Trail Rider Magazine

September 2024 29 Of course, this was a fake-out. "We should not have goals! We must have PLANS." Of course, in my mind a plan without a goal is a route without a des na on, but I understand what he was ge ng at. Goals aren't enough, you go a put in the work… A er the speech, we began racing. If you've ever raced a sprint enduro, you know what that is. Eight tests, each under ten minutes, thro le pinned, teeth gri ed, leaving absolutely everything you have out there on the track. Now normally at a sprint, it's almost like moto. You come back, chill out, check mes and goof off for about half an hour. Not so here, and not so at ISDE. At the ISDE, we'd be riding over a hundred miles of transfer between our tests, and be on the bike over seven hours. While there's no transfer at a US Sprint, we did address another aspect of the ISDE – bike maintenance. Now, for most people, "camp" also conjures up feelings of relaxa on and general well-being. Perhaps an a ernoon fishing on an idyllic upstate lake or napping in a hammock under some shade trees. Once again though, camp is a very different word for me. This is one of the few events each year I genuinely stress about, possibly even more so than the actual ISDE itself. Largely because it manages to take three of my major weaknesses (raw sprints without transfer to wear everyone down, mechanical work, high-speed cross tests) and then put them on display for my team manag- er and all my teammates to see. The best sprinters in the world are here, and I guess technically I'm one or I wouldn't be on the team, but I'm always outclassed. I'm surrounded by a group of mechan- ics, working on a bike that (sorry dad, and thank you) I haven't had to put a wrench to all season, all watching as I fumble tools and drop bolts in my skid plate. Doesn't help that all the me cut- offs – because yes, this is a test, and yes, you are expected to pass (if you don't expect "remedial assignments" and be prepared to provide the video evidence at a later date) – are designed with KTM Group bikes in mind. I'm the only token outside-brand this year, and some mes this means I can do things way faster than cutoff, some mes way slower, and some mes not at all (hi shock that takes over a half hour for a skilled mechanic to swap). If it wasn't for the comfor ng and comical presence of my friend Josh Siegal, things would have gone much worse than they did. I can't wait to finally share an ISDE experience with him a er my unexpected mid-season depar- ture from Beta in 2021 took that away from him. So team camp is always an absolute ego-crusher for me, but good mo va on to improve before things get real. (And in my defense, I have worked on these things constantly, and each year I suck less. But the suck is s ll there). We had three full days of racing, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Between each and every test, we did parts swaps. Brake pedals, handlebars, air filters, forks, shi ers, hot clutches, hot exhausts, thank- fully not-hot-radiators, although it might have been entertaining to watch a geyser of radiator fluid burn a hole through the top of the KTM semi awning. And of course, at the end of every day we changed both res. Lacking new res to put on, I just rotated mine. For day three I asked nicely and received Korie Steede's take-off re with only a single day, which was much nicer than my "ge ng ready to rotate back the original direc on in the hopes it might do something" re. Day five is always my favorite day of team camp, because that's coaching day. I always walk away from it with good cri ques and a list of things to work on that will only make me faster. This year, we were once again fortunate to have Steve Hatch, one of the best in the business, there for coaching day. He and Kailub Russell (who was present the first two days) took videos of us in the special tests for review sessions. He would discuss body posi on and lines, using each of our good moments and bad moments as teachable moments. Then we'd go out on the track and work sec ons, watching each other and trying to help every rider improve – no small feat when everyone present is already one of the best in the world in their respec ve division. This should real- ly drive home how great of a coach Steve is. I also cannot complain about the accommoda- ons and food. I'm used to the hammock in my van, so having an air-condi oned hotel room felt like the literal lap of luxury. O en mes we ate dinner out as a team, when we didn't, semi-driver and gourmet chef Eric Siraton made some of best food I've ever had the pleasure of ea ng at the track. We are expected to work hard, expected to win, and the ISDE is one of the most physically

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