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16 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com NETRA Hare Scramble Summer Fun NETRA Hare Scramble Summer Fun By Gavin Bacon By Gavin Bacon Photos By Paul Bickford Photos By Paul Bickford The distant echo of thunder bellowed out from behind three looming black clouds as I checked into the Indian Ridge property, the se ng for round 4 of the NETRA Hare Scramble series. Unlike the first three rounds, which gleefully welcomed spring with pleasant weather and the occasional rainstorm, Indian Ridge welcomed something a li le more sinister. The summer sun now was hanging high in the air, paired with stark humidity that would leave even the lightest tee- shirt saturated with sweat. It's especially difficult to escape the heat here, as the start, pits, and finish line all are located in a large gravel pit at the center of the parking area. The track is deceivingly brutal here, with a lap hovering around twenty-five minutes for most of the AA riders. Filled to the brim with large sharp rocks that like to keep you off-balance and con- stantly looking for lines around them. However, lines around these treacherous rocks are few and far between, with thick mountain laurels cover- ing the hillside and encroaching on both sides of the racetrack, making it next to impossible to go anywhere except through the boulders. Paired with the rainfall Friday and Saturday night, and the everlas ng June humidity these rocks were wet to the touch and as slick as ice. A nightmare of a track for even the toughest racers was the dream of one. Nick Kordana (rock extraordinaire) thrives in condi ons that others dread. The more people complain about the condi ons the more he enjoys it, a sign of total and complete mental toughness. Nick has mastered this mindsight through strict training and an overall love for the sport. Simply put, Nick loves riding his dirt bike and loves bes ng other riders even more. A dangerous combina on that has secured his spot as one of the greatest compe tors in New England off-road racing. Nick was coming out for redemp on a er an unfortu- nate mechanical while leading the CATRA Black Fly Hare Scramble, but he wasn't going to get to the top without a fight. A er a calm first lap, Nick was si ng quietly in fourth. Learning the flow of the track and looking for spots to make smart passes. It would be Nick's training partner and appren ce Mike Bloom who would lead them early. Quite possibly the only person capable of bea ng Nick was his right-hand man. Nick Kordana Nick Kordana