Gorman race

[robertaccio 412]

PS rode last practice day yesterday started at 0900 left at 1600, turned a bunch of loops and connected many trails both fast and slow. Burned mega calories and fed the body machine with rynopower all day long. Im ready to rip ST s up at gorman. the ZipTy race prepped bike is working stupid good right now. Gotta show em how the SD crew tears up specials.......and try not to get torn up in the process!!

[robertaccio 412]

Entry list so far

http://www.moto-tally.com/D37/Enduro/StartingGrid.aspx?EY=2013&EID=6

Instructions/rules http://www.ridechec.com/images/wepg/2013documents/2013riderinstructions.pdf'>http://www.ridechec.com/images/wepg/2013documents/2013riderinstructions.pdf

route sheet--- I'm happy for this pre event route sheet, its unusual from my experience. http://www.ridechec.com/images/wepg/2013documents/2013 schedulebikes.pdf

PS Brad you are right loop 1 and 2 are slightly long between fuel at 42 and 38 miles, but remember the transfers are also long and there is no need to have a heavy throttle hand on the transfers, just cruise along at a good trail pace, to be on time and conserve fuel. L3 is 16 no issue at all. Looks like fuel is all at our start pits easy to manage.

[Spaugh 1]

no problemo on doing 42 miles at a time for my bike, myself is another story.

I'll contact you in the next day or two and let you know what my plan is. Will most likely just see you there.

Any idea what the camping situation is like up there at the OHV area? Is it just open land or is there camp sites, cost $ ?

PS, tried to click on the ride route link but its broken.

[robertaccio 412]

it's just an open MX track parking lot type thing. They will close the park gate at night if its like last year. if you google map look for the hungry valley svra and its gorman mx track you can see where the stage area is. rider instruction sheet says $10 per vehicle per night.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.747114,-118.822117&hl=en&num=1&t=h&z=15

[Fargoin 6]

Good luck tomorrow!

[robertaccio 412]

my statement.

I hate to say it....it really was not fun for me...like a desert race, no wilderness pine forest mountain section (the big highlight). Very dry and dusty,silty. hard pack and sand washes..... I swear last year for the 2 day I had fun, this year not so much. I was never loose and comfortable today, rode tight all day, part me, part conditions. 99% of riders were good and courteous in the STs.

Hat's off to WestChec, they always work as hard as possible to make their events great. It was well managed and well marked, transfers were good and time allowance was easy to keep on time. Lots of Beta presence that will be at or near the podiums in at least a few classes. @ 2x 40miles and 1x30 bike worked great mostly all day.

Had SDAR folks there among others.

Just waiting for mototally results, course favored D37 Dez racers. I was pinned in 5th and 6th gear in some sections.....

[Spaugh 1]

trails were pretty fast and a lot of dust and whoops. But there was some fun stuff too, lots of twisty trails on the edge of a cliff. Saw a few people go off the cliff. And then there was the 20 rider pile up on the silty hill. I liked the little tight slot canyon thing, that was cool. too bad we weren't timed on that stuff, the 200 was railing in there. good news is we all made it home without incident (even if I get last place).

[PastaPilot 17]

Sorry to hear the race was a bit of a let down this year. It was another race I wanted to do and reason I bought the new bike. However, my new job kept me fom signing up but almost did last week just because it was so raved about by every participant that did a write up. Well after hearing your guys reports I'm glad I didn't.

Maybe next year they'll get it right for us "low speed" racers.

[robertaccio 412]

additional thoughts as they pop into my cloudy brain.

I finished on time zeroed all route checks, racing 50A this year and there are alot of fast MAG experts in the D37 zone, so I'm anxious to see my result in the big dog class. I was super cautious (read slow) in alot of sections.

This race suited the more open area dez type racing guys. One example was a guy on minute behind me that always caught me and passed on the open trails in transfers and STs, just flying along, but as soon as we would get into a rocky stream bed or twisty section I was all over him (but he was all ready a minute up on me in the special).

The one section that may have really helped me was a transfer through a slity, sandy rock infested stream bed, I think lots of guys were late to the next route check and losing OA points from that section. It was the closest I came to being late, a couple minutes early, I saw lots of guys stopped and hung up as I passed through. I was on 17A with 2 guys I know both 40As (SDARs ISDE97 ) and another Checkers MC guy, our crew member (450 guy) burned the check after the rocky streambed and mistakingly left on the minute before, thinking we had all left??? The clock was right there and we all had our schedules taped on. . Row 17 was TXC310R, KTM450XCF-W, KTM250XC, YZ250.

SanDHusky(Beta)--was on row 9, the Beta minute 300RR, 350RR, 498RR and another bike.

And our local husband wife team B&B (riding on diff minutes both on KTM200XCs) also made the trip....B2 went out onto L2 and she forgot to fuel.....(DNF). B1 finished fine in 30B.

Beta is the new dominant small brand for sure. Money says most likely the Beta 498 with pilot Nick Burson won this thing OA.

PS John the real letdown was not having the event highlight of this enduro. that is riding the west side mountain wilderness section.

Many "event was great" "race was fun" etc comments are all over the D37 message board. My bias is that I am still an east coaster woods rider at heart, Tecate type "woods trails" suit me better and I like going slower and more technical than doing quad wide trails in 5 gear pinned.

The race was well managed, well organized, and its always a pleasure to support these events. The VCMC/WestChec group works hard to put these things on, they need riders to sign up ride and support this stuff.

[robertaccio 412]

additional thoughts as they pop into my cloudy brain.

I finished on time zeroed all route checks, racing 50A this year and there are alot of fast MAG experts in the D37 zone, so I'm anxious to see my result in the big dog class. I was super cautious (read slow) in alot of sections.

This race suited the more open area dez type racing guys. One example was a guy on minute behind me that always caught me and passed on the open trails in transfers and STs, just flying along, but as soon as we would get into a rocky stream bed or twisty section I was all over him (but he was all ready a minute up on me in the special).

The one section that may have really helped me was a transfer through a slity, sandy rock infested stream bed, I think lots of guys were late to the next route check and losing OA points from that section. It was the closest I came to being late, a couple minutes early, I saw lots of guys stopped and hung up as I passed through. I was on 17A with 2 guys I know both 40As (SDARs ISDE97 ) and another Checkers MC guy, our crew member (450 guy) burned the check after the rocky streambed and mistakingly left on the minute before, thinking we had all left??? The clock was right there and we all had our schedules taped on. . Row 17 was TXC310R, KTM450XCF-W, KTM250XC, YZ250.

SanDHusky(Beta)--was on row 9, the Beta minute 300RR, 350RR, 498RR and another bike.

And our local husband wife team B&B (riding on diff minutes both on KTM200XCs) also made the trip....B2 went out onto L2 and she forgot to fuel.....(DNF). B1 finished fine in 30B.

Beta is the new dominant small brand for sure. Money says most likely the Beta 498 with pilot Nick Burson won this thing OA.

PS John the real letdown was not having the event highlight of this enduro. that is riding the west side mountain wilderness section.

Many "event was great" "race was fun" etc comments are all over the D37 message board. My bias is that I am still an east coaster woods rider at heart, Tecate type "woods trails" suit me better and I like going slower and more technical than doing quad wide trails in 5 gear pinned.

The race was well managed, well organized, and its always a pleasure to support these events. The VCMC/WestChec group works hard to put these things on, they need riders to sign up ride and support this stuff.

[Spaugh 1]

I wouldn't go so far as to say it wasn't fun, just that some parts were a lot better than others. I really liked the test they did that was T2 on L1 that was all hard pack blue groove that winded up and down the mountain. High speed, elevation changes, tight turns, water bars, cliff side. That was super fun. I was railing that one. Made it up to the guy ahead of me that was in my class and gave him the HOOOEEYHOOOEY! and he moved over for me (probably not realizing I was in his class). But the same guy was slaying me in the fast whoop/silt sections. So results will be interesting. Staying tuned...

Ready for some real tight ST racing for next time.

[TNT 0]

Gotta give my 2 cent since I was excited for this race and it was my first VCMC West chec enduro. . If u would enjoy racing on quad trials this race was amazing. If u enjoy being passed by racer guy on the transfer sections right when u were out of the dust ... This race was fun. If u enjoy time trial down a straight whooped out sand road it was awesome. If u think its a good idea to run a time trial over the same exact trail twice, u would have had a great time. And if u enjoy riding the exact same section of amazing silt road every loop then it was perfect for you. I on the other hand think I will skip the next VCMC west chec "enduro"

[PastaPilot 17]

Nuff said.

[robertaccio 412]

VCMC at Gorman WestChec Enduro needs to be clarified. Watch some Helmet cam viddy from the WestChec Enduro at Anza ---- I was way out of my element at this Gorman round last year we did alot of this same stuff but with the addition of the mountain section I ate the non technical open trail stuff, but like Brad I did like the blue groove trail we did the same one last year as a special.

AT the WestChec Anza round I was right in my fun zone at this round. So dont judge the entire series by this Gorman round.

In this Gorman round of open trail riding I was beaten badly by a guy that I smoked in the tight stuff at the Anza round.

Take it for what it is riding and training, outside the comfort zone. Baja racers would all rave about this round, east coast enduro riders will make weird faces if you even refer to this an enduro.

For those who want real single track offroad riding in the local area. Tecate is your best bet if you are a fan of SDARs Ranger trail.

7DEC2013 THS or any of the other local Mexican club races and rides in the mountains around the Tecate/N Baja area

[robertaccio 412]

TnT here's a little taste of what the Anza round was all about.

[robertaccio 412]

results prelim post mototally

http://www.moto-tally.com/d37/enduro/results.aspx

[robertaccio 412]

ST 7 final test of the day. Harry cam, I was in spode mode for this one.

[daijones 0]

TnT here's a little taste of what the Anza round was all about.

And this was the fast test, most of them you hardly got into 3rd gear!

Sorry it didn't work out so good for Gorman, does make me feel better for missing it. Sure hope they put on another race in Anza again soon.

[Spaugh 1]

word from the VCMC guys is they are probably not going to do Anza anymore in favor of Gorman because the D37 guys were complaining about the drive out to Anza and low turnouts there..

[isde97 29]

I had fun. I wish conditions were better. I wish I was a little crisper, and not fall in every test. I wish I was riding more. All things considered, I don't have anything to complain about.

[daijones 0]

word from the VCMC guys is they are probably not going to do Anza anymore in favor of Gorman because the D37 guys were complaining about the drive out to Anza and low turnouts there..

That would be a shame, I can see the long drive but thought that the turnout was good but the D37 guys do like the wide open stuff so can see why Gorman is more popular. Similarly I don't imagine and D38 club would want to put something on in Anza so looks like only decent single track races within 500 miles are going to be in Mexico.