craig_enid
Member
- Mar 23, 2000
- 872
- 0
After trying unsuccessfully to tempt, cajole, bribe or shame any of the Heartland Spodes, NTSP members to join me, only Dwreck had the moxie.
We loaded up Saturday morning, 7ish, to make the 12 noon keytime at Scipio, Oklahoma race on Saturday. Trip went quickly, and we pulled into the camp area to unload and gear up. We pulled up to a neat motorized camper, pulling a trailer full of toys. Lo and behold it turns out to be Enduro_nut. He was there to work Saturdays race, and then score some real points on Sunday. He couldn't give us any heads-up on the trail, seems he was working a section that we wouldn't see on Saturday. At least that was his claim!
We signed in on row 45, ahead of the Hinson, etal crew from Wichita, and settled in for the wait that lasts forever, but goes by quick.
At our start time, 12:45, we take off and enter the grass track section. First loop this section isn't scored, it's a freebie, to get us warmed up and accustomed to the terrain. Lots of wide open turns, that cut through some small creeks. The creeks were a little sloppy, but since it wasn't a test section, just pick the best line and go. Once through the grass track, we get into the bulk of the riding terrain, tight single track with moderate elevation changes and rocks. Dwreck passes me and I try to stay on his tail, to get some race-speed warm-up. "Wow!" I'm thinking, "This sure is rocky....". I ended up with hand pump, instead of arm pump, so I backed off the pace to save it for the test section.
I make it to the first check-in, Dwreck waiting... :think: and we steel ourselves for the first test.
I check in first, with Dwreck starting 15 seconds later. My plan was to give it all I got, and be waiting for him at the check-out with my helmet off, sitting under a shade tree.
So I take off, immediately thinking 'as soon as the rocks thin out, I'll really crank it up!'. While waiting for the rocks to thin out, I hear a KX250 screaming up behind me... :bang:
I find a wide spot and wave him past.
I'm determined to re-pass him so I crank it up, rocks be danged! After the third deflection into possible death and injury, I decide to let him go... since I couldn't see him anymore, anyway.
I begin to remember my last race in this area, in 2002. I start to get some flashbacks of some unpleasant memories...
Finally get to the check-out. Don't have to do the math, he started after me, and finished before me, means I get the lead at the next test...
We cruise to the next check-in, and are rested enough to take it on, immediatlely. This section goes better for me, meaning it takes longer for him to catch me. Once again I determine to keep him in sight, and once again I can't. :uh: I make the check-out, and there he is, with helmet off under a shade tree, waiting... :ohmy:
Back at camp, we re-gas, get a bite to eat, clean up a little, then head to the start. Second loop starts a test section this time, and I still have the lead honors... ;)
I'm first out, and soon realize the creeks haven't held up very well. It seemed like that every creek had a stuck bike, taking up a couple of possible lines. At one creek, there were some spectators huddled around the area. As I get to the creek, I see a rider very stuck on the main trail. A spectator points me to a line to the left, which doesn't look too good. It's a short steep path where the front tire is starting up the other side as the back tire is still going down. I can see where someone has done it, so I give it a go. I slam the crossbar with my chest as the front end comes up, luckily get enough traction to claw my way out. I'm thinking I can win this section from Dwreck, if he doesn't make that one as lucky as I did... open grass track, high speed corners to the next creek crossing. As I'm shutting down for the nasty part, I see a bike layed across the main path. The rider is on his hands and knees, reaching under the bike, (maybe to turn off the gas?) My first option is to look for a line to the left, which I do. Well, everyone else had appartently gone to the right, since it hadn't been tried by anyone. Not wanting to be the first to get stuck there, I circled around to look at the right side. I'm looking to u-turn back onto the trail when Dwreck comes screaming up. I frantically point him over to the right side, and whip around to follow. He picked a good line and made it through, with me following. Enduro_nut checks us out. After the rocks and trees, that section was a blast. We get back into the rocks, heading to the next test section. Fatigue starts to rear it's ugly head, and I begin to remember my last race here. It was a DNF, I think.... Oh yeah, I remember crying like a baby during that first loop, thinking that I'd have to walk out, and leave the bike..... it was definately a DNF..
Well, I did better this year, but Dwreck still took the day. We left before the results were in, I think he'll do very well in the C-Vet, if not Overall C.
We were both done in, and decided to play ride the 500 on Sunday, but that's another ride report....
We loaded up Saturday morning, 7ish, to make the 12 noon keytime at Scipio, Oklahoma race on Saturday. Trip went quickly, and we pulled into the camp area to unload and gear up. We pulled up to a neat motorized camper, pulling a trailer full of toys. Lo and behold it turns out to be Enduro_nut. He was there to work Saturdays race, and then score some real points on Sunday. He couldn't give us any heads-up on the trail, seems he was working a section that we wouldn't see on Saturday. At least that was his claim!
We signed in on row 45, ahead of the Hinson, etal crew from Wichita, and settled in for the wait that lasts forever, but goes by quick.
At our start time, 12:45, we take off and enter the grass track section. First loop this section isn't scored, it's a freebie, to get us warmed up and accustomed to the terrain. Lots of wide open turns, that cut through some small creeks. The creeks were a little sloppy, but since it wasn't a test section, just pick the best line and go. Once through the grass track, we get into the bulk of the riding terrain, tight single track with moderate elevation changes and rocks. Dwreck passes me and I try to stay on his tail, to get some race-speed warm-up. "Wow!" I'm thinking, "This sure is rocky....". I ended up with hand pump, instead of arm pump, so I backed off the pace to save it for the test section.
I make it to the first check-in, Dwreck waiting... :think: and we steel ourselves for the first test.
I check in first, with Dwreck starting 15 seconds later. My plan was to give it all I got, and be waiting for him at the check-out with my helmet off, sitting under a shade tree.
So I take off, immediately thinking 'as soon as the rocks thin out, I'll really crank it up!'. While waiting for the rocks to thin out, I hear a KX250 screaming up behind me... :bang:
I find a wide spot and wave him past.
I'm determined to re-pass him so I crank it up, rocks be danged! After the third deflection into possible death and injury, I decide to let him go... since I couldn't see him anymore, anyway.
I begin to remember my last race in this area, in 2002. I start to get some flashbacks of some unpleasant memories...
Finally get to the check-out. Don't have to do the math, he started after me, and finished before me, means I get the lead at the next test...
We cruise to the next check-in, and are rested enough to take it on, immediatlely. This section goes better for me, meaning it takes longer for him to catch me. Once again I determine to keep him in sight, and once again I can't. :uh: I make the check-out, and there he is, with helmet off under a shade tree, waiting... :ohmy:
Back at camp, we re-gas, get a bite to eat, clean up a little, then head to the start. Second loop starts a test section this time, and I still have the lead honors... ;)
I'm first out, and soon realize the creeks haven't held up very well. It seemed like that every creek had a stuck bike, taking up a couple of possible lines. At one creek, there were some spectators huddled around the area. As I get to the creek, I see a rider very stuck on the main trail. A spectator points me to a line to the left, which doesn't look too good. It's a short steep path where the front tire is starting up the other side as the back tire is still going down. I can see where someone has done it, so I give it a go. I slam the crossbar with my chest as the front end comes up, luckily get enough traction to claw my way out. I'm thinking I can win this section from Dwreck, if he doesn't make that one as lucky as I did... open grass track, high speed corners to the next creek crossing. As I'm shutting down for the nasty part, I see a bike layed across the main path. The rider is on his hands and knees, reaching under the bike, (maybe to turn off the gas?) My first option is to look for a line to the left, which I do. Well, everyone else had appartently gone to the right, since it hadn't been tried by anyone. Not wanting to be the first to get stuck there, I circled around to look at the right side. I'm looking to u-turn back onto the trail when Dwreck comes screaming up. I frantically point him over to the right side, and whip around to follow. He picked a good line and made it through, with me following. Enduro_nut checks us out. After the rocks and trees, that section was a blast. We get back into the rocks, heading to the next test section. Fatigue starts to rear it's ugly head, and I begin to remember my last race here. It was a DNF, I think.... Oh yeah, I remember crying like a baby during that first loop, thinking that I'd have to walk out, and leave the bike..... it was definately a DNF..
Well, I did better this year, but Dwreck still took the day. We left before the results were in, I think he'll do very well in the C-Vet, if not Overall C.
We were both done in, and decided to play ride the 500 on Sunday, but that's another ride report....
