Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1541571
NETRA Richardson's Farm Hare Scramble NETRA Richardson's Farm Hare Scramble By Kurt Flachbart By Kurt Flachbart Photos By Paul Bickford Photos By Paul Bickford It's been a number of years since I last a ended a NETRA event, and with a phone call from former NETRA President Chris Burton months before this great event, I couldn't say no. I'll admit, the lure was that Saturday would be a vintage event, along with all Pee Wee and Junior classes, and Sunday would be Sportsman in the morning and A/AA in the a er- noon. Having been a NETRA member since 1975, I knew it would be fun, but I didn't know how much fun the event would turn out to be. Located in Rhode Island, not far from the Massachu- se s and Connec cut borders, Richardson's farm is a beau ful old New England working farm. Spread across a series of rolling hills and forests, it's the perfect venue for off-road racing, and fortunately, the Richardson family welcomes us dirt freaks with open arms as the entrance fees help pay the taxes on this incredible property. As with most events, I'd packed the van a couple of days earlier and headed out on Friday a ernoon with plans to meet up with a few buddies and enjoy a relaxing evening. As I rolled into the sign-up tent, I was floored to find at least a few hundred RVs al- ready set up with fires burning and countless people milling around. Our friend Tom Erdmann, owner of ZRT Thro les, had his huge Freightliner coach on scene with a complimentary pasta dinner that could rival any caterer worth his salt under the canopy. As you can imagine, a er a four-hour trek down from Maine, Kurt was hungry and strapped on the feed bag. With a full belly, I spent some me milling around different campsites, cha ng it up with some old friends while making a few new ones too. Fortu- nately, my be er judgment sent me back to the Sprinter for an early night before the real fes vi es began. Now the weather in these parts has been phe- nomenal, with condi ons that could have been considered ideal. Well, my friends, that all came undone shortly a er midnight with downpours of epic propor ons. Thankfully, by sunrise, the rain had stopped, but we all knew we'd be in for a mudder. As for myself, my plan was to race the Evolu on Class in the Vintage race aboard my old buddy How- ie's '82 430 Husky. 14 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com