Biltwell 100

Apr 30, 2021

We were barreling down highway 395, a stretch of road I’ve spent more hours on than I care to remember, but that’s a given as it’s a gateway from Los Angeles to the high deserts of the Mojave, my home away from home. The van was loaded with my 1996 CR500, a bunch of tools, and a few basic camping supplies. She was humming along at 75mph with the site of a 100 mile race firmly set in her sights. We were headed to a stretch of tumbleweeds outside the town of Ridgecrest, CA, a land of rocks and sand that has seen more than her fair share of races over the past sixty odd years. Not being the first race out there only added to the mystique of the place and was bound to fuel the stories passed along by the campfire. Racing history wasn’t the only history that ran deep in these parts, the tales of the frontier and ghosts of those hosts were hidden in the myriad of collapsed mining shafts and abandoned mining camps that littered the valley for miles around.

There is something about the smell of desert air and an unobstructed horizon that just fosters a sense of freedom. Motorcycles, gasoline, and camping only reinforces that buzz. That's what this is all about and the crew over at Biltwell got all that right. This being their first go at putting on a desert race, they invited a few hundred of their closest pals, strung together a 25 mile race loop, and dropped the start banner at 10am-ish.

But I’m getting ahead of myself… We pulled up amongst the other vans, trailers and tents late Friday afternoon and got straight to dusting the cobwebs off my 1996 CR500, nicknamed the ‘Kamikaze’. A particularly temperamental beast, born as a 500cc two stroke motocross machine, that over a heavy investment of time and elbow grease, I have slowly massaged and made into a real desert weapon. Sure, I could have brought out the newer desert race machine, but hey…this is the inaugural Biltwell 100 and there was the craziest collection of vintage bikes, street bikes, Harley Davidsons, adventure bikes, and even a few pull start mini bikes here to compete, not to mention an equal part of characters that owned them. This was going to be an event that is much more about good times than lap times! After a few hot laps around camp, shaking down the bike and making a few tweaks here and there, the ‘Kamikaze’ was as good as it was going to get and we were ready to stretch the throttle cable in the morning and try to survive the 100 mile event.

With the sun setting the campfire became the brightest light around and people came in like moths. Each arrival accompanied by the sound of the ice chest opening followed by the spit as a can of ice-cold Gilly’s Lager was cracked. Everyone's favorite storyteller and photographer, Mr. Mounce Smith busted out some of Baja California’s finest oysters and got too shucking. We all imbibed a little race fuel for the body, the syrupy conversation that ebbed and flowed and was perfect for our minds and more than a side full of laughs that always goes well for the soul. A look around revealed a lot of familiar faces lined about but there was also more than a few new and even a dog or two.

We woke to the sound of machines and the intoxicating smell of bacon by the campfire. I laced up my favorite pair of boots, grabbed my Bell brain bucket and rolled the ‘Kamikaze’ over to the riders meeting. I have been racing in the desert since I was 11 years old, so this was a familiar sight. 150+ racers huddled around as Mr. Biltwell himself gave the welcoming hellos, do’s and don’ts. For nearly half of the racers this was their first time lining up 50 wide on a bomb run, and boy was it about to get dusty…

With the drop of the start band, we took off, I ate the roost of about 10 bikes in front of me as I blindly worked my way through the pack. Hooting and hollering as I passed my buddies and pals, working my way towards the front. Race mile 3, race mile 6, a little back and forth with the number 2 place rider. Race mile 8 went by and I had the leader in my sights, clicked the Kamikaze into high gear and I was right on his tail, when disaster struck… The bike lost power and seized. Boy, what a drag.

I now had a front seat view and watched the entire pack of racers pass me by on the back 40. Was I bummed? Sure! But hell, that’s racing! Before long a vintage Husqvarna came along sputtering to a halt in front of me. We both shook our heads, exchanged a few unpleasant words for our underachieving machines and laughed it off.

Here we are on this rock floating through space, trying to defy gravity itself on a chunk of metal and rubber across the desert plains. Life ain’t that bad, and we had an icebox full of cold Gilly’s Lager back at the truck! Now if only we could find the truck….

Till next year!

- Forrest Minchinton

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!