Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1543392
28 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Spiller Farm GP 2 Spiller Farm GP 2 Winter Scramble Winter Scramble By Kurt Flachbart & Keith Taylor By Kurt Flachbart & Keith Taylor With a burning itch for some much-needed "Thro le Therapy," we'd like to thank our friend Andy Mathieu for once again hos ng another epic winter hare scramble that proved to be just what a couple of hundred or so die-hard, dirt bikers needed to break up the monotony of what's been one wicked winter here in New England. Mathieu, a fierce compe tor and proprietor of ArtWorx By EJP Racing, an authorized Race Tech suspension and race prep shop, is not a strang- er to hos ng winter scramble events in Maine, going back to 2017 with his popular "Blizzard Cross" events held at Hemonds MX Park in Minot, Maine. In recent years, thanks to Ken and Dus n Spiller, also long- me moto enthusiasts, for offering up their spectacular several-hundred-acre family farm to host what's become a highly an cipated event that's perfect for shaking off the winter blues. Spiller Farm is an old New England work- ing farm with ca le, crops, and an abundance of wooded land separa ng the fields. The Spiller family has been carving trails on their property for genera ons. The paths are well-worn and u lized year-round for events such as a Halloween "Spooky Walk" and Christmas light displays. As dirt freaks, we couldn't think of a be er use for these trails with an annual Winter Scramble to complete the picture! Now in its fourth year, Mathieu expanded the Spiller Farm event with a two-race winter series, with the first held on January 18 th and the second on February 8 th . For those unfamiliar with riding on ice, snow, and frozen ground, res are studded with carbide- pped studs in short, medium, and long lengths depending on condi ons. Riding and racing with studs is quite the sensa on as studded res hook up like hot rub- ber on pavement. There's li le sliding, and they bite hard. Although the weather cooperated with bright blue skies on both dates, the temps were frigid, hov- ering in the single digits, and fires burned throughout the warming huts, concessions serving hot food, and spectator areas. Once all were warmed up, this weather combina on proved to be perfect, with the track retaining its shape quite well as a result of so much snow, ice, and frost several feet deep in spots. Mel ng and mud were not a problem.