KNeese

Member
Nov 19, 2001
110
0
I arrived at the pits around 6:30pm. Got signed up, my starting time and a Jart chart. Got the new Pacemaker all programmed, the chart loaded in the route sheet and the backup clock synchronized. Most of the speed averages were 7, 9 or 12 with an occasional 18 or 24 to take some points.

They were starting 2 riders per row every other minute to allow for the dust to settle.

I started at 9:41pm so it wasn't quite dark yet. I could see, but everything was subdued. There were 2 other guys on my minute, which turned out to be a bad thing, and they let me go first. The first section was 18 mph to the 3.0 mile marker then it dropped down to 9mph I think. I was riding along pretty well but my light was glaring off the front fender a little and aimed far enough out where I couldn't see anything probably 1-2 ft beyond my front fender. I had a small headlamp I mounted on the front of my helmet so I could read my instruments. But it was so damn bright it reflected off the screen on my computer and blinded me. So I left it off most of the time. I also didn't know how long the batteries would last.

About 1 mile out my front tire somehow got on the wrong side of a log along the edge of the trail. FACEPLANT! Boy I hit hard! I picked everything up, looked the bike over as best I could. When I fired it up, everything seemed to be working OK. The bike was off the trail in a small, 2' deep ditch. So I fired it up, then struggled a little to get back on the trail. With the light pointing forward you can't see where your feet are going or what is directly below the bike. So if you dab your not quite sure where your dabbing.

By this time the other guys on my minute had passed. While following them I realized dust was going to be a big problem. With the dust and my light it was like driving in dense fog on high beam. The light was glaring back off the dust where I could not see anything beyond my front fender. So I would slow way down until the dust cleared enough to see the trail.

Of course the club had a check at 3.0 so I was 2 minutes late. This would set the tone for the rest of the night. I was trying to hang back from the other guys on my minute so I could see the trail. They were faster riders so I didn't want to hold them up. I was trying to stay towards the end of the minute so I wouldn't be late. But I didn't have very good luck. Just about every check I was at least a minute late.

I also never saw many mileage markers so the computer was probably off which didn't help. At check 4 I was a minute late by just few seconds. Damn! Oh well thats night riding!!! I did manage to zero a couple checks though.

The last section from 34 to 35 something at the finish was 24 mph. It was tight, twisty overgrown trail. I was trying to push it but I came awful close to blowing a couple of turns that snuck up on me. Also there was a hint of dust from some riders in front at a couple of key turns. So I slowed down a bit. I figured this would save time since pulling my bike out of the bushes might cost a little more time.

There were some open sections up top that allowed you to see surrounding lights from houses and at one point I think I saw the edge of Olympia. Nice views.

It was a fun course. The air was cool and damp but warm enough for just a jersey. There were some parts of the course that had puddles!! Actual water!! Of course some of the water was around rocks smeared with clay from the other riders. Boy its hard to stay on the trail when the bike is spinning sideways and the light is pointing out in the bushes. I killed the bike a couple of times. Wow its really dark in the woods with no moonlight! But my trusty helmet light worked pretty well.

The end was around 35 miles so it wasn't a long ride, but enough. I eventually dropped 11 points. I hung around for results and got 4th in my class. They trophied to 3rd so I didn't have to hang around for that.

It was around 2:15am when I left. Boy was I pooped.

I think next year I will have to spring for a bigger lighting coil and do more night riding in preparation.
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
0
Hmm, that sounds like fun. Are the trails open or single track? Hope the club didn't have to de-arrow that night ;) How did they go about it with markers/arrows? How many competitors were there? Wonder if anyone would turn up if we held one over here.
Congrats though & it does sound like fun.
 

KNeese

Member
Nov 19, 2001
110
0
They don't get a big turnout for this event but those who show up I think usually have a good time. At least I always do. Its more of a novelty ride than a serious competitive event and the club keeps the speeds fairly low so no one has to hurry.

Most of the course was on single track, through the woods. But there were a few logging road sections. Of the 35+ mile course there was probably 3-5 miles of road sections.
 

craig_enid

Member
Mar 23, 2000
872
0
Wow, that sounds like a good time!

I ran in the nightime poker run at DW'02, and it was a hoot just playing around. It's a different world in the woods, when the sun goes down.....
 

endoquest

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Dec 4, 2000
325
0
Once again, again great report Ken. Wish I could have done it. I'll miss the Black Bear also :whiner: Next year I plan on running all of the enduros again. Happy trails
 

KNeese

Member
Nov 19, 2001
110
0
Thanks Adam. Sorry you missed the Night Enduro and sorry you will miss the Black Bear. Although I'm not too thrilled about the Black Bear this year since it will be in Capitol Forest. I really prefer Little Naches. Oh well.

See ya next year.
 

GETMETOCA

Can't Wait For Tuesdays
Mar 17, 2002
4,768
0
Great Report!!  I'm all over anything Night-related riding because we have a women's team entering the Starvation Ridge 24 hour GP and I'm on it.  Never rode at night before except for one time coming back in late at Stoneyford.  Trying to cross a fairly high creek at night was kinda fun, but a little scarey.

Like Craig Enid, I'm doing the Night Time Poker run at Dirtweek this year just to get the dark woods part out of my system.  Its a no pressure fun ride. For the real thing,  I worry about having to deal with really technical stuff (or getting out of it if I biff) in the dark.  A nasty rutted downhill in the dark will be my demise.

Have you rode the Starvation Ridge course?   What do you think its going to be like at night? I've got an aerial view of it and it looks mostly fun, but I can't see anything tricky from the shot and it may be deceptive.

 

Again, thanks for the report :thumb:
 

KNeese

Member
Nov 19, 2001
110
0
I haven't ridden at Starvation Ridge before. I went there to watch a race a couple of years ago and it looked fairly wide and fast from what I could see. Nothing really technical.
 

Highbeam

~SPONSOR~
Jun 13, 2001
665
0
I too rode that night enduro. My first one and I thought a bicycle light filled with 4AA batteries would make it through the ride. Nope, it died after 2 hours. Luckily the XR headlight isn't too bad. But I lost the ability to timekeep. I was at the mercy of other riders being on time.

I was the next to last guy to leave that night, my minute was 10:03. The arrows were pretty good but I did make one wrong turn and got about 3 amiles off course before came to a dark unmarked intersection and realized there should have been arrows here and I must be off course.

When it's dark, silent, and you think you might be lost. Your head had better be screwed on tight. I turned around and found the intersection where I got off course. The arrows were mounted too high for the headlight to hit them, at least that's my excuse.

I ended up 4th or 7th, I can't remember, but there was a big point gap between me and the next guy. It was about 2:30 and I decided to head home. Awards were to be presented later that night/morning. I rolled into Buckley at 3:30 and climbed into bed. Slept in.

The novelty of this race was a big deal. Totally unique experience riding at night. The stars were out the moon was new and the people at this ride were a bit special or maybe it was just the mood. Seemed folks were friendlier.

I can't wait to do it again. This time with LED lights that can last. This ride with the slow speed averages is perfect for timekeeping. It was slow enough to zero all the checks if you knew what you were doing.

It was like halloween with all the riders sporting there sometimes outrageous lighting gear.
 

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