Love this video from Dana Brown about riding Baja.
Maybe someday I'll get to ride down there with a few of my favorite women riders like Carla King and @advgoddess !
Dakar Rally 2015
(Pic: http://www.dakar
If you've never heard of the Dakar Rally, you just might want to change your mind about that.
It doesn't matter what kind of motorcycle you ride, whether it's on or off road. It's virtually impossible to watch the Dakar Rally and not be amazed at how well these riders master their machines. As well as the desert, sand and anything else in their way.
The beauty of the Dakar Rally isn't just the enduro motorcycle racing (mainly KTMs, Husqvarnas, Hondas, etc.) aspect. But the cars and trucks that also join in on the fun. Not just pickup trucks, but HUGE trucks! The rally is a 9,000km race that goes through three countries on all these different vehicles and it's an insane adventure from start to finish.
If you have access to NBC Sports Channel (we have it on the HD digital channels with Xfinity), they'll be broadcasting a 30 minute highlight every day between the 4th and 17th. If you have an Apple TV, then you have access to the Redbull TV Channel! They'll be uploading videos starting today, although I haven't seen it as of yet. I suspect they will be uploading videos tonight. I'm sure there are hours and hours of footage for them to get through.
RedBullTV: http://www.redbull.com/us/en/motorsports/offroad/events/1331640348182/dakar-2015-rally
Route: http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2015/us/route.html
PS, the redbull channel on the apple tv is SO much fun. Lots of extreme sport/racing action, everything from ice racing to climbing to supercross/enduro racing. good stuff!
Mary McGee, Desert and Road Racer
You may not know who Mary McGee is, but soon enough you will find out how she started racing sports cars in the late 50s, motorcycles in the 60s, up to the point where she meets Steve McQueen and gets roped into racing motorcycles in the desert!
I'm pleased to announce that I'll be putting together a little website for Mary so everyone can read her story and see how she made history racing motorcycles, and along with other women sports cars in the Southwest.
She was also the first and Only woman to hold an AFM racing license until '63 or '64, which led to her racing not only motorcycles but cars and trucks in the desert!
In the meantime, check out this pic of her (#102) and a few friends being the first group of motorcycles to race down the corkscrew right after it was built.
Ride Report, SF to Hawthorne, NV the Long Way Over
Last weekend I ventured out to Hawthorne, NV as part of an annual pilgrimage with my friends from B.A.R.F. This was my first time going out to the desert and although I had a great time with my friends, the longest ride I've ever done in a day wrecked my back.
My friend Kurt routed this for us and it was certainly an incredible way to get there, instead of the boring highway routes.
Unfortunately I only had my iPhone with me so I wasn't able to take any good pics of the roads worth mentioning (I did manage to get a few random shots in my Instagram Feed here). The best part was the chunk from Valley Springs through the Sierras to 395. Here are the ones you should check out if you're headed East:
- Jesus Maria Road from C to D (goaty, no dirt but nice short twisties)
- N South Road to Mormon Emigran Trail up and over 88 (also goaty, no dirt and nice twisties)
- Highway 89 Monitor Pass (perfect, twisty, amazingly paved to 395) See my ride report from last year to see pics from this road.
The total miles for me from SF that day was a painful 412 miles. A painful, personal best. But worth every inch of pain to hang out with my motorcycle family. Next year I pray that I'll have a dual sport or dirtbike to trailer out. There were some incredible dirt roads out that way...
Huge thanks to Kriega for letting me use their universal fit packs for this trip. And to BMW Motorcycles of San Francisco for having them in stock! For more info about these packs, click here.
I also went the fastest I've ever ridden in a straight line wearing my Schuberth helmet. Once again, it impressed me with it's wind resistance and comfort at 80+mph.
