- Oct 13, 1999
- 2,807
- 0
Nothing like getting up at 3:30 in the morning so we can drive almost 4 hours to ride an enduro on the hottest day of the year. With gas prices hovering around $3 a gallon, Sponge Bob, KTM Len, Major Joe and myself piled our gear into the Sponge Bob mobile and headed over to Rhode Island. After stopping for breakfast and making another unscheduled pit stop to tap the kidneys, we arrived a little before 8:00.
Upon arrival we unloaded the bikes and headed over too tech/sound testing, where we all passed, then on to sign-up. The club was only sending riders out at 3 to a minute. Len and Joe wound up on minute 35 while Bob and I waited a bit and ended up on minute 37, the very last row.
Following sign-up we headed back to our pit and got ready. Being this was Joe's first NETRA enduro, he bombarded us with a lot of questions before our key time. During the melee that followed sign-up, I failed to get key time and ended up sponging it from Len. My pre-race ritual consisted of drinking lots of water and downing a Slimfast shake before heading over to the start. By the time I got my helmet strapped on I was sweating buckets. All the way up until my key time I kept drinking out of my Camelbak to make sure I was properly hydrated.
When our minute came up I let Bob take the lead. My strategy was to follow him through the woods as he usually sets a fairly steady pace throughout the day whereas I will ride too fast and crash or too slow and drop a lot of points.
The first test section, right out of the start, consisted of a tree farm with some open grass track then single track through the woods. A right-hander off the grass track took us into the woods and I decided to dump the bike in the corner and Bob got away from me. Crash number one was out of the way and I'd just blown my strategy. In the woods I started catching some of the slower riders. At the first mud hole I passed Joe, who was struggling with his 125 Husky. I made it through and continued on. At one spot the trail was on an off-camber covered with roots. I didn't carry enough momentum and my bike slid down wedging itself against a tree. I had to get off and bulldog it around only to wind up in another mud hole where I caught up to Bob. There were riders stuck everywhere so getting around them and through the mud proved to be tricky, but I made it. Finally the trail dumped us into a creek. Once again, stuck riders clogged all the good lines and I made a poor choice. The front tire dropped off the bank into the creek and I fell over into the water. At least it felt refreshing. I got the bike un-stuck and continued along trying to make better line selections. Not much further I found myself at the out check where I dropped 11 minutes and 33 seconds, which put me back on minute 48 under Brand X rules. At the reset I adjusted my minute on my Pacemaker enduro computer and was back on time.
After the first section we had a very long transfer section that was almost entirely paved. This transfer section included 6 miles of free territory, where no checks could be located. I decided to ride close to 5 minutes hot so I could reduce the fork rebound a couple clicks, to relieve arm pump, and fix the loose buckle on my boot. At the end of the free territory I caught up with Len and Bob. Bob had only dropped 8 minutes in the first section, so he was now on minute 45.
Riding hot through the free territory gave me enough time to fix the minor issues I was having and gulp down some more water. Before I knew it my time was up and I headed down the road. A short section of pavement turned into a dirt road, with two-way traffic, before darting off into a field. At all mileage points I kept checking my computer and my watch. As I came over the hill I spotted a check, glanced at my watch and computer, and figured I was safe to go in. Wrong! I missed the flip by one second. I came in hot (too early) and burned the check-in to the second test section. I was kind of pissed and wasn't thinking clearly. This second section was really great, but I should've been on the gas more and not thinking about the burn. The trails in this section were fantastic compared to the first test section. They actually had dirt on them. There were some rocks, but no significant rock gardens. A few spots had some roots and downed trees, even had some whoops, but no stoppers of any sort. It was some of the nicest trail I'd ever ridden at a NETRA enduro.
Half way through the third test section I spotted Gunther. He and I had been corresponding over e-mail after the last NETRA enduro, the Somers Fun Fun Fun. He was sitting on the side of the trail next to his bike, obviously with bike issues. I rode fairly decent in this section, but managed to drop 6 more points at the out check. Had I not burned the check-in by one second, I would've only dropped 5 points. As it was, I was now on minute 53. I stopped and re-adjusted my Pacemaker at the reset then rode the paved transfer section to the next test section.
The third test section was easy to spot. Several riders were waiting for their minute to go in. The route sheet indicated a possible check up ahead, so I stopped and waited. I spotted Soil Sample Boy waiting there. He had started on minute 30, so obviously he was riding like his normal self. I asked him if he'd take a good digger in front of me because I needed a good laugh. After he took off I chatted with another rider who also burned check 3 by a second. Hmmm, maybe, I thought to myself, they'll throw that check out? Just before it was my time to go in Bob pulled up. He'd taken a wrong turn before check 3 and was now a minute behind me. I said so long to Bob and headed into the third test section where I zeroed the in-check. This section wasn't as nice as the previous test section. The trails were muddy and there were quite a few large rocks. I passed a number of slower riders in this section, but didn't have any trouble. Ended up dropping another 11 points in the third test section, which put me on minute 64. From there it was another paved transfer section back to gas. Again the route sheet indicated there might be a possible check just before gas, so I waited for my minute before heading into the gas stop. Again, under Brand X rules a checkpoint can be located at any possible along the course. There wasn't a check, so I rode to our pit.
Back at our pit, Len was there. He was getting ready to go back out. He'd dropped 20 points in the first half, compared to my 30. He helped me get my bike up on its stand before he left. Bob pulled in and had a strand of barbed wire wrapped around his rear wheel. I gassed up my bike, filled up my Camelbak and downed another Slimfast. Joe came in and was ticked off about something, but I wasn't sure what nor did I want to ask him. I was ready to go back out and wanted to ride with Bob, but he was still messing with the barbed wire. I gave him my diagonal cutters and let him borrow my bike stand. He was going to be a while, so I decided to head back out. At the Known Control I left on minute 56 and adjusted the Pacemaker accordingly. Under Brand X you can leave a Known Control any time between your original starting minute and your last minute, before the Known Control, without a penalty. This is one of the tricks to riding a Brand X enduro. It doesn't give you much time to recuperate at a gas stop, but you can make up for points you lost in the previous loop to keep from houring out.
The second loop started with a transfer section that took us down the road to the trails. The fourth test section didn't have an in-check, but I went in on top of my minute. This section had some nice tight trails. Not too muddy or rocky, but enough roots and moist soil to make you stay on your toes. I caught and passed a lot of slower riders in this section. One thing I enjoy about enduros is slower riders rarely hold you back. Most are bright enough to pull over and let you pass. The nice trails eventually turned into a rocky dirt road before the out check. I dropped 3 more points in this section, putting me back on minute 59. I stopped at the reset and, once again, adjusted my minute before heading down the rocky dirt road that served as another transfer section. I was riding probably two minutes hot (ahead of time) and decided to pull over to water a tree that looked a little dry. As I was getting back on my bike, Soil Sample Boy and a couple other riders went by. They must've been riding hot as well. I held back and rode within my minute for a bit, then decided to pass them. I was riding at the top of my minute when I came around a corner and spotted another check. I knew I wasn't hot, so I went in and carded another zero. Sampler followed me in and had to have burned it, which he did.
This fifth test section started out on a rocky dirt road, but quickly became a nasty trail. This must've been where all the rocks from the second test section were hiding. There was one real gnarly water crossing with huge boulders in between, what looked like, deep mud holes. Thankfully some members of the Rhody Rovers were there pointing out the only good line. I made my way through this spot and stayed on the gas as much as possible. This section was not fun at all. It contained some short, steep rock strewn hills. A couple climbs up steep, slippery glacial boulders. Finally it was over. The out check was an emergency check, just like check 2, where minutes and seconds are recorded. I passed through dropping 8 minutes and 37 seconds. This put me back on minute 67. I felt like I had been riding like a goon through most of this section, but it actually was a pretty good score. Adjusting my Pacemaker at the reset I was, once again, back on a paved transfer section heading to, what I figured, was back towards the start. From looking at the route sheet I determined there were two more test sections, so I rode hot through the transfer section.
When I arrived at the sixth test section I waited for my minute before going in. Unfortunately there wasn't an in-check so I waited for nothing. This section was called The Sawmill and it was some of the best trails we rode all day. Unfortunately it was too short, but I dropped another 2 points putting me on minute 69. A quick enduro computer adjustment was made and a short transfer section had me back to the tree farm. Where I waited for my minute. This last test section was the same one we had run right from the start. Only this time we were going the opposite direction. By now I was spent. My energy level was close to zero, but this section was only four miles or so in length. I tried to stand on the pegs as much as possible, but my body refused to cooperate. The nice trails eventually deteriorated to the huge mud holes we navigated in the morning. More than a few riders were stuck in the wrong spot. At the very last mud hole I picked the wrong line and got stuck. I hopped off my bike and wrestled it around before getting it freed up enough to continue. Things were starting to look familiar and I new the end was near. I dug deep down inside and managed to find enough energy to ride across the finish. It was over, and I dropped another 11 points in this section.
I made my way back to our pit, where I found Len sitting in the back of the van. I struggled to lift my bike onto its stand and started getting undressed. It was hot and I couldn't stop sweating profusely. Bob arrived a little after me and Joe showed up a while after that. I barely had enough energy to get into my street clothes and open a quart of Gatorade before walking over to turn in my scorecard. By the time scores were posted I was starting to feel normal again, albeit a bit stiff and sore.
Len turned in a great ride carding 39 total points for second in Senior B. He burned an easy check on the second loop, which cost him first place. Bob overcame making a wrong turn and getting barbed wire wrapped around his wheel to take second in Super Senior with a 51. Joe finally quit bitching about whatever he was bitching about, when he realized his score of 68 gave him first in Senior C. Not bad for his first NETRA Enduro. Me, well I dropped 54 points, three of which were from burning check 3 by one second, ending up first in Vet C. I was also third overall in C, earning some much needed promotion points. With enduro attendance dropping off, it's getting harder to earn promotion points when only 15% of the entire ability class earns points. At the two previous enduros I rode I ended up 1 spot out from promotion points.
Upon arrival we unloaded the bikes and headed over too tech/sound testing, where we all passed, then on to sign-up. The club was only sending riders out at 3 to a minute. Len and Joe wound up on minute 35 while Bob and I waited a bit and ended up on minute 37, the very last row.
Following sign-up we headed back to our pit and got ready. Being this was Joe's first NETRA enduro, he bombarded us with a lot of questions before our key time. During the melee that followed sign-up, I failed to get key time and ended up sponging it from Len. My pre-race ritual consisted of drinking lots of water and downing a Slimfast shake before heading over to the start. By the time I got my helmet strapped on I was sweating buckets. All the way up until my key time I kept drinking out of my Camelbak to make sure I was properly hydrated.
When our minute came up I let Bob take the lead. My strategy was to follow him through the woods as he usually sets a fairly steady pace throughout the day whereas I will ride too fast and crash or too slow and drop a lot of points.
The first test section, right out of the start, consisted of a tree farm with some open grass track then single track through the woods. A right-hander off the grass track took us into the woods and I decided to dump the bike in the corner and Bob got away from me. Crash number one was out of the way and I'd just blown my strategy. In the woods I started catching some of the slower riders. At the first mud hole I passed Joe, who was struggling with his 125 Husky. I made it through and continued on. At one spot the trail was on an off-camber covered with roots. I didn't carry enough momentum and my bike slid down wedging itself against a tree. I had to get off and bulldog it around only to wind up in another mud hole where I caught up to Bob. There were riders stuck everywhere so getting around them and through the mud proved to be tricky, but I made it. Finally the trail dumped us into a creek. Once again, stuck riders clogged all the good lines and I made a poor choice. The front tire dropped off the bank into the creek and I fell over into the water. At least it felt refreshing. I got the bike un-stuck and continued along trying to make better line selections. Not much further I found myself at the out check where I dropped 11 minutes and 33 seconds, which put me back on minute 48 under Brand X rules. At the reset I adjusted my minute on my Pacemaker enduro computer and was back on time.
After the first section we had a very long transfer section that was almost entirely paved. This transfer section included 6 miles of free territory, where no checks could be located. I decided to ride close to 5 minutes hot so I could reduce the fork rebound a couple clicks, to relieve arm pump, and fix the loose buckle on my boot. At the end of the free territory I caught up with Len and Bob. Bob had only dropped 8 minutes in the first section, so he was now on minute 45.
Riding hot through the free territory gave me enough time to fix the minor issues I was having and gulp down some more water. Before I knew it my time was up and I headed down the road. A short section of pavement turned into a dirt road, with two-way traffic, before darting off into a field. At all mileage points I kept checking my computer and my watch. As I came over the hill I spotted a check, glanced at my watch and computer, and figured I was safe to go in. Wrong! I missed the flip by one second. I came in hot (too early) and burned the check-in to the second test section. I was kind of pissed and wasn't thinking clearly. This second section was really great, but I should've been on the gas more and not thinking about the burn. The trails in this section were fantastic compared to the first test section. They actually had dirt on them. There were some rocks, but no significant rock gardens. A few spots had some roots and downed trees, even had some whoops, but no stoppers of any sort. It was some of the nicest trail I'd ever ridden at a NETRA enduro.
Half way through the third test section I spotted Gunther. He and I had been corresponding over e-mail after the last NETRA enduro, the Somers Fun Fun Fun. He was sitting on the side of the trail next to his bike, obviously with bike issues. I rode fairly decent in this section, but managed to drop 6 more points at the out check. Had I not burned the check-in by one second, I would've only dropped 5 points. As it was, I was now on minute 53. I stopped and re-adjusted my Pacemaker at the reset then rode the paved transfer section to the next test section.
The third test section was easy to spot. Several riders were waiting for their minute to go in. The route sheet indicated a possible check up ahead, so I stopped and waited. I spotted Soil Sample Boy waiting there. He had started on minute 30, so obviously he was riding like his normal self. I asked him if he'd take a good digger in front of me because I needed a good laugh. After he took off I chatted with another rider who also burned check 3 by a second. Hmmm, maybe, I thought to myself, they'll throw that check out? Just before it was my time to go in Bob pulled up. He'd taken a wrong turn before check 3 and was now a minute behind me. I said so long to Bob and headed into the third test section where I zeroed the in-check. This section wasn't as nice as the previous test section. The trails were muddy and there were quite a few large rocks. I passed a number of slower riders in this section, but didn't have any trouble. Ended up dropping another 11 points in the third test section, which put me on minute 64. From there it was another paved transfer section back to gas. Again the route sheet indicated there might be a possible check just before gas, so I waited for my minute before heading into the gas stop. Again, under Brand X rules a checkpoint can be located at any possible along the course. There wasn't a check, so I rode to our pit.
Back at our pit, Len was there. He was getting ready to go back out. He'd dropped 20 points in the first half, compared to my 30. He helped me get my bike up on its stand before he left. Bob pulled in and had a strand of barbed wire wrapped around his rear wheel. I gassed up my bike, filled up my Camelbak and downed another Slimfast. Joe came in and was ticked off about something, but I wasn't sure what nor did I want to ask him. I was ready to go back out and wanted to ride with Bob, but he was still messing with the barbed wire. I gave him my diagonal cutters and let him borrow my bike stand. He was going to be a while, so I decided to head back out. At the Known Control I left on minute 56 and adjusted the Pacemaker accordingly. Under Brand X you can leave a Known Control any time between your original starting minute and your last minute, before the Known Control, without a penalty. This is one of the tricks to riding a Brand X enduro. It doesn't give you much time to recuperate at a gas stop, but you can make up for points you lost in the previous loop to keep from houring out.
The second loop started with a transfer section that took us down the road to the trails. The fourth test section didn't have an in-check, but I went in on top of my minute. This section had some nice tight trails. Not too muddy or rocky, but enough roots and moist soil to make you stay on your toes. I caught and passed a lot of slower riders in this section. One thing I enjoy about enduros is slower riders rarely hold you back. Most are bright enough to pull over and let you pass. The nice trails eventually turned into a rocky dirt road before the out check. I dropped 3 more points in this section, putting me back on minute 59. I stopped at the reset and, once again, adjusted my minute before heading down the rocky dirt road that served as another transfer section. I was riding probably two minutes hot (ahead of time) and decided to pull over to water a tree that looked a little dry. As I was getting back on my bike, Soil Sample Boy and a couple other riders went by. They must've been riding hot as well. I held back and rode within my minute for a bit, then decided to pass them. I was riding at the top of my minute when I came around a corner and spotted another check. I knew I wasn't hot, so I went in and carded another zero. Sampler followed me in and had to have burned it, which he did.
This fifth test section started out on a rocky dirt road, but quickly became a nasty trail. This must've been where all the rocks from the second test section were hiding. There was one real gnarly water crossing with huge boulders in between, what looked like, deep mud holes. Thankfully some members of the Rhody Rovers were there pointing out the only good line. I made my way through this spot and stayed on the gas as much as possible. This section was not fun at all. It contained some short, steep rock strewn hills. A couple climbs up steep, slippery glacial boulders. Finally it was over. The out check was an emergency check, just like check 2, where minutes and seconds are recorded. I passed through dropping 8 minutes and 37 seconds. This put me back on minute 67. I felt like I had been riding like a goon through most of this section, but it actually was a pretty good score. Adjusting my Pacemaker at the reset I was, once again, back on a paved transfer section heading to, what I figured, was back towards the start. From looking at the route sheet I determined there were two more test sections, so I rode hot through the transfer section.
When I arrived at the sixth test section I waited for my minute before going in. Unfortunately there wasn't an in-check so I waited for nothing. This section was called The Sawmill and it was some of the best trails we rode all day. Unfortunately it was too short, but I dropped another 2 points putting me on minute 69. A quick enduro computer adjustment was made and a short transfer section had me back to the tree farm. Where I waited for my minute. This last test section was the same one we had run right from the start. Only this time we were going the opposite direction. By now I was spent. My energy level was close to zero, but this section was only four miles or so in length. I tried to stand on the pegs as much as possible, but my body refused to cooperate. The nice trails eventually deteriorated to the huge mud holes we navigated in the morning. More than a few riders were stuck in the wrong spot. At the very last mud hole I picked the wrong line and got stuck. I hopped off my bike and wrestled it around before getting it freed up enough to continue. Things were starting to look familiar and I new the end was near. I dug deep down inside and managed to find enough energy to ride across the finish. It was over, and I dropped another 11 points in this section.
I made my way back to our pit, where I found Len sitting in the back of the van. I struggled to lift my bike onto its stand and started getting undressed. It was hot and I couldn't stop sweating profusely. Bob arrived a little after me and Joe showed up a while after that. I barely had enough energy to get into my street clothes and open a quart of Gatorade before walking over to turn in my scorecard. By the time scores were posted I was starting to feel normal again, albeit a bit stiff and sore.
Len turned in a great ride carding 39 total points for second in Senior B. He burned an easy check on the second loop, which cost him first place. Bob overcame making a wrong turn and getting barbed wire wrapped around his wheel to take second in Super Senior with a 51. Joe finally quit bitching about whatever he was bitching about, when he realized his score of 68 gave him first in Senior C. Not bad for his first NETRA Enduro. Me, well I dropped 54 points, three of which were from burning check 3 by one second, ending up first in Vet C. I was also third overall in C, earning some much needed promotion points. With enduro attendance dropping off, it's getting harder to earn promotion points when only 15% of the entire ability class earns points. At the two previous enduros I rode I ended up 1 spot out from promotion points.
