|
|
|
Wild Boar Enduro It dried up quite a bit since the last time I rode Clear Creek during the Quicksilver. I decided to race the four stroke since it was so dry out. I feel like I can't charge as hard through the brush on it but it is easier and more comfortable to ride in the dry skatey conditions. My Dad and friend Gregg were on minute 14 with me. On the first turn my Dad found out his rear brakes weren't working properly and he had to take nine minutes getting them to work before he started. At the 2.9 mile marker my mileage was spot on and I noticed on the hill in front of us that I could see the first check. By looking at the time sheet this looked like a potential test so I pinned it. I felt pretty good through the test and dropped a one. The speed average then dropped way down to six miles per hour so we cruised to the in and out section that was a 24 mile per hour section. They didn't take points from us there and we had a couple minutes to rest at a reset. Right after the reset we had a check. We ended up on the back side of junk car road and were ahead of time at the end of our free three miles. It soon got tight and we began to drop time. There were some good trails in this section and the Timekeepers managed to find some good traction. We went down the side of a rocky tight off camber trail which led us to the creek trail. After crossing the ridge we checked out of the section. I dropped a two in that section. At the next reset I saw that Spearle also had dropped a two in that section and one in the first so we were tied. Billy Russell came up and he managed to drop a one and was leading at that point. The speed averages were low for the rest of the way to gas. Big Al caught up during this section and we cruised down to gas at Indian Hill. The second loop had a section that was 18 miles long with a 24 mile per hour speed average. I was looking forward to this long section to try to make up some time. We timekept for the first couple of miles. There was a sneaky check just off a main road that had great placement and I am sure caught some early. That led us into some pretty tight and rocky trail. At the end of our free three miles I was just over a minute early so I had to stop. Billy was on the minute behind me and he came roaring up and asked what was wrong. I told him we were early. When the minute was up I took off and there was a check just ahead at the next possible. I was lucky to catch myself there because that could have been a check to lose the race at. A bit more timekeeping led us to the start of the 24 mph section. We were on the I-5 side of Clear Creek were the Quicksilver usually runs. I kept up on time for a few miles than had someone get stuck in front of me going up a rutted hill. I dropped close to thirty seconds back so I hammered down and started to go. I went fast for a few miles then looked down at my computer and to my surprise was forty five seconds early. I was sort of pissed that I wasn't late because I hate to have to slow down in what may be a test. I thought about going ahead to try to get some points back but decided against it. For the rest of the 24 mph section I was able to keep pace pretty easily. I was bummed because I thought that was going to be the best section on the day. 7 minutes of free time had everyone hanging out. Billy and I rode up to the next possible and were glad we did because we would have had to go struggle to keep time through the next little section. The club did a good job of hitting some interesting trail on the way back in. We were on time the whole way but at least we weren't just taking the main roads. Right at the end of the loop at Goat Mountain they found some tight single track. I got worried because I thought they were trying to steel one last point from us. I was relieved when I came up to a check and was on time. However it was an observation so then I knew they were messing with us. I kept on the gas and the real check was just a little ways down the trail. Billy took the overall and the Boar's head home with him. I was second with a three and Brian Spearle was third after getting lost for a minute on the second loop. |