Steve St.Laurent

Mi. Trail Riders
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Feb 6, 2006
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Smit Dog wanted the full story so here it is. I have a full race report I wrote up for my friends but I won't bore you with all the details of a newbie enduro rider so I'll just give the cliffs notes version.

First, I was expecting a lot of mud (lol) - maybe the club name should have been temporarily changed to the Dust Bunnies? I definitely won't be expecting the same conditions next year. Some of those dry river beds we rode up with all the big rocks in them would have been a nightmare under water!

The big story was the adventure near the end of the ride. I was tired at the C class turnoff but not so tired that I couldn't go on. I'm trying to work hard on my endurance and getting as much exposure as I can since I plan on running the entire series next year (had planned on doing so this year but events conspired against me). So I figured I'd ride the last section just for fun. I really enjoyed that last section - would have to say it was my favorite section of the whole event. But towards the end of the 2nd to last woods section at mile 77 I ran out of gas. I have a 3.1 gallon tank on my CR and we filled it to the brim at the gas stop but I rejetted just before the last race to resolve a bog issue I've been having at large throttle openings and I'm running very rich at idle and low throttle settings now. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal but I was wrong. I had a small amount of fuel in corners of the tank so I leaned the bike over and lifted it up, etc to get that fuel down to the pickup but it wasn't even enough to fill the bowl :( . I was about 10 minutes down when I ran out of gas. About 15 riders passed me while I was pushing through the woods and a few asked if I was ok as they were riding by - told them yes, just out of gas.

I could see the highway to my right and a farm field about a 1/4 mile down the trail and what looked like a house through the woods. So what else could I do but push. So I pushed the bike towards that house which ended up being a fenced in power line tower. But there was a gravel road leading away from it which was easier to push down than through the woods. Came out in the farm field and could see the trail arrows going through the field and the gravel road crossed the event trail and then paralleled along it. While I was pushing up that gravel road two guys rode by fairly slowly which I was afraid might be the sweep riders - I tried to wave them down but they didn't see me. I had a bad feeling about that! I got out to the road and started pushing up the road. Up the road 600 feet or so was the next turn into the woods and there were a few vehicles up there. I was hoping they were with the event! A couple guys and kids drove up in their Ford and asked if I needed a ride - OH YEAH!!!!!! I had pushed the bike about a mile. We loaded the bike in the back of the truck and then a guy rode up on his quad and asked what the problem was.

I explained I was out of gas and he said he had some at his farm if I wanted to finish the event. He said he had 2t oil too! I REALLY appreciated the offer of the ride but I much preferred the idea of riding into the finish (even if it was very late) rather than being brought home in a truck! I hopped on the quad and we went and got the gas. Got her running, thanked the farmer, and then headed into the woods. About a 1/4 mile into the woods the bike died again! Aaaaargh!! I kicked for all my might with no throttle, partial throttle, WOT, choke, no choke, etc. but she wouldn't. I was hoping it was a fouled plug so I pulled the plug and sure enough it looked NASTY. Put my fresh plug in and it fired right up. The gas from the farmer was from his farm tank (gravity fed) so it was pretty poor fuel (but beggars can't be choosers!). The bike kept loading up so I kept having to pull in the clutch and rev the piss out of the bike to get it to clear out but I made it to the end. I got into the last check on minute 116 - 81 minutes down. But at least I finished out the ride!

I had a blast at the event. A lot more trail miles and fewer road miles than the two Michigan events I've run (Harrison and Treetopper). They sure like TIGHT switchback turns down there! Thanks to everyone that worked hard to put on the event!
 

Wolverine423

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Why did you not fill up with gas on a pause or at gas available if you knew your were going to ride the last section?..
 

Steve St.Laurent

Mi. Trail Riders
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Feb 6, 2006
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I did fill up at the gas available. I have a 3.1 gallon tank on the bike and I had only ridden 38 miles to where I ran out of gas, I should have had plenty of fuel to be able to finish. I had ridden 39 miles to the gas available. As I said in the first post I rejetted the bike right before the previous race and I knew it was running rich at low throttle settings but I didn't think it would be bad enough to cause me to run out of fuel and I was wrong. It was running so great at 1/2 throttle + compared to how it's been running that I didn't want to mess with it further at the time. It ran fine at low throttle settings too other than it would load up and would take a few seconds to clear up after extended running at low throttle settings (a few minutes).
 
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woodsy

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Wolverine423 said:
Why did you not fill up with gas on a pause or at gas available if you knew your were going to ride the last section?..

Great stories dont come from people who do organized things like that... I mean,, what kind of tale would he have to tell if he didnt at least risk running out of gas in the middle of no where?? Believe me Steve, even if no one else understands I do!! GREAT WRITE UP!! Made my day bro!
Woodsy
 

fatherandson

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Steve, you were not the only one who ran out of gas in the last section. I saw a AA rider getting towed in by a suburban. His clear gas tank made it very obvious he was out of fuel.
 

Smit-Dog

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Wolverine423 said:
Why did you not fill up with gas on a pause or at gas available if you knew your were going to ride the last section?..
Don't fault a newbie enduro rider! I know of this complete spode who missed an arrow at an enduro, didn't gas up, and then had to walk 5 miles under the blazing sun and 90+ temps back to staging. :rotfl:

At least Steve RODE back in on a bike, turned in a scorecard, didn't hour out, and still finished 10th out of 18 riders!
 

Steve St.Laurent

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Feb 6, 2006
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I think that might leave a mark Bill!! BTW, I think it's 11th out of 19 but who's counting. Good to hear that I'm not the only one that ran out of gas. bbarel - out of curiosity how big is your tank?
 
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salgeek

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Oct 2, 2003
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Good tale - Steve. We were standing right in front of you as you pulled your bike to a stop outside the Lion's clubhouse. Anyone that can still have a big smile after an adventure like that IS a lifelong Enduro rider. :cool:
 

Wolverine423

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Smit-Dog said:
Don't fault a newbie enduro rider! I know of this complete spode who missed an arrow at an enduro, didn't gas up, and then had to walk 5 miles under the blazing sun and 90+ temps back to staging. :rotfl:

At least Steve RODE back in on a bike, turned in a scorecard, didn't hour out, and still finished 10th out of 18 riders!
Ummmm I think I was trying to make it to 2nd gas during the LM in 2005 deputy dog. If I recall I rode the mountain 2 times that day…Did you even ride it once?.... But at your speed you will probably never miss an arrow that’s for sure! I can understand running out of gas for whatever reasons but not carrying an extra spark plug with you especially when you know your bike is piss poorly jetted earns the spode of all spodes award spode! :cool:

PS. By the way I did turn in a score card that day....It seems I did good enough to place 3rd with 1 tank of gas.


I asked Steve a question in wondering if he gassed up somewhere along the way. I over looked the part of his story where he said he took gas at the gas stop. It wasn't asked in sarcasm. I apologize if it came across that way. Yes it is a good story :cool: . Myself along with some others toss in some extra gas at the last pause just before going into the last 13 mile restart because I figured I would be pushing the issue of running out. After the 2005 incident chancing the gas situation would never happen again!
 

Smit-Dog

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Wolverine423 said:
... By the way I did turn in a score card that day....It seems I did good enough to place 3rd with 1 tank of gas.
You took 3rd using Method B?!?! :uh:
 

Steve St.Laurent

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Feb 6, 2006
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How did you know where that pause was going to be to have someone there with gas or did you carry some in a bottle with you? If you carried it with you, how (thinking about that for the future for a reserve tank)?
 

Wolverine423

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Smit-Dog said:
You took 3rd using Method B?!?! :uh:
Ya Spode my second enduro ever and botta bing 2 trips around the mountain & one tank of gas you believe that shiz... It's great to be an American! :cool:
 

Wolverine423

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Steve St.Laurent said:
How did you know where that pause was going to be to have someone there with gas or did you carry some in a bottle with you? If you carried it with you, how (thinking about that for the future for a reserve tank)?
Steve, I was fortunate enough to be able to toss my stuff in with a seasoned pit crew that had a chase rig traveling around all day to every location on pavement. Funny thing though…I seen the rig parked off the roadside just before the last restart with nobody in it {Hummm that’s odd I thought}. I was the first to arrive then the other guys started showing up and wondered WTF. Story is is that the pit crew parked the rig and hitched a ride to Taco Bell & to Starbucks in another vehicle….LMAO Go Figure. I thought we were the ones needing caffine :laugh:
 

fatherandson

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Wolverine423 said:
I asked Steve a question in wondering if he gassed up somewhere along the way. I over looked the part of his story where he said he took gas at the gas stop. It wasn't asked in sarcasm. I apologize if it came across that way. Yes it is a good story :cool: . Myself along with some others toss in some extra gas at the last pause just before going into the last 13 mile restart because I figured I would be pushing the issue of running out. After the 2005 incident chancing the gas situation would never happen again!

DW - not everyone had the benefit of a pit crew and had to use the gas trailer.
Great story Steve! Keep it up. I hope to see you at Goshen!
 

Steve St.Laurent

Mi. Trail Riders
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Feb 6, 2006
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I had a pit crew there but they'd never even been to an enduro before. It being only my 3rd enduro I don't have the gig down yet myself! Wouldn't have even known how to tell them to find the different road crossings.

I'll be at Goshen but only for sunday. I'll be in Las Vegas the week prior covering SEMA for a magazine I work for and I don't get back into town until saturday.
 

Wolverine423

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Steve St.Laurent said:
Wouldn't have even known how to tell them to find the different road crossings.
Me either! Anyhow I apologize if you have taken offence to my question. Good luck at Goshen. If you walk by the PC van swing in and say hi.

DW
 

Steve St.Laurent

Mi. Trail Riders
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Feb 6, 2006
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No offense taken at all. It was a valid question!
 
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