Crossing the border into Mexico past mid night places Peter Furler and I ahead of the game in La Fonda for breakfast and down into Ensenada to meet dirt bike buddy and Baja adventurer Gordy for a “Raid Route” meeting over fish tacos and salsa picante. For our sins in previous lives, Gordie has us riding two-man crue on bits of the Baja 1000 route… the bits that really hurt by the end of the day and leaving you begging for more!
Gordy’s brother, Baja moto legend Tommy T has informed us that after leading us through 14 raids on desert and costal northern Baja, we will have to navigate and defend for ourselves this year. We will be relaying on my Old Cairo gold souk navigating skills and Peter’s Aussie – Spanish high-octane combo…
Peter and Tommy have set me up with a brand new Austrian built KTM 2 stroke 300cc “Bajamotowaffen”. Peter will be riding his Tommy custom tuned “El Cajon” Honda 4 stroke CRF 450X. Precision instruments in the hands of believers on a moto mission… seafood pasta for dinner on the Pacific coast!
We unload our Baja assault transport vehicle and I quickly premix a 2 stroke molotov cocktail my pals in East Beirut would be proud of for “Kellie” my KTM. Peter tops off the Honda with the confidence of a seasoned rocker adding a second encore for a packed arena.
The slightest tap on the accelerator sends my rear tire spinning like a chainsaw at the red bull rodeo and leaves Peter covered in a thick cloud of dust… I look back through the haze in amazement and see the eyes of Peter with that squinted outback look that screams “You best keep it pinned to Cabo mate”!
We are off, down to the coast and heading north along deserted pristine beaches and a cactus minefield littered with sun-bleached bones… Paradise on knobbies!