Trail Rider Magazine

made possible - so thanks to both. By the time 9:00 finally rolled around, the skies were clear and there was an excitement about finally getting the enduro season started. The first section is a great start to the day with loamy, fast single track taking up the bulk of this approximate 5 mile section. Last year the club used an 18 mph speed average to start the day, which had some of the faster A & AA's time keeping to avoid a burn. This year we started the first section with a 24 MPH speed average right off the bat, which was a good way to get the blood flowing. After about 5 miles we came to a reset, which would ordinarily have been preceded by a check out. It seems that the club was a little under-staffed this year and anytime a club is under-staffed and can't take a check in, check out approach, you need to be even more alert for check placement. Shorthanded or not, the club pulled off the event perfectly. After a brief reset it was on to section 2 and a check in a short distance into the woods. Here the speed average dropped from 24 to 18 mph; and with good reason as this section accounts for part of "the most technical" claim. After the check in the trail morphs into a series of small but technical elevation changes connected by steady assault of rocky single track. After about 5 miles of bone rattling rocks, the trail transitioned to sandier mix of single track, enabling you to recoup any lost time in the rocks. A few miles of flowing single and double track preceded a check out and a gas available. The 18 MPH speed average allowed a few to zero this section. A short but cold road section sent us into the fort hill section, with no check in. This section is rocky and skirts lowlands in several places. The speeds are slightly slower in here as the trail twists and turns through tighter single track. As this section is not part of the Hodges Dam legal riding area, the ground was still blanketed with leaves, which left you scrapping for traction. A long, clapped out uphill marked the welcomed end of this section. Another road section led us onto a familiar power line and a quick turn into the woods. Similar to the previous section, single track lined with slick roots and rocks were connected with shorts stints along power lines. This is where Jim Senecal caught Phil Mealy and I, and then led us into this section. A few hundred yards into the woods Senecal got hung up on a log and spent a few precious sec- onds roosting Phil and me while blocking the trial. Once cleared, he skirted through check in, just making the flip while Phil and I missed it. We are pretty sure we heard him laughing his way down the trail. This was yet another technical section but with no shortage of places to roll along in 3rd or 4th gear. After the check out another road section lead us to the gas stop and then the final section, which was a repeat of the challenging section 2 again. This time, a C rider Cut off included sparing the C's from total annihilation. In the end it was Jim Senecal out-classing the field with an impressive 17. John Sadowski took 2nd overall with a 23 while I rounded out 3rd overall with a 24. Phil Mealy took A Hi Point out of the A light class and 4th overall. Had this been run using the AMA National Enduro rules, Phil would likely have shored up second overall. Expect Phil to be storming the AA ranks this year. Finally, Dean Nelson closed out the top 5. In the B class Will Baker took the High Point Trophy out of the B Senior Class with a score of 40. Jim Donahue (B Senior) dropped an impressive 41, narrowly missing the B overall. In the C Class, Jim Blais took the Hi Point award with an impressive 40. Steve LaFaille and Thad Hinz were in the mix, each dropping 44 points. Hinz will likely get booted from the C lass with his third overall finish. Finally, Woodie Clifton took the win in the Masters Class. Great job by the Tri State Riders; the day went off without a hitch. Round 3 - NETRA Enduro Series. The King Phillip Enduro Rocks, Flats, Heat & Burns. With temperatures hovering close to 90 degrees and a humidity that made you sweat while sitting down, round 2 of the NETRA Enduro Series took place at the regional rock garden known as the King Phillip Enudro. Weather-wise this was a stark contrast to the 60 degree temperatures we enjoyed at the Tri State Enduro just a week ago. Most would consider the high temps and humidity a shock to the system as it was the first warm spell of 2013. And coupled with the constant barrage of rocks, the conditions took its toll on the field. With many riders just getting over the soreness from the Tri State Enduro, a bigger beating awaited. The King June 2013 21

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