Pre-running the Baja 1000 with the TTBXJ

[FatCity]

We originally built the TTBXJ with Baja in mind.
We wanted something we could leave the driveway, pre-run, camp, and party our way around the peninsula in comfortably and reliably.
Needless to say, I was excited for the up-coming Baja 1000 for a couple reasons. One, I was asked to drive Chad Broughton’s class 3000 Baja-Lite for half of the race, and two, we would finally get to put the TTBXJ to the test in the environment we intended it for.

Here's the short version of the trip with pics.


Photo from http://www.offroadxtreme.com/feature...xj/#fbComments


After prepping the Jeep for the last couple weeks leading up to our departure it was time to figure out how to pack it.
I’m no stranger to pre-running the Baja, but I’m used to doing it in my F150 pre-runner.
Jamming a weeks worth of camping gear, fridge, food, spare tire, tools, gas and water for two people proved to be harder than I thought, but after working through every scenario We were able to fit all ten pounds in to the tiny five pound package.



Day 1
We crossed the Tijuana border right as the sun came up.



We met our Colorado friends from BC Fabrication in San Felipe on Saturday afternoon. I pre-run the 1000 with these donkeys every year and you cant find a better crew for the Baja.
After lunch, beers, fireworks and shopping we made the decision to camp on the beach for the night and start our pre-run first thing Sunday morning.




We cooked dinner, lit fireworks, threw our cots out on the sand under some wore out Palapas and slept under the stars.
Lucky for us it rained all night…

 

[FatCity]

Day 2
We didn’t get much sleep the first night and most of us woke up with soaking wet sleeping bags. Its Baja though, so things could be worse….

Day two had us running north through the San Felipe whoops and then west through Valley de Trinidad and Indipendencia and finding camp near Tres Hermanos for the night.


Stumbled across a small Federali camp in the middle of nowhere. Not an unusual thing.
Nice guys. A quick inspection and a couple cervesas later we were on our way again.


We covered about 180 miles that day. The terrain is mostly rough roads and washes in the low desert.
Looking back from a high point you can see how expansive and rural the Baja is.




It was freezing cold the second the sun dropped behind the hills so we got the fire going asap. We made camp with dark clouds looming in the distance. This time we were smart enough to set up our tents…
It rained all night again.



We couldn’t have picked a better camp. We chopped fresh veggies for salsa, told lies, watched a few evening straggler’s finish their pre-run and heckled our good buddy John to get his guitar out.
One of the high-lights of the trip was John cranking out the Dead next to the crackling fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsJlMOhL6Us

 

[FatCity]

Day 3
We woke up to the sound of it still raining and occasionally snowing.
I made breakfast while my co-driver Jeff, wrapped up the tent and sleeping bags.

Breakfast seems to be about the only time we actually eat until we set camp in the evenings so I always like to go big.
Eggs, bacon and pancakes is pretty much the norm


Today we would run through the mountains and hills of Tres Hermanos and Urapan over to the pacific side and in to the small coastal town of Erendria The day started off wet and muddy. The course literally had water running down it in parts.


Muddy…..
We had one 2WD truck with us and the slick, slimy mud wasn’t going take it easy on him. It was hard enough in 4wd…


We made our way the next hundred miles, up over the Urapan hills, and over to the coast for our first taste of the Pacific side.



We ended the afternoon at Coyote Cals, a hostel in the small town of Erendria that caters to off-roaders and surfers passing through. For $15 you get a single bunk for the night and a pancake breakfast.



I've stayed at Cal's a half dozen or more times over the years and there is just nothing more relaxing than enjoying a fresh brew and the view out the front window.

 

[NorCalChris]

Awesome, glad you guys are documenting the vehicles use. I'm very interested in this vehicle. I dig it. Keep it up!

 

[FatCity]

Awesome, glad you guys are documenting the vehicles use. I'm very interested in this vehicle. I dig it. Keep it up!

I'll get the next couple days written today.
The TTBXJ did awesome. I thought it was too much work but after driving it to mexico, pre-running 800 brutal miles of Baja and driving it back, we couldn't be happier with it...

 

[NorCalChris]

That's phenomenal. I know it's been said before, but if you ever had interest in making another ttb set up, I'd be 100 percent interested in buying it. Thumbs up!

 

[jdzumwalt]

That looks like one bad ass trip. We usually stay in hotels but looks like you guys had fun.

 

[ashmanjeepxj]

Cool, thanks for sharing.