I have combines these two days because they comprise a two day off road motorcycle training school. This all came about after I saw the movie,
Dust to Glory, earlier this year. This movie was about the Baja 1000 Motorcycle race held every November in Baja, Mexico.
It was very thrilling for me to watch and got me thinking (sometimes not so good). Anyhow, I envisioned myself racing across the desert. Now, before I could ever launch onto this adventure, I needed to
experience the demands for off road motorcycle riding. I have done quite alot of street riding, but this is no comparision. So, I enrolled in a two day school in SoCal, an area center to the core of
American dirt biking and desert riding. Now that the school is over and I can reflect on the experiences I had there, I can only say that to try to do the 1000 at my age and level of experience is foolhardy.
The owner of the school, Gary LaPlante, is about 55 years old and is an expert trail rider. He was competed in the 1000, but as part of a team. He said I could do it if I found 4-5 other riders to share the
effort. NOTE: It is the vehicle that needs to complete the race, and all riders/drivers share in the outcome. Anyhow, as an East Coaster, it seems difficult to put together a team. So maybe I will thing about
doing a solo in the Baja 500, a less taxing event by 1/2. I have time to plan, as I would not attempt anything before 2010 and I would need to find local dirt bikers and find out where they run in the WDC
area, and put together a training program. Let me tell you right off, it is a physically demanding activity.
Now on to the pictures taken by the mother of one of the other students. He was 12 years old and has been riding over 5 years...longer than I have, and was quite good, and has visions of being a Motocross
Racer---and is well on his way to reaching that dream.
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