Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
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I'd spoken to a friend a while back about a forthcoming two-man race & how I was tempted to ask someone to be my partner for it - meaning I wouldn't just trailride it for a change. The person I asked was non-committal about it (which I understand) and when the friend phoned on Wednesday night asking if I'd partner her in the race, I was stoked. I told the other person that as I hadn't had an answer from him, I'd agreed to partner J.

J & I worked out the strategy between us - she told me she was good at starts (well, she hadn't finished her sentence) - so I told her she was doing the start. Well, the hooter went off, someone got the holeshot, someone else crashed, I dunno, I was running for my life as they decided I could be pitboard bitch.

The race was coming through the pits the first lap so we all walked down to watch. Everyone came through & along came J, miles behind. (I'd told her after she got the holeshot she had to pull over somewhere safe so that the guys could get past her safely hehehe). After the first part of the track, the racers were going past the pits so we could see what was going on.

The track ended up longer than we'd thought (first race Henk & some others had put on), but a fun ride. Eventually the lead rider came through, then gradually some of the others. I knew J would be last, which was fine by me. When she came through, we were worried she was about to be lapped by the lead rider, but thankfully she got in just before him. Okay - I'm being hassled by the guys about getting ready to ride. They ended up in stitches watching us do our bike/person change, as we were sharing body armour as well as switching the tag over. Yeah, so we had the longest pits - we'd also discuss the previous lap briefly before the next one headed out - serious, definitely - we wanted to have fun.

I looked over to see what the lead rider was doing, decided I might as well go & be passed by him rather than wait for him to get outta there. I didn't get passed by many people (there weren't many lol) and there were huge gaps between some of the riders, but I knew there was a battle for 3rd, 4th & 5th. The third rider came through at a point I hated, so I promptly dropped the bike (with enough room for him to get past lol), then the 4th came through & I pretty much did the same thing, the 5th rider came through & I managed to not drop the bike (actually, I think that one might have been 6th, they were close, but can't quite remember what exactly was going on.

Eventually I got back to where we went past the pits & there was no one standing there to laugh at me (whew), so I thought I'd be able to creep in when I finally got around to the point I had to go through the pits. There was still time for one more lap, so off my partner went (she was worried I wouldn't make it back in time & really wanted to go out). I waited for the lead rider to turn up, had a few minutes' rest & then grabbed a bag to help with the de-arrowing.

Yeah, we came last by a mile (actually quite a few miles), but our aim had been to have fun - we definitely won big time there. The turn-out was pathetic, but honestly, I preferred that. The funny thing was, my partner had tried to phone me in the morning to say she wasn't going to turn up, but as she couldn't, she felt obligated to. I wasn't sure if she'd come or not, as we had torrential rain, the roads were flooding, it looked like the crap weather had sent in for the day. About half an hour before people started turning up, the sun came out, the blue skies showed themselves - awesome, slightly overcast, but not wet :) (on the Saturday I'd commented I hoped it'd be overcast as it was really hot that day - too hot).

The course was tricky and long - 4 laps in 4 hours, 3 for some of us. It didn't work out as it was hoped (the guys had hoped both loops would be about the same length, but one was 3/4 & the other 1/4 distance). Everyone seemed to have a smile at the end of the day. My partner had the hugest grin & she was so hoping I wouldn't be lapped so she could go out for her second lap, I wasn't disappointed I couldn't do a 2nd lap as I'd promised I'd help with de-arrowing, so knew I'd get more riding in & had ridden the course Saturday. Next year I know I'll be able to ask J if she's keen (I had hoped when I mentioned I was almost-interested in racing it, that she might pipe up & say she was also keen). Hmm, actually she told me next year I have to do the start.

She'd been told before the last harescramble I did that she was too slow to race (so I asked her husband why I was allowed out there as I thought we were about the same pace) & he had to quickly try to cover that up ;)

No, I'm not hooked on racing, but that was fun and I'll definitely be doing it next year.

I managed to drop my bike (just for a change) at the end of the day on a gravel road after talking to someone - broke the brake lever hehehe

All in all a fun weekend, but I'm sore today. (heck, work even seemed half-way tolerable, must have been fun lol). There's another round in a few weeks, so I'm not sure what to do there but guess I'll decide on the day - I'm thinking either to trailride it or race in iron-person class but then think maybe I should just do the ride as a trailride the next day (J won't be in the country). We'll see I guess.
Hope you all had a great weekend, too.
M
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
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Way to go Michelle!

The tag team harescrambles are fun. I can't believe you guys didn't have a mudbog though with rain. You have to have a good mud bog right at pit row to make the race even more entertaining. ;)

We didn't get any riding in this weekend, had to bail on Firecracker & the beau due to home projects & kids. Karl & I did go up North the weekend prior though for Karl's "dream date". He's been dieing to park at the Batey Bould trailhead & ride trail 306 to Little Pend Oreille, spend the night at the Beaver Lodge then ride back to the truck. We finally had time to do it.

It's about 40 miles each way and if you remember the Radar Dome Trail - there are several sections that make the rocky area of that trail look tame!

But, we made it over to the Lodge in time for dinner. Had a few brews & crashed for the night. Got up had a cinnamon roll & coffee & headed back to the truck. We had to fight our way past, over or through about 7 downed trees blocking the trail (5 on the return trip as we'd cut out 2 that were really a problem). Crossed one bridge that is really spooky - it's about 20 feet long across a creekbed about 8 feet deep, hanging by one stringer, other stringer is broken and all of the boards are barely hanging on the stringer. I almost slid off of it on the way to the Lodge but came across it easy on the return trip since I knew I HAD to. And climbed up several rocky rooty rutty hills with some great rock shelves that tried to toss me off the bike.

It was a bit dusty & the backpack was too heavy (Karl took it because I am slow enough without the added difficulty) but the scenery was great and the company was even better (except when he commented that I should ride my bike over the log between two trees at a 45 degree angle to what was supposed to be the trail and I told him I'd rather do it my way - pick it up & roll it over the log - that walking away with his head shaking thing gets to me sometimes;)).
 

zero_it

~SPONSOR~
May 20, 2000
287
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Hey Bbbom!

We've talked about doing htre same run over the hill for a night at the Beaver Lodge. Sounds like a blast. That bridge on the connector trail has GOT to be replaced. Lisa & I looked for a route down through the gully a couple of years ago and there's no good way through. The decking is still decent, just needs new stringers.

I had a good ride at Walker Valley yesterday. Only one little 45 degree log crossing which I very gracefully did the splits over but still saved it. Your method definitely sounds safer!

Throttle On!
 

KDXgirl

Member
May 10, 2003
146
0
Sounds great Michelle, well done for giving it a go! I must admit I am completely hooked on racing, the RM-Z is due in late this week early next week all going to plan! Ive got a full calender of racing for next year with barely a weekend off and have 4 more races to complete this year as well as inbetween rides and runs on the practice track, coaching schools etc. Am looking forward to all of it!
Tag-team harescrambles seem to be more rare here, I would love to do one though and might have to take a closer look for them I think.

Well done again!
 

E-Ticket

~SPONSOR~
Dec 16, 2000
735
0
Hey KDXG,

You will *absolutely* have to start a new thread and let us know what you think of the new RM-Z....! Thanks! - ET
 
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