moutaineer

[xcracer725]

did anybody here go to the moutaineer GNCC, i did it was my first national race and i got smoked. i got off the line good in the mini sr. class but at the fist turn some guy hit me and i went down draggin by his footpeg, there was no way to catch up really, they were like already 15 sec. ahead. i got 20th in my class out of 23, but i finished the hour and a half race and at the end i was really tired alot more tired then my local series cross country races. o well i just though i tell you guys my experience.

 

[xcracer725]

has anybody raced or attended a GNCC?

 

[Treejumper]

Well as long as you had fun, that's all the matters. I've been to them at Mount Morris (pa) to watch a friend race but never raced it myself.

 

[KTM-Lew]

This board doen't seem to be "into" the GNCC scene......never understood why?

 

[pmccormick]

I was able to fly down and do some riding in FL and cap off the trip by participating in the Florida GNCC round with a big group of friends. I rode the morning race in the Vet C class, because I had to catch a flight home later that afternoon. I planned on just treating it as a 2 hour trail ride. I finished 3 laps, could have done 4, but since the race started a little late, I stopped at 3 and then took off for the Tampa airport, a few hours away.

Positives: I really enjoyed it, and want to do more. It was fun being involved with a national event that was attended by a ton of people. It was good to get the competive juices flowing even though I was just out there trail riding. I like the way they scored things via barcode and every riding's class was identified on their helmet, so you knew if the guy in front of you or passing you was in you class or not. Also, the GNCC website does a fantastic job of posting the results and laptimes, so you can see exactly how you did after the fact.

Negatives: 95% of the Palatka, FL course was fine and fun. The other 5% consisted of mudbogs that could swallow bikes whole. I consider myself a very good mud rider, but I would come up to these mudholes, scout out lines, and then just sit there and watch other guys try them first. Some times these 'guinea pigs' would prove me right, but other times I'd watch someone get half way through and then stop dead in their tracks. It seemed like sheer luck determined whether or not you made it through. There had to have been guys who spent the entire day pulling themselves out of the mud, because on subsequent laps their bikes were still there. There were also some other areas which created severe bottlenecks, which turned into a free for all. When I came up to one bottleneck, it was 75 bikes deep trying to get through a mud bog/hole in a fence wide enough for two. Riders were going every direction, trying to find a different way. I sat at the bottle neck for a few minutes, waiting for my turn, realized that about 100 other bikes had found a way around and proceeded to follow the fence in one direction about 500 yds to another opening, crossed it, and then doubled back, in the process
passing everyone waiting behind the fence. The next lap the fence had been cut away and the bottleneck was gone. There were other areas were blatant course cutting was going on and no one there policing, so I did my best to do the same, since everyone was doing it. I understand that bottlenecks are part of the business, and finding a way around is what one has to do, but in my opinion some of this was well beyond the scope of rules.

Negatives aside, I'd do it again in a heartbeat (I'd think twice about the FL round if it were held at the same place and if there was ANY rain in the forecast), and am trying to get to the Indiana round, since it is close. If I could change anything, I'd be 12 years younger, in shape, on a much lighter bike, and I'd go out and scout as much of the course as possible.

Those thinking about it give it a shot, it's a good time, unless you were one of those unlucky few who were knee deep in mud...

 

[xcracer725]

wow i just found out im not the only one on this forum from WV, ktm lew what part do you live in WV