Is it bad form to copy and paste from a RR? Mods can delete this, if so. Ive never posted in this section, although I've a had a few trip-ending crashes (this is my third in less than 3 years). I'm bored as hell sitting at home, so here's the big post from my Baja RR... (the story was pretty interesting) Today, the plan was to get gas at the first location and do some more of the E32 off-road routes, because I was still too far away from any of MV's routes. Going south on MX1, the first Pemex said they had no gas. The second said the same thing, which I thought was kind of odd. I also noticed there was a lot of weird stuff in the middle of the road, like cinder blocks and tree limbs and car tires. So, a little further down the road, I see a lot of people- well over 100, and they were all over the street. I slowed down and couldn't figure out what was happening... was it a holiday? People were cheering and yelling- this was a weird reception for a guy on a loaded-up dirtbike. Wait, some of these folks don't look too happy. So, I kept going, and cut away to the beach for a pic... No sand, only rocks. Back on MX1, I passed another closed Pemex and some more mobs of people, and it seemed the further south I went, the angrier they looked. Plus, a lot of them were wearing bandanas and carrying big sticks. There were many parts of MX1 that were totally blocked by fires, trees, flaming tires, cars parked sideways, and people. It felt a little Mad Max-ish. Luckily, on big chunks of MX1, there's a dirt or sand road that runs parallel, so it wasn't too hard for me to get around. But, cars and trucks were screwed. I came upon two cops who were nowhere near the mobs and asked them what was going on. They seemed to think that all the workers were rebelling in protest for higher wages. I asked if this was normal, and they laughed and said "no". And, "good luck". They wanted nothing to do with it, which was probably smart. I passed a few more Pemex that were closed, and some of the mob scenes were pretty unruly. Like, people were acting like they would jump in front of me, or were going to throw things at me. And, some were blocking the side trails to force me up on the main road where I'd have to slow to 1 mph to squeak through. The mobs were happening at every "big intersection", so that meant roughly every mile or so. Trying to navigate through one of them, I realized they laid some barbed wire down, which really pissed me off (I was able to loft the front, but wasn't sure if my rear was safe). I made sure to throw a roost when I got to the dirt that time. After passing probably 10 closed Pemex stations and about as many small riots, I got to one where there were just Too. Many. People. They had the side road blocked and swarmed around me (literally, all the way around). I killed my engine, and was trying to play dumb/nice (since, I really wasn't the bad guy, anyway). There was a guy who spoke enough english to be able to tell me that the crowds further south were going to beat me down if I tried to pass (and he mimed this with an actual stick). They said I couldn't go through and had to turn around!. I tried to talk my way through, but I was also wondering how much worse this was going to get. And, where the hell is there GAS? Rather than piss this crowd off any more, I retreated and went back to a closed Pemex to regroup and get some shade. Someone hanging out there said this could easily go on for 3 or more days. WTF? I was anxiously trying to read my GPS, but there were no side roads that would take me anywhere that seemed like it might have gas. Plus, what did I know? I was clueless. I texted my gf and told her what was happening, and in retrospect, that was a bad idea (it just made her worry). So, an older guy on an XR600 rolls up and speaks no english. He was talking to the group of guys hanging out, and then tells me to put on my helmet and follow him. I tried to explain that I wanted to go SUR, because I came from el norte, and there's no gas up there. He was checking out my bike, and was trying to rush me to follow him. I wanted to, but kept thinking... what if he's taking me down a road where his buddies are going to take my bike? Then, I figured (based on his appearance) I could easily outrun him, if necessary. So, I followed him for a while, and he led me past all the angry mobs on side trails (I guess I could have figured that out via my GPS, but he stopped a few times to talk to locals- I think he was asking how much further we'd have to go). So, we eventually get back on the asphalt and there's a Pemex ahead. He asks if I'll buy him gas for helping me, and I said "yeah, if they have any". They didn't. So, he just wanted money. I had like 15 pesos (coins) and my smallest bill was a 100. He wanted that, but I said that was too much. He wanted 50, so I asked what was in his wallet, and his smallest bill was also a 100, haha. I told him to go ask some kids for change, but no one had any, so I gave him the coins and he left. A Canadian fellow on a bicycle rolled up and we started talking. He said there was a "bigger" town called Rosario about 60 miles south, and I figured I had enough gas to make it. If not, what else was I going to do? It wasn't just Pemex that were closed... so were all the Oxxo stores and every non-mom and pop shop. I got to Rosario, and they had gas! I filled up, got some grub, and headed for the E32 trails. After a few miles, I was here... Now, I have ridden plenty of sand (or, so I'd thought). I've ridden on beaches and in the NJ Pine Barrens aplenty. But, I had a real tough time with this sand. At times, if I'd stop, I'd sink. I know... don't stop. Easier said than done, especially where there are lots of tiring whoops and it is in the 90's. This happened... I dug it out, and not a couple minutes later, this happened... At this point, I was REAL hot and frustrated. Looking ahead, all I could see were whoops and possibly more of this super-soft sand. In a rare move, I decided to turn around. I needed a breather, and couldn't get my bike to stand upright anywhere, so I parked it here... It almost got stuck, but I got it out... I was about to lose my mind if I had to dig it out again. So, I'm heading back and I make it through the whoops ok, and get to a dirt section. Nothing tough, so I'm cruising along... all of a sudden, I must have hit something slightly under the surface because my bike did a perfect 180. That wouldn't seem like a big deal, but as I was falling, my foot got caught under the bike and in a twisting motion, I felt it break. (It's turning my stomach to type this.) This was the second time on this trip I'd wished I was wearing my SG-10s instead of my Toucans. When I hit the ground, the first thing I thought was- shit, my trip's over! Then I realized I needed to hit SOS on my Delorme InReach. Thankfully, it was on my backpack, and not on my bike, because I couldn't move- my leg was just hanging, loose. I just bought this thing, and wasn't prepared for this, but I was able to press SOS. New problem- a prompt came up on the screen and I COULDN'T READ IT! It was a combo of the bright sun and me being in shock... I couldn't focus on anything. I hit SOS a few more times and heard some noise, but wasn't sure if the message was even sent. Eventually, I was able to position the thing (and my eyesight cleared enough) so I could see the message. It was asking if I was sure I wanted to send a 911. Umm, YES! A little time went by and I got a message that my coordinates were sent to a local rescue team, and help would be dispatched. I laid there in almost the exact same position as when I hit the ground, except I tried to position my bad leg so it was supported by my good leg. I was on my side and the trail was pretty lumpy- there was stuff poking into me that hurt like hell, but I just couldn't move. I was covered in dirt. My bike happened to be on an angle where all the gas was running out of the tank vent- I didn't care about losing the gas, but I didn't want to be soaked in it. Luckily, I was just far enough away, but after a couple hours, I started hallucinating. Not like I was on 'shrooms, but my mind was playing serious tricks on me. I kept thinking I was hearing a vehicle (I wasn't), or that I could see something (I couldn't). I was thinking maybe the gas fumes were messing with my brain, but I'm not sure. Most of the time, I kept my face down to avoid the sun and the bugs. Oh yeah, swarms of bugs. 4:35pm (2.5 hours after the crash) I asked When is help coming? [Note: I am looking at the Delorme for the first time since this happened, so I'm seeing the actual timestamps.] 4:45pm they replied that the local team could not say how long it would take. 5:28pm I asked, did they confirm someone is coming? 5:54pm I asked, What is happening 6:06pm they replied, Search and Rescue has advised that they've had trouble responding due to protests blocking the street 6:17pm they said, They advised that a different agency is en route now with an ambulance from an area not affected by the protests I couldn't muster a response. This was the longest 4 and a half hours of my life. My water ran out about 2 hours earlier (of course), and the sun was going down. It was starting to get a little cooler and I was wondering if anyone was ever coming. I won't lie... the thought crossed my mind many times- if no one comes, how long will I last? About 15 minutes later, a Policia 4X4 rolled up with some EMTs in the bed! Wohoo! They went through the normal questions and asked if I was thirsty (heh, did I look it). While they were removing my boot, I blacked-out. Felt like I was out for an hour, because I was having weird dreams, but when I came to, no one said anything. So, I think I was only out for a couple seconds. They wanted to cut my Badlands pants, and I begged them not to, but finally gave in. (Mine already had a few holes in them, anyway.) They loaded me into the back seat of the 4X4 (thankfully, it was a 4-dr), and the paramedics rode in the bed. The splint was just a thin piece of foam, so it didn't do much over the whoops.:eek1 In a little while, we reached the ambulance. Turns out, the police didn't know how to read GPS coordinates so that slowed things down. Then, the EMTs showed them where I was on a map, and the ambulance went as far as it could make it. Then, they had to call the police truck to go the last mile or so. The policemen went back for my bike with the truck, and the ambulance took me to a local hospital in the closest town (El Rosario). A doctor who spoke english got into the ambulance and said they had no X-Ray tech due to the strike, but she could give me a 'strong' painkiller shot. I asked what it was, and she said there wasn't an english translation for it. Heh, seriously? This doesn't seem like a good idea... being in a third-world country during a riot- immobilized and whacked-out on narcotics. I decided to remain in pain, so I could keep a clear head. Funny thing is, she really wanted to give me the shot (which made me want it even less). The EMT driver was great- this was a business that he owned, and it was non-profit, and he really wanted to help people. He spoke english, which was comforting. He said we had two options... try Ensenada about 6 hours away, but they may not have X-Rays, either. Or, go to the border. I voted for the USA. We went for some hot dogs, and then he had to have a talk with me. Apparently, he'd already had trouble with the riots earlier today- he was stopped a few times, and one crowd took all his bottled water (WTF?). He was really worried we might not make it. He suggested they give me a fake IV in my hand and a fake Oxygen tube in my nose. I said fine. So, the crowds were even worse at night than they were during the day (I imagine quite a bit of alcohol had been consumed). We had to get through about 15 of them... we had rocks thrown at us, and people were shaking the ambulance. At two different stops, they opened the back door to the ambulance! I tried to look like I was dying (which wasn't hard, haha). When we had to use the dirt side roads to get through the mobs, on two separate occasions, my whole body flew off the gurney- like a couple inches in the air! Roughest ambulance ride, ever. Around 2am, we arrived at the border. So, this is 12 hours after my crash. The US agents were real bad-ass guys... treated me like I was a drug dealer and tore through everything in my bag. When they realized I was an innocent guy who was actually on a bike ride, they totally changed. They were asking about the bike, and the Delorme (dug through my bag and got it out). Funny how nice they became. The EMT driver called 911 for a US ambulance to pick me up. He happens to manage the best hotel in El Rosario (Baja Cactus) and he manages the Pemex which is next door. AND, he's the fire chief, which is also volunteer (like the EMT squad). He said he would store my bike at the hotel until I could make arrangements for it... what a nice guy! I don't know how he manages all this stuff, seeing as how he wasted half a day transporting me to the border. Being that his EMT service is non-profit, they ask patients to cover all costs (gas and supplies), so I had to pay him $500 US. That was like $5 for the splint, $2 for the gauze, and $493 for gas (to the border and back- about 400 miles?). I knew I was paying a little extra, but thought it was fair. I got checked into a hospital in Chula Vista around 4am (which was waay nicer than any hospital I've seen in NYC, btw). Turns out, the break was worse than I knew... I broke the tibia in a couple places and the fibula in a couple places. The crazy thing is... no cast! I got a rod and 3 nails. Sorry for the long post, but I figured it was a story worth telling. I probably could've written it better if I took my time, but I'm checking out of my motel tomorrow and heading to a friend's house in LA. My foot is swollen like a melon, and I need to get to bed. Unfortunately, my helmet cam is still on my helmet, which is in El Rosario. I can't wait to see the pics of the crowds. It will probably take weeks for me to get it, but I'll post them when he mails it to me.
Quite an adventure from start to finish. I was just wondering if I was going to renew my SPOT locator this year....and after your story - HELL to the yes. Glad it all turned out well for you.... Now the fun part starts - the itching to get back on the bike part.
Jesus Christo! Every time I think I want to go to Mex for the first time, I read about something like this. Glad to hear it came together for you.
When I rode from Mexicali-Cabo back to Mexicali last year I wondered what would happen if I hit the SOS button on my Inreach.I am sorry you had to find out the hard way.Hope your leg heals up with out any permanent problems.But you did your fellow riders a service by telling us that the Inreach might actually work in Baja.I have helped an injured person in Baja before.There isnt much of a medical system down there.The smaller towns have clinics run by the Red Cross that are all volunteer& some towns dont have anything.After hearing that they legally require insurence on motorcycles down there I got insurence with air evac.But you will still have to depend on the locals as first responders.Its best not to ride alone but sometimes you do it for your soul.If you get bored and want to talk about Baja on the phone send me a pm.
Riveting story. Glad you are now all patched up and on the road to recovery. Love the pics and writing. What an adventure story. Love to do a ride with you someday. You seem like an interesting feller.
I would second that comment and thanks again for the story....I have been considering a Spot and or similar device and you have nailed it for me. I will be picking one up tomorrow. Much thanks and I hope you are feeling much better! Grant
You were in good hands.. let this be a reminder when in baja and you have second thoughts or dont have a second rider dont go forward go back and regroup. REALLY Glad you are ok.. I may be able to get your bike and stuff after the NORRA 1000 up here to the states. Pm me if you think you may need help.
Thanks, all. The healin' part is incredibly boring (and painful). I think I'm driving my gf nuts laying around all day.
Nothing is spookier than a large mob of angry people blocking the road. Glad you made it back in (mostly) one piece!
Madre de dios, now that's an adventure! I hope the protestors do get the higher wages they seem to be protesting for, and that your leg heals up sound. Good to know that there is some kind of medical response out there in the sticks in Baja, even if it is slow.
Had a similar break to yours out in the boonies with a 3hr wait for ambulance and 4hr uncomfortable drive to hospital. Like you I couldn't move much and the pain was pretty unfriendly, so I can really empathise with your story - your a tough cookie for sure - Glad it all worked out for ya.
The workers in Mexico should be paid better, their system SUCKS. I am by no means a communist, but having the ruling class get super rich by stealing all the money while workers live in poverty is just so wrong. Mexico has a lot of natural resources, and the people work hard, they should be protesting and demanding better ! Although harassing an ambulance with a patient is just shitty, its a shame the criminal element always takes advantage of situations like this. One thing that does catch my attention in your ride report. " I've a had a few trip-ending crashes (this is my third in less than 3 years). " You need to be MUCH MORE CAREFUL while riding. There are guys that ride all over the world, constantly, year after year, and don't crash. I have not been down in over 20 years. Not because I am some great rider with magical skills, but because I am very careful, and do not take risks. There are many times I just say " NO " to a trail or hill, and turn around... Knowing what not to attempt is just as important as knowing how to ride. I know there is some luck involved, any rider can go down at any time, I am very aware of that... BUT trip ending crashes 3 times in 3 years is no longer luck, its a pattern, and tells me you are not being careful. We all know the type that are going to crash and hurt themselves badly, easy to spot, and everyone knows it, and the bad rider is always in denial about it, swearing everyone else is wrong.... I am not trying to rag on you while you are down, I am trying to help you avoid this from happening again. LEARN from this, take less risks, slow down, and you will enjoy your riding a lot more. Mike
Yeah, that has me thinking a lot... I didn't feel like I was taking much risk at the time, though. That's the part I'm having trouble comprehending. There are some times when I get myself into a spot that I realize I shouldn't be in. Or, if I'm in a big group ride (like the Hammer Run in NJ), sometimes I find myself going faster than I should. But, all 3 crashes weren't like that. Each of those crashes, I was probably doing 30ish mph in terrain that wasn't "difficult". I pretty much agree with you, but I'm having a tough time wrapping my head around this. If I knew I was going too fast, this would make a lot more sense... obviously, slow down. But, my crashes haven't been like that. And, I know when I'm tired I make stupid mistakes. I'm not sure how much of a factor that has been (one of the crashes was pretty early in the ride). Anyway, duly noted. My family is all over me about this crash.
Glad you are "OK" if broken bones can be considered as such. Nothing sucks worse than landing and realizing your leg isn't in a natural shape, and you are not getting up. I learned that the hard way. With me, it was 5 weeks in traction and 8 hours on the table. I am however puzzled by why the EMT did not think Ensenada would have an X-Ray. If you are going to have trouble in Mexico, especially in Baja, Ensenada is one of your top picks for help. Tens of thousands of Americans visit there every week, there are a dozen hospitals, 3 Walmarts, etc. It's about as California as you get in Baja. Perhaps he thought the facilities would be too crowded? They normally bend over backwards for Americans. Americans are a huge part of the economy of Ensenada. Tourism is their #1 industry.
According to the doctor I spoke to in El Rosario, there were no X-Ray techs working in Ensenada due to the strikes/riots. This was the first day of the madness (and, from what I heard, first time in MX history). Bad timing for me. I thought I just needed a cast, but since I needed surgery, I'm glad we went to the US.
thank you very much for posting this in such an honest and matter of fact mannner .... hope you heal well ! some riders would have heeded the warning signs (ie closed gas stations, angry demonstrators, forced detours, getting stuck twice before, starting to feel tired, etc etc ) and stopped riding long before you did. checking into a motel and getting some drink/food and waiting this out and thinking more clearly is not a bad thing ....
Glad you're better. A couple points- when I shattered 6 ribs in Baja, the doc in Ensenada took the x-ray and told me there were no breaks. (And, he was a doctor- not a tech) When I said what about here- and pointed to the splinters that I could see on the film from my bed, he said- let me check with the radiologist. Came back and said- yeah one break. At home, same film, my doc counted 6 fractures. Another thing- Baja has some fucked up terrain. When I broke my ribs, I never saw the rock I hit. I went over the bars at about 60, bike landed on top of me. I had a very similar experience a few days before that where I almost went over the bars. Tacoed and split the rim on my 530. A bunch of riders from Team Honda were seriously injured in the same location where I crashed and broke ribs. There was a guy- can't remember his name now, who came onto the crash scene and said he was there to mark that very spot. What's my point? I don't know. Don't beat up on yourself- become a better rider. And, shit will still happen!