Did some more work on my Sprinter van and loaded up and headed out early Friday afternoon for 50th anniversary running of Tecate enduro in Rancho/Hacienda Santa Veronica area on Baja peninsula of Mexico, or often called Baja California, run by Los Ancianos club from San Diego.
Drove 2 hours from San Diego into Mexico, saw some interesting places in town of Tecate, it may only be just over the border from US but reminded me of 3rd world countries like Nigeria and even Congo. I have not been to Africa for a while so maybe not quite so extreme but much was so familiar, and rather sad. This area of Mexico is quite safe although there are some banditos around and drug and human trafficking into US is still big business so still have to be careful.
Got to start and signed on, got time card and check info (3
loops, each about 30 miles, 2 special tests per loop each between 5 and 15
miles) and celebratory T shirt and had quick ride around a practice / jetting
loop they had setup near the start.
Going was a bit dry, sandy and loose so glad I had left the S12’s on
from Wilseyville, had spare wheels with intermediate Dunlop MX51’s but seemed
that S12’s would be better. Back for eat and sleep in van for the night, got
down near freezing overnight so was glad I had put in some more insulation in
rest of walls and was nice and comfy, also had power sorted so could do some
work and listen to some music, now to sort out the TV instead of just using
laptop and get fridge working and setup the generator then will be well sorted
for next trip.
Up early Saturday as vans coming in at 5am, real cold at riders meeting at 6.15, put fuel on trailer the club were taking out to remote area for everyone then changed and to start line for first riders off 4 per minute at 7:01am and I was starting at 7:19.
The FMF/KTM Factory Off-Road Racing Team were there with current national Enduro Champion Charlie Mullins and former multi champion Russell Bobbitt; Monster Energy Kawasaki with Destry Abbott, Taylor Robert, Justin Soulé and five-time winner (and legend) Larry Roeseler; and Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna with Nick Burson, Ty Davis (a four-time Tecate winner), Bobby Garrison and Cory Graffunder. Then there Dirt Rider and Dirt Bike magazine teams 2 and 4 minutes behind me including the “king” 8 times national enduro champion Dick Burleson who is in his 60’s but still fast and a whole load of other pro riders from all over North America. Unusually there were no ability based classes (AA/A/B/C) so everyone was just in age based classes, open for <30, vet for 30>40, senior 40>50, super senior for 50>60 ad masters for >60, there was also a women class but nobody entered this, the senior class which I am in was largest with 79 starters of the 240 total.
First check was a 6 mile transfer section, got through OK but it was bit dusty but not scary like Spanish Peaks event. Part way through the check in easy part saw a guy lying down and others giving him CPR so just rode steady not going to take chances. Next check was a special test with some arroyos with mainly loose soft dry sand although a few were still wet and muddy sand, some nice mountain tracks, some bit rocky, a few nice climbs and a lot of tight twisty single track trails in brush. I had a bunch of real fast guys behind me including ISDE team riders and current US national enduro champion Charlie Mullins out for the first time on a 350SXF KTM, and they were flying passed me, tried to stay with some of them for a bit then crashed so gave up on that idea. After each of special test checks there is an easy transfer/restart check with about 15 minutes free time so everyone gets back on time after being late on the special. Second test I rode a bit better but still fell off too much, had difficulty getting hang of what to expect in each corner so kept making mistakes. I did have a potential moment of fame after Mullins passed me he fell off and as I came around corner I could have passed him (and on a special test) but decided to wait and let him get going again instead of holding him up in 10s when he was going again. At end of first loop at about 30 miles we came to refueling area and get a drink then off onto 2nd loop and the 3rd special test check.
Second loop was bit tougher than first but same theme with lots of tight single track, 3rd test had one tough hill that had 4 riders stuck on when I got there but managed to find an alternative line to get past them all. Other than that no real dramas, riding a bit better, bike was awesome.
At end of 2nd loop we again came back into same refueling area where they now were serving everyone lunch. They also had nice hot wet towels to wash yourself and feel bit more human then they served sandwiches and other snacks, water and other drinks and even beer, a local brew aptly called Tecate. That was so tempting but I declined and stuck with topping up on water as I had been sweating quite a bit. At this stage all the over 50, over 60 and women class riders had finished and just had a trail ride back to start but rest of us set of on the 3rd 30 mile loop which was going to be the hardest, refueled bike and body, clean goggles and off to go.
5th test was good, definitely tougher and I rode a bit better, about 10 miles long with more rocks, couple of harder hill climbs, some good downhill’s also, got caught up by less riders and didn’t fall off as much, reasonably pleased, could have done better for sure though. Then another transfer section to regroup and then onto the 6th and final test 16+ miles to the finish, again quite tough, some nice downhill’s and crossing hills, more low land sandy washes and arroyos. Again I rode this reasonable, 1 or 2 falls but the end was in sight so always makes it easier, was glad to see the checkered flag though.
After handing in score card each rider was presented with a nice finishers pin and offered a nice cold Tecate beer which was very welcome and deserved I think. At end overheard another rider talking to an official and he said he had seen the injured rider was taken away in a coma, since then read he had a heart attack and died later and had not crashed, it was just a coincidence he was on the bike, his time was up.
So loaded up and drove back to border where ended up waiting 2 ½ hours in queue to get to agent. After normal 3rd degree after they scanned my green card and it brought up namesake with outstanding warrants I got sent to secondary inspection when I told them I had apples in the van. Seems as though some fruits and vegetables you can’t bring into US even if bought them in US, my bananas where OK though. Maybe there are already too many bad apples in US?? So secondary inspection searched van for declared apples and could not find them (in all the mess admittedly) so I had to get them out so they could confiscate them and let me on my way.
Got back and had nice soak in hot bath and picked out cactus spikes from my legs and relaxed. Next morning I was feeling bit sore, legs, shoulders, left index finger blistered from using clutch so much, right index finger aching from using front brake so much and right thigh from lifting leg to use rear brake so much when sitting. Have not felt so sore after an event for quite a bit, and while this was not that tough, there was no point I even thought about quitting, it was nothing like the pounding of 2 days at Natterjack but it was relentless with around 4 hours of riding close to flat out with continual turn after turn, awesome. Next year it will probably not be run as an enduro but as hare scramble as in 2009 and previous years, apparently that course uses much of loop 3 trails so can’t wait to go back.
The top 20 riders were pretty much all factory supported, in my senior class Ty Davis won and Larry Roeseler 2nd, both former overall winners and in top 20 again. I ended up 35th in class of 79 senior/over 40 starters which was not great but this included many expert/pro sponsored riders and being in top 50% was more than I could have hoped for this year. I know my 3rd loop tests were better, if I had done similar times on first and second loops could have been higher up, I know better for next year and have something to aim for.
The bike performed great as always, maybe not the perfect bike with the continual tight turns but a good compromise, light enough for tight stuff but plenty of power in the deep sand and on the hill climbs. When I got bike out of the van at home found one of the fork seals leaking, must have got some sand up into it so need to have them rebuilt with new seals, will probably use this opportunity to have them revalved as while they are good they are not as good as the rear with Ohlins shock, nor as good as stock 2011 XC forks and can have revalve done with 2011 upgrades also.