Trail Rider Magazine

8 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com The Northeast 24 Hour Challenge The Northeast 24 Hour Challenge "Whatever you think it's gonna be, it's not that" "Whatever you think it's gonna be, it's not that" By Jim Bird & Rich Albert By Jim Bird & Rich Albert Photos By Tiffany Merritt Photos By Tiffany Merritt Odessa, NY – July 20-21, 2024, The Acadia Barkbust- ers/ Kenda Tire 24 Hour Northeast Challenge was upon us. Fortunately, the weather promised to be much dryer than the monsoons of '23. You never know what you're in for at NE24, we've seen dust as thick as talcum powder and rains of biblical propor- ons. This year was hot, dry, and dusty. A few months back, when there was s ll snow on the ground, our buddy Richie Albert signed up his boys Sam and Jack along with friends Ryan and Luke Leighton along with a fast guy from Maine, "Streaked Steve" Sco a under the team name "Posse Whipped", a play on words from their local riding club, the Mont Vernon Posse. The class chosen was Six Man Novice with our team minus one. The 7-hour drive from southern New Hampshire got us to the course mida ernoon Friday. Rich had set up a camp trailer, a motorhome, and mul ple pop-ups in our 30' x 15' Pit Box. Each pit was outlined with white paint and keeping your stuff inside your pit was enforced throughout the weekend. Once the race starts the pits are closed to all non-race vehicles since racers are going up to… 10 mph… down these alleys. Encroachments can pose a real hazard, as well as an unfair disadvantage. The pits were laid out so that no ma er which of the 225 pit boxes you were in the distance from pit entrance to pit exit was the same. Friday night was the socializing night a er all race prepara ons were complete. We were able to visit many moto friends, some not seen for quite a while. There was a lot of drinking going on, but it was water, Pedialyte, and sports drinks. Most racers were hi ng the rack by 11 PM to rest up but sleep did not necessarily come easily. Chef Richie was up early Saturday morning grill- ing up whatever breakfast you could want. His ranch omelet was just the gut stuffing I needed. Rider's mee ng was at 9 AM and the race start- ed at 10 AM. At the riders mee ng we reviewed the goofy/cool Lemans Start rules and proce- dures and received mul ple warnings that "dust will be an issue" on the 12-mile course. All tran- sponder transfers between team riders MUST occur in that team's pit. At 10 AM everyone was at the start area to see the riders off. The min- ute between rows was not nearly enough me

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