Not looking good guys in dist 17 and 16. I hope its okay to post this here, as I got it off another site.
Sounds like the Bitter End may have come to an End
Just thought I would post this, the Bitter End Enduro in District 17 has been cancelled for this year. It may be indefinite.
Here is a copy of letter from the club.
Attention District 16, 17 and 22 Enduro Riders
By Terry Gerken of Brushpoppers M.C.
It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that the Brushpoppers Motorcycle Club in Morrison Illinois must announce the cancellation of the scheduled November 6, 2005 Bitter End Enduro. I think all who have attended our fall enduro when it starts north of Morrison will agree that the challenging quality of the event has suffered over the years barring any weather issues. We have no property available to extend the course and one of the anchor properties has changed ownership and we are not welcome back. Without this piece, the course is basically reduced to the area we have our Hare Scramble at which in enduro form has only enough mileage for two checks. Even a two loop event would require another 40 miles of cornfield and road to make legal mileage, not what people want to ride. Sure there is the closed course event to consider but in our eyes that is a Hare Scramble on steroids, please don’t call them an enduro. This combined with the current economic status of our community has seen club members move away or jobs requiring them to spend less time assisting in motorcycle events. I’m sure everyone is curious about our plans next year for an enduro, normally starting south of Morrison at my home. I wish I had better news but between the new Wal-Mart distribution center land locking a major section and 1031 property exchange laws allowing people with way too much money to buy farm land for their half million dollar homes, things look grim at this point. Here is a tip, pay the tax and buy stocks, artwork, a NASCAR team, anything. You are never going to make $6500 an acre farm ground cash flow, ever. Buy the farm if you want but when your investor money is all gone (which will happen at $180 cash rent) you’ll have to admit that I was right. I digress, back to our problem. If you don’t see an enduro on the 2006 schedule then you will know we struck out finding an alternative. With that being said we would like to thank everyone who has supported our event over the past 30 + years. We have made many friends over this time and we will miss seeing those familiar names at sign up and trophy time. Perhaps we have made just as many less than friendly relationships with our careful check placement, speed changes and crafty resets. There are those who think resets are for allowing riders time to catch up but in my world, they are for the club’s benefit, merely a vehicle to allow a check to be placed behind a row of round bales or a corn field corner. What pains me the most is all the people I see at events relaying what a great time that they had at our enduro and I have to tell them it may be all over. It is those comments that have kept me doing this over the years. I’m sure every one who has attended our enduro over the years has a good Bitter End memory, the horizontal snow, bikes washed down Rock Creek, being pulled out of the parking area in knee deep mud, and the list goes on. If you have one, keep it fresh in your mind and share with others. I must be honest and admit that I won’t miss the countless hours of perfecting a route sheet, tracking down land owners and drinking their 3 day old coffee or buying their seed corn, riding mileage to every check point in the driving rain/snow/sleet/ hail, dragging out riders after you warned them to quit, the endless phone calls at all hours of the night and the constant berating of riders who don’t have a headlight and taillight. I don’t intend to sound whiny but every one who has worked an enduro can relate. I will miss the club’s epic mileage day duels on the trail and I will most certainly miss the people I have learned to respect over the years coming to my house, riding the event and having a positive comment. Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than when after the event someone approaches and says; “The check at (wherever) was brilliant.” I had always hoped to achieve Enduro elder statesman status but without one to put on my goal is in jeopardy. Again, thanks to all and please support other clubs and tell them what a terrific job they are doing. The Bitter End has probably met itself.
Al E
Sounds like the Bitter End may have come to an End
Just thought I would post this, the Bitter End Enduro in District 17 has been cancelled for this year. It may be indefinite.
Here is a copy of letter from the club.
Attention District 16, 17 and 22 Enduro Riders
By Terry Gerken of Brushpoppers M.C.
It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that the Brushpoppers Motorcycle Club in Morrison Illinois must announce the cancellation of the scheduled November 6, 2005 Bitter End Enduro. I think all who have attended our fall enduro when it starts north of Morrison will agree that the challenging quality of the event has suffered over the years barring any weather issues. We have no property available to extend the course and one of the anchor properties has changed ownership and we are not welcome back. Without this piece, the course is basically reduced to the area we have our Hare Scramble at which in enduro form has only enough mileage for two checks. Even a two loop event would require another 40 miles of cornfield and road to make legal mileage, not what people want to ride. Sure there is the closed course event to consider but in our eyes that is a Hare Scramble on steroids, please don’t call them an enduro. This combined with the current economic status of our community has seen club members move away or jobs requiring them to spend less time assisting in motorcycle events. I’m sure everyone is curious about our plans next year for an enduro, normally starting south of Morrison at my home. I wish I had better news but between the new Wal-Mart distribution center land locking a major section and 1031 property exchange laws allowing people with way too much money to buy farm land for their half million dollar homes, things look grim at this point. Here is a tip, pay the tax and buy stocks, artwork, a NASCAR team, anything. You are never going to make $6500 an acre farm ground cash flow, ever. Buy the farm if you want but when your investor money is all gone (which will happen at $180 cash rent) you’ll have to admit that I was right. I digress, back to our problem. If you don’t see an enduro on the 2006 schedule then you will know we struck out finding an alternative. With that being said we would like to thank everyone who has supported our event over the past 30 + years. We have made many friends over this time and we will miss seeing those familiar names at sign up and trophy time. Perhaps we have made just as many less than friendly relationships with our careful check placement, speed changes and crafty resets. There are those who think resets are for allowing riders time to catch up but in my world, they are for the club’s benefit, merely a vehicle to allow a check to be placed behind a row of round bales or a corn field corner. What pains me the most is all the people I see at events relaying what a great time that they had at our enduro and I have to tell them it may be all over. It is those comments that have kept me doing this over the years. I’m sure every one who has attended our enduro over the years has a good Bitter End memory, the horizontal snow, bikes washed down Rock Creek, being pulled out of the parking area in knee deep mud, and the list goes on. If you have one, keep it fresh in your mind and share with others. I must be honest and admit that I won’t miss the countless hours of perfecting a route sheet, tracking down land owners and drinking their 3 day old coffee or buying their seed corn, riding mileage to every check point in the driving rain/snow/sleet/ hail, dragging out riders after you warned them to quit, the endless phone calls at all hours of the night and the constant berating of riders who don’t have a headlight and taillight. I don’t intend to sound whiny but every one who has worked an enduro can relate. I will miss the club’s epic mileage day duels on the trail and I will most certainly miss the people I have learned to respect over the years coming to my house, riding the event and having a positive comment. Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than when after the event someone approaches and says; “The check at (wherever) was brilliant.” I had always hoped to achieve Enduro elder statesman status but without one to put on my goal is in jeopardy. Again, thanks to all and please support other clubs and tell them what a terrific job they are doing. The Bitter End has probably met itself.
Al E