The race that would not die! Unfortunately cancelled due to loss of sponsorship
, the first race of the Baja Xtreme series was re-activated 
when racers flooded the organizers with emails of encouragement. Time (and lots of it by the eventual route) had been put into the planning and the loyal Xtremers wanted to race, even if the routes were just given as UTM co-ordinates and we had to provide our own maps.
That was not to be however, as the entire cast of organizers happily told everyone where to meet and provided great 11x17 maps.
The race was at San Jose de la Zorra (SJZ), which is a small Cumiai Indian community about 12 Km from the Pacific Ocean and 8 Km from Mexican Hwy 3 (which links Ensenada and Tecate). The distance from those main roads to SJZ is as the crow flies, it takes about an hour and a half to drive there the short route from Hwy 3. The remoteness of this community was indicative of the remoteness of the race.
The winning team had a time of 7 hours 56 minutes, most teams finished within 8 hours 10 minutes, and we covered ONLY 26 miles (18 on the bike and 8 on the trek). Do the math, it was kind of slow. But from a racer perspective it was haul-butt all the time.
We started at 10:30 AM with a mass bike start (I estimate about 40 racers, from 2 person to 4 person teams, no solos allowed). The pace was pretty quick for the first 2-3 KM, which was kind of flat. Then we had 2-3 more KM of somewhat steep uphill on a rough old road (not single-track, but no fire road either) to CP1. The race then became interesting very fast. The map showed the road continuing for a little over 2 KM, but it seemed to run out after 200 m at an abandoned house. Our team opted left around the house (because the building and road did show on the map), but other teams spied a road in the distance to the right. The race was on.
We followed old trails in about the direction of the road on the map, went around the hill toward CP2 and saw those who had taken the trail over the hill were ahead of us. Teams were still pretty close together as we rode downhill to CP3. Locating CP3 was difficult because we got there before the workers (though they were only 2-3 minutes behind, honking their horn as they came over a ridge – it was actually quite funny as 4 teams were waiting for them). Did I mention the name if the race became Baja Xtreme 8 Hour “Informal”. This was part of the informality.
From CP3 to CP4 we communed with nature, as you could not avoid the cow dung on the trails, and the alternative was head-high bushes which seemed prickly. But it was an interesting ride down a dry stream, past the decaying cow and through the barbed wire fences (we did close the gates behind us).
From CP4 we did get to ride on a real gravel road most of the way to CP5. But after CP5 the roads dwindled. It was like the cartographer had a pen with the ink running out. We went from the dirt road to jeep trail, to single track, to cow trail, to make-your-own bike trail through the pasture, to find a way through the shin-high brush (yes it scratched) to how can I get around the cactus, across the arroyos and up the hill easiest. Total distance from CP5 to CP6 was maybe 5 KM (just 3 miles). Most of it was hike-a-bike, the elevation gain was 1100 ft to cross the pass and 300 ft down the other side. The sun was out, it was about 12:30 in the afternoon with the pass clearly visible, but it was “up there”.
There were 4-6 teams all in sight of each other. Each had their own idea of the better route. One team would get ahead as it hit a clearing, to be soon passed as they hit a creek crossing (read 6 ft bank to climb down and 8 ft bank to climb up – always more up than down). Our team had Kristine and Juan navigating and their decision was to stay high, out of the thick growth in the streams. It helped for the first 20 minutes, then Kristine spotted a trail high up the hill, almost too far up the hill, but there were horse shoe marks going there so we figured it was a good trail to follow. I’m guessing we gained 100 m elevation on the other teams and then we saw old bicycle tracks (like maybe a week old, like maybe the organizers were this way last weekend – Wahoo, we found the trail). If it was at night or high brush, where the others could not see us, I’m telling you, we would have put 30-40 minutes on the other teams, heck we even got to ride the bike across the face of the hill at one stage. But alas, the other teams saw this and headed our way. By the time we had gone through CP6 and on to the transition we were reeled in.
The trek section was now going to be done in reverse sequence (CP10, 9, 8, 7), we later saw the wisdom in this as it would have taken hours longer the other way.
From the transition we had an almost vertical trek up a peek, with 1300 ft of elevation gain in 1 mile (actually 1.8 KM). But our international team (Elaine from the USA, Kristine from Canada, Juan from Mexico and Barrie from New Zealand), was strong on the hike and we caught the teams in front of us by the time we reached CP9 (at the very top of the peak no less). From there we had a trek down a long ridge, almost 5 KM to CP7. The trek started fast as we were in a wild-fire burnt area, so while we got dirty from the blackened branches, we made good progress the first 1 KM. Then we hit the brush, scrub, bushwhack area, call it what you want. We were fortunate for the first 800 m as we found a cow trail which had us moving at a good pace, but somewhere the trail just disappeared.
Kristine had a good strategy since we were on a 100 m wide ridge. The strategy was to keep heading downhill but work our way left to right across the ridge to try and find a trail. Alas, no trail !
In the meanwhile teams behind us were catching up. The 3 lead teams did their own thing for almost a KM, but we could hear each other and every so often we would cross trails, use their trail, then go off our own way. But maybe an hour later, having traveled possibly 1 extra KM, and still only half way to the last CP we had 5 teams together. So we became one team temporarily. We worked together blazing a trail (at a snails pace of course), and comparing ideas of exactly where we were. When we exited the dense brush to something waist height, we took compass bearings to fix our position. It was kind of depressing as we could see how slow we were going. A group decision was to go downhill to a river trail and get the CP that way. As we were going downhill the CP crew signaled us and we popped out at CP7. GPS later showed the CP to be at an “informal” location, but it all worked out well and those who ran from CP7 to the finish line were declared the winners. Those of us who walked and talked got to know people better and we were only 1 beer behind when all said and done.
An informal celebration was held around the campfire and everyone told stories about how they got lost on the hike-a-bike and walked in circles in the brush. There was a great exchange of ideas for the newer navigators, about what to look for and I thought it turned out to be a really good educational race.
If you ever have the opportunity to race any of the Baja Xtreme races I strongly recommend them. In an 8 hour race you will learn as much as you will in a 24 hour race (except maybe sleep depravation). Plus you have the freedom of true bushwhacking. You will need navigation skills as trails disappear, and you will get one heck of a workout in a short distance. The races are physically challenging, but if you pace yourself they are loads of fun and the group of people who show up at the Baja Xtreme races will make you feel like part of the family (which you will be after 2 races).
Muchas gracias a la familia de Rosquillas por la raza de San Jose de la Zorra – Informal.
To plug the next Baja Xtreme race, it is part of the Explore the West series and will be Baja Xtreme 24 on August 5-6.
If you want a warm-up to that, then join me at La Bufadora (the southern side of Ensenada Bay) on July 30, for the first of what we hope will become an educational event at Bahia Papalote. July 29 we will have a camp-out and some classes on navigation and kayak skills. Then Sunday July 30 we will have a short 3-4 hour Mini AR event. In future years we have plans to have a “family” race prior to the Mini race. Our family race will be adult and children using a map, like a normal trek or orienteering section, where the CP’s will require identification of plants, sea life and other ecology teachings. The July race is made possible by the folks at Rancho Bufadora, and will involve trek, bike and kayak. Best part is, its FREE ! We will post more in the coming weeks, or email (reply) to me.
Saludos
Barrie
