The Ant

Member
Jan 3, 2002
275
0
I did China Hat last year and some of you might remember the description, but will repeat for the newbies...
Its a baby ISDE, follows the rules where you have your bike checked out the day before and leave it outdoors in a guarded impound over night. Then at race time you are allowed in to get your bike 10 minutes before your race start time (Which is assigned ahead of time by your race entry date, they send out 3 riders at a time in batches a minute apart). Then the course is divided into segments, first was 5 miles long and we were allowed 24 minutes to get there, if you're early, you wait in a clump of riders before going through the checkpoint, they dock you points if you're early or late. And they have special timed tests within the segments which act as tie breakers for all those guys who hit their minute every time.

The race site is 20 miles east of Bend, OR, high desert, sand, rocks, really dry dirt. Luckily it had rained in the days before the race so no dust early on, and as the day wore on it got a bit worse, but there was a breeze to clear it out.
So I have 2 problems...one, I'm always nervous before a race and can't eat properly. Two, I'm afraid my bike won't start. No one can help you, you have one minute from the start shout to get going and ride beyond some white flags about 50 yards away....my bike was a little balky when cold the day before. So reread the start procedures, says about 8 times in 4 steps to Not Touch The Throttle. But position myself next to a log fence just in case I had to try and kick it.... started right up - no worries!! Let it warm up, and took off. Big cheer from the crowd. Randy's start minute was 10 minutes behind mine, so figured this'd give me plenty of practice on my own, but if I really got into trouble he'd be along soon.

I got passed all day long, but there's usually enough room for folks to get by, most shout thanks.... and then I see them all again waiting at the checkpoint, I made my first minute, then they get to pass me again. I actually passed one person who was still upright and moving on my first leg!

First crash. About mile 20, I'm cruisin along a reasonably straight stretch in 4th gear, feeling a bit tired, basketball sized rock, target fixate, hit rock, end over end. Two guys right behind me stop, "are you okay?" "Yeah I'm fine, don't know if I can pick up my bike tho", and one of the guys has me hold his bike, picks mine up (!) waits til I get started and then takes off. Pretty nice.
But I'm shaken up a bit, caught my right hand in my guard or hit it on a rock, it's sore, am not riding well... so find a shady spot, stop, drink a bunch and eat a Clif Bar. Maybe 10 riders go by, still no Randy, take off again and feel loads better.... guess I needed the food! Back on track.
But lost about 12 minutes into my next checkpoint so go right thru, fell one more time where I was going up a steep hill with big rocks, started to bounce off the back, hit the gas and supermanned over a log and into a big sagebrush - actually two, one for each wheel. Was able to pick the bike up since it was kinda of supported by the brush, but couldn't budge it...put the kickstand down, and went round the bike pulling out chunks of branches and generally clearcutting the area so's I could get out again, bulldogged it back to the trail, still no Randy, took off feeling pretty good about another self rescue!
Ultimately finished I think about 15 minutes down, 3 minutes in front of Randy, he said every time he'd come through a particularly hairy section, and no Susan, he'd think "Wow! She made it through this!"

Am pretty sore today, legs from all the whoops which I don't do very well, hand is about half black and blue but not too swollen - can see all my knuckles! Ankle sore from some crash or other.
Scariest downhill was after coming up a steep pitch, trail loops left and before you have time to really register, there's a rock shelf, maybe a foot drop off, followed by another, shelves are undercut even, and then a really steep runout... with folks at the bottom cheering if you make it... thankyou Strick and the waterfall trail at Moonrocks - DON'T TOUCH YOUR FRONT BRAKE, get way back on the pegs and let her roll. Actually, there were lots of sandy rocky whooped out turny steep hill climbs that Moonrocks really helped me on. And Heather's coaching on how to start on a steep uphill without going back to the bottom came in handy more than once!

All in all had a grand time, bike goes in to get the new lighter fork springs today so will be more balanced, and set up for me in time for Baja! Yippee!!
-SusanP.
CRF250x
 

E-Ticket

~SPONSOR~
Dec 16, 2000
735
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Sunday started out perfect... great temps... dust seemed to be down pretty good.

Susan started on minute 10:02... Scott, Dave and I were on 10:12. So we were walking into the Impound Area at the same time Susan was starting her bike to leave.
After having the bikes sit out overnight with ~ 36 degree temps was a bit worried about Susan and her new 250X.

First, I hear her 250x running! (It was pretty easy to hear... the other 2-smoke guys on her minute were still kickin' madly....). The next thing I hear is her yelling "Wahoo" (a hundred yards away) as she pulls away from the start line! I'll be honest, here. I think *that* was my highlight of the day. <grin>

10:08 Dave and Scott start negotiating with me to get on the "high-spots" so they can kick-start their 2-smokes easier.
10:12 Our minute starts! I briskly push my electric start button.
10:12:03 My 450 EXC fires immediately
10:12:06 Choke off
10:12:10 "hmm... seems to be running just fine... guess I should leave, eh?" <grin>
10:12:15 I snick into gear and roar away.... wheeee!!
10:12:18 I back it down for the first set of bad whoops right off the start (learned by watching the other yahoos who almost crashed....)
10:12: 14 I first on our minute, ripping along, bapping through the whoops, having a ball
10:17 I realize I am fat and out of shape and this plan won't work for the rest of the day..... <sigh>

Once I backed down, Dave and Scott caught me pretty quickly. And then I started thinking: "I'm too fat to be fast.... I'm taking this same body/bike to Baja in two weeks... and I can't crash 'cause Susan's is somewhere up ahead and might need a tow truck." So I backed everything off, went into "have fun, trail riding mode"and spent the rest of the day letting people go by me. <grin>

Only did the first loop (+50 Class). Had ZERO dust the first half of the race... absolutely great soil conditions. The whoops were everywhere. On the flats, the uphills, and even some of the steep downhills. But managed just fine after resetting my expectations. I also got passed by "Sqeeky" early on. Really big girl, standing up, just floating through the whoops and corners... pretty impressive. <even more impressive after I found out she had a prosthetic on one arm....!> I picked up the pace after she passed me, then realized what I was doing, laughed, and backed it back down. Started really enjoying myself trying different techniques/timing through the whoops and corners.

Only had one crash. Lowsided at speed on one corner when front-end washed out and went over the berm. Still not exactly sure what how/why it happened...<grin>
But I was really glad I was wearing elbow guards! Could have really screwed one up without them... While I was picking myself up, I saw someone's route card laying there --- so I wasn't the first! <grin>

The second half of the course went out into some open back sections that I had never ridden before.... absolutely beautiful country. I even stopped a couple of times just to gawk at the scenery. As the course wore on, it got a bit dustier (but never really bad... and a slight cross-wind helped clear it) but the terrain definately got harder and more challenging here and there.

On the back half we started getting into more of these hairer downhills, really rutted, steeper uphills, and a lot more rock gardens. Each time I would get through one and think, "damn... Susan got through this okay! Woo-hoo!" So I was totally amazed at The Ant's performance "somewhere" up ahead of me... <grin>

Came along one little ridge, saw a sharp left leading into a steep downhill. Did I say sharp left? What I meant was that you couldn't see a friggnin' thing about the corner downhill until you were IN it. It had a couple of large rock shelfs to ride off of, no easy way around them or through them, had to go over them. And then you see that they're undercut and you had better roll off of them and drop and go. You know the kind ....slow/hit-the-brakes-n-you-die. Another clump of rockage... a fairly steep, big whooopy runout at the bottom... then right back up another long steep uphill on the other side. You just had to roll, stay loose, gas it, and go.
It was then that I noticed a group of people standing under a tree at the bottom of the hill --- cheering everybody that made it.
Searched the group of spectators... no SUSAN! I grinned, and then became even more impressed with her performance.

Found Scott sitting below a tree next to his tattered bike (broken front brake line, flat rear tire). He said, "Susan's had two crashes, lost an antenna, and is about 3 minutes ahead of you." Left Scott my tire irons, patch kit, tire pump and best wishes and pressed on.

More whoops, a lot more whoops. Really fast straight section - saw 62 mph. hmmmm.... wonder what the experts were doing there?? :^O

Came into the finish and there sat Susan with a four-foot wide grin on her face. There are GOUGES all over her bike (chain guide, skidplate, barkbusters, even one in the middle of her frame??) and her handlebars *might* be tweaked a bit. But other that, I think that both Susan and her new 250X really proved themselves. :worship:

I'm really proud of Susan. Start to finish...completely on her own... with plenty of drama in the middle.
Shoot. Baja ought to be a cakewalk after this. :yeehaw:

Trip report to follow in late May! - RandyB
 

srellis

LIFETIME SPONSOR
May 25, 2002
394
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Yeah!!!
Great job, Susan!!!
I'm loving my bike more and more. I haven't been through what you went through but I have put it to a test for me.

This weekend we had an MX race at the track I ride at quite a bit. I hadn't taken the CRF out on that MX track this year so I was really excited. We had a hare scramble out there this spring, but it had rained and they hadn't prepped the track and didn't want anyone out there.
There were three other girls out there yesterday. One was on an XR80, (10 y.o.), one on a CRF150, (12 y.o.) and my niece, (12 y.o.) in her first race on my TTR.

They put us in with the 60 open class. There is one young boy that rides this class that qualifies and finishes in the top ten at Arenacrosses. I blast out of the gate and realize I am going to beat all the boys to the first corner. I slow up and let them by because I don't want to get in their way. I knew the girls would be way behind us, so I wasn't worried. The boys took off with me in tow, but they eventually pull away. I was excited at how soft all the braking bumps are with the suspension on the CRF. On the first lap I didn't try to double anything, but by my second lap I was able to double everything I did on my TTR. I'm still having trouble with the front end diving due to the extra weight compared to the TTR. I felt faster and faster with each lap. I concentrated on keeping my elbows up and moving the bike from side to side instead of oversteering. I love the fact that I have enough power that I can steer with my back tire!! I didn't get lapped this time by the fast boys, major accomplishment for me.... Well, I won my class , but most importantly was the huge compliment I received from my husband!!!
After the race he said I looked really smooth out there and that I had good body position on the bike and good body english over jumps and through turns. I'm sure that having the right sized bike helps!!!
Race # 3 next Sunday. I can't wait!!

SusanE
 

4EverOrange

~SPONSOR~
Mar 9, 2003
291
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Good job Susan! I think I know the steep rocky pitch you're talking about. We usually go up it, and I hate it when I have to come back down for some reason. lol

I'll be there next year!
 

The Ant

Member
Jan 3, 2002
275
0
Leanne,
Was odd not having you be there! Next year, eh?
They had us do the 2nd loop from last year, so all was different.
-SusanP.
CRF250x
 

jennifer

Member
Apr 3, 2002
168
0
Great Job Susan and Randy! Sounds like a scary course! So Susan are you glad to have the new Honda? Did it help you thru things that would have been more difficult for you on the BBR?

I am very sad that you lost an antenna. It was tradition.....
 

The Ant

Member
Jan 3, 2002
275
0
Yeah, it was a sad thing... they were some the worse for wear tho, even the One That Came Back is all bent up and missing about half its glitter. Will have to replace them for sure!

I do think the bigger wheels helped, if only cause I never consider putting my feet down since they don't reach the ground - Randy's not yelling at me "Get your feet back on the pegs" anymore! And I went over some logs and rocks that would have given me more trouble on my lil BBR I'm sure. The Honda is certainly faster on the open parts. The extra weight is sure noticeable though... esp. when I had to pick it up.

Can't wait to ride with you again and see if I can keep up now. :-)
-SusanP.
CRF250x
 
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