Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/117782
pretty serious about his riding lately, having a strong showing at the Six Days last summer, and carried that momentum into the Snow Run to place one point shy of the overall. Brooks showed that he was able to hang onto his pre-injury speed and has to be happy about grabbing the big trophy on his first ride back. My guess is he feels he has a target on his back since at least four guys at this event can confidently say that the win was within their grasp. Already 2013 is looking very interesting. It���s a pity that both last years��� Champion Jim Senecal, and perennial front runner Billy Burns didn���t even show up in the points. While no rider can secure a championship at the Snow Run, it sure is nice to get a jump on the points race early with a good finish there. One could speculate about whether the young guns will stay in the race for the season, if the veterans will be able to hold off a charge, and if Ryan Bottesi, John Sadowski, Jeff Staples and other contenders might see a breakthrough year. It looks like this could definitely be an interesting Enduro season we have to look forward to. As far as the event itself? Like I eluded to, the Ramblers did a bang up job, as usual. The morning started with a classy move when the check crew at the start of the event dedicated minute one to a fallen comrade instead of starting the usual four competitors. It is with a heavy heart that I refer to the passing of Ed Glofka III. Ed was involved with the sport as a Rambler and an up and coming enthusiast like his dad who is a long time key player at all the club���s events including taking on the trail boss duties at times. I do not know the details but regardless of the why and how, Ed was way too young to be lost and our condolences go out to his family. What followed such a solemn moment was something comparable to watching a disingenuous news anchor re-affix their perma-grin moments after telling of a plane crash in that we immediately left the start check and went directly into the first section of the event. From there a typical great day in the saddle was upon us and this is where we come full circle to all the per- Gerard Gudmann, !st A Super Senior sonal triumphs and whoas of racing. For me, again, it was typical, I had my ups and downs. Things were going my way and I cheated misfortune for a good portion of the ride until, as luck would have it, and it is my belief that you make your own luck, my rise to personal stardom hit a bump in the road when I unfortunately (make that stupidly) decided that a hole the ice covering a mud hole would only yield a few inches of dirty water. Instead, said water was deep enough to consume over half of my front wheel and stop my considerable forward momentum dead in its tracks. The result was a quick trip over the bars and something to whine about in the form of a flat tire for the remainder of the ride. Fortunately for me I have had extensive experience recently with lousy performing suspension which I finally took into my own hands and sorted out and I thought things had somehow reverted back toprevious settings. Thinking that I had a new problem to deal with, great suspension in the morning and dramatic harshness by afternoon, I pressed on and pushed harder to overcome the ill handling bike rather than baby it. Only for the last section did I realize a lack of air up front was the issue and it was then that, despite my constantly telling myself not to, did I go into preservation mode. It was with this conservative mindset that I rode the last section and cruised into the final check 3 seconds into my late minute and took one extra point that I coulda, shoulda, woulda.........Something I have to deal with until the next event which isn���t until May. That is another unique thing about the Snow Run, you get to ride a high or low for several weeks until you get another shot at redemption or stardom. As Brooks Hamiton won a hard fought battle by a single point over Nick Canny and Brendon Riordon who both dropped an 18, John Kelly followed close behind with a 19, John Sadowski, Jeff Staples, and Peter Wright all posted 21 points and completed the top seven positions. Phil Mealy is, in my opinion, the first true A rider in the standings with a 23 and eighth overall. Brandon Bernard took B highpoint riding the light class with a very impressive 28 point score. C highpoint was awarded to Rich Wilson of the Senior class who had a shortened course score of 35 points. Gerard Grundmann, Wayne Galvin and Gerald Savage were the A,B,and C Super Senior winners while Bob Young was way out front in the Masters class with a 44 and Heather Canny contested the women���s class with bare knobbies! I dragged Jack Hendrick out to his first Enduro in years and he not only finished with a smile, he also took home a third place trophy for his efforts. The Ramblers are a group that is pretty stingy with work credit, especially for the Snow Run. It seems some competitors see a winter ride with the frigid temps and all that it takes to deal with that as a good opportunity to grab a work credit instead. First off, anyone bowing out of this event is really missing a great ride, and second, if the Ramblers grant you work credit you had to brave those same temperatures and be at their mercy for the day to get it. While Senecal and Burns may be two of those who had a hand in making the event a success (thanks to them and all those who worked so we could enjoy the event), in my little mind I am going to enjoy a sizable points lead over the both of them for quite a long time..........well, until the third week of May anyways............ 8 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com