Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1522963
30 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com mud with white-knuckle inducing ruts. The climb out of the sec on became a first gear spinning, clawing, fishtailing affair where a good line choice could make or break your lap me. In total, the overall course layout is extremely compe ve and thoroughly fun with its wide variety of eleva on changes, approach- able jumps, sweepers, hairpins, wide open bits, and cool flow. Some mid-race course work smoothed the ruts and removed some muck from the pines while con nued drying throughout the day helped consid- erably. The upper por on displayed downright prime condi ons later in the day. Remarkable racing con- sidering the weather just a few hours before. And then it rained… again. But again (small victories), it stopped prior to Sun- day's cross-country races, so thankfully the riders only had to deal with the a ermath of the precip- ita on and not race in a shower itself. This year's CC course was laid out on the property across the street from the MX track. This area was last used for the MA series in 2022 (in the rain), so it was a neat change to u lize a wholly unique CC course com- pared to the prior year. This side of the Reynolds' property was heav- ily worked as a coal mine many years ago and displays all manner of carved shelves, conveyor piles, ditches, and paths. The star ng area is nearly the high spot on the course as the pack disappears into the woods and begins to work across the shelves, dropping a plateau at a me through a well-cra ed ribbon of single track with occasional bursts up an exis ng ATV trail or dirt road. The loop works its way up onto the far side of the valley and back with a couple cross- ings of the small creek that bisects the land. The course pops up and down many of the man-made eleva on changes throughout the landscape to great effect and ul mately climbs back to higher ground using a washed-out dirt road adjacent to an open field where the scoring crew awaits. The scenery is gorgeous, a combina on of perfect seasonal ming and topography. The colors are stunning with the remaining autumn hues from residual fallen leaves providing a stark contrast to the lush, brilliant greens of fresh spring growth. Ian Gingrich, Tyler May Ian Gingrich, Tyler May