Gregg - you can definitely join us in November. Several of us have WatchDogs, myself included. We can ride on the same row no problem. As we get closer we'll put up a post so we can figure out how to meet up .... the Wicked Bird is always a good one !
Dingoe - you and your sons would have definitely enjoyed watching the hill that started loop 2. Great spectating from what I hear !!!! I'm betting the Gasser was low on water when I started ... it's not surprising how hot it got ... there were ALOT of nasty hillclimbs. Re: the Gas Gas - I have not had a problem getting parts - there are a few So Cal dealers (not real close, but fine for mail order), but mostly the stuff is just really easy to get over the net.
Check out these websites:
www.smackovermotorsports.com
Gas Gas dealer in Arkansas - there is a link on their mainpage to the "Talking Smack" forum. The best links in the forum are the "For Sale" link and the "Gas Gas Enduro" link - you can find out anything you want about the bikes by posting in the "Gas Gas Enduro" sub-forum, and there are already a ton of posts in there for reference. Everyone in there is super cool and very knowledgeable -- and they absolutely love GG's !!!! You can also get parts from this shop easily.
www.gasgasrider.org
Another great Gas Gas resource - includes a full parts crossover list - this is what makes parts so easy to get - for instance, right now, I'm using a '94 - '98 KX 250 black rear fender .. fits perfectly. The brakes are same as 2000 Honda CR 250. The forks on my bike are the same WP 43s that came on the late 90's/early 2K KTMs. And right now I'm using a CR 250 air filter. The rear sprocket is late model Husqvarna. There are many, many crossover parts. This site also includes PDF files of manuals as well as a list of websites and companies who sell Gas Gas aftermarket parts.
https://secure.fiftybelow.com/gofasters/index.cfm
This is a webstore with alot of GG parts at very good prices ... click on "Gas Gas" along the the left-hand side under "BROWSE STORE" ... there are several pages of parts. I've ordered fromthembefore and they are reliable ... plus they have sent a club team to the ISDE several years in a row and did quite well this year ... they were Team Skunkwrx. There are alot of GG specific parts here - pistons, graphics, etc.
www.gas-gas.net
Gas Gas's US homepage.
I love this bike ... would not trade it for anything. I have the 2002 XC 300, which is the snappier, more scramble-oriented version, whereas the EC 300 is the full-on enduro version. Right now I've got an FMF Gnarly pipe on it. The bike will climb anything, and with stock gearing it still does close to 95 MPH.
Gas Gas makes a vastly under-appreciated motorcycle ... remind me to give you a test ride next time.