- Oct 13, 1999
- 2,812
- 0
Well the stars must've been aligned right this past Sunday. My schedule was open and, finally, a NETRA Enduro wasn't cancelled. I hadn't ridden an enduro since... oh man, the Snow Run back in February. I was ready for a good old-fashioned Brand-X timekeeper.
Unfortunately there wasn't much timekeeping going on. At least for me. Rain the day before made for lots of slippery rocks, roots and logs. Especially on minute 29. Right from the start I got stuck in a rut and started questioning my decision to run a trials tire on back. Took me a little over a minute to drag my bike out. Tried my best to wave off minute 30, but someone wedged me in the rut even deeper. Finally got dug out and made my way down the trail before minute 31 used me for traction too. About a 1/4-mile later came the first rocky uphill with bikes and bodies splayed all over in a truly impressive display of spodeism. I grabbed a handful and cleaned it on the first try. Yeah, the trials tire was a good choice. This short 2-mile section was greasy. I was a little slow to get started and didn't want to do any more stupid tricks. Probably didn't ride aggressive enough, but still had another 58 miles. Dropped 10 points at the out check.
Going down the transfer section the Connecticut Environmental Police had a speed trap set up on a dirt road. Yes, that's your tax dollars hard at work people. The best part was nobody got a ticket, unlike last year. Turning into the trail I still wasn't up to my pace and dropped two more points at the next check, which was the in check for the longest test section of the day. I chose the wrong line at a mud hole and made a nice splat when the bike spit me off. No harm, no foul. Finally got into a decent pace, but still dropped 23 points in that section.
From here I figured out the club was short workers. I was riding along at the top of my minute through the transfer sections. Suddenly the trail got nastier and I realized it was another test section. No in check, but I dropped 2 points at the out check. Then, once again, in the fourth section there was no in check. I was getting on the gas trying not to hour-out before the gas stop. The temperature was hotter than a cathouse on nickel night. My bike was jetted horribly rich and my drink system was just about sucked dry. I was pushing hard to pass a 4-stroke Husky in front of me. When I finally got around him I noticed a big water hole up ahead. In the middle was a crude foot bridge. I chose a line to the left and hit the gas. The water was murky, but didn't seem too deep... until my front tire dropped off the hidden rock sending me and the Gasser for a swim. At least it wasn't 17 degrees out, like at the Snow Run. The guy on the Husky got a good laugh and knew not to take the left line. I got going again, caught and passed the guy on the Husky while his rear tire was digging a rut to China in a rocky mud hole. Did I mention how great the trials tire was?
The fourth test section ended at my favorite part of this enduro, along the railroad tracks. I actually made some time up in here, but not much. Popped out on the whooped out road, saw the check and one of the workers waving madly. Couldn't tell if they were waving me in or trying to slow me down because of another speed trap. Took a chance and gassed it. Dropped another 12 points.
From here the club put us through a couple more trail sections with no checks. Although, from my scorecard, it looks like there should've been at least one check before the gas stop. Got into gas and found the gal who shagged my can out there. Sucks that the club couldn't round up enough workers to even have a gas truck. Anyway I'd lent this gals husband my extra drink system bladder as his looked more like a sprinkler and on a day like this you needed all the water you can carry. She gave me some water and I headed out to the Known Control after gas.
I was 49 minutes down, going into gas, but was able to make up 19 by the time I hit the restart (Known Control). Finally, in the second half I found my speed and kept the bike on two wheels. I dropped 4 and 5 points at the next two checks, but was dreading what lay ahead. The CT Ramblers M/C put on 3 enduros every year. The Snow Run, Somers Fun*3 and the Black and Blue. I've raced about 6 of their enduros since 2001 and every time they run us through this nasty uphill rock garden. I hate it. Every single time I stall, get stuck or launch my body into the rocks and end up with a huge hematoma that lasts for weeks. I knew they weren't going to disappoint me at this event. No way.
The last test section of the day contained this prime piece of real estate. I pulled off the road at the top of my minute, as there was a possible right there. No check, so on the gas I was. They usually have a check further up the hill, at the next possible, and there it was. I went in 15 seconds into my minute and just stayed on the gas. Sure enough, my favorite rocky hill was there. Littered with bikes and riders struggling to find traction. I stayed on the gas and pointed the front tire straight up the hill. The trials tire in back just kept getting traction and I passed about 7 riders in the process. Made it through the last section dropping another 3 points.
At this point it was all pavement back to the start where I turned in my score card. I dropped a total of 61 points. Good enough for second in my class until they took Hi-Point out and I wound up with first. As bad as conditions were I had a lot of fun at this enduro. I'll be working the next enduro, but plan to race the Time Creeper in Rhode Island next month.
Unfortunately there wasn't much timekeeping going on. At least for me. Rain the day before made for lots of slippery rocks, roots and logs. Especially on minute 29. Right from the start I got stuck in a rut and started questioning my decision to run a trials tire on back. Took me a little over a minute to drag my bike out. Tried my best to wave off minute 30, but someone wedged me in the rut even deeper. Finally got dug out and made my way down the trail before minute 31 used me for traction too. About a 1/4-mile later came the first rocky uphill with bikes and bodies splayed all over in a truly impressive display of spodeism. I grabbed a handful and cleaned it on the first try. Yeah, the trials tire was a good choice. This short 2-mile section was greasy. I was a little slow to get started and didn't want to do any more stupid tricks. Probably didn't ride aggressive enough, but still had another 58 miles. Dropped 10 points at the out check.
Going down the transfer section the Connecticut Environmental Police had a speed trap set up on a dirt road. Yes, that's your tax dollars hard at work people. The best part was nobody got a ticket, unlike last year. Turning into the trail I still wasn't up to my pace and dropped two more points at the next check, which was the in check for the longest test section of the day. I chose the wrong line at a mud hole and made a nice splat when the bike spit me off. No harm, no foul. Finally got into a decent pace, but still dropped 23 points in that section.
From here I figured out the club was short workers. I was riding along at the top of my minute through the transfer sections. Suddenly the trail got nastier and I realized it was another test section. No in check, but I dropped 2 points at the out check. Then, once again, in the fourth section there was no in check. I was getting on the gas trying not to hour-out before the gas stop. The temperature was hotter than a cathouse on nickel night. My bike was jetted horribly rich and my drink system was just about sucked dry. I was pushing hard to pass a 4-stroke Husky in front of me. When I finally got around him I noticed a big water hole up ahead. In the middle was a crude foot bridge. I chose a line to the left and hit the gas. The water was murky, but didn't seem too deep... until my front tire dropped off the hidden rock sending me and the Gasser for a swim. At least it wasn't 17 degrees out, like at the Snow Run. The guy on the Husky got a good laugh and knew not to take the left line. I got going again, caught and passed the guy on the Husky while his rear tire was digging a rut to China in a rocky mud hole. Did I mention how great the trials tire was?
The fourth test section ended at my favorite part of this enduro, along the railroad tracks. I actually made some time up in here, but not much. Popped out on the whooped out road, saw the check and one of the workers waving madly. Couldn't tell if they were waving me in or trying to slow me down because of another speed trap. Took a chance and gassed it. Dropped another 12 points.
From here the club put us through a couple more trail sections with no checks. Although, from my scorecard, it looks like there should've been at least one check before the gas stop. Got into gas and found the gal who shagged my can out there. Sucks that the club couldn't round up enough workers to even have a gas truck. Anyway I'd lent this gals husband my extra drink system bladder as his looked more like a sprinkler and on a day like this you needed all the water you can carry. She gave me some water and I headed out to the Known Control after gas.
I was 49 minutes down, going into gas, but was able to make up 19 by the time I hit the restart (Known Control). Finally, in the second half I found my speed and kept the bike on two wheels. I dropped 4 and 5 points at the next two checks, but was dreading what lay ahead. The CT Ramblers M/C put on 3 enduros every year. The Snow Run, Somers Fun*3 and the Black and Blue. I've raced about 6 of their enduros since 2001 and every time they run us through this nasty uphill rock garden. I hate it. Every single time I stall, get stuck or launch my body into the rocks and end up with a huge hematoma that lasts for weeks. I knew they weren't going to disappoint me at this event. No way.
The last test section of the day contained this prime piece of real estate. I pulled off the road at the top of my minute, as there was a possible right there. No check, so on the gas I was. They usually have a check further up the hill, at the next possible, and there it was. I went in 15 seconds into my minute and just stayed on the gas. Sure enough, my favorite rocky hill was there. Littered with bikes and riders struggling to find traction. I stayed on the gas and pointed the front tire straight up the hill. The trials tire in back just kept getting traction and I passed about 7 riders in the process. Made it through the last section dropping another 3 points.
At this point it was all pavement back to the start where I turned in my score card. I dropped a total of 61 points. Good enough for second in my class until they took Hi-Point out and I wound up with first. As bad as conditions were I had a lot of fun at this enduro. I'll be working the next enduro, but plan to race the Time Creeper in Rhode Island next month.
