A liitle late for this report as I have been on Vacation.
A race from a workers point of view:
After spending several weeks riding the course, removing face slappers, trimming leg biters, arrowing and re arrowing, marking every possible danger, the guys and I decided we were ready for a race.
Adam did an excellent job mowing the pit area and laying out a grass track. Sunday rolled around and practice began. We had 1 hill at mile 2 that had a rock ledge at the top. It wasn't difficult but so many people got hung up on it that I decided that I was going to spend the first lap help on the hill.
Practice was over and the race was ready to start when a guy wlked up and said he was missing his kid on the track. The kid was riding and xr70. beginner, no parent following, what the heck was he thinking??
Anyway, we found junior and got him out of the way. I made way to the hill only to meet up with the camera crew from Hammer down. Dave had his camera ready when Doug Stone came by leading the AA guys. here came the rest of them. Then the A guys and then the vets guys(man, i was wishing I had raced!). Then the hang ups began and by the time the C riders, beginners, women and juniors got to the hill I had 40 bikes in a line trying to get up. It was mayham for sure. The fast juniors got up and around the single file line waiters. I was steadily pushing, riding, pulling, etc. People were falling over and the crying that they were getting passed like it was my fault! finaaly, I was down to 10 when a guy rode up and said i had a junior down at mile 1. I sent a helper over to check and then another guy rode up and said I had one down at 2.5. I sent Dave Bishop to check on him. When the last rider was gone I hooped on and went to check on the guy down at 2.5. He was gone so I hightailed it over to mile 1 and found the mini riders bike but no guys. I rode the course all the way around(9Miles) and found my son at mile 6 stuck on a hill. He said his bike wasn't running right. I started it and sent him on his way. I caught several bikes going slow and checked on them to make sure they were ok. Pros were making lap 3 by this time. I caught my son at mile 8 and his bike was done. Hot siezed because of a broken radiator hose. Found a 4 wheeler crew nad he was towed in. I finished the course and stopped to check in with the wife and let het know the status of batboy and back to the trail I went. I rode to the hill and hung out for lap 4&5 and assisted when needed. It was much easier once people got over it the first time. I rode the course crossing back and forth looking for downed riders. Most of the guys just needed water and a break. No body hurt.
After the race(I rode 31 miles) I checked in, swept one more time and started loading stuff up. During the trophy presentation it rained!
A very well orgnized race and event but we had 1 fella complaining that he was hurt and down and no one helped him. I rode the course completely 3 times and crossed every known path and never found the guy. Evidently he rode the course in and refused medical attention and then complained. Can't please everyone. I recommend this event and I als recommend working a rcae if you have never done so. You will learn to appreciate the people who go out of there way to oragnize and host and event. It is not easy and Adam may have broke even. Not getting rich for sure!
A race from a workers point of view:
After spending several weeks riding the course, removing face slappers, trimming leg biters, arrowing and re arrowing, marking every possible danger, the guys and I decided we were ready for a race.
Adam did an excellent job mowing the pit area and laying out a grass track. Sunday rolled around and practice began. We had 1 hill at mile 2 that had a rock ledge at the top. It wasn't difficult but so many people got hung up on it that I decided that I was going to spend the first lap help on the hill.
Practice was over and the race was ready to start when a guy wlked up and said he was missing his kid on the track. The kid was riding and xr70. beginner, no parent following, what the heck was he thinking??
Anyway, we found junior and got him out of the way. I made way to the hill only to meet up with the camera crew from Hammer down. Dave had his camera ready when Doug Stone came by leading the AA guys. here came the rest of them. Then the A guys and then the vets guys(man, i was wishing I had raced!). Then the hang ups began and by the time the C riders, beginners, women and juniors got to the hill I had 40 bikes in a line trying to get up. It was mayham for sure. The fast juniors got up and around the single file line waiters. I was steadily pushing, riding, pulling, etc. People were falling over and the crying that they were getting passed like it was my fault! finaaly, I was down to 10 when a guy rode up and said i had a junior down at mile 1. I sent a helper over to check and then another guy rode up and said I had one down at 2.5. I sent Dave Bishop to check on him. When the last rider was gone I hooped on and went to check on the guy down at 2.5. He was gone so I hightailed it over to mile 1 and found the mini riders bike but no guys. I rode the course all the way around(9Miles) and found my son at mile 6 stuck on a hill. He said his bike wasn't running right. I started it and sent him on his way. I caught several bikes going slow and checked on them to make sure they were ok. Pros were making lap 3 by this time. I caught my son at mile 8 and his bike was done. Hot siezed because of a broken radiator hose. Found a 4 wheeler crew nad he was towed in. I finished the course and stopped to check in with the wife and let het know the status of batboy and back to the trail I went. I rode to the hill and hung out for lap 4&5 and assisted when needed. It was much easier once people got over it the first time. I rode the course crossing back and forth looking for downed riders. Most of the guys just needed water and a break. No body hurt.
After the race(I rode 31 miles) I checked in, swept one more time and started loading stuff up. During the trophy presentation it rained!
A very well orgnized race and event but we had 1 fella complaining that he was hurt and down and no one helped him. I rode the course completely 3 times and crossed every known path and never found the guy. Evidently he rode the course in and refused medical attention and then complained. Can't please everyone. I recommend this event and I als recommend working a rcae if you have never done so. You will learn to appreciate the people who go out of there way to oragnize and host and event. It is not easy and Adam may have broke even. Not getting rich for sure!
