Six Days of Baja 1999

Day One

 


Breakfast, day one. Eat hardy, men. It'll be a long time before you see food in a setting as civilized as this. 

020-778-461-19.jpg

535474

1824x1024


Tracy Smith wheels out his bike, dawn on day one. 

021-778-461-20.jpg

571310

1024x1824


022-778-461-21.jpg

659047

1024x1824

023-778-461-22.jpg

547701

1824x1024

The dreaded scale of death. I was severely overweight, but at least the penalty ($10 per pound) money went to a good cause. 

024-778-461-23.jpg

600768

1024x1824


025-778-461-24.jpg

563529

1824x1024

The gear bag trailer. You couldn't pay me enough to drive the two vehicle pulling this wide trailer down the narrow, pothole filled highways of Baja.

026-778-461-25.jpg

534126

1824x1024


First gas stop, day one. 

027-938-157-3.jpg

495216

1824x1024


028-938-157-4.jpg

650208

1824x1024

Tracy Smith re-jets Zan's bike, early on day one. Zan claims he brings Tracy along for the father-son bonding, but the rest of us suspect it's because Tracy can re-jet a bike 10 times faster than Zan can. 

029-938-157-5.jpg

808814

1824x1024


030-938-157-6.jpg

780025

1824x1024

031-938-157-7.jpg

532397

1824x1024

032-938-157-8.jpg

852300

1824x1024

033-938-157-9.jpg

726875

1824x1024

034-938-157-10.jpg

929432

1824x1024

A whole bunch of us ended up taking a wrong turn and ending up here. We waited until Mark rode back and found the route.

035-938-157-11.jpg

936685

1824x1024


We came across Pua and the rest of the Conga Line. Rocky had gone down hard. When we came up, his head was hanging down on his chest and a few of the guys were working hard on their thousand yard stares. 

036-938-157-12.jpg

844037

1824x1024


About the time things looked pretty grim, Rocky's head popped up and he was raring to go. He simply said, "just put me back on my bike."

037-938-157-13.jpg

766044

1024x1824


At the orphanage, lunch of day one. 

038-938-157-14.jpg

544166

1824x1024


039-938-157-15.jpg

479259

1824x1024

Unloading and distributing the toys from my backpack to the kids. I carry down a backpack full of little toys. I think buying them with my wife is almost as much fun as giving them out. Unfortunately, she misses out on the smiles and giggles. 

040-938-157-16.jpg

478217

1824x1024


The staffers at the orphanage. 

041-938-157-17.jpg

476485

1824x1024


Most of these kids come off the streets of Tijuana, so they haven't had much in the way of material goods in their lives. They really appreciate even the little things that I can fit in the backpack. 

042-938-157-18.jpg

491576

1824x1024


043-938-157-19.jpg

555101

1824x1024

A shoe / boot comparison. 

044-938-157-20.jpg

471735

1024x1824


045-938-157-21.jpg

473375

1824x1024

046-938-157-22.jpg

510063

1824x1024

047-938-157-23.jpg

473825

1824x1024

048-938-157-24.jpg

562084

1824x1024

049-938-157-25.jpg

467779

1824x1024

050-938-157-26.jpg

487722

1824x1024

051-938-157-27.jpg

492420

1824x1024

All the kids gathered for lunch. The kids live about a dozen to a house. They were running two houses this year. 

052-938-157-28.jpg

546803

1824x1024


Gassing up at the orphanage. 

053-938-157-29.jpg

443971

1024x1824


On to the second house after lunch. More toys, more kids, more smiles, more giggles. 

054-938-157-30.jpg

552968

1824x1024


055-938-157-55.jpg

572806

1824x1024

056-938-157-32.jpg

557570

1824x1024

057-938-157-33.jpg

563570

1824x1024

058-938-157-34.jpg

571434

1824x1024

059-938-157-35.jpg

514826

1824x1024

060-938-157-36.jpg

508365

1824x1024

The kids really enjoyed and took pride in showing off their rooms with their very own bed. 

061-938-157-37.jpg

486210

1824x1024


062-938-157-38.jpg

481750

1824x1024

MSA has contributed over $50,000 to the orphanage over the years. The riders really feel like they get to make a real difference in these kids' lives. 

064-938-157-40.jpg

456152

1824x1024


065-832-204-1.jpg

637075

1824x1024

066-832-204-2.jpg

692028

1824x1024

My first visit to Mike's Sky Ranch. 

067-832-204-3.jpg

501294

1824x1024


The famous pool at Mike's. Lots of bikes have gone swimming here. 

068-832-204-4.jpg

594810

1824x1024


The bar at Mike's. There's not one square inch in the entire place that's not covered by racing team stickers, sponsor decals, business cards, etc. 

069-832-204-5.jpg

624056

1824x1024


070-832-204-6.jpg

602471

1824x1024

071-832-204-7.jpg

559257

1824x1024

Jim Libby shows off his Mike's t-shirt while Russell relaxes. 

072-832-204-8.jpg

447107

1824x1024


The official Mike's jeep stands guard over the road leading up and out. Some very nice riding after Mike's. 

073-832-204-9.jpg

478586

1024x1824


074-832-204-10.jpg

485908

1024x1824

075-832-204-11.jpg

589887

1824x1024

076-832-204-12.jpg

570663

1824x1024

077-832-204-13.jpg

389501

1824x1024

078-832-204-14.jpg

337440

1824x1024

079-832-204-15.jpg

667204

1024x1824

080-832-204-16.jpg

589784

1824x1024

Bob waves hello on our way down to the beach. I rode sweep with Bob almost every day. 

081-832-204-17.jpg

637196

1824x1024


082-832-204-18.jpg

627816

1824x1024

Jimmy Sones, our intrepid flag warrior sitting guard over the beach entrance. 

083-832-204-19.jpg

534872

1024x1824


An abandoned ship along the beach. 

084-832-204-20.jpg

519066

1824x1024


085-832-204-21.jpg

488808

1824x1024

086-832-204-22.jpg

339788

1824x1024

John Lee washing his bike at a flower shop. He negotiated a great rate, but we couldn't talk the owner into posing for a picture with us. 

087-832-204-23.jpg

631596

1024x1824


088-832-204-24.jpg

639962

1024x1824

089-832-204-25.jpg

730749

1824x1024

Tracy Smith uses a little encouragement on his bent exhaust. 

090-832-204-26.jpg

849579

1024x1824


Wayne Martin trying to figure out why my bike sounded like it was going to explode any minute. It was knocking like crazy. The consensus opinion of all the old salts (with about 4,000 years of combined experience listening to thumpers) was to ride it until it broke. So I did. 

091-832-204-27.jpg

526317

1024x1824


092-832-204-28.jpg

515645

1824x1024

Many people ask, "how did Malcolm get started riding?" Right here. This is Malcolm and his childhood buddy. They grew up riding Cushman scooters. If you ever get a chance, don't miss hearing these "first days" stories from Malcolm. They are priceless. 

093-832-204-29.jpg

458487

1824x1024