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Baja 500
- Thread starter E.Hagle
- Start date
This was yesterday coming down from Mexicali in that desert. Check out the temperature and everyone should know where this is. The bottom is approaching the Military check point and Hwy 3 and the other is by the Mine. 105 at the Mine and 104 by the Military. Bike riders better start hydrating now until race day.
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jon coleman
in n out.double double w cheese
3 pm,^, how is temps rest of the day?, a dry 105° at 3 pm aint bad, it'll still weed out the out of shape guys, but its manageable
B.HAGLE
Well-Known Member
That's a crappy reason to not run across the mountains and back to the pacific.
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icons-gps
Active Member
How long does it take motorcycles to travel 140 miles?
They start the race at 4am.
The saldaña is just Rm140
They start the race at 4am.
The saldaña is just Rm140
JDDurfey
Well-Known Member
I would estimate 3 hours for the fast guys and 4-5 hours for the slower guys. So they should be through there before it gets extremely hot.
B.HAGLE
Well-Known Member
What do you think is tougher... being on a bike or driving a buggy through there in a fire suit and sealed helmet? I've done both. I think the bike might be tougher.
JDDurfey
Well-Known Member
A bike is definitely tougher. It has been a few years since I raced or rode through there, but the sand and rocks were pretty tough when I did it last. While sitting in a car gets hot, it doesn't tax the body as much as the bike does.
There are a lot more overweight car and truck drivers than bike guys. That simple example tells me which is more difficult.
Edit: I pre-ran the Summit section for the 05 B1000 with a first time Baja racer who was a team mate. He was on a XR 650 and I was on my KX 500. I let him lead and I caught up to him after the lake bed and he was slumped over the bars. I asked what was wrong and he responded with "this is the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life" He was a 6 time Ironman Triathlon finisher and one of the most in-shape guys I'd ever met. But when it came to riding in Baja and all it entails, he was beat! I took him to the coast the next day and he did much better, and even though it would be night during the race, that's the section he raced. He was perfectly happy with 50 miles over there instead of the 100 miles in the desert.
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jon coleman
in n out.double double w cheese
im still recuperating from 50 miles of the d38 sand blast race, & that was fluffy easy Superstition mountain sand, cars are Waaay easier, just un zipp fire suit, grab plastic water bottle, dump, cool , drive on, bikes?, fugetaboutit
Robin Hood
Well-Known Member
You need to train in the heat if you are going to race or pit in the heat. Going from a desk job to the desert doesn't work to well.
jon coleman
in n out.double double w cheese
its all about training your body to stay cool for extended periods, not just muscle conditioning, after 2 west pacs on a carrier, it took about 2 - 3 weeks to really ' get in the groove' of sweating yo a$$ off for 16 hours straight, i would trane by driving around in a hoody, windows up, heater full blast, a good two weeks of that & mx riding, racing cars was EZ gravey
JDDurfey
Well-Known Member
x100 on the "one get-off" part. Even if you stall the bike and have to kick start it can be brutal in the blazing heat. Most have the E button these days, but picking yourself up, then picking up a 650, and restarting it takes a lot of energy that should have been used getting down the course.
Riding smart is the name of the game in the heat. Slow down and don't make mistakes. Mistakes are costly in time and energy. I caught a guy near Borrego that I was quite a bit faster than, he changed lines right in front of me and I blew a turn avoiding a collision and tipped over. By the time I got up and going again it took me 10 plus miles to catch the guy again. I wasted a ton of energy too.
B.HAGLE
Well-Known Member
DESK TO DEZ IS MY JAM
michael.gonzalez
Well-Known Member
+1
6.5 mile hikes in 90F weather is all I can expose myself too for now. Need to go back to my hometown of 120F lol
jon coleman
in n out.double double w cheese
hmmm, sounds like a new class, the a/c- cool office only class, must nEvEr sweat before a race
michael.gonzalez
Well-Known Member
I think they call them… “country clubbers”
What you from my hood?
nimrod
KOOK!
I’m not from that area. I went where the company sent me. I built bridges, flood control channels, waste and water treatment plants all over So-Cal.
EasyE
Well-Known Member
the 200 drivers and co-drivers racing the Ens-SF race 3 weeks after the B500 are laughing at all the gringos complaining about the heat in SF. LOL