Dream Ride | Riding With Russell Bobbitt In Costa Rica

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

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