- Feb 6, 2006
- 255
- 0
Smit Dog wanted the full story so here it is. I have a full race report I wrote up for my friends but I won't bore you with all the details of a newbie enduro rider so I'll just give the cliffs notes version.
First, I was expecting a lot of mud (lol) - maybe the club name should have been temporarily changed to the Dust Bunnies? I definitely won't be expecting the same conditions next year. Some of those dry river beds we rode up with all the big rocks in them would have been a nightmare under water!
The big story was the adventure near the end of the ride. I was tired at the C class turnoff but not so tired that I couldn't go on. I'm trying to work hard on my endurance and getting as much exposure as I can since I plan on running the entire series next year (had planned on doing so this year but events conspired against me). So I figured I'd ride the last section just for fun. I really enjoyed that last section - would have to say it was my favorite section of the whole event. But towards the end of the 2nd to last woods section at mile 77 I ran out of gas. I have a 3.1 gallon tank on my CR and we filled it to the brim at the gas stop but I rejetted just before the last race to resolve a bog issue I've been having at large throttle openings and I'm running very rich at idle and low throttle settings now. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal but I was wrong. I had a small amount of fuel in corners of the tank so I leaned the bike over and lifted it up, etc to get that fuel down to the pickup but it wasn't even enough to fill the bowl :( . I was about 10 minutes down when I ran out of gas. About 15 riders passed me while I was pushing through the woods and a few asked if I was ok as they were riding by - told them yes, just out of gas.
I could see the highway to my right and a farm field about a 1/4 mile down the trail and what looked like a house through the woods. So what else could I do but push. So I pushed the bike towards that house which ended up being a fenced in power line tower. But there was a gravel road leading away from it which was easier to push down than through the woods. Came out in the farm field and could see the trail arrows going through the field and the gravel road crossed the event trail and then paralleled along it. While I was pushing up that gravel road two guys rode by fairly slowly which I was afraid might be the sweep riders - I tried to wave them down but they didn't see me. I had a bad feeling about that! I got out to the road and started pushing up the road. Up the road 600 feet or so was the next turn into the woods and there were a few vehicles up there. I was hoping they were with the event! A couple guys and kids drove up in their Ford and asked if I needed a ride - OH YEAH!!!!!! I had pushed the bike about a mile. We loaded the bike in the back of the truck and then a guy rode up on his quad and asked what the problem was.
I explained I was out of gas and he said he had some at his farm if I wanted to finish the event. He said he had 2t oil too! I REALLY appreciated the offer of the ride but I much preferred the idea of riding into the finish (even if it was very late) rather than being brought home in a truck! I hopped on the quad and we went and got the gas. Got her running, thanked the farmer, and then headed into the woods. About a 1/4 mile into the woods the bike died again! Aaaaargh!! I kicked for all my might with no throttle, partial throttle, WOT, choke, no choke, etc. but she wouldn't. I was hoping it was a fouled plug so I pulled the plug and sure enough it looked NASTY. Put my fresh plug in and it fired right up. The gas from the farmer was from his farm tank (gravity fed) so it was pretty poor fuel (but beggars can't be choosers!). The bike kept loading up so I kept having to pull in the clutch and rev the piss out of the bike to get it to clear out but I made it to the end. I got into the last check on minute 116 - 81 minutes down. But at least I finished out the ride!
I had a blast at the event. A lot more trail miles and fewer road miles than the two Michigan events I've run (Harrison and Treetopper). They sure like TIGHT switchback turns down there! Thanks to everyone that worked hard to put on the event!
First, I was expecting a lot of mud (lol) - maybe the club name should have been temporarily changed to the Dust Bunnies? I definitely won't be expecting the same conditions next year. Some of those dry river beds we rode up with all the big rocks in them would have been a nightmare under water!
The big story was the adventure near the end of the ride. I was tired at the C class turnoff but not so tired that I couldn't go on. I'm trying to work hard on my endurance and getting as much exposure as I can since I plan on running the entire series next year (had planned on doing so this year but events conspired against me). So I figured I'd ride the last section just for fun. I really enjoyed that last section - would have to say it was my favorite section of the whole event. But towards the end of the 2nd to last woods section at mile 77 I ran out of gas. I have a 3.1 gallon tank on my CR and we filled it to the brim at the gas stop but I rejetted just before the last race to resolve a bog issue I've been having at large throttle openings and I'm running very rich at idle and low throttle settings now. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal but I was wrong. I had a small amount of fuel in corners of the tank so I leaned the bike over and lifted it up, etc to get that fuel down to the pickup but it wasn't even enough to fill the bowl :( . I was about 10 minutes down when I ran out of gas. About 15 riders passed me while I was pushing through the woods and a few asked if I was ok as they were riding by - told them yes, just out of gas.
I could see the highway to my right and a farm field about a 1/4 mile down the trail and what looked like a house through the woods. So what else could I do but push. So I pushed the bike towards that house which ended up being a fenced in power line tower. But there was a gravel road leading away from it which was easier to push down than through the woods. Came out in the farm field and could see the trail arrows going through the field and the gravel road crossed the event trail and then paralleled along it. While I was pushing up that gravel road two guys rode by fairly slowly which I was afraid might be the sweep riders - I tried to wave them down but they didn't see me. I had a bad feeling about that! I got out to the road and started pushing up the road. Up the road 600 feet or so was the next turn into the woods and there were a few vehicles up there. I was hoping they were with the event! A couple guys and kids drove up in their Ford and asked if I needed a ride - OH YEAH!!!!!! I had pushed the bike about a mile. We loaded the bike in the back of the truck and then a guy rode up on his quad and asked what the problem was.
I explained I was out of gas and he said he had some at his farm if I wanted to finish the event. He said he had 2t oil too! I REALLY appreciated the offer of the ride but I much preferred the idea of riding into the finish (even if it was very late) rather than being brought home in a truck! I hopped on the quad and we went and got the gas. Got her running, thanked the farmer, and then headed into the woods. About a 1/4 mile into the woods the bike died again! Aaaaargh!! I kicked for all my might with no throttle, partial throttle, WOT, choke, no choke, etc. but she wouldn't. I was hoping it was a fouled plug so I pulled the plug and sure enough it looked NASTY. Put my fresh plug in and it fired right up. The gas from the farmer was from his farm tank (gravity fed) so it was pretty poor fuel (but beggars can't be choosers!). The bike kept loading up so I kept having to pull in the clutch and rev the piss out of the bike to get it to clear out but I made it to the end. I got into the last check on minute 116 - 81 minutes down. But at least I finished out the ride!
I had a blast at the event. A lot more trail miles and fewer road miles than the two Michigan events I've run (Harrison and Treetopper). They sure like TIGHT switchback turns down there! Thanks to everyone that worked hard to put on the event!
