Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to 
Crosstimbers Enduro
Like every new place you go ride, you never know what to expect. The Cross Bar Ranch provided a few nice surprises.
The Cross Bar, http://www.crossbarranch.com/ , has a wide range of terrain that mainly consists of rocks on top of rocks, prairie grasses with tons of hidden rocks, tight sections through oak trees, and several deep stream crossings. The ranch also offers a significant elevation change that offered some interesting hill climbs; one hill is called Widowmaker Hill.
The race started off right into the rising sun, riding through prairie grass and cedar trees with TONS of hidden rocks. The trail had been freshly cut and had not had much traffic through it. At one point I hit a big jagged rock and it threw me up and over the bike. I went down hard. The impact shattered my fork guard and added a huge dent into the left side of my pipe. I also ended up with a huge goose egg on my left thigh. Did I mention there were a lot of rocks?
After 9 miles or so of that, it was on to the first test section. The first test consisted of a super fast flat grass track.
Next was a long transition. This transition had it all! It offered more rocks, tight single track through oak trees, hill climbs, mud, and several stream crossings. One of the stream crossings was deep. The exit side of the crossing was littered with guys who had flooded out their bikes. Sometimes “slower is faster!”
After a series of stream crossings, I arrived at the bottom of Widowmaker Hill. This was one of the only downsides to the whole event. When I arrived, there were 30-40 riders waiting their turn. Guys were flailing! The climb consisted of a steep rock/dirt climb with several switchbacks in it. No one was able to ride up it by the time I arrived there.
All of the riders were helping each other push, pull, and walk their bikes up. I REALLY appreciate everyone who lent and hand. I would have never made it up that hill without everyone’s help.
Once that hill was behind us, it was back to more rocks and cedar trees on a more established trail. Then we arrived at the gas stop.
After gas we were sent back out on the same trail that we started the enduro on. By this time the trail was much faster. Many of the hidden rocks had been knocked out of the way and the we were not riding into a rising sun.
One more loop on the flat grass track test section.
After that test section we were directed back onto the last two miles of rocks and cedar trees that lead into the gas stop.
I am not sure how I finished. I didn’t wait around for the results to be posted. I had a blast and that is all that matters.
Needless to say, I am moving a little slow this morning. My shoulders, wrists, and left leg are real stiff.
My poor bike needs some attention too. I need to order a new set of fork guards, and new pipe, and a steering stabilizer…
Like every new place you go ride, you never know what to expect. The Cross Bar Ranch provided a few nice surprises.
The Cross Bar, http://www.crossbarranch.com/ , has a wide range of terrain that mainly consists of rocks on top of rocks, prairie grasses with tons of hidden rocks, tight sections through oak trees, and several deep stream crossings. The ranch also offers a significant elevation change that offered some interesting hill climbs; one hill is called Widowmaker Hill.
The race started off right into the rising sun, riding through prairie grass and cedar trees with TONS of hidden rocks. The trail had been freshly cut and had not had much traffic through it. At one point I hit a big jagged rock and it threw me up and over the bike. I went down hard. The impact shattered my fork guard and added a huge dent into the left side of my pipe. I also ended up with a huge goose egg on my left thigh. Did I mention there were a lot of rocks?
After 9 miles or so of that, it was on to the first test section. The first test consisted of a super fast flat grass track.
Next was a long transition. This transition had it all! It offered more rocks, tight single track through oak trees, hill climbs, mud, and several stream crossings. One of the stream crossings was deep. The exit side of the crossing was littered with guys who had flooded out their bikes. Sometimes “slower is faster!”
After a series of stream crossings, I arrived at the bottom of Widowmaker Hill. This was one of the only downsides to the whole event. When I arrived, there were 30-40 riders waiting their turn. Guys were flailing! The climb consisted of a steep rock/dirt climb with several switchbacks in it. No one was able to ride up it by the time I arrived there.
All of the riders were helping each other push, pull, and walk their bikes up. I REALLY appreciate everyone who lent and hand. I would have never made it up that hill without everyone’s help.
Once that hill was behind us, it was back to more rocks and cedar trees on a more established trail. Then we arrived at the gas stop.
After gas we were sent back out on the same trail that we started the enduro on. By this time the trail was much faster. Many of the hidden rocks had been knocked out of the way and the we were not riding into a rising sun.
One more loop on the flat grass track test section.
After that test section we were directed back onto the last two miles of rocks and cedar trees that lead into the gas stop.
I am not sure how I finished. I didn’t wait around for the results to be posted. I had a blast and that is all that matters.
Needless to say, I am moving a little slow this morning. My shoulders, wrists, and left leg are real stiff.
My poor bike needs some attention too. I need to order a new set of fork guards, and new pipe, and a steering stabilizer…
Glad you had fun Tom!
Is this part of the course used for the Last Man Standing event? If so, and that hill is the one I am thinking of, David Knight shot right up it like it was nothing... 
Everyone else was doing like you described 
