Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1524446
August 2024 17 While Bloom put on a fierce charge at the front, Nick worked his way past Adam Lewis and Cody Williams into that number two spot, before ul - mately making the pass on Bloom. But the ba le was only just beginning. At the end of lap two Bloom sat four seconds off of Nick, a rou ne they had done in prac ce dozens of mes. But, Bloom had been finding more speed recently and was looking to finally succeed Nick for the top step of the podium. Although it wasn't going to be easy, midway through lap two Bloom would lose his rear brakes and have to solely rely on using his fronts. A nearly impossible task for many would actually be what he would need to get back around Nick and into the lead. The two would cross the finish at the end of lap three just two seconds apart. At last, it looked like it was finally Bloom's me to shine and best his long me friend at the halfway point. The two were neck and neck and riding comfortably at the front. But disaster would strike once again for Mike Bloom and the rocks that he was effortlessly gliding through would also be the ones that end his day. Somewhere around the four- mile mark was a boulder field that would eat up his chain guide and spit it out. And that would be it. Nick would go on to win the race and Bloom would be stranded in the woods to finish out the day. But hope was not lost, and a spark had been ignited. The impossible was now poten ally possible, and the unbeatable was now poten ally beatable. Round five of the Hare Scramble series would again center around a gravel pit. The series would arrive in Weare, New Hampshire for Merrimack Valley Trail Rider's Rock Crusher Hare Scramble. MVTR club members have worked relessly to ensure this is one of the best events on the schedule, and in many ways it is, but there's no denying the track is one of the toughest in New England. Similar to how many pros say the Supercross series doesn't start un l Daytona, I say the NETRA series doesn't start un l the Rock Crusher. The condi ons are easily some of the toughest on the circuit, and it's usually a pre y good gauge of who's in it for the long haul. Michael Bloom Michael Bloom