Dream Ride | Riding With Russell Bobbitt In Costa Rica

Black sand beaches, jungle single track, mud and clay for days…

August 16, 2017

Epic adventure. That’s really the only way to describe it. Flying into a tropical locale bringing just my gear and some cameras and having a bike, room, and home-cooked meals waiting for me is really a dream come true. Costa Rica Unlimited can make that dream a reality for anyone who has the time and money. They are a tour company created by real moto and off-road enthusiasts. What they can’t do (unless he wants to come back, which he just might) is provide multi-time National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbitt as well. For this trip, that was the hook that got me down there. For those of you (however few) that don’t care about riding on beautiful beaches, through rock-strewn water crossings, up and down rutted, red-clay two track, or across goopy, rainforest mud that wants to eat you and your bike, you can just learn about Russell and still get something from the story. The full print story will be in the November issue, but here is a photo gallery of my trip to Central America.

Here is the view from the CRU compound. Those bike won't be clean for long.Diego Bolanos

After four days of riding, the other dudes on the trip are more like legit riding bros that just friends.Sean Klinger

The bikes are no older than 2015 with a few Yamahas and, as you can see, a lot of orange.Sean Klinger

Even the mellowest parts of the day could quickly turn challenging if you hit a patch of red clay.Sean Klinger

Many of the roads turned into this. One second it is a flat road that any car could handle, then out of no where it would turn into "the ruts of death" where you just had to commit and pray. Brakes have little effect in the clay.Diego Bolanos

There was a lot of this. Water is absolutely everywhere.Diego Bolanos

It's easy to get squirrelly when you cant see the rocks.Sean Klinger

More wet stuff.Sean Klinger

Now we get to the gnarly stuff.Diego Bolanos

Sometimes you have to crawl, sometimes you have to attack.Sean Klinger

Carlos, one of our guides, is a master of mud and clay. He made this look a million times easier than it was.Diego Bolanos

Bobbitt sharing his clay riding wisdom.Diego Bolanos

Keeping what he said in mind, I attacked!... and only got about a third up the hill before getting hopelessly stuck.Diego Bolanos

Bobbitt also made it look easy.Diego Bolanos

That's not the recommended way to lube a chain.Sean Klinger

After the mud it was nice to wash some of it off.Sean Klinger

I made Russell go back and do it again.Sean Klinger

Even more water.Sean Klinger

Some sections of trail were actually somewhat tacky.Sean Klinger

Bobbitt taking advantage of some dry dirt.Sean Klinger

A flat is pretty much inevitable with this many people on a ride.Sean Klinger

But we had some entertainment while the flat was getting fixed.Sean Klinger

After each day of riding, every bike gets washed and prepped for the next dayDiego Bolanos

Keeping things fresh.Sean Klinger

After a day of riding, even Bobbitt will relax with a refreshing adult beverage.Sean Klinger

Thats a lot of gear to dry.Sean Klinger

A fresh breakfast every morning from the CRU crew.Sean Klinger

For a professional racer, Russell is really laid back.Sean Klinger

On the last day we found a beach. Aww yeah.Diego Bolanos

Wet sand is awesome.Sean Klinger

Bobbitt had to make a little turn track.Sean Klinger

Traction!Diego Bolanos

I want to do this every time I'm at the beach.Diego Bolanos

More sand roost action.Diego Bolanos

This isn't the usual way he hydrates at an off-road race.Sean Klinger

Beautiful things hiding in the jungle.Sean Klinger

Some of the participants got a little attached to the champ.Diego Bolanos

The real magic - getting all the bikes ready to ride each day.Diego Bolanos

If worst comes to worst, this is option B.Diego Bolanos