck...carrying the mail the whole way back! I pleaded with the guy to let me drive. He didn't like my driving style (fast but safer I thought), so I spent the rest of the time in the bunk. Scary roads fer sure.

During the race I was passing cars on the highway splitting on-comming traffic (on a bike)...very exciting! I was doing 80-100mph, I'd start waiving my arm so they'd give me room. I don't get nervous on a bike very often, but I signed a will before that race!

[JW]

If you guys simply step up (or down???) and get a motorcycle, you won't have to worry about towing a trailer.

Our trip down to Baja was much more relaxed, but we were just there dirt bike riding. We ended up at Bay of LA and we watched the race between El Crucero and the pavement to Bay of LA.

It was unfortunate that we passed out before the Pirate4x4 team raced through our camp otherwise we would have saluted you.

My friend that brought me to Baja for the first time said, nothing ever happens as planned in Baja but you can always plan on having some stories.

JW

[Shaffers Offroad]

I think im going to build a custom trailer for next year, Very small and only as wide as the race jeep and have the jeep sit over the tires

[tjmark]

Glad To help jeff. And I'm shure shane fells the same.

Besides I was afraid if i left you down there another day you may never want to race agin..

When i answered the phone i remember the exact words you said

QUOTE (I'm so glad to hear your vioce.).

I thought you were a long lost girl friend looking for child support..

[hugh jeffner]

Originally Posted by JW

If you guys simply step up (or down???) and get a motorcycle, you won't have to worry about towing a trailer.

Our trip down to Baja was much more relaxed, but we were just there dirt bike riding. We ended up at Bay of LA and we watched the race between El Crucero and the pavement to Bay of LA.

It was unfortunate that we passed out before the Pirate4x4 team raced through our camp otherwise we would have saluted you.

My friend that brought me to Baja for the first time said, nothing ever happens as planned in Baja but you can always plan on having some stories.

JW

glad you had a good time, but the roads to bay of la are the easy ones, once you go south of that, the fun really begins. what i can't believe is the crazy fools with the empty trailers and f250 on 38's that past us. we were just a single truck, chasing an ironman moto rider. we literally couldn't (didn't feel safe) keep up with some of them.

[hugh jeffner]

Originally Posted by Jeff Knoll

we had that going south, it was kinda like some one telling you there where gonna punch you in the face a second before they throw the punch..... Much better!

got to clean the keyboard now, thanks for the laugh!

[camo]

Originally Posted by hugh jeffner

. what i can't believe is the crazy fools with the empty trailers and f250 on 38's that past us............. we literally couldn't (didn't feel safe) keep up with some of them.

LOL that would have been us, but like lance said when we needed to really make time we would send a truck ahead to radio back with info on upcoming traffic. it made a huge diffrence and allowed us to use alot of the other lane...allowed 80+ mph speeds in relative saftey knowing what was coming and allowing passing.

[Jeff Knoll]

Originally Posted by SHAFFERS OFFROAD

I think im going to build a custom trailer for next year, Very small and only as wide as the race jeep and have the jeep sit over the tires

Ditto on that I'm thinking narrow, light, and real heavy axles and tires. Did you get a look at the trailer that Bart had down there? It was a 5th wheel trailer made to haul a monster truck. Burly trailer that pulled like a dream smashing through the pot holes on the road to La Purisima. I have seen him pull that thing down sh!tty dirt roads at high speeds.


As far the Scooter thing goes I like them as well but they don't carry as much cold beer.

[JW]

Originally Posted by hugh jeffner

glad you had a good time, but the roads to bay of la are the easy ones, once you go south of that, the fun really begins. what i can't believe is the crazy fools with the empty trailers and f250 on 38's that past us. we were just a single truck, chasing an ironman moto rider. we literally couldn't (didn't feel safe) keep up with some of them.

Ya, the most nervous I have been was chasing down to San Ignacio, at night, on the course (Hwy 1), to catch up to my rider from the last stop being passed by TTs and 1 cars. All of this while the big rigs were still coming the other way around the tight turns right before town. That is one reason we stayed north this trip. Can't wait till next year!

JW

[RockBuggySupply]

Originally Posted by SHAFFERS OFFROAD

I think im going to build a custom trailer for next year, Very small and only as wide as the race jeep and have the jeep sit over the tires

That's funning Mike. We designed the same trailer on our way home...

[KingGlamis]

Wow, incredible story. I can sort of relate, being the guy that had to tow the trailer to La Paz and back for one of the past 1000s. The roads are definitely a challenge. Didn't damage the trailer, but had many close calls. My problem was we got about 5 gallons of WATER in the tank from a gas station which required us to stop about every mile or so, drain the water out of the fuel filter and float bowl, then drive with the engine running rough at about 30mph for another mile and do it again. Took us 12 hours to get the last 100 or so miles into the US. Got into San Diego, drained the tank, filled it up with fresh fuel and we were good to go after that. Looking back we should have drained the tank in Mexico but at the time we were afraid of the Federales seeing us do it and arresting us (even though we wouldn't have drained it on the ground, we still thought they might mess with us).

But it is memories like that that make Mexico trips something you will never forget.