Arizona Trail Riders Enduro. updated with photos

I’ve had a few requests for an update, so I thought I would just put up a post. Sorry there are not more photos. I was kinda busy at the time.

For those that don’t know, Christi’s dad and I challenged each other to ride the ATR Desert Challenge Enduro this last weekend. I had been training for it just in case i actually had to go through with it. Her dad didn’t back out so i was obliged to give my very best or endure insufferable ridicule until next year.

Christi's dad looking as nervous as i was feeling.



This enduro is basically 40-80+ miles of difficult single track over a timed course. The field is broken into three classes; A’s, B’s, and C’s. A’s being the most advanced, go the furthest distence(80miles). B’s go 65miles and C’s go 40 miles. We were signed up for the C group.

The organizers attempt to lay out a course hoping most people would crash or quit within the first 20 miles. And then, being sick bastards that they are, just punish those that continue on!

At the time we dared eachother to race, niether of us knew that this particular ATR Enduro was a points awarding AMA event, and that it was regarded as one of the most difficult enduro’s in the country. The previous year, some 60% of the C group DNF’d due to the overwhelming difficulty of the course.

In fact, one of the organizers opens up the riders meeting with “please ride with a buddy; you will need to help each other when getting your bikes over the rock waterfalls”. Not a good sign of things to come.

To make things worse, ATR organizers would walk by my bike and make comments like, “your going to ride on that?”. Apparently I was the only XR650r in a field of 250cc 2 strokes and 400cc 4 strokes. Again, not a good sign. At tech inspection another organizer walks by and says “your going to have a good time on that bike”.

I got a little worried when this race organizer singled me out of the waiting riders and asked if i was serious about riding the XR650r. It was the 3rd comment i had heard since getting the bike through tech. Ugh, my nervousness index shot through the roof!!!! Where are the bathrooms?



And as bad as they made it sound, it wasn’t an exaggeration. Here is a list of things we encountered on the C route:


Rocky single track hill climbs lined on either side by Ocatillo and Chollo.

Sand washes full of water and dishwasher size boulders.

Countless Rock waterfalls with water in full flow.

Hike-a-bike section where you literally push your bike through a rock slot (rushing water included) and off a small ledge.

Sandy whoop sections with low hanging trees (need a new helmet)

Wheel-wide ridgeline traverses with cactus lined sheer drops. (occasionally some pool ball size rocks on the trail just for fun)

High speed sand washes with occasional deeeeeeep puddles (you get to figure out where the deep ones are)

Case busting rocky stair step descent down chollo lined ridgeline (ka-chunk-roll-ka-chunk-roll, over and over again)

crash friendly Ocatillo.


The worst part was that it never let up. Those sick bastards never gave you a break! You would be on a cactus lined ridge and dream of a nice sandy wash. Then, the trail would descend to a wash, only to realize it was a torrent of water strewn with loose basket ball size rocks and low hanging treas. AND you were heading up stream!! Seriously, what kind of sick f-‘er thought this was a good idea? It would occur to you that the cactus wasn’t so bad.

a photo of the very last turn of the C course.


In the end, I finished 50 min late. I have no idea what the attrition rate was, but I know there were plenty of bikes and bodies on the sides of the trails. I am very happy to have finished and am very glad that nothing seriously bad happened. I am sore, but definitely had fun.

Would I do it again? Hell yeah! In fact, I am starting my training for next year. I am going to try and take the XR650r on the B course!!!! Who’s with me?

nk

Sir Killer,
You should join and post this report on http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/XR650R/
Dozens could join you next year and teach those promoters that pig's can fly!
Craig

Thanks for the tip. I signed up.

I also found these pics of other riders at the same event.



and

Hee hee! (That's me in the second picture, expressing my skepticism...)

You are a good rider, Killer. The Hieroglyphic Mtns are serious terrain.

We got to push a KTM out of the hills from the B loop. We had another KTM towing, with two or three of us pushing our guts out. The rider was a skinny old galoot who could go downhill like the wind, but as you point out, downhill leads to uphill. Glad it wasn't you!

As for next year -- lotta katooms there, huh?

yes, but also very fun.

I think i helped that guy out on the very first hill. He was riding an automatic clutch KTM with a white helmet? I figured he would have quit before hitting the B loop.


for sure we will see you next year. I want to either get my time down on the C loop, or if im feeling especialy fiesty, go for the B loop. Either way, im riding the BRP just to get the funky stares and comments.

nk

Litteraly you? Or figuratively you?

If its you in the pic, please allow me the opportunity to say thanks-bunches. I was feeling more than just a little panic at this point and litteraly went for a bathroom run just after this photo!

I seriously started looking around at all the little bikes and decided i was in trouble. as it turned out, it was difficult, but not impossible.

But thanks for the fun course. I am looking forward to doing it next year on the GS!

Crack smoker!!!
Maybe I'll do it on my DR650 with ya.

you should look into doing photos! i only saw one guy out there snapping pics and as you can see, mine didnt turn out that great.

Yeah, literally me....

I have a DR650 for dual-sport, and I am gradually finding out how dirtly it is. Kinda heavy. Nice to camp off of.

Actually, last year Chuck Sun did the C course on a 950Adv. He also got stares and comments. You are in good company!

well aint it a small world!! Thanks again for such a fun ride.

Some riding pals of mine asked me about it this weekend. I think we might have a larger contingent next year.

I wouldnt mind trying to do it on an 950Adv... as long as i could give it back to the owner when i was done!!! I dont think a GSAdventure would fit through that one rock section, otherwise i would consider riding mine (yeah right!)

cheers!

Well that's the last time I spend 4 hours camped out at a finish line to take Photos of you!!


ingrate


-luv

Oh dang. Im in trouble.