Volume 3, Issue 4

IS DIRTBIKING WORTH THE RISKS?

LORI CONTEMPLATES PLATES PAGE 40

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CHRIS MARTIN’S CORDUROY TIPS PAGE 70

VOLUNTEER POWERED!

NOV 2011 • FREE!

MELANIE KICKS CORD ASS! PAGE 30

corduroy Enduro

IT’S ALL OVER AND IT

AIN’T PRETTY

OFF-ROAD RIDING E-RAG FOR RIDERS BY RIDERS

EDITOROne Armed Bandit

COPY EDITORDr. Chop

DESIGNThe Stig

CONTRIBUTORS Mike HillierBill WatsonLori GrayFaron YoungChris MartinEric McSweeneyMelanie DennieLarry MurrayCecile GambinKevin EastmanTerry YoungBryan “Flanny” FlanniganGlen “Coop” CooperDuncan CarpenterDr. Dan CurranRon GoldenKen Hoeverman

PHOTOGRAPHERSCecile GambinJohn BaxterTerry YoungLori GrayGlen CooperKeith HamiltonChris MartinBryan FlanniganGregor HalendaJohn HaRon GoldenAnthony Kerr motojournalism.comWe are always looking for story ideas, contributing writers & photographers. If you would like to have fun and participate in an off-road motorcycle rag just for the hell of it, please drop us a line. You don’t need to be a good writer to participate, just enthusiasm and a love of riding off-road. Reviews, interviews, mechanical questions & solutions, design, photography, ride reports and event coverage are just SOME of the things we are interested in. Anything outside these topics or a weird hybrid of these is welcome. We have NO rules and can do and say whatever we want! How’s that for freedom of expression!

Send subscription requests and any questions or comments to: [email protected]

Traction Disclamer: We in no way intend this to be a commercial publication. Views expressed here are our own and should be taken for what they are - valueless. A friend always says “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story” and we do our best to honor that statement. If you are looking to challenge what you read here - don’t bother, just assume you are right and we are wrong. This rag exists because we LOVE riding motorcycles off-road and we love publishing. Everything is done by volunteers and no money is generated. If you are unhappy with that and feel the need to send us money - donations are accepted, PAYPAL preferred! If you think your product or service should appear in this rag, please let us know and we’ll see what we can do.

Written permission must be obtained to reproduce, or reprint all or portions of the content contained herein.

© 2011 TRACTION

TractionOFF-ROAD RIDING FOR RIDERS BY RIDERSIN THIS ISSUE

STOCKTHE VIEW FROM HERE 7DIRT FROM THE PREZ 10NORTHERN TW1ST 30OVER THE BARS 40 WHITE COAT, BLACK BOOTS 48 DIRT & METTLE 52STILL KICKIN’ 58 WIDE OPEN 66DESPITE BEING GRAY 70RACING PERSONIFIED 72OO REPORT 76OFTR NEWS 84 EXHAUST NOTE 86THE FINISH LINE 88

BLINGCORDUROY AFTERMATH 12 CHRIS MARTIN’S TIPS 26REVIEW PRO KLIM GLOVES 60REVIEW SEDONA TIRES 62

ERAG WRITER FEATURED IN DIRT RIDER MAGAZINE!Regular Traction columnist Bryan Flannigan was featured in the November issue of Dirt Rider magazine. Flanny rode Moab, Utah with a group of American off-road riders and appears both in photo and text in one of the feature stories. Pick up the latest issue of Dirt Rider at your local newstand and see what all the fuss is about..

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WHAT YOU REALLY SHOULD KNOW BEFORE TURNING THE PAGE1. THIS IS A FREE EXPERIENCE.2. TRACTION IS 100% VOLUNTEER DRIVEN.3. ALL OF US RIDE MOTORCYCLES OFF-ROAD FOR FUN.4. THE TRUTH MAY BE STRETCHED OR EMBELISHED.

BE COOL LIKE US AND HAVE EVERY ISSUE DELIVERED TO YOUR EMAIL BOX. YOU CAN

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OFF-ROAD RIDING FOR RIDERS BY RIDERS

ERAG PHOTOGRAPHER CECILE GAMBIN

WAS IN THE MIX AT THIS YEAR’S CORD

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It’s early Saturday morning before the start of the Corduroy

Enduro. Riders are nervously milling around, waiting for

their start time. This issue is dedicated to the aftermath

of the Cord and getting “into the head” of those who tried,

succeeded or failed.

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The view from hereBY DALLAS SHANNON

In the last issue we featured the Corduroy Enduro. It is billed as the toughest off-road race in Canada and after seeing the results of the Bytown Motorcycle Association (BMA) contingent that attempted the race this year, the race has held true to its reputation. Only six riders from the BMA finished the race. And the BMA contingent included many expert level riders. Here are the BMA finishers, to our knowledge:

Mike Jonker Pro - 8th placeDenis Liberson Vet Expert 1st placeScott Wilson Vet 15th placeBryan Flannigan Inter. - 9th placeMatt Leonard Novice - 7th placeMike Van Gentevort Novice 11th place

There were a lot of good riders who did not finish. This issue, we have compiled stories of riders who attempted the Corduroy Enduro - some who finished - some who didn’t. Their experience should offer some insight as to how tough the Cord can be.

Melanie Dennie is at it again. Not only did she enter the Corduroy Enduro as a rookie, she finished 4th in the Ladies’ class. Melanie has given us an entertaining snapshot into what it took to finish this grueling two day race.

It appears that Dr. Dan and Flanny are both suffering a mid-life crisis. They independently submitted philosophical

articles about the risks we take while dirt-biking. When is enough, enough? Their conclusions may surprise you.

Ever run from the cops as a kid? Ron Golden transports us back to the good old days when cops were cops and kids were nervous. Betcha’ll daydream and smile!

The season is coming to a close, all we can hope for is a few more warm days in November and maybe December? I hope this issue inspires a few of you to to squeeze in a few more rides before it’s all over.

Enjoy the eRag!

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ERAG’S OWN FLANNY WENT ON TO FINISH

9TH AND WIN THE SPORTSMAN’S AWARD

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dirt from the prezBY BMA PRESIDENT MIKE HILLIER

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The ‘Oh-No’ Second

Man has devised many ways to tell time. Periods of time were based on the phases of the moon and the duration of sunlight. Years, months and days were whittled down to hours, minutes and seconds. The ‘Oh-No’ second is the next unit for the measurement of time.

Research tells me this unit of time is named after the large OhNo Heron indigenous to a small region in New Guinea. This particular bird has legs which are 24 inches long but the male scrotal sack is 28 inches long. When landing, the male bird senses immense pain and emits the call for which it was named. “Oooooohhhhhhh-nooooooooo”.

No doubt you have experienced this unit of time just before taking a dirt nap. To the casual observer, your crash happens quite quickly. But for some inexplicable reason, the ‘oh-no’ second lasts for several regular seconds – but only to the individual actually about to take the dirt nap. Often, there is enough time to process a few thoughts:

“Where did my front tire go?”“Let go of the gas, dummy.”“Damn this is going to hurt.”“I hope I don’t break anything”

All that went through my head this year, in September,

on the 24th day, 15 minutes after I left the Corduroy Enduro start gate, on minute 22. My bike T-boned the guy racing beside me. His left foot peg punched into the bottom of my right rad. Bikes and bodies were intertwined in a fog of unmistakable stench, all while laying in Gooderham rock, water, and mud. Not a good start... the damn Stupid Fairy watching over us both.

I experienced a lot of ‘oh-no’ seconds throughout the weekend. See the Corduroy Enduro re-cap article for more details.

Speaking of time, it’s been a great year for the club. Great weather, great organization, and great volunteers allowed record attendance at most (if not all) of our 2011 events. Everyone who contributed should be proud. We just finished our annual Fall ride in Calabogie, with a great turnout by many of our fellow Quebec riders. The Executive is busy closing the financial books in prep for our fiscal year end November 30th, and I will be announcing the date for our Annual General Meeting in the coming weeks (sometime in the second half of January). Please plan on attending.

Now, it’s time to fix the damage incurred during a season full of ‘oh-no’ seconds. Radiators, wiring harness, left knee, and the list goes on....

Fun Times!

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PREPARING FOR DISASTER

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THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING TRACTION ERAG,

YOU KNOW THAT THE BYTOWN MOTORCYCLE

ASSOCIATION PROMOTED AND PUSHED FOR ITS

MEMBERS TO TRAIN, PREPARE AND RIDE THE

LEGENDARY CORDUROY ENDURO IN SEPTEMBER

OF 2011.

THE RACE IS OVER, THE RESULTS ARE IN AND

IT AIN’T PRETTY. IN THIS ARTICLE A FEW OF THE

PARTICIPANTS SUM UP THEIR EXPERIENCES.

Got something to say? Give us a piece of your mind about

this story at: http://tinyurl.com/tell-us-off

or email us directly at: [email protected]

SIX RIDERS TRY TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?

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ERIC MCSWEENEY – CORD ROOKIE

PROFILE: MID 50’S, GOOD FITNESS LEVEL.

RIDING LEVEL: Eric rides a 300 2-stroke and can get through just about anything although may have

difficulty in extremely technical stuff. He is an intermediate rider with many years of experience.

ERAG: WHAT CLASS DID YOU RACE AND HOW DID YOU FINISH?

ERIC: I entered the beginner class. Yes, I was razzed, until after the first day when Kevin Eastman

(Veteran Class) was whimpering. I was the smart one, and he wished he had done the same. The

beginners race a shorter course on Saturday, the same as Ladies and Vintage classes. The ladies are

good riders. If I had watched them a little longer, I am sure I would have learned something, as most

of them went on to race day two and I did not. I finished only one day, so 8th out of 9 riders, and the

ninth rider dnf’d on day one. But I did finish one day.

ERAG: IF YOU DIDN’T FINISH, WHY?

ERIC: I did not ride Sunday as I damaged my left wrist and could not hold on well or push. It turned out

to be a fractured scaphoid (wrist bone).

ERAG: WAS IT HARDER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE?

ERIC: About what I expected based on the hype. Again, it is not that any parts were tougher than

Calabogie, my regular riding area, it’s just that you need to focus every second of the ride on the trail,

as there are surprises everywhere – as Ken Hoeverman said “it is relentless” – a very good word to

describe this ride. This ride has lots of the regular stuff - roots, rocks, hills, creeks, holes – plus mud

that sticks like clay to your tires and kills all chance of traction.

ERAG: HIGHLIGHTS?

ERIC: The fact I finished day one and survived to tell about it.

Driving home Sunday, I still felt accomplished, and chalked it

up to lacking the experience required to really beat this thing.

There’s always next year…

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS OR BIKE MAINTENANCE NOW THAT IT’S

OVER?ERIC: You really need to be in TOP shape, then ride smart and

conserve energy, even in timed sections. You will need every

ounce you can dredge up. If you burn it all up early, you will not

finish. Ride to finish, not to win.

ERAG: ARE YOU GOING TO RACE THE CORD AGAIN?

ERIC: Definitely – at least until I can finish it. Who knows, I have

2 more years to practice before taking on the Masters class!

ERAG: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO IS

CONSIDERING IT?

ERIC: This is the hardest part: am I ready, can I do it? Perhaps

a good measure of your physical ability to finish the Cord is to

ride two days in a row at the Calabogie Boogie – 7 hours/day

with minimal stops on the tougher trails. If you can get through

that, you are probably primed for the cord. Ride at 70-80% of

your capacity, maybe 85% in timed sections. Better to conserve

energy, “arrive alive” and finish.

FARON YOUNG – CORD ROOKIE

PROFILE: EARLY TO MID 50S, GOOD FITNESS

LEVEL.

RIDING LEVEL: Faron rides a Honda 250X and is

known locally for being silky smooth. He is an

expert rider and makes everything look easy. He

expends very little energy and can ride at the pace

of any group. Faron’s bike or body rarely hit the

dirt.

ERAG: WHAT CLASS DID YOU RACE AND HOW DID

YOU FINISH?

IF YOU DIDN’T FINISH, WHY?

Faron: Novice, as directed by the people in the

know (little did they know it was going to rain hard

the Friday night and Saturday morning before!)

I did NOT finish on Saturday because of a tree

laying crossways on the transfer trail that caused

my groin to pull when I put my leg down suddenly

to save a crash!

ERAG: WAS IT HARDER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT

WAS GOING TO BE?

Faron: I did not realize that you have to be prepared

to be on the bike non-stop for a minimum of 7-8

hours for 2 days. The only breaks came when you got off to either push or lift the bike

over an obstacle.

ERAG: WHAT PARTS WERE EASIER THAN YOU EXPECTED?

Faron: There was nothing easy about the enduro other than the registration and sound

check.

ERAG: HIGHLIGHTS?

Faron: The guest speaker, the rustic cabin (what happened in the cabin stays in the

cabin!) and spending time with Kevin Eastman (he really is a GREAT guy).

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS NOW THAT IT’S OVER?

Faron: Upper body conditioning is vital. If you can’t do 100 chin-ups and 300 push-ups

several times in an 8-hour period do not even think about it!


Faron: I wouldn’t say “race” it again. I might go back but in the beginners class with

my 2 boys just to finish the damn thing.

ERAG: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING IT?

Faron: Talk to someone in the know OTHER than Warren, Blair, Larry, Dallas, Mike,

Woody, Dave, etc.Traction

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ERIC MCSWEENEY – CORD ROOKIE

PROFILE: MID 50’S, GOOD FITNESS LEVEL.

RIDING LEVEL: Eric rides a 300 2-stroke and can get through just about anything although may have

difficulty in extremely technical stuff. He is an intermediate rider with many years of experience.


ERIC: I entered the beginner class. Yes, I was razzed, until after the first day when Kevin Eastman

(Veteran Class) was whimpering. I was the smart one, and he wished he had done the same. The

beginners race a shorter course on Saturday, the same as Ladies and Vintage classes. The ladies are

good riders. If I had watched them a little longer, I am sure I would have learned something, as most

of them went on to race day two and I did not. I finished only one day, so 8th out of 9 riders, and the

ninth rider dnf’d on day one. But I did finish one day.

ERAG: IF YOU DIDN’T FINISH, WHY?

ERIC: I did not ride Sunday as I damaged my left wrist and could not hold on well or push. It turned out

to be a fractured scaphoid (wrist bone).


ERIC: About what I expected based on the hype. Again, it is not that any parts were tougher than

Calabogie, my regular riding area, it’s just that you need to focus every second of the ride on the trail,

as there are surprises everywhere – as Ken Hoeverman said “it is relentless” – a very good word to

describe this ride. This ride has lots of the regular stuff - roots, rocks, hills, creeks, holes – plus mud

that sticks like clay to your tires and kills all chance of traction.

ERAG: HIGHLIGHTS?

ERIC: The fact I finished day one and survived to tell about it.

Driving home Sunday, I still felt accomplished, and chalked it

up to lacking the experience required to really beat this thing.

There’s always next year…

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS OR BIKE MAINTENANCE NOW THAT IT’S

OVER?ERIC: You really need to be in TOP shape, then ride smart and

conserve energy, even in timed sections. You will need every

ounce you can dredge up. If you burn it all up early, you will not

finish. Ride to finish, not to win.


ERIC: Definitely – at least until I can finish it. Who knows, I have

2 more years to practice before taking on the Masters class!


CONSIDERING IT?

ERIC: This is the hardest part: am I ready, can I do it? Perhaps

a good measure of your physical ability to finish the Cord is to

ride two days in a row at the Calabogie Boogie – 7 hours/day

with minimal stops on the tougher trails. If you can get through

that, you are probably primed for the cord. Ride at 70-80% of

your capacity, maybe 85% in timed sections. Better to conserve

energy, “arrive alive” and finish.

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MIKE HILLIER - SECOND TRY

(MECHANICAL DNF FIRST ATTEMPT)

PROFILE: MID 30’S WITH AVERAGE CONDITIONING.

MIKE COMES FROM AN ATHLETIC BACKGROUND

AND UNDERSTANDS CONDITIONING WELL.

RIDING LEVEL: MIKE IS THE BMA PRESIDENT AND

AN INTERMEDIATE RIDER. HE IS RIDING A KTM

450 4-STROKE. MIKE DOES NOT COME FROM A

RACING BACKGROUND BUT HAS EXTENSIVE TRAIL

EXPERIENCE. MIKE CAN RIDE ANY TERRAIN AND

NOT HOLD UP A GROUP OF EXPERT RIDERS.


YOU FINISH? IF YOU DIDN’T FINISH, WHY?

MIKE: I raced intermediate. DNF on Sunday after a

bad crash that left me blowing bubbles, nauseated,

and cramping up like never before.

ERAG: WAS IT HARDER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS

GOING TO BE?

MIKE: No. It’s a challenge pure and simple. Rain

makes it worse, but we all know that.

ERAG: WHAT WERE YOUR PERSONAL LOW-LIGHTS?

MIKE: Last year I blew a rear tire 15 minutes after

the Saturday start. This year (at the 15 minute mark

again) I bounced off a rock, T-boned a fellow rider

and drove his footpeg into my right radiator. Steam,

bikes, and bodies everywhere. Luckily, I fixed it with

quick steel and Flanny gave me some water from

his camel back to top it up (the time did not count

against me as I didn’t enter the first check yet,

unlike last year with the flat tire).

Next low point is breaking my tire pump in two

pieces while trying to remove it from my rear tire.

One piece in my left hand, the other stuck to the

valve and I couldn’t get it off. See, I was riding and

it felt flat. Larry rode by and yelled “It’s not flat” but

all I heard was “It’s flat”. So I rode like a pansy for a

while until I figured it must be a slow leak and I tried

to put some air in. Anyway, it turned out it was not

flat at all but the issue cost me time and a pump.

The mud in that area is just so slippery you can’t

hook up sometimes and the bike feels like it has two

flats.

My lowest point was when I quit on Sunday. I had a

huge get-off that left me 20 feet in the woods tangled

with a pile of logs. The passing riders couldn’t see

me - I don’t remember hitting anything but when I

opened my eyes I was under the bike and on top of

the logs. I continued on until gas stop #2, where I

should have rested for a while and then completed

the course, but with 80km left to go I figured I would

play it safe. I will not quit again, it’s too disappointing.

I would rather stop when a broken appendage or bike

forces me to.

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS OR BIKE MAINTENANCE

NOW THAT IT’S OVER?

MIKE: The more fit the better. Use super heavy duty

tubes and make sure you and the bike are ready for

war. Bring all your spare parts and gear. Dry boots/

gloves/gear on day 2 sure feels nice.


MIKE: Absolutely, in fact, I want to go back next

weekend and finish!


CONSIDERING IT?

MIKE: If that someone has Enduro experience but has

not done the Cord, I would say it’s a must-do. If they

are a trail rider with an interest in doing Enduro’s, I

would say first to manage your own expectations.

Racers win trophies, trail riders need to learn the

ropes and finish the event before aspiring to win

anything. I have tried the Cord twice and can honestly

say I now understand the rules and how difficult it is.

The event isn’t intimidating anymore, just a whole lot

of fun interspersed with regular doses of incredible

difficulty. The course really is relentless, and you

WILL ask yourself, many many times, why the hell

you’re doing this to yourself until you’re done. You

still won’t have an answer, but the grin on your face

will suffice.

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hook up sometimes and the bike feels like it has two

flats.

My lowest point was when I quit on Sunday. I had a

huge get-off that left me 20 feet in the woods tangled

with a pile of logs. The passing riders couldn’t see

me - I don’t remember hitting anything but when I

opened my eyes I was under the bike and on top of

the logs. I continued on until gas stop #2, where I

should have rested for a while and then completed

the course, but with 80km left to go I figured I would

play it safe. I will not quit again, it’s too disappointing.

I would rather stop when a broken appendage or bike

forces me to.

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS OR BIKE MAINTENANCE

NOW THAT IT’S OVER?

MIKE: The more fit the better. Use super heavy duty

tubes and make sure you and the bike are ready for

war. Bring all your spare parts and gear. Dry boots/

gloves/gear on day 2 sure feels nice.


MIKE: Absolutely, in fact, I want to go back next

weekend and finish!


CONSIDERING IT?

MIKE: If that someone has Enduro experience but has

not done the Cord, I would say it’s a must-do. If they

are a trail rider with an interest in doing Enduro’s, I

would say first to manage your own expectations.

Racers win trophies, trail riders need to learn the

ropes and finish the event before aspiring to win

anything. I have tried the Cord twice and can honestly

say I now understand the rules and how difficult it is.

The event isn’t intimidating anymore, just a whole lot

of fun interspersed with regular doses of incredible

difficulty. The course really is relentless, and you

WILL ask yourself, many many times, why the hell

you’re doing this to yourself until you’re done. You

still won’t have an answer, but the grin on your face

will suffice.

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FLANNY WAS SO RELAXED

ON SUNDAY, HE DECIDED

TO WEAR HIS PAJAMAS

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BRYAN FLANNIGAN – CORD ROOKIE

PROFILE: EARLY 40’S, GOOD FITNESS LEVEL AND A NUTRITION GURU.

RIDING LEVEL: FLANNY COMES FROM A MOUNTAIN BIKE AND DUAL-SPORT BACKGROUND

BUT TOOK TO SINGLE TRACK QUICKLY, PROBABLY DUE TO HIS MB BACKGROUND. AS

AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL RIDER, HE SMOKES EVERYONE IN THE OPEN FAST STUFF BUT

FINDS THE TIGHT NASTIES MORE CHALLENGING. THIS SEASON WAS A TURNING POINT

FOR FLANNY AS HE SADDLED UP A 300 SMOKER AND GOT SERIOUS WITH THE GNARLY

TIGHT STUFF.


FLANNY: Intermediate. I placed 9th overall (out of 19 riders in class). I also figured that I

would have placed 10th in the Veteran class if I had raced in that class (which is the other

class I was eligible for).


FLANNY: Way harder. The freshly cut trail was very jarring, and just sapped the energy out

of my arms. I had a lot of trouble controlling the bike, especially on day two. I also am not

used to riding in a racing groove/rut, and found those sections really hard to ride.


FLANNY: Day two, 2nd lap of the MX-test. Being a human pinball between trees on either

side of the trail with only my throttle hand holding an out-of-control and accelerating bike

until I finally crashed and re-wrecked my wrecked knee with a distinctive pop and crunch.

Day 2, the final special test. Not really being able to ride like a normal person anymore

due to exhaustion of my arms, and crashing over and over again for no good reason. I

wanted to just quit then and there.

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS OR BIKE MAINTENANCE NOW THAT IT’S OVER?

FLANNY: Ride a 300 with an auto-clutch. That bike saved my bacon a million times. Soft

suspension is key. Work on upper body strength. Triceps, chest and biceps get destroyed

on the freely cut trails. It’s probably not a bad idea to race throughout the season to

prepare. No amount of trail riding can get you ready for the intensity of racing on those

new trails.


FLANNY: Only if I can spend the time training. It’s too hard to go in cold, and probably too

risky from an injury perspective.


FLANNY: Only do it if you’re prepared for a thrashing.

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LARRY MURRAY– CORD VETERAN

PROFILE: EARLY 60’S, WELL ABOVE-AVERAGE FITNESS LEVEL.

RIDING LEVEL: EXPERT RIDER WITH A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE. VERY SUCCESSFUL RACER IN HIS YOUNGER

DAYS AND HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN A VARIETY OF TERRAIN AND CONDITIONS. BECAUSE HE IS SUFFERING

FROM A CHRONIC SHOULDER INJURY, THIS SOMETIMES MAKES RIDING IN NASTY TERRAIN DIFFICULT.

ERAG: WHAT CLASS DID YOU RACE?

LARRY: Master over 58

ERAG: HOW DID YOU FINISH?

LARRY: “DNF” (Did not finish). I missed a time section on Day 2 after the 3rd gas stop. It felt great knowing the

end was close, I only had 2 hours to go. I rode what I thought was the course to the finish only to find I was short

2 check points. I finished 4th in my class, but there were only 4 riders! Most 60-year-old riders know better then

to enter.


LARRY: It was just the way the Clrd should be. Hard, long, bad weather. 50 to 70 percent fewer DNF’ed this year

then other years, I think?

ERAG: EASIER?

LARRY: The Cord is a test of a rider and their machines (if it was easy, it would NOT be a test). It is the hardest

Enduro in Canada.


LARRY: Day one, around noon, the rock/root climb from Hell, in the rain, bikes all over the hill and riders trying

to fight there way to the top. I was only 3 meters from the top and had nothing left to give but my tears. The body

was on empty and the brain was shutting down. It was all I could do to pick up myself, and no way could pick up

that bike one more time. I WAS DONE!

ERAG: HIGHLIGHTS?

LARRY: Day one around noon, the rock/root clime from Hell, in the rain, bikes all over the hill and riders trying

to fight there way to the top. I was only 3 meters from the top and had nothing left to give. I WAS DONE! Then!

A knight riding a KTM 300 charged by me and said, “I will be back to give you a hand!” Yes! Flanny stopped at

the top and walked back to me to help me pick up my bike and get me to the summit! I know it was only 2 or 3

meters but it was the top of the world to me!


LARRY: YES!


LARRY: This is a must do! Don’t give up! Hang in there and things will get better. It is always more fun looking

back at the Corduroy then riding it day one. But it’s still a must do. And give it your best shot. It may take many

tries to complete the event. I have completed the Cord in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s and will live to

complete it in the 2010s.Bryan Flannigan won the Corduroy Sportsmen Log for helping that old beaten man on

the rock/root climb from Hell and I want to thank him again!

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LARRY MURRAY– CORD VETERAN

PROFILE: EARLY 60’S, WELL ABOVE-AVERAGE FITNESS LEVEL.

RIDING LEVEL: EXPERT RIDER WITH A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE. VERY SUCCESSFUL RACER IN HIS YOUNGER

DAYS AND HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN A VARIETY OF TERRAIN AND CONDITIONS. BECAUSE HE IS SUFFERING

FROM A CHRONIC SHOULDER INJURY, THIS SOMETIMES MAKES RIDING IN NASTY TERRAIN DIFFICULT.

ERAG: WHAT CLASS DID YOU RACE?

LARRY: Master over 58

ERAG: HOW DID YOU FINISH?

LARRY: “DNF” (Did not finish). I missed a time section on Day 2 after the 3rd gas stop. It felt great knowing the

end was close, I only had 2 hours to go. I rode what I thought was the course to the finish only to find I was short

2 check points. I finished 4th in my class, but there were only 4 riders! Most 60-year-old riders know better then

to enter.


LARRY: It was just the way the Clrd should be. Hard, long, bad weather. 50 to 70 percent fewer DNF’ed this year

then other years, I think?

ERAG: EASIER?

LARRY: The Cord is a test of a rider and their machines (if it was easy, it would NOT be a test). It is the hardest

Enduro in Canada.


LARRY: Day one, around noon, the rock/root climb from Hell, in the rain, bikes all over the hill and riders trying

to fight there way to the top. I was only 3 meters from the top and had nothing left to give but my tears. The body

was on empty and the brain was shutting down. It was all I could do to pick up myself, and no way could pick up

that bike one more time. I WAS DONE!

ERAG: HIGHLIGHTS?

LARRY: Day one around noon, the rock/root clime from Hell, in the rain, bikes all over the hill and riders trying

to fight there way to the top. I was only 3 meters from the top and had nothing left to give. I WAS DONE! Then!

A knight riding a KTM 300 charged by me and said, “I will be back to give you a hand!” Yes! Flanny stopped at

the top and walked back to me to help me pick up my bike and get me to the summit! I know it was only 2 or 3

meters but it was the top of the world to me!


LARRY: YES!


LARRY: This is a must do! Don’t give up! Hang in there and things will get better. It is always more fun looking

back at the Corduroy then riding it day one. But it’s still a must do. And give it your best shot. It may take many

tries to complete the event. I have completed the Cord in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s and will live to

complete it in the 2010s.Bryan Flannigan won the Corduroy Sportsmen Log for helping that old beaten man on

the rock/root climb from Hell and I want to thank him again!

LARRY HAS FINISHED THE CORD IN

EVERY DECADE SINCE THE 1970’S

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MELANIE DENNIE - CORD ROOKIE

PROFILE: MID 30S, MOTHER OF 4, GOOD FITNESS LEVEL.

Riding Level: Mel has been riding 4-stroke dirt bikes for over 25 years but is new

to racing in 2011. This season has also been about learning to ride her new-to-her

2-stroke. She can make a man swallow humble pie on fast, open fire roads and won’t

hold up a group of guys when riding rocks and gnarly terrain.


MEL: I raced the Ladies class. I finished placed 4th out of 6 women.


MEL: It wasn’t as tough as I thought it would be, but I expected the worst. I knew it would

be hard and it was. It wasn’t impossible.

ERAG: WAS IT EASIER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE?

MEL: It was easier than I thought it would be, yes.


MEL: Missing an arrow and gassing up (on my time) before doing a special test when

I should have gassed up after the test. My bad. Running out of water in my hydration

pack on Sunday.

ERAG: HIGHLIGHTS?

MEL: Starting, riding, and finishing. The sportsmanship of the other riders and volunteers.

The course was beautiful, the tests were fantastic, technical and gnarly. It was a race

that you could be proud of finishing, it was tough and tested you all day, both days.

ERAG: TIPS ON FITNESS OR BIKE MAINTENANCE NOW THAT IT’S OVER?

MEL: I can definitely be in better shape, cardio-wise. I am also going to work on upper-

body strength, picking up the bike is easy the first few times but when it is in a hill and

you need to pick it up again and again, my muscles screamed at me to quit. The bike

ran flawlessly, even after being dropped more than a dozen times on rocks and logs. I

will be trimming down my handlebars to 30 inches.


MEL: Most definitely. Yes.


MEL: Be ready to ride hard for two whole days and to not take any breaks. Stay hydrated

and stay calm. Stop and breathe if you find yourself in front of an obstacle that seems

difficult. Accept help. Offer your help to others. Do not think that transfer sections are

easy – they are not. Keep up a good pace everywhere and you will make your minute.

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THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

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THIS “TUNNEL OF LOVE” IS

NOT FOR THE FEINT OF HEART

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MIKE HILLIER

SECOND TRY AT THE CORD.

LAST YEAR SUFFERED A

MECHANICAL DNF.

PROFILE: MID 30’S WITH AVERAGE CONDITIONING.

MIKE COMES FROM AN ATHLETIC BACKGROUND

AND UNDERSTANDS CONDITIONING WELL.

RIDING LEVEL: MIKE IS THE BMA PRESIDENT AND

AN INTERMEDIATE RIDER. HE IS RIDING A KTM

450 4-STROKE. MIKE DOES NOT COME FROM A

RACING BACKGROUND BUT HAS EXTENSIVE TRAIL

EXPERIENCE. MIKE CAN RIDE ANY TERRAIN AND

NOT HOLD UP A GROUP OF EXPERT RIDERS.


YOU FINISH? IF YOU DIDN’T FINISH, WHY?

MIKE: I raced intermediate. DNF on Sunday after a

bad crash that left me blowing bubbles, nauseated,

and cramping up like never before.

ERAG: WAS IT HARDER THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS

GOING TO BE?

MIKE: No. It’s a challenge pure and simple. Rain

makes it worse, but we all know that.


MIKE: Last year I blew a rear tire 15 minutes after

the Saturday start. This year (at the 15 minute mark

again) I bounced off a rock, T-boned a fellow rider

and drove his footpeg into my right radiator. Steam,

bikes, and bodies everywhere. Luckily, I fixed it with

quick steel and Flanny gave me some water from

his camel back to top it up (the time did not count

against me as I didn’t enter the first check yet,

unlike last year with the flat tire).

Next low point is breaking my tire pump in two

pieces while trying to remove it from my rear tire.

One piece in my left hand, the other stuck to the

valve and I couldn’t get it off. See, I was riding and

it felt flat. Larry rode by and yelled “It’s not flat” but

all I heard was “It’s flat”. So I rode like a pansy for a

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A CORDUROY ENDURO ROOKIE FINISHING FIRST OVERALL IN THE

VETERAN CLASS IS UNHEARD OFF, YET CHRIS MARTIN PLACED

FIRST OVERALL IN HIS FIRST ATTEMPT (VET CLASS 2009). IT WOULD

BE EASY TO JUSTIFY HIS WIN AS BEGINNER’S LUCK BUT CHRIS

RETURNED THE NEXT YEAR AND WON THE OVERALL VETERAN

LUMBER FOR THE SECOND TIME (VET CLASS 2010). IF IT WASN’T

FOR A BIKING TRIP TO MONGOLIA THIS SEPTEMBER, IT’S NOT HARD

TO IMAGINE A THREE-PEAT.

THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

Unlikelyresults: A ROOKIE FOUGHT THE CORD AND WON - TWICEAfter watching Bytown Motorcycle Association (BMA) members train and compete in the 2011 Corduroy Enduro, Chris’s results are that much more impressive. It is tough to doubt Chris’s talent and ability with back-to-back overall wins. Chris is a BMA member and we had a chance to sit down and talk with him about how he pulled off two overall wins at the Cord. - Editor

ERAG: IN YOUR FIRST 2 ATTEMPTS AT THE CORD YOU PLACED FIRST IN THE VET CLASS IN 2009 AND 2010. WHAT DID YOUR PREPARATION INVOLVE LAST YEAR REGARDING YOUR BIKE, YOUR NUTRITION AND YOUR BODY?

CM: Preparing your bike for the Cord is essential, especially because it falls toward the end of the riding season. I had raced the OO Enduro series last year and had squeezed in a lot of trail riding so my bike was due for some major maintenance. I went into the Cord with new brake pads, rotors, chain, sprockets, wheel bearings, Hiem bearing, hand-grips, heavy duty tubes, tires and of course, fresh oil and a clean air filter. I also checked valve clearance, spokes and all fluid levels. The carb was re-jetted for the usual cold and wet Cord weather.

I think nutrition is key heading into long races. My wife is a personal trainer and triathlete so I eat pretty clean most of the time but I do not have her discipline.

Body wise I had a fairly full summer of activity so I was in decent shape. I was not hitting the gym as much as I should but I was riding quite a bit. I broke my hand at the Terra Nova the previous fall so I put in a little extra effort building up grip strength.

ERAG: WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE MAIN REASON YOU DID SO WELL?

Luck. When only half of the field in your class finishes, luck has a lot to do it.

ERAG: TO DO WELL AT THE CORD, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE FOR A RIDER TO HAVE: PHYSICAL CONDITIONING, MENTAL TOUGHNESS, MECHANICAL PREPAREDNESS, TECHNICAL RIDING SKILLS? PLEASE PICK ONE AND WHY.

CM: That is tough one, you really need a combination of all of the above. The Cord is such a grueling event that even the well conditioned riders with great skills get worn down by the end of the day, then have to do it all over again. The mental game plays the biggest part because it is that momentary loss of focus that gets you into trouble. There are always times in the Cord when you fall off your pace or fatigue sets in. You have to keep pushing regardless of how you think you are doing.

ERAG: WHAT BIKE DID YOU RIDE AND WHY? DO YOU THINK IT WAS A GOOD CHOICE? IF YOU COULD RIDE ANY BIKE FOR THIS EVENT, WHICH ONE AND WHY?

CM: I rode a 2008 KTM 250 XC-F. My first race ever was the Beagle Bash Enduro in 2009 aboard my 2006 KTM 450 EXC and I thought I was going to die. That long stroke motor tired me out, not to mention the starter wire corroded and I had to kick start it 7 times. I dropped down to the 250 to save weight and mellow out the power and I think it was a good choice for the Cord. Unlike my 450, it actually likes to turn in the woods. I am looking forward to trying the new fuel injected KTM’s but if I could ride any bike in the Cord I would ride my 250 because it is light and manageable. I have never been a big 2-stroke guy even though I really liked my KDX 220. I prefer the planted feel of a 4-stroke and find it doesn’t get me into trouble. The main reason I would ride my own bike is that I made a lot of mods to make it right for me.

ERAG: WERE THERE ANY SPECIFIC MODS ON YOUR BIKE THAT YOU FELT MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE ON THAT DAY?

CM: A couple changes made a real difference. I am not very heavy and most of the time I find the stock 250 makes enough power to ride at our elevations. I did find the power lacking to loft the front tire without using the clutch, especially in panic situations. I added a Thumper Racing 300 big bore kit which gave it much better low end power. I also added a FMF Power Bomb header and Q4 silencer which picked up the power across the spread and made the bike much quieter. The other

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major mod was having the suspension re-valved at both ends by Factory Connection. They changed the fork springs and put a progressive spring in the rear as well as a bladder kit. It really helps in snotty stuff and puts the power to the ground better than stock. I also added bar risers and a tall soft seat from Enduro Engineering to fit my Lemur like build. I bought the ‘08 new in ‘09 so the money I saved (and a bunch more) went into mods to set it up they way I wanted it.

ERAG: HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH NUTRITION DURING THE WEEKEND?

CM: The day before I made sure to drink a lot of water and eat full meals. Dinner the night before is always pasta for the carb load and no more than 3 beers. I never have much of an appetite for breakfast, especially race day but I always force down some oatmeal, I am told it is one of best carbs you can eat. I don’t eat a lot during the day but make sure to drink lots of water. At dinner I try to eat as much as I can. I also brought a recovery sports drink with a 2:1 carb/protein mix that I drank immediately after finishing day 1. Breakfast on day 2 consisted of more Oatmeal and a couple of Advil Liquid gel 400’s for the aches and pains.

ERAG: WHAT WAS YOUR FITNESS REGIME PRIOR TO THE CORD, AND WAS IT SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARDS COMPETING AT THE CORD?

CM: Nothing was tailored specifically for the Cord. I tried to ride as much as I could with 3 kids at home. Like most people, I have trouble finding time to workout so I bought a rowing machine figuring it was a workout that targets a lot of the same muscles used in riding.

ERAG: DO YOU THINKING PARTICIPATING RACES ALL SEASON IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF PREPARATION FOR THE CORD?

CM: The best workout to condition you for riding is riding. The races during the year definitely set you up well to tackle the Cord. I was looking forward to the challenge of the Cord all year and tried to build during the season with that in mind. You always push harder in a race than trail riding so I don’t think there is a better way to prepare. I also attended a Lachapelle Riding school midway through the year where I found out I was doing most things incorrectly. I worked on my riding technique during the races and realized I had to slow down a bit to correct my form and go faster.

THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

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ERAG: WERE THERE ANY LOW POINTS MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, OR MECHANICALLY, AND IF SO, HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?

CM: Mechanically, I was very fortunate but there were a couple of low points that really standout. A previous injury on Labour Day weekend severed my ACL and tore the miniscus in my left knee which was misdiagnosed by my doctor. Day 1 I jumped over crevasse and landed on an uphill slope, bottoming my suspension. My left knee basically popped out of the front of the joint and I crashed hard with my bike pinning down my left leg. I was stuck lying face down howling but when I tried to roll over it popped back into place. I wriggled out from under the bike but thought I was done in the race. I figured I had to ride out anyways so I might as well ride the course. As I got focused back on the trail I realized I was still able to ride fairly well and decided to gut it out. I became the poster child for ibuprofen. Day 2 I became seriously stuck in a mud bog. Every time I tried to lift my left foot or put pressure on it to lift my bike my knee would pop out. I ended up pushing my bike over and pulling it out on its side. It was a terrible muddy section and I was exhausted and beaten up. I realized that no one had past me during the entire time I was crawling out. I got on back on but figured I had lost too much time to finish well. I actually had a lot of issues that day and had a lot of get offs (even for me) so I was just trying to finish.

ERAG: DID YOU EVER COME CLOSE TO HOURING-OUT?

CM: I have no idea if I was ever close to houring-out. I really never gave it a thought.

ERAG: DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE IN FIRST PLACE DURING THE RACE, OR WAS IT A SURPRISE AT THE END OF THE DAY? WERE YOU IN FIRST PLACE BOTH DAYS, OR OVERALL?

CM: I did not know I was in first place on day one so it was a surprise at the end of the day. I felt I was riding well and things were going smoothly until that big get-off, but I figured that did me in. I didn’t think day 2 went well at all and it was a big shock to find out I placed first for both days. ERAG: WILL YOU RIDE THE CORD AGAIN? WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

CM: I will definitely ride the Cord again and I am looking forward to next fall. I don’t think I will do much differently other than try to be in better shape and wear a knee brace.

ERAG: FOR A CORD NEWBIE, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?

CM: Well, they call it an Enduro for a reason. Be as prepared mentally, physically and mechanically as you can be. Try to be quick but don’t ride over your head because the best way to finish well is to finish.

Got something to say? Give us a piece of your mind at: http://tinyurl.com/tell-us-off


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northern tw1stBY MÉLANIE DENNIE

RUGGED FABRIC

This time last year, if someone had asked me if I had ever ridden the Corduroy, I would have said “oh, I don’t wear corduroy, I hate that rugged fabric”.

At the mention of the Cord, Ken Hoeverman from the OFTR asked me if I minded dropping my bike. Imagine an Olympic gymnast who arches her back, arms up in the air after a dismount from the uneven bars. Albeit not graceful, I could be considered a professional when it comes to bailing off the bike during a crash. I do it in spectacular fashion. I decide when I get off my bike. I would decide to do this often during this 2-day event.

Gooderham, Ontario, Saturday morning and the field is full of bikes and riders. How many are as nervous as I? I meet up with Jessica Cannell, previous winner of the Corduroy. I try to smile confidently. She smiles back. She suggests I treat the race like a trail ride and aim to finish. It is good advice.

Tech inspection time and my 200xc passes. I am handed the paper I need at the registration table. I ride away deciding, unwisely, to pinch the corner of the paper with my mouth, leaving my hands free to clutch and throttle. No sooner have I pulled away that the paper flips up into the wind and slaps itself onto my face, effectively blinding me. I grab a handful of front brake. I almost stoppie. I slowly peel the page off of my red face while glancing around meekly thinking, “Lord, I hope nobody saw that”. A few guys are chuckling. I can’t help but laugh. Sigh. Dumb move, princess.

At the start of the race, I stare at my number plate. I am on minute 41, rider A. The skies are grey and the ground is wet because it rained during the night. The river crossings I overheard men talk about in the pit area scare me. My stomach clenches. Waiting for my minute at the start line, I look ahead to a bike whose rider has inserted a note inside a clear holder on the gas tank. The note reads “Relax. Be smooth. Hydrate. Settle. Finish”. I would learn that the note belongs to Bryan Flannigan, the man who will win the Sportsmanship award on Sunday.

It is my turn to ride up onto a podium. I instantly picture myself falling off. Do men worry about such things? I consider pushing my bike up but pride kicks in, I ride and stop on the podium with no issue at all. I sigh (again).

Saturday is everything I expect the Cord to be: slick, tough, gnarly. I drop the bike often. I marvel at the difficulty of the transfer sections, I enjoy every meter of (continued)

the grass track sections. The single track is rooty and slippery. The corduroy bridges win every time.

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OUR SHORT-TERM GOAL IS TO COMPLETE

THE PARIS TO DACRE RALLY

“WHEN IT COMES TO BAILING OFF THE BIKE DURING A CRASH, I DO IT IN SPECTACULAR FASHION.”

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I cross the finish line Saturday afternoon in good spirits, having successfully completed day 1 of the Cord. I impound my bike and start helping the volunteers at the finish line. With dirty face and bird’s nest hair, I greet the riders, write down their minute and hand over their time cards for scoring. I ask them about their day. Most smile. One of them asks me how my first day was. I smile and tell him it was great. It really was.

Gooderham Ontario, Sunday morning, blue seeps through the grey skies. At the start line once again, on my original minute, I review my mental picture of the map displayed in the community centre. There does not seem to be many bypasses for the ladies today. Total distance today should near the 160km mark. The same holds true for all the other classes. There are more gas stops today and more checkpoints. I am slightly more confident as I push my bike onto the podium from parc fermé. I pull the choke and give it a shot of throttle. The minute flips, I kick it over, it starts and I ride off, feeling quite comfortable. I enter the first Enduro section where I attempt to stand. Ouch. What the heck is wrong with my legs? Every muscle screams out in protest. I know now why the Corduroy is a 2-day event. The second day demands determination from the onset.

Sunday is a different kind of difficult. I fall many more times. I start a collection of bruises that would make a numismatist jealous. At times, I accept help from other riders. My husband Sean is on a later minute, he catches up to me, encourages me, helps me pick up my bike when I can’t and laughs when I dismount safely but extraordinarily in front of him, every time. It is a sunny day, the temperature is ideal, and the trails are beautiful. As I ride towards the community center, I pray that this is indeed the end. Sunday would make a sadist cry for his mother. I ride onto the podium, where I am greeted by Blair Sharpless’ daughter who loops my finisher’s medal onto my handlebar. My helmet hides my face but I am sure she can feel my smile through it. My shoulders drop and I allow my elbows to lower for the first time this weekend. I did it.

Final thoughts: the Corduroy Enduro was not impossible. It was not the mix of logs, rooty hills, slimy rocks and river crossings that I found tiring. For me, it was the piece of paper taped to my fender that kept reminding me that my minute was ticking away, and that I had to make it before the dial flipped to a later minute. For 2 entire days, I lived on a minute system. I calculated minutes in my head, I predicted minutes, I breathed minutes, I sweated minutes. I loved and hated every minute. My first enduro, the Corduroy was a true test of my skill, my strength and my determination. My goal in entering the Corduroy was to enjoy it, to learn from it and to finish it. I managed to do all three. Will I do it again next year? For sure. Heck, I may even start wearing corduroy pants. ∆



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DREAM SHOP: A ktm owners fantasyTRACTION ERAG WAS LET INTO A LOCAL BMA MEMBER’S PRIVATE BASEMENT SHOP. NEEDLESS TO SAY, OUR JAW DROPPED - NOT ONLY WAS EVERY DETAIL ATTENDED TO, THE STABLE OF BIKES WAS DROOL INDUCING - 950R, 450 EXC AND A 300 XC-W. TALK ABOUT HAVING ATHE BASES COVERED...

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DREAM SHOP: A ktm owners fantasyTRACTION ERAG WAS LET INTO A LOCAL BMA MEMBER’S PRIVATE BASEMENT SHOP. NEEDLESS TO SAY, OUR JAW DROPPED - NOT ONLY WAS EVERY DETAIL ATTENDED TO, THE STABLE OF BIKES WAS DROOL INDUCING - 950R, 450 EXC AND A 300 XC-W. TALK ABOUT HAVING ATHE BASES COVERED...

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RIDING THE IRON GIANT?

THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

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ARE WE GETTING

TOO OLD TO RIDE?

IN THE NEXT TWO ARTICLES, FRIENDS AND

RIDING BUDDIES DR. DAN AND FLANNY

WRESTLE WITH THESE QUESTIONS AND

MORE. IT’S AMAZING WHAT ONE THINKS

OF DURING THOSE SURREAL MOMENTS ON

THE EDGE OF CONTROL...

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WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH? I find it fascinating how lucid my thoughts can be in these strangely elongated moments of motorcycling. We all have then from time to time - instances when it seems we can reflect on a lifetime of events between heartbeats (bump-bump). Just now, the moment requires that my self-confidence be replaced with a reflective sense of doubt. Why did I sign-up for this event in the first place? Is this what a responsible man should be doing on the weekend? I mean, I have two young children and a job to keep, and these require me to get back home in one piece. Being down and out with the flu is trouble enough when it happens, but to purposely risk injuries potentially requiring weeks of recovery? Well, I guess I’ll just have to hope for the best this time. contnued...

RESPONSE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

over the barsBY BRYAN (FLANNY) FLANNIGAN PHOTOS: GREGOR HALENDA

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I suppose that I should really be paying more attention to what’s happening with the motorcycle beneath me right now, but in many ways, everything is on autopilot for the time being. Time seems inviting to deep thought, and there seems to be an abundance of space in between the seconds for me to ponder such things while the bike does its own thing. Is the risk of dirt biking really worth it, taking into account the full scope of responsibilities that I have? It seems a rather ironic question to ponder while fully immersed in this particular moment. It’s true that I have burdened my family in the past due to the some of the risks I have taken. Last fall, while riding in the petrified dunes of Moab, Utah, I was badly injured. I destroyed my left knee (blew out the ACL, and tore both the MCL and LCL) essentially all of the major ligaments in the knee. The emergency room doctor in Moab misdiagnosed it as a torn miniscus (a much less severe issue), and so I kept riding with a borrowed knee brace. The day after, while moving some river stones to facilitate the exit of a water crossing, I had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of a large rock that was dislodged as a friend rode past. His knobby tire lobbed a stone as smooth as a baby’s bum and as large as it’s head from six feet up on a ledge. It landed squarely on my hand, smashing the bones that make up the major knuckle of my index finger. Too embarrassed to show-up at the Moab emergency department two days in a row, I iced it and kept riding, thinking at the time that it was only badly bruised. Back home, following a number of doctor and physio appointments, the severity of both injuries came to light, and their impact on my family began in earnest. My knee would probably require reconstructive surgery and four months of intense physio, countless rearrangements of schedules to accommodate the numerous diagnostic and therapy appointments. Making matters worse, every day after work, and through the evenings, I had to basically just sit with ice on my knee and on my hand. Needless to say, I wasn’t being the best dad or husband. The trip to Moab was one of the highlights of my riding life. Was it worth the price to be paid? For many riders that is the million-dollar question. Certainly, much of the answer will depend on the outcome of the next few seconds.

The Moab injuries were the second set in as many seasons. My heart completes another cycle, (bump-bump), and I can clearly visualize that sunny day the previous autumn. I was riding a friend’s 950 Super Enduro on some sandy country roads north of my home

in Quebec, and high-sided the machine while doing about 60 or 70kph on a sliding turn. The crash threw me down the road backward. I landed on my backside, and the back of my head was violently thrown into the earth. Badly concussed and whiplashed, with some major bruising on my ass, I was totally out of commission for two full weeks at home and off work. I was a total basket-case – full of meds for pain, and my swollen brain was unable to think properly for weeks. For a few days I seriously thought I may be affected forever. What was initially left unsaid while I healed was discussed at length over many glasses of wine during that long, cold winter. The badly crushed helmet and broken throttle tube remain in my shop as reminders of just how close I came to really testing the risk/reward balance of motorcycling that autumn day. I have ridden through all of my high-flying adolescent years, through my 180kph teen super-bike years, and now all of my responsible adult life, and those two incidents are thankfully the only really bad accidents that I can recount. Honestly, most of the many other minor incidents left nothing but a few scrapes and bruises – truly nothing to be concerned with. Could I have a complete life without riding? Would I be the same person? Was this event any riskier than others? In another heartbeat or two, I would certainly have more clarity on the matter.

GETTING THE BAD NEWS IN MOAB.

IS THE RISK OF DIRT BIKING REALLY WORTH IT, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE FULL SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT I HAVE?

MY HAND WAS SWOLLEN UP LIKE A BALLOON”

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“IT LANDED SQUARELY ON MY HAND, SMASHING THE BONES THAT MAKE UP THE MAJOR KNUCKLE OF MY INDEX FINGER

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throbbing pain

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Just then, the forest erupts with a deep barking sound. The ground shakes beneath my boots. Another racer suddenly appears between breaks in the trail. Eyes mad with concentration, he is furiously wrestling the bike over the mess of rocks and roots that precipitated my undoing. Braap, braap - the rider tears past and I am ripped free of this self-indulgent contemplation. You’re racing the Corduroy Enduro! You’re being timed! Get your shit together man! You’re still in this! Another rider will no doubt come by in 30 seconds, so there is no time to waste. I mount the eager steed, and without another thought, open the gas, my rear tire tearing into the forest floor to re-join the chase. The very the howl of the two-stroke now propels me forward, all thoughts of doubt or resignation are lost amid its familiar wail.

“YOU’RE BEING TIMED! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER MAN!”

Is this risk worth the rewards? Remind me to ask myself again later - perhaps during one of the quiet moments in a lonely old-man’s mind, when the appeal and promise of an unending rush of adrenaline-fuelled euphoria fades into the dark along with forgotten friendships and memories. Life is too short to answer just now, I’ve got a race to ride. ∆



As if surfacing from underwater and into the bright light of day, my focus and attention returns as the impact of another branch throws my upper body even further back. I feel the handlebar finally rip away from whatever semblance of control my left hand had been offering. With only my throttle hand on the bars, and my weight well back, any hope of mastering this crash vanishes, instantly vaporizing this stream of thought. After an eternity of hopelessly pin-balling between trees, and ricocheting among the rocks, time suddenly accelerates as the machine wheelies furiously toward a small opening in the trees. Contorted, misplaced, and now fully beyond any control, I hear a pop, and feel a shot of pain in my previously injured knee as my foot is violently propelled into the ground during a final, futile attempt to arrest this inevitable fall. It’s finally over. I can feel my heart beating rapidly under my armour. I am laying on the ground peacefully, for how long I don’t know. I vaguely register the sound of my idling 300 somewhere behind me, resting on its side, exhausted. I stand carefully, conscious of the pain in my knee, and move gingerly toward the bike. I struggle to right the fallen motorcycle while trying to reconcile all that has happened in the last few seconds. Realizing only now my breathlessness, I lean against the idling machine for support, head hung low, transfixed in a moment of recovery and reason. What am I doing here? How can I carry-on with this? I cannot afford another crash. Certainly this ride is over. This is madness.

Tractiona race to ride...

white coat, black bootsTHE DARK ART OF TRAILSIDE MEDICINE - BY DR. DAN CURRAN

I grow old… I grow old… I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

- T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” Traction

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“SOMETIMES MY FOCUS WILL INTERMITTENTLY FLICKER...[THEN I REALIZE] I AM ON THE EDGE”

WHY THE TRAIL?

We are all getting older as the years go by.

Gone are the days of carefree endless trail rides wearing open-face helmets, work pants, and hiking boots, riding non-descript bikes with torn seats, bald knobbies, and a sacked-out suspension. Gone are wheelies on the beach, backcountry campfires at sunset, and that kinetic, sleepless energy that can only come from the possibility of new love. And gone is that precious, frightening invincibility of youth, both mental and physical.

As birthdays slip by unnoticed, our view forward changes. We can all recall the time in our younger lives where the world was rich with possibility and experience, and we never stopped to consider the passage of time. Slowly, however, we accumulate a series of responsibilities and obligations, financial and personal that start to define our direction in the world. With those responsibilities comes the reality that our actions now impact the lives of others. Our children, colleagues, wives/husbands/partners, friends, and riding buddies in some way depend on each of us, as we in turn depend on them. This is the great social construct in which we all participate.

Yet on many weekends during the summer, I bounce from tree to tree, launch off blind rock edges, and skim down loose, rutted descents, handlebars jerking back and forth in a reflection of the desperate attempts of the front wheel to find a straight line. The landscape often

passes by so fast that my brain begins to ignore the periphery, tunneling down to only the trail ahead and the handlebar controls. These moments are pure focus, a trance-like state similar to intense religious experience or Zen meditation. My mind empties, and only focusing on one objective, it is able to slow down the experience like an old record player. In these moments, everything feels controlled, smooth, quiet, easy. However, I’ve been finding this season that sometimes my focus will intermittently flicker, like a failing tube on an old television set. In that split-second the entirety of the experience roars back into my conscious mind like an avalanche, the trees blazing by, suspension pounding me front and rear, the sound of the bike deafening my ears, and overwhelmingly, the panicked realization that I am on the edge. One false step, one blown line, one crossed-up rut, one random animal, one mechanical failure, and I would shortly become a tangled mess of orange parts and flailing limbs, without a soft landing or safety run-off in sight.

“Why are you doing this?”, my mind yells at itself in these moments. “What is the point? Are you fucking NUTS?”. At first blush, the answers to these question are “I have no idea.”, “I don’t know”, and simply, “Yes”.

You can’t ride dirt bikes and not at some point, grapple with these greater existential questions. There is an undeniable level of risk in what we do (not to mention the financial considerations), and I won’t presume to be able to answer the “why” for everybody. It is an important

white coat, black boots...piece of our nature as off-road motorcyclists, parents, and friends to consider the question, even if the answer is elusive.

“I KNOW I AM GETTING OLD. MY BEARD IS GREYING AT THE SIDES, AND MY KNEE REFUSES TO STOP ACHING”

The most obvious initial response is that off road motorcycling is fun. The pure riding can be exhilarating at times, making us giddy with delight, laughing in our helmets and grinning ear to ear.

It affords us a view of nature that most people rarely see. Is there anything so beautiful as a twisty double-track on a sparkling fall morning after the evening rains, or of a lonely desert track disappearing over the horizon with not a soul in any direction?

It is tremendous mental and physical exercise, challenging us to master both body and machine. Nothing will test your patience and resolve more than struggling to extract your heavy four-stroke from a mud hole, or than fighting your way up a rocky hill climb in the rain.

It is pure adventure, of the kind rarely found in our controlled, sheltered lives. In the middle of trackless wilderness as the sun is going down, fuel level dropping, and only your own navigational skill and dead reckoning to make your way out, we become, however briefly, explorers in the true sense.

Finally, it is a robust community, a place where one can make deep and true friendships through this shared experience and interdependence.

I know I am getting old. My beard is greying at the sides, and my knee refuses to stop aching. At what is roughly the midpoint of my life, these questions are shaped by the context of our mortality, with the equal recognition that we each occupy a unique and valuable place in this world. Over the past couple of months, in my day job in the emergency room, I have seen too many young bright lives extinguished much too early, and it is only natural to ask whether the risk of motorcycling is too costly. Are we riding simply for the adrenalin high, or for the wider experience? There are many examples of clearly purpose-less risk taking behaviour in our society. As mature and responsible motorcyclists, I would argue that we find meaning far beyond the initial adrenalin

surge. We encounter death (or at least the possibility of it) with some regularity, yet obviously none of us would want to leave our families alone, to incapacitate our ability to work, or to suffer a catastrophic loss for no reason or purpose.

Like Eliot’s protagonist J. Alfred Prufrock, there is a time in our lives where we look backwards with some regret and nostalgia, and forward with fear and apprehension. The resolution to this existential crisis is to ask the question “What does this all mean, and why am I doing it?”. Finding the meaning in what we do is the key to the next step.

As a motorcyclist, what is your answer to this question? If you have not stopped to consider it, I would challenge you to take the time to do so. Share your thoughts with me if you feel so inclined, and I’ll summarize them in a future article so that we can all better understand each other. I have given a few reasons of my own to explain why I ride and why I deliberately assume what many feel is a senseless level of personal risk pursuing a hobby…nay, a lifestyle…in which an outsider may not find any value at first glance. We will all benefit from your own perspectives and I look forward to hearing them.

When you next find yourself railing hard through a tight single-track or pushing to overtake the rider ahead in a hare-scramble through a cloud of dust and you feel your focus flicker, consider the message your subconscious is sending. I would encourage all of us to ride our motorbikes in a greater context, and then we stand to gain much more than simply the thrill of the ride. We become motorcyclists in the finest sense, a goal worthy of lifelong pursuit. ∆



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Dirt & MettleBY RON GOLDEN

KIDS, COPS AND BIKES

Kids, cops and dirt bikes are attracted to each other like two parts nitrogen and one part oxygen. And like the chemical bond that creates nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas” the results can be exhilarating and comical.

Aspiring racers dream of being “on the circuit” like Mert Lawwill in “On Any Sunday” crisscrossing the country in his Econline van. As kids, we had our own little circuit spanning a handful of local farms, each with their own trails laboriously hacked out of bushes, and worn into fields by kids who were hot to ride.

The few miles that separated our tracks produced a weekly migration of skinny kids on dirt bikes, sneaking through ditches, fields and side roads en route to the appointed track. The Anderdon Township cops didn’t exactly know about “the circuit” but they certainly knew all the spots and all the kids.

One staple of the circuit was the track at our farm. We would typically draw about a dozen friends to an event. Most of them arrived on their bikes, often with stories of dodging cops along the way.

We always had a problem routing riders from the MX track behind our house to the bush and back without having to risk two-way traffic on the farm laneway. If the crops were off we could ride through the empty fields, but the corn was still high on race day. So with wisdom displayed only by kids who know everything, we routed the loop out of the woods to deposit racers directly onto Texas Road. A mere half-mile back down that gravel road, across the ditch and you were back at the MX track. It was a brilliant solution.

My best friend Keith was without a ride that day, so he became our official starter. Using a leafy branch the start “flag” dropped and the race was on.

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The new course layout worked like a charm. No risky two-way traffic and screaming down the road gave us a chance to clean out our oil-belching two stroke motors. I apparently did not succeeded too well in that respect though because on the second lap my plug fouled part way down the road. After sputtering along the bike finally died a short distance before making it back to the MX track. I ended up having to push my bike down the road.

Keith was walking out to meet me when I spotted it coming down the road; the township’s unmarked blue AMC Matador cop car. I was a sitting duck. The cop drove up then leisurely swaggered out of his car and asked “you got a license for that?”

“Uh, no” I said sheepishly.

“How about a driver’s license then?” he asked sarcastically.

My eyes flashed towards Keith only to catch him in the process of abandoning me by slipping across the ditch behind the cop’s back. I managed to answer the second question with a feeble “nope.”

The cop silently circled the bike, no doubt feeling the heat still radiating from the engine. He looked at the fresh grooves in the road which ended where the path of beaten down grass across the ditch began. Without saying a word he looked up and gave me an Academy Award worthy ‘boy, you are so full of shit’ stare; but his focus was interrupted by the sound of two bikes accelerating at full throttle from the far end of the road.

Billy and Joey had just come out onto the straight of our track. Shifting madly through the gears, racing side-by-

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side, crouched on their tanks, straight down the road towards the cop and me. The look on the cop’s face went from one of stern authoritarian control to deer in the headlights astonishment.

Unbeknownst to me, once Keith snuck off; he had started running full-bore through the corn field. He wouldn’t make it very far before he heard the bikes, cutting short his plan to warn the racers. It was time to improvise.

As the cop and I stood there transfixed by the approaching bikes Keith exploded back out of the field and darted into the middle of the road between us and the approaching bikes. Looking like he was signaling a fighter pilot approaching the deck of an aircraft carrier, Keith frantically waved the riders ‘left’.

Both riders raised their chests off their tanks as they grasped the situation. Throttles slammed shut, clutch levers grabbed, brakes stomped, shifters jammed down, down, down amongst a spray of gravel and dust on a suddenly quiet road. In a flash they were across the ditch and smashing through crops.

The cop scrambled into the Matador, threw on the siren and peeled out down the road after them. I wasted no time in making my own escape, running as I pushed my bike the last bit down the road, stashing it in the barn.

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Racers dissolved into the bush where they laid low until the coast was clear. By the time the cop had gone up the road, searched and come back empty handed, only silent tire tracks in the road remained.

A year later, my dad was attending the retirement dinner for the township’s chief of police, to say “thanks” on

behalf of the residents. When the occasion was over and dad was leaving, the incoming police chief met him at the door. “It was nice to meet you Mr. Golden. I’m sure chief Hooper appreciated your speech.”

Dad silently beamed with pride at being recognized as such a respected pillar of the community.

“Oh, and one last thing Mr. Golden” the new chief added. “You tell those boys of yours, I’m gonna’ catch them.”

But he never did.

Our little “circuit” proved to be more enduring than the new chief’s tenure and that of the chief who followed him. In fact remnants of it remain in use today by kids, (some of them in their 50’s) who are still hot to ride. ∆

Got something to say? Give us a piece of your mind about this story at: http://tinyurl.com/tell-us-offor email us directly at: [email protected]

Tractionpro winner bobby prochnau

THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

Traction BY JENNIFER BOUGHNER

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THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

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STILL KICKIN’BY GLEN (COOP) COOPER

This being an off-road magazine, I have some other forms of off-road motorcycling that we don’t always talk about here. I know the purists will be shuddering as they read this but hey, we all see the world through different eyes.Over a three day weekend, I was able to experience three different forms of off-road motorcycle events. One on pavement, two on dirt and all three were different. On Friday, I participated in my second ever motorcycle track day. It was held at Shannonville Motorsport Park. It was the Max Mercier Safety Fund Track Day. The event was put on by his father (former Canadian Superbike Champion) Michel Mercier and GoLo Racing. It is a fundraiser designed to make improvements to the run off areas of the track. There were three groups of riders and needless to say I was in the beginner group. I ride a 1990 Honda Pacific Coast on the street - many of you are going to have to Google that one. Certainly not your typical sport bike - in fact, not your typical bike at all. It is a very underrated and misunderstood bike, but that is another story for another magazine. We rode 7 – 15 minutes sessions and I put about 140km on my bike. It was the first time I have ever melted rubber on a tire. Great fun, and I plan on doing this event again as long as they have it. It was also an inexpensive day at only $100, with lunch included! They even had leathers that fit me for a rental fee of $40 for the day. The only prep I had to do for the bike was removing the anti-freeze, mirrors and taping up the lights. Also, there could be no oil leaks, and you needed good tires and brakes.On Saturday morning I put my Pacific Coast back in street trim and met my son in Sydenham where we put on quit a few street miles before returning to his home in Kingston. We used his SUV to drive to Belleville to attend the Norm Carr ½ mile Dirt Track Race. We took the SUV because it looked like rain any minute and we kind of wimped out. The races have been at the Belleville fairgrounds for about 40 years and it is one of my favourite events to attend. What a show the riders put on and it is still only $10 to get in - how could you not go? I once had an opportunity to ride a 600 Rotax flat tracker, what a rush. At the track I met an old friend, Doug Brook, who handed me 2 tickets to the Canadian Championship MotoCross at Sand Del Lee in Richmond for Sunday. Needless to say, you know where I was on Sunday.

Fortunately for me, my wife Heather is not only understanding of my passions for motorcycles, she also likes MotoCross. It was not a hard sell to have her accompany me to the races on Sunday. The track was in amazing shape and it started to drizzle for about and hour which seem to make the track better and with no dust. Again the racing here was amazing. The level of riders’ ability and skill is top notch. All the events I attended this weekend were first class and this is because of the efforts of the volunteers who, for no other reason than for the love of their sport, selfishly give of their time and efforts to give back to a sport that most likely has given them so much pleasure themselves. So the next time you are at any event stop as a spectator or as a participant know that it would not have happened if not for the efforts of a volunteer. Take the time and thank a volunteer for their efforts, hey you might even want to volunteer yourself, I know organizations are always looking for likeminded people to help them. Hope to see you on the trails and‘till then remember, Ride Safe, Ride Smart.Coop out.

“I RIDE 1990 HONDA PACIFIC COAST ON THE STREET - MANY OF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GOOGLE THAT ONE”

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BY THE GUY THAT WROTE IT

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REVIEW KLIM INVERSION COLD WEATHER GLOVES

BY KEVIN EASTMAN

erag

KLIM INVERSION GLOVES REVIEW

Truly hardcore riders in our sport strive to maximize the length of the riding season by enduring less than optimal conditions in the spring and fall seasons. In fact, some of them would argue that the extreme ends of the season are actually primetime - citing the lack of heat, bugs and traffic on the trails. But most will readily admit that cool and/or damp weather can present some challenges regarding riding gear selection.

It can be difficult to choose apparel for single digit temperatures that will minimize overheating in the tough stuff while providing adequate warmth on the transfer sections and provide some protection from precipitation ranging from a damp mist to a heavy downpour.

Many manufactures of off-road clothing catalog a jacket/pant/glove combination geared towards cool and wet conditions, but they seem to cater more to the adventure riding crowd than the hardcore trail rider. Leave it to Klim to step in and fill the void with a full line of gear aimed squarely at less than ideal conditions.

A visit to the Klim website hinted strongly that the gloves are meant for cool riding days with “wind stopper” fabric and a layer of Gore-Tex. Upon arrival, a thorough inspection revealed top quality construction and attention to detail that has become the hallmark of Klim products. The fit was absolutely perfect for my medium sized paws with no obvious seams on the inside that could cause problems during a long day in the saddle and no strange finger lengths leaving excessive space at the tips. The gloves were curved properly so that no bunching occurred in the palms while holding onto the bars; it amazes me how many manufacturers can’t get that right. The palms also seemed to be a little “grippier” than other brands but the difference appeared minimal.

In early autumn, I began wearing the Inversion gloves on a regular basis and have continued to wear them to temperatures as low as 4C. First off, I should point out what these gloves are not good at. They are much too warm for summer riding and, therefore, a poor choice as a three-season glove. Conversely, I don’t think they would be sufficiently warm for subfreezing temperatures but that depends on trip planning; if you’re going to work up lots of body heat in the single track all day long and

avoid the fast stuff then the gloves might be just about perfect. Lastly, I doubt that your hands would stay dry in a downpour but Klim makes no claims regarding the gloves water repelling abilities.

Having said that, one might get the impression that I am not thrilled with the gloves. Actually, the truth is quite the opposite; I love them. The trick is to use them for their intended purpose. The mitts are nirvana on those coolish rides in the 4-12C range. Grip feel is as good as any other glove and the slight extra bulk from the Gore-Tex is not noticeable at all. After a couple of full day rides I have no complaints in the comfort department; there was no annoying rubbing or unusual pressure points. The highest compliment that I can bestow upon any piece of apparel is that, during a long tough ride, I didn’t notice anything. That may seem like a backhanded compliment but I’m sure most of you know what I mean; these gloves richly deserve that praise.

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REVIEW “THE GLOVES WERE CURVED PROPERLY SO THAT NO BUNCHING OCCURRED IN THE PALMS WHILE HOLDING ONTO THE BARS; IT AMAZES ME HOW MANY MANUFACTURERS CAN’T GET THAT RIGHT”I have been caught in a few light showers and the Inversion gloves kept my hands warm and dry but, as I mentioned earlier, a steady rain will probably soak through in fairly short order; best to consider them water resistant, not water proof. One bonus feature that I noted is that the gloves seemed to provide well above average grip in muddy conditions. This is a godsend if you happen to dunk your handlebar ends in the goo; the gloves provided a distinct advantage in the ability to hold onto the machine.

As for durability, the gloves look almost new after several trips through the washing machine with my other gear (I understand that this is not a recommended practice for gloves) with only very minor stretching.

Overall, I must say that the Inversion gloves are very impressive but should be considered a bit of a niche product. If used in the conditions that they were designed for, it would be hard to find any better. But I suspect a lot of us fit into that niche perfectly with our spring and fall riding. These gloves have found a permanent home in my gear bag; that’s about the best endorsement I can give any product.

See ya out there.


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REVIEW SEDONA 887 ITREAR TIRE

BY DALLAS SHANNON

erag

Being eRag famous means that I often have people sending me things to try out for review – products, bikes (still waiting), household cleaning items and a myriad of farm animals. This month, Woody, from Woody’s KTM, sent me a SEDONA 887 IT rear tire and until I saw it sitting in my garage, I had never heard of Sedona before. Woody didn’t tell me much about the tire - all he said was that it’s a new brand he is interested in trying.

With a little Google research, I learned that Sedona is primarily an ATV and Sport UTE tire manufacturer and only recently got into the off-road motorcycle game.

Let me preface my opinion by saying I am not a “princess and the pea” type of rider. I don’t feel every nuance of handling or the way the tire rubber subtly flexes as it makes it’s way across various surfaces. I admire people who feel these things but I hunt with a club, not a rifle.

That being said, I felt this tire was okay. The rubber seemed a little hard and it wasn’t grabbing everything (wet rock was tricky) but I didn’t have a lot of problem with slippage. With it, I have rode 350km of hard pack with a mix of rock and mudholes and I have not had a problem. This season has been dry so I have not had an opportunity to ride this tire in slippery conditions.

The 887 tread pattern is made up of big lugs and it looks like it will dig you out of a hole pretty quick. The pattern has a lot of space in between lugs and certainly does not plug up in the thick stuff – it digs in and throws gobs of mud at your riding buddies – a big thumbs up for me.

The advantage of the big lugs and hard rubber means a longer life, which it does have. I have had a 250km ride and a 100km ride on it and it’s still looking pretty good, especially considering that it was Cord country (rock) and the Calabogie area (more rock).

All in all, I felt this tire has good value. At $102.95 for a rear and only $76.95 for a front, it’s a great price and certainly not a risk to try. I find that tires are very much a personal choice and everyone has an opinion. The best thing I would suggest is to contact Woody and give them a whirl - for a $100 admittance fee, you could discover your next favorite pair of shoes.

Woody’s KTM 613-267-6861

www.woodys-cycles.com

SEDONA 887 IT

AT 350 KM

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REVIEW SEDONA 887 IT

AT 250 KM

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THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

TractionBMA PREZ MIKE HILLIER

WIDE OPEnBY CÉCILE GAMBIN

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THE CORD THROUGH MY NIKONFor the 58th edition of The Cord, I opted not to race but to view it through my camera lens instead. If it was not for the preparedness and seamless organisation of the club, I would not have been able to make it very far into the event for some epic pictures. I do not want to sound cheeky but I am rather proud of the photos I was able to get and attribute my success to the riders, the volunteers, my camera equipment and to lady luck.First, a little bit of background information: I recently upgraded my camera from my trusty Nikon D90 to the impressive Nikon D3S. This purchase scared me for

several reasons - it broke the bank as it costs roughly the same as a gently used 2009 off-road bike and, I am a stay-at-home mom who currently has no (steady) income. My anxiety and worries dissipated with the first picture I took. The quality, performance and build of this camera is unreal. Let’s compare that to something you may be more familiar with: a Honda CRF230 versus a KTM 200. While both bikes are of the highest standard in quality there is a vast difference in performance. Both are great but are poles apart from each other and while one is easy to ride the other you must master. Just like my cameras.I drove in from Peterborough and arrived in Gooderham early Sunday morning. Previous family commitments prevented me from attending the day before. My goal was to find a few epic shots showcasing The Cord and differentiating this event from other enduros. After all, this is an event that runs through prime Canadian Shield (which I know from experience promises to make it a

difficult ride). My other goal was to make the riders look good.The drive up was beautifully cool and calm. Fog and mist hung over the landscape dotted with lakes, rivers and brightly coloured trees as the autumn colours slowly settled in. In my mind I could picture an image of a rider attacking the trail with crimson, yellow and orange leaves as a backdrop. This was going to be a good day I thought to myself.I checked in with Blair Sharpless and Ed Veal who gave me a wealth of insider information and armed me with a ‘spectator sheet’ with directions to interesting spots. I relied on rider feedback and input from the organisers as I was not able to scout locations ahead of time. A good location will make or break a shot as background, clutter, terrain, light and other variables all play a role in creating an exciting action picture with artisitic balance. I decided to head for Sedgwicks gravel pit, followed by the infamous ‘Tunnel of Love’. Arriving at the pit I looked around and immediately fell in love with the terrain. I wanted something different and Ed suggested I try this place. Perfect for photography and getting that ‘different’ shot that would help me achieve one of my goals. I was also very tempted to grab a bike and ride that pit, and single track. It just looked like fun. The racers came in an hour and a half after my arrival. The morning light had just started to climb a bit higher in the sky and created some sweet backlighting. My camera and lens combination (a Nikkor 70-200mm and a Nikkor 14-24mm) was the perfect choice as I was able to isolate the riders from the background and get tack sharp pictures. As a rider crested over the deeply rutted ridge and down into what looked like man-made ‘troughs’ dug out by large earthmovers I watched through my camera as dirt kicked up under the screaming force of their rear tire. Only a few feet away mist slowly rose from the cool ground as the heat of the morning sun slowly intensified and moved across the land. I happily continued the rest of the day taking pictures knowing that I had captured some really cool shots in the pit.I eventually made my way to the ‘Tunnel of Love’ and was met with a babbling creek that slowly got larger and in time snaked it’s way through a long tunnel. With the camera to my eye I watched and took pictures and felt the pain of exhausted riders picking up their bikes, struggling to get over the greasy logs and branches

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“I WATCHED THROUGH MY CAMERA AS DIRT KICKED UP UNDER THE SCREAMING FORCE OF THEIR REAR TIRE”

PRO RUNNER-UP BRIAN WOJNAROWSKI

THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

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CECILE CATCHES THE ACTION

AT THE CORDUROY ENDURO

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CÉCILE GAMBIN DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THE

MEANING OF ‘YOU CAN’T HAVE TOO MANY

BIKES’ AND THINKS EVERYONE SHOULD OWN AT

LEAST ONE MOUNTAIN BIKE AND AN OFF-ROAD

BIKE. CÉCILE HAS RACED HARE SCRAMBLES,

ENDUROS AND THE ODD MOTOCROSS SINCE

1999. SHE HAS ALSO COMPETED ON A NATIONAL

AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL IN DOWNHILL

MOUNTAIN BIKING. FEEL FREE TO LEAVE HER

AN EMAIL THROUGH WWW.CECILEGAMBIN.COM

WITH QUESTIONS, OR COMMENTS!

littering the forest floor. And in sheer exhaustion finding the courage to continue knowing that around the corner yet another obstacle waited for them to beat them up. I was originally hesitant to take pictures in a man-made environment but that quickly changed as I saw an unnatural beauty emit from both the landscape and from the riders as they endured astronomical efforts to bridge the gap between faultless riding and clumsiness as fatigue took over. Through (continued...) my lens I was able to see a co-existence between nature and man-made equipment teeter-tottering between a love/hate relationship. I found my day very similar to that of a rider - where I struggled with the harsh terrain, the patchy sunlight and strived for perfection, artistic beauty and visual energy, the racer strived for a clean and flawless run along that same terrain. The Cord is indeed a special place for both a rider and a photographer. And I was happy to be there to capture its beauty. I may not have been able to get the picture I had first envisioned but the terrain I experienced more than compensated with its bountiful mixed forests, and open pit. I will be back next year and I will continue to find those areas that make The Cord a unique and difficult yet breathtakingly beautiful event. Click.


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DESPITE BEING GRAYBY LORI GRAY

And did I hear you say that you would like to dual register your dirt bike for those times when you need to ride the road short distances to link trails? Well, forget it. You have a better chance of beating Taddy next year at Erzberg than getting a dual registration for your dirt bike in the great state of California. I’m just saying....

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PLATE

In a lot of ways, SoCal is a great place to live. You can wake up on a Friday morning and head to the beach for a day of surfing. You can get up Saturday morning and head to the local mountains for a day of snowboarding. And on Sunday morning you can load up the bikes and head to the desert for a great day of riding. And just to really rub it in, while the popular riding months are October through June, truth be known, you can ride 12 months out of the year as long you don’t mind getting up early, or driving a little further, during the summer months to avoid the 100+ degree (Fahrenheit) temperatures.However, if you’re old enough to have learned that free lunches aren’t, you are already asking yourself “so what’s the catch?”. Well the catch is that California is not a particularly dirt bike friendly state. Every year, more ridiculous laws get passed and more riding areas are either closed or restricted to the point that they might as well be closed.

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dirt bike! Everyone wins! After all, I’m not looking to ride wheelies up and down main-street. I just want to be able to link trails together a few weekends a month. Here’s a little bit of history to fill in blanks. In California, dirt bikes are registered as either “Red” sticker or “Green” sticker bikes. Green stickers are issued to all 2002 and older bikes and all 2003 and newer bikes that meet California emission standards (which means they are plugged up with smog gismos and sadly detuned). For a dirt bike to get a Green sticker, the manufacturer must submit that specific model for California emissions testing. Dirt bike models that are not submitted, or do not pass, must be sold as Red Sticker bikes. Green Sticker bikes can be ridden all year round. Red stickers are issued for all 2003 and newer bikes that do not meet California emission standards. These are generally the bikes marketed as “Race” bikes, also called “Closed Course” bikes. These bikes can only be ridden certain months of the year (which is a whole other discussion of insanity I’ll save for another time) and they cannot be modified to meet exhaust emissions standards by the consumer. This is because the regulation is

It wasn’t always like this. Back in the day (and now I’m dating myself), not only could you ride pretty much anywhere but it was relatively easy to get dual registration for your dirt bike. However the sane times have long since ended. In July of 2003, everything changed for dirt bike owners as California caved under pressure from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and changed the state’s 25-year-old Dual Registration policy. Since 2003, in addition to the old requirements (lights, horn, mirror, etc), dirt bikes must now also have a California or Federal EPA on-highway emissions sticker from the manufacture to be eligible for a license plate. Unfortunately, this is impossible criteria to meet because dirt bikes have plastic gas tanks and a normal service life of less than 18,000 kilometers and this, among other things, prevents manufacturers from getting California on-highway emissions certification for even their emission compliant Green sticker bikes. So, even though all 2003 and newer Green sticker bikes must meet stringent exhaust emission requirements, similar to on-highway exhaust emission requirements, they can’t be plated because they have plastic gas tanks. Really???? Every time I think about this, my blood pressure shoots through the roof. My gas tank is going to emit the same fumes regardless of whether it’s parked in the garage, being ridden on the street or being ridden in the dirt so what difference does it make to California’s air quality? Absolutely none. Let’s be real here, even if you aggregated all fumes from all dirt bike gas tanks since 2003, the total impact on the state’s air quality would be zero. It is so miniscule when compared to the emissions from all of the cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, and factories on any one given day. So, let’s cut to the chase, get real and conduct business. The state of California is on the edge of bankruptcy. It needs money. So, charge me a “plastic gas tank” fee, a street plate fee and a Green sticker fee and let me dual register my

THE “OLD GIRL”

PARTS OF THE “OLD GIRL” + “NEW GIRL” = SCORE

enforced at the manufacturer level, not the consumer level. So, a Red sticker bike can never to converted to a Green sticker bike. So, how do you work around a broken system? You put a light kit, including blinkers, on your bike, take a current street plate from another bike, stick it on your bike and gamble that if you keep your nose clean, you probably won’t get pulled over. Which is why I just bought a 1994 KTM 300 that has a current California license plate, which coincidently looks right at home on my 2008 300.

Yahoo! Can you say “Score”?! ∆

I SK0R

racing personifiedBY DUNCAN CARPENTER

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THE OO DIARIES

Last Call: one round left in the OO XC series

I am not fast enough for my riding to make me famous. My modelling career has not taken off either (yet), but the Editor tells me our readership increases every month and I can only assume it is due to my articles. I thank the readers for my growing fame and will be signing autographs at the next race, but first I have to tell you about the last two events.

Conostoga hosted the Ant Hill Classic (round 7) and I learned at the rider’s meeting those trails are only open once a year for this event. That information made me feel part of something special. The next thing the speaker said terrified me: each lap was 26 km long and took about 45 minutes for the pros. I took a few deep breaths and started to realize that this might be a good thing. With laps this long there would be less of a chance I would be lapped. During events with longer laps all big bike classes ride together to save time. After the riders meeting I took a few minutes to hide in the shade, but it did not help much. The humidity was bordering on unbearable.

If you read my article last month, you will know that my new goal is to get a holeshot. If the start was 15 feet shorter I probably would have had it, but I missed my shift and let a guy get next to me (on the inside). He came into the corner too hot and we connected. Being a first year racer, I have never collided with another rider before and I must say images of an ugly crash flashed through my mind. Somehow we both managed to keep it on 2 wheels, but lost a few positions. With the first corner carnage behind me I could focus on the track. The entire track was a combination of very tight woods and grass track, but unlike other grass track sections this one was also pretty tight. In order to make passes you had to be smart and patient for a while, then aggressive when an opportunity presented itself. I have also never really ridden like that before, and I liked it.

Then, there is the name. They do not call it the Ant Hill Classic because they wanted a catchy name. There actually are enormous ant hills everywhere and most of them are hidden by tall grass. You were literally taking your life in your own hands if you went off the track at all. I’m having a hard time expressing how big these hills

were in words and unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures of them. I guess the best way would be to compare them to the ant hills in my backyard which are home to ants approximately the size of a house fly. Well, based on the size of the hills in Conostoga I was expecting to see ants the size of dogs wandering around. If my description has not impressed you, I guess you will just have to come to the race next year to see for yourself. Enough about ants, let’s get back to racing.

According to the speaker at the rider’s meeting, round 8 (in Sebright) was almost cancelled. The race location used in past years was unavailable this year, but the event organizers did an amazing job to find a new location and create 11km of trails from scratch in about 2 months. And the trails they built were amazing. There was plenty of wide grass track with some rough woods sections, but what set this race apart from others was the rocks. I am not talking about 2-foot boulders that you can wheelie or bash your way over, I’m talking about rocks the size of cities that you have to climb and then drive across.

I must have been busy admiring the beautiful scenery because I missed a turn and got lost. When I finally found the trail it was in the wrong spot which set me back several minutes and positions. Luckily, I was wearing my GoPro helmet cam so I can relive that mistake all winter. I was able to make up a few of the positions I lost and ended up finishing 4 seconds behind my riding buddy who reminded me about it the whole way home. One of my earlier articles encouraged you to bring a friend to share the drive. Sometimes that means you take a little trash talk on the way home, but hopefully there are weekends when you get to dish it out.

Both Conostoga and Sebright were challenging, but like I have been saying since I started writing these articles: just ride your own pace and move over when faster riders come up behind you and I guarantee you will enjoy yourself. Hopefully I’ve been able to convince some of you to come out and give racing a try. For those of you still thinking about it, don’t think too long because there isonly one race left this season. It’s on September 4th in Cordington so come on out and give it a try. Ride within your limits and you will enjoy yourself. ∆

“I THANK THE READERS FOR MY GROWING FAME AND WILL BE SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS AT THE NEXT RACE”

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duncan on the pipe!

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The 00 reportBY BILL WATSON

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5 laps on 40 seconds divided the top three with Allan Snively taking another win followed by Dylan Worrall and Josh Weykamp.The trio of Ted Dirstein, Rick Day and Dave Cockayne finished the Masters Class in that order, these guys have been fun to watch all year long and put in some very good lap times considering they often have their grandchildren watching them at the races!

In SuperVet Elmo Rutnik had a great battle with Lance Matthews finally putting 30 seconds on him at the checkers, Brian Holloway took home the third place hardware a few minutes back.

In the Vet class a bit of a see -saw battle resulted in Jeff Klassen taking the win over Steve Coverley and Al Strong.

Ladies A results were Rose Lantaigne winning the duel with Dana Zuest for the win followed by Melanie Dennie in third, in Ladies B another good race saw Elizabeth Hollaway take another win over Porsche Reynolds followed closely by Delaney Brogan.

Finally, in the afternoon classes, Randy Zuest battled

The final round of the KTM/ OO XC 2010 series was held at Codrington by the TNT riders on the Labour Day weekend. The course was nicely watered by Mother nature so it was once again in prime condition. Some course changes from last year and the addition of some grass track made the racing a little more interesting. The small wheel morning race got the program started, some injuries thinned out the Mini Sr class leaving Clark Roylance to take the win in front of Hunter Allison and Damon Strong. Mini Jr, saw more great racing action with Jordan Fisher taking the top step of the podium followed by Andrerie Cojocaru and Keegan Frederikse.More fun ensued for the rest of the morning, in Beginner a super battle resulted in Brian Kingshott squeaking by Trevor Strickland for the win with Alex Tupper just behind

in third.

In the large Novice class things were even tighter after

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Jamie Jones for the win in Vet Expert, Ian Otten took another victory in Intermediate followed by Jed Franko and Josh Phillips. In Expert the Jones boys were it again at the front of the pack with Riley finally getting the better of Braydon and Mike McCaw again rounding out the podium. Josh Long put on a heck of show in the Pro class gapping his competitors for a solid victory, Mike Vandenhoek and Kevin Cockayne had a great battle going with Mike edging out Kevin by a few seconds at the line. Detailed results can be found on the OO website at offroadontario.ca.

It was a great day of racing to bring the 2010 KTM XC series to a close, a good time was had by all and the racing has been great all year long, we expect 2012 will be even more exciting with a few new ideas brewing over the winter. Offroad Ontario would like to thank all of the Clubs and organizations that put on the races, and our loyal sponsors who made such a big impact on our events this year, firstly KTM our title sponsor and Ross Rocher Sales, Machine Racing, Stadium Suspension, GP BIkes, Hone Printing, Woody’s Cycles, Lachapelle Racing Products, Apex Cycles and Orange Motorsports for supporting our events and riders all year long!

KTM Offroad Ontario Cross Country Champions 2010Well that’s it for another great season of cross country racing, we had a lot of fun, tried some new things, and even got a couple of new groups involved and a new venue. The racing was very good, with many very close races and some of the championship’s not decided until the final race!

It was great to have KTM step up to be the title sponsor, which helped with keeping costs down and excitement up for the riders. We also had really good support from

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the industry, including a number of shops who not only sponsored the series but helped out more than a few riders. Its great to see everyone who loves the sport help out and get on board.

Listed below are the 2010 KTM/ OO Cross Country Champions who deserve our congratulations and admiration, as do many other riders who came out, rode hard and got better every race.

MINI JR. JOHN HRUDA MINI SR. RYDER HEACOCK LADIES A MELISSA HEAD NOVICE CONNOR BROGAN INTERMEDIATE IAN OTTEN VETERAN CAMERON LOWE SUPER VETERAN ELMO RUTNIK MASTERS RICK DAY VET EXPERT DARREN MARSISKE EXPERT MIKE MCCAW PRO JOSH LONG

Front Row John Hruda, Ryder Heacock Back Row: Elmo Ruthik, Mike McCaw, Josh Long, Cam Lowe, Rick Day,Darren Marsiske, Ian Otten, Connor Brogan, Missing Melissa Head.

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Offroad Ontario would like to thank all the Clubs and organizations who put in a great effort to put on the best Cross Country races in Ontario. We’d like to thank the riders who came out to have fun and race, we have well over 700 racers registered in the series this year!

We’d like to thank all our sponsors including KTM, Apex Cycles, Woody’s Cycles, Machine Racing, Stadium Suspension, Lachapelle Racing Products, Hone Printing, GP BIkes, Orange Motorsports and Ross Rocher Sales you made the series better for 2010.

Have a great Enduro Season, we’ll see you all at the bike show over the winter with the plan for next year which we think wll be bigger and better than ever! Keep an eye on website for more info offroadontario.ca. ∆


Front Row John Hruda, Ryder Heacock Back Row: Elmo Ruthik, Mike McCaw, Josh Long, Cam Lowe, Rick Day,Darren Marsiske, Ian Otten, Connor Brogan, Missing Melissa Head.

The 00 report

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THE Corduroy

Enduro AFTERMATH

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dreaming of the British columbia Interior

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THESE PICS WERE TAKEN IN THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN OKANAGAN VALLEY BY FORMER ONTARIO RIDER AND RESIDENT JOHN BAXTER. JOHN IS FROM ONTARIO BUT HAS RECENTLY MOVED WEST AND IS LIVING IN THE BRITISH COLUMBIA INTERIOR.

BY THE LOOKS OF HIS PICTURES, HE’S NOT MISSING OUT ON ANY RIDING. JOHN TELLS ME THAT THE RIDING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE INTERIOR ARE ENDLESS.

THREE OF JOHN’S ONTARIO RIDING BUDDIES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A FLY AND RIDE INTO BC AND WERE GIVEN A PERSONAL TOUR (WE’RE FRIENDS RIGHT JOHN?).

LEFT TO RIGHT: DARRYL IRWIN, AL REESOR AND BARRY ARMSTRONG, ALL IN FROM ONTARIO ON THEIR FLY AND RIDE TRIP.

KEN HOEVERMAN

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OFTR NEWSThere are a few clubs in Ontario where membership in the OFTR is not a requirement. The president of one of them called recently us and asked us to explain what we do and why it is important for all of his members to support our federation. In 2005 we had 300 members and now we have almost 2,000. Perhaps some of them aren’t aware of what we have been doing to preserve ORM trails in Ontario.

Here is what we sent:

The OFTR was founded in 1992. The original members were from all trail users groups and our original mandate included Off Road Motorcycles (ORMs), ATVs, equestrians and even cyclists.

OUR MANDATE

To source, create, and maintain a trail network in Ontario for safe, family use by motorcyclists as well as any other good intentioned user,

and to provide a strong voice supported by a substantial membership to represent trail users to ensure, to our best ability, that these trails continue to be available.

While membership was available in the OFTR for all trail user types, we had only attracted ORM enthusiasts and eventually became ‘the voice of off road motorcyclists in Ontario’.

In 1999, the Red Tape Reduction Act consultation took place that eventually gave ATVs the ability to approach municipal it ies about access to public roads that specifically excluded ORMs by standing that the vehicle had four wheels and a parking brake. MTO’s Minister Turnbull advised us that since we could convert and ORM into a legal vehicle, we were not included in the new regulation.

In 2005, Simcoe County had proposed a by-law that would allow most trail uses in the Simcoe County Forest

except ORMs, here is the actual recommendation from the county:

Recommendation 3.1 –THAT all terrain vehicles (ATV’s) be permitted to use

County Forests at such time as use

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agreements are in place which specify adequate insurance, a permit system, trail maintenance program and an enforcement mechanism.

3.2 Other Motorized Vehicles including Dirt Bikes, 4x4’s, AutomobilesInformation obtained has revealed that these types of vehicles are rarely, if ever, sanctioned on any organized trails due to the extremely high risk and associated liability. Dirt bikes are often blamed for causing much of the damage to County Forest trails. They frequently cause a greater nuisance than ATV’s due to the noise and fumes of the two stroke engines and high rates of speed which are possible. Some of the most excessive rutting of forest access roads is caused by 4 x 4 vehicles utilizing the SCF during spring months.

Recommendation 3.3 – THAT motorized vehicles as defined by the Highway Traffic Act, including but not limited to dirt bikes, motocross bikes, and automobiles, be prohibited from Simcoe County Forests.

In order to attend land use meetings and meet with local and provincial governments it was decided that the OFTR would need to hire a full time staff and the resources to open an office. We approached the Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributers Council (COHV) for funding and were accepted into a 5 year national plan to help the provincial federations of ORMs and ATVs.

In the past five years the OFTR has grown from 300 members to almost 2,000. Membership fees will cover about 50% of our operation costs for 2012 due to declining sales at the COHV

We survey our members every fall and asked them how we are doing, how we can improve and what they want us to accomplish for the upcoming year. The results are taken to the Presidents Council Conference and discussed with the attendees to determine where we can improve our services and measure our results according to the six key goals. We prepare our new strategic plan with suggested action items and present it at our AGM.

The OFTR staff then prepares a work plan and budget based on the strategic plan and presents them at a board of directors meeting in early spring where the basic planning is finalized. This gives the staff clear direction as to what needs to be done for the current year until the next member survey and PCC.

In 2009, the OFTR invested $1.2 million in trail improvements from Infrastructure Canada and partnered with 19 organizations, municipalities and OFTR clubs for a total of $2.4 million in trail upgrades, trail rehabilitations and new trails for ORMs in Ontario. We have ongoing projects for managed OHV recreation in Ontario and are currently developing trails in the 8,000 acres Somerville Forest under a recent land use agreement.

Our industry funding has been cut from $170,000 in 2006 to an expected $30,000 for 2012. In order to maintain our operations, we need to attract more members, especially those within our affiliated clubs.

Ken HoevermanExecutive Director

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exhaust noteBY LARRY MURRAY

Andrzej Jan Taramina @ Tarafrost Photography www.tarafrost.com

TRY SOMETHING NEW

Why should I enter a cross-country race or an enduro?

There are some BMA members that do ride competitive events but most of our members do not. I feel that the majority of our riders are a lot better than they think. What could be more fun than riding a new area and meeting new people with the same interest as you?

We all fall into the same rut, we ride with the same people week after week, we only go riding when they go and they only go when we go. We go to the same two or three places and ride the same trails, and to make things even worse we only ride on nice days. Let’s try something new – try a race! Going to a race will improve your riding before you even get your bike out of the truck. You will prep your bike better. You will see little trick things that others do to their bikes and what they bring and what they use. There will be some riders with every trick item ever made on their brand new bikes, and riders with bikes that they could probably enter into a vintage race. They all have the same things in common, their love for off-road motorcycling, and a willingness to test both their riding and their machine. You will raise the bar of your own riding ability, push yourself to a new level while testing yourself and your machine.

You don’t need to ride over your head to do well. What you need to do is ride at your best for as long as you can while staying under control, both pushing yourself and your machine. After the event is over nothing will feel better then knowing you have done your best and finished the event. The winning is knowing that you have surpassed your own expectations.

If you keep racing, I can assure you, the trophies will come. And the more trophies you win the less you will care about them. The winning will be knowing that you are doing something you love and the pride of doing the best you can. I have ridden hundreds of events and can tell you that there are many riders who are better and many riders

worse than us. Some days nothing will go wrong and some days everything goes wrong. I have looked at a water crossing and picked what I felt was the best line, only to drop into a waterhole that was up to my handlebars. On other days I will approach a water hole with bikes stuck everywhere and pass five or six riders in ten meters!

When entering an event it is important to be honest with yourself. Are you a beginner or are you a Pro? The beginner class is for beginners, first timers. If you are a beginner, and have never ridden an event, why would you enter as any thing else? If you’re entering your first event as a beginner and do well, move up next time. Starting as an intermediate and not finishing the event simply because you were in the wrong class will only make you feel like you are not good enough, and the truth is you were just in the wrong class.

The more you can learn about the event before you sign up, the better. Ask someone that has rode the event to help you, and get a copy of the rules and read them, they will be a lot simpler then you think. Ask questions and others will help you. You may want to ask someone to ride with you, this is hard, but you will learn from each other.

Remember, you must finish to win or place. After the event is over and the results are posted, on the bottom of the list is the DNF’ers (did not finish). There is always a reason for being on the list. Bike busted, rider busted, more the one hour behind last rider. Do not give up! Always keep on moving, ride on, because as hard as you may think it is, it may be harder for others in your class. There is no room on the podium for a quitter, so giving up is not an option. Lets all get together next year and send as many BMA riders to an Enduro or a Cross Country Race. Lets test ourselves, I know that we will have fun and will all become better riders. -Larry


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the finish line

SHEESH. WHAT CAN WE

SAY? BRYAN FLANNIGAN, A

REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO

THE ERAG, IS SPENDING MORE

TIME IN THE LOCAL E.R. THAN

ON THE TRAILS. RUMOR HAS

IT HE’S SELLING HIS KTM 300

BECAUSE “IT’S PICKING ON ME

IN THE WOODS”. AWW...LOOK

AT THE BIG BABY!

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I AM NOT

A TERRI

BLE

RIDER, I

AM NOT A

TERRIBLE R

IDER...

WELL, MAYBE I

AM

A TERRIB

LE RIDE

R....

Documents

Volume 3, Issue 4