waverider
05-24-2006, 12:04 AM
My plans for the Red River Enduro started months ago when I sold that big and heavy 660cc MZ that I had been riding. After a few trips up to Red River with it, I quickly realized that I was hooked on trail riding and I had to get a lighter weight bike. So, in April (if I remember correctly) I picked up a KX 250 from Faisal.
Now that I had the right bike, all I needed to do was lean to ride it. So one trip to Red River and a few mornings riding at Marshal Creek, I was ready to go……….I had planned on riding a lot more, but I ended up being on the road with work for the past four weeks. I was a little concerned about my physical conditioning since I hadn’t been working out at all the past month, but I was not going to let that get in my way. I was **** bent on giving this “enduro thing” a go!
I made a trip to Cycle Gear and picked up some new threads, gear oil, and a new helmet. Saturday was spent getting the bike ready and loaded.
Sunday morning I was on the road by 5a.m. and rolled into the property around 6:30. I met some guys in the parking lot, we started chatting and ended up starting on the same row.
Time to line up: 5,4,3,2, 1…….Giddy up, it’s show time! What have I gotten myself into?!?!?!?! Breath, gas, jump, gas, gas, turn……..it was all a blur! Next thing I know I am on the ground! Wait, that isn’t supposed to happen this early! This is going to be a long day………….
It took me several miles before I was finally able to settle down a little. I was finally coming down off of the initial adrenaline rush of the start. I was just trying to concentrate on staying relaxed (impossible), breathing (almost impossible), and trying to just pace myself (yeah right).
I felt like the king of the world when I rolled into the first check, not that I understood a single thing that they wrote on my scorecard! What did I care, time keeping was the last thing on my mind. I was just trying (emphasis on trying) to keep the bike up right and not get run over.
The RRDR crew spared no expense in finding some of the tightest trail and nastiest ravines on the property for the course. It was relentless!
There was one point around mile 14 that there were several big bottlenecks. At one in particular, there were at least 15 riders waiting at the bottom of a hill climb waiting their turn and trying to catch their breath. That didn’t count the three riders who were laid out on the climb. Helmets were off and complaints about the course were flying! It was an interesting site.
From there the course opened up a bit, it was super fun into the gas stop. I hooked it back to my truck and refilled my camelback and pounded more fluids. I then topped off my gas tank and bolted.
By this point, I was thinking: “Things will ease up, right?” WRONG!!!!! Those sick and demented course designers were relentless. By the time I started the nine-mile loop around mile 40, I was trashed! Had someone at the checkpoint told me it was nine mile of TIGHT off camber madness, I probably would have thrown in the towel and quit. I was starting to feel desperate! It seemed like I hadn’t shifted out of first gear in forever. My brain was not working, my coordination was shot, and I was past the point of exhaustion. After being launched over the bars and going down for the 10 billionth time; it took everything I had to pick up my bike and find a shady spot. My hands were numb, my shoulders were killing me, my knees were shot, and I my camel back was dry!
I managed to get moving again and made it out to the checkpoint. It was there that the scored could see that I was cooked and he informed me that I had houred out long ago……..Oh well, it happens! I have not idea how many points I dropped or what my score was. Once I finally got back to my truck, the ice chest was all I could think about!
For me, the ride was about pushing my physical and mental limits on the bike. And I was able to do just that! I cannot wait for the next one. I am hooked!
Now that I had the right bike, all I needed to do was lean to ride it. So one trip to Red River and a few mornings riding at Marshal Creek, I was ready to go……….I had planned on riding a lot more, but I ended up being on the road with work for the past four weeks. I was a little concerned about my physical conditioning since I hadn’t been working out at all the past month, but I was not going to let that get in my way. I was **** bent on giving this “enduro thing” a go!
I made a trip to Cycle Gear and picked up some new threads, gear oil, and a new helmet. Saturday was spent getting the bike ready and loaded.
Sunday morning I was on the road by 5a.m. and rolled into the property around 6:30. I met some guys in the parking lot, we started chatting and ended up starting on the same row.
Time to line up: 5,4,3,2, 1…….Giddy up, it’s show time! What have I gotten myself into?!?!?!?! Breath, gas, jump, gas, gas, turn……..it was all a blur! Next thing I know I am on the ground! Wait, that isn’t supposed to happen this early! This is going to be a long day………….
It took me several miles before I was finally able to settle down a little. I was finally coming down off of the initial adrenaline rush of the start. I was just trying to concentrate on staying relaxed (impossible), breathing (almost impossible), and trying to just pace myself (yeah right).
I felt like the king of the world when I rolled into the first check, not that I understood a single thing that they wrote on my scorecard! What did I care, time keeping was the last thing on my mind. I was just trying (emphasis on trying) to keep the bike up right and not get run over.
The RRDR crew spared no expense in finding some of the tightest trail and nastiest ravines on the property for the course. It was relentless!
There was one point around mile 14 that there were several big bottlenecks. At one in particular, there were at least 15 riders waiting at the bottom of a hill climb waiting their turn and trying to catch their breath. That didn’t count the three riders who were laid out on the climb. Helmets were off and complaints about the course were flying! It was an interesting site.
From there the course opened up a bit, it was super fun into the gas stop. I hooked it back to my truck and refilled my camelback and pounded more fluids. I then topped off my gas tank and bolted.
By this point, I was thinking: “Things will ease up, right?” WRONG!!!!! Those sick and demented course designers were relentless. By the time I started the nine-mile loop around mile 40, I was trashed! Had someone at the checkpoint told me it was nine mile of TIGHT off camber madness, I probably would have thrown in the towel and quit. I was starting to feel desperate! It seemed like I hadn’t shifted out of first gear in forever. My brain was not working, my coordination was shot, and I was past the point of exhaustion. After being launched over the bars and going down for the 10 billionth time; it took everything I had to pick up my bike and find a shady spot. My hands were numb, my shoulders were killing me, my knees were shot, and I my camel back was dry!
I managed to get moving again and made it out to the checkpoint. It was there that the scored could see that I was cooked and he informed me that I had houred out long ago……..Oh well, it happens! I have not idea how many points I dropped or what my score was. Once I finally got back to my truck, the ice chest was all I could think about!
For me, the ride was about pushing my physical and mental limits on the bike. And I was able to do just that! I cannot wait for the next one. I am hooked!