Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1534665
Harden Offroad Harden Offroad Motion Pro Nevada 200 Trail Ride Motion Pro Nevada 200 Trail Ride By Kurt Flachbart By Kurt Flachbart Photos By Miguel Santana Photos By Miguel Santana 8 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Having been a fan from afar of the Nevada 200 Trail Ride for many years, including coverage from our contribu ng editor, Suzy Moody of years past, you can imagine my excitement when I received a call just before Christmas from Beta USA's Brand Ambas- sador, Rodney Smith, asking me if I'd be interested in joining him and Scot Harden at the 41 st annual Harden Offroad Nevada 200 Trail Ride. The invita on was more than generous, with the plan being that I fly out to Vegas with my gear bag, grab a rental, and head north to the sleepy high des- ert town of Caliente to the Harden Offroad encamp- ment and meet up with Rodney and Scot to prepare for three days of fun and sun in the desert. Probably as close to a factory ride that this old dirt freak from the woods of Maine will ever experience. With a non-stop flight out of Boston, the trip was painless. In less than 24 hours, I'd le the snow-capped state of Maine and arrived to enjoy bright blue skies and mid-80s desert heat—a treat in its own right. Upon arriving at the campground, I was greeted by Rodney Smith, who had the Beta USA camp set up with a lineup of fresh 2025 Beta RR Race 4-stroke models. Also amongst the paddock were event spon- sors Mo on Pro, Rocky Mountain ATV, Seat Concepts, Klim and InnTeck, with a host of products on display. The evening before the big event, Scot Harden hosted a fantas c dinner at a local establishment. He went over the weekend's i nerary while giving recogni on to the many champions and heroes amongst this year's roster. Notables were Baja champ and most recent Dakar Rally winner, Skyler Howes, ISDE phen- om (26 events/19 Gold Medals), Fred Hoess. AMA Hall of Fame members Gary Jones and Rodney Smith, Jack Johnson - Decorated Baja and Desert Racer, Eric Holt - 15x Norman Racing Baja Rider, Ron Lawson, Pete Mur- ray, and last but certainly not least, Gunny Claypoole, US ISDE Team Manager of 36 years. Mee ng and cha ng with your heroes is always a treat. To find them so humble and down to earth is what I enjoy the most about the sport of off-road riding. Egomaniacs are few in our game. "This is not a race", Scot Harden stressed this point. We're here for the fun, bench racing, and just a general good me amongst like-minded friends. Yes, it's the bikes that drew us together, but the people are the glue that holds us close.