142 : From Trials to Enduro words by STEPH VETTERLY
Over the last few years covering the national trials series , I ’ ve been blessed to have gotten to know and befriend many of the competitors and their families . On that list is the Myers family - Pro-class riders Alex and Will , dad Mark , and mom Michele . So when Alex told me earlier this year that he was being given the opportunity by his sponsor , FactoryONE Sherco , to try his hand at riding hard enduro , I knew it was what I wanted to focus my story , especially considering the first event on his schedule was right next door : Tough Like RORR .
This year was the third time I had been to RORR , first camping in my Honda Fit in 2020 when I was shadowing former On the Pegs-owner Shan Moore learning how to photograph the enduro world . I ’ ve seen RORR in beautiful , albeit hot , weather , and I ’ ve seen it in non-stop rain , so I knew this would be an interesting challenge for Alex .
Like RORR was a father-son outing . Michele and Will had traveled to the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie , TN , to help with the East Youth Nationals and Women ’ s Open competition . After receiving a brand new Sherco 300 Factory edition only the week prior , Alex didn ’ t get much seat time before loading up and driving to the venue . The bike itself was mostly stock , with only a few part swaps on the schedule : rotor guards , soft gummy tires , bibs , and a fresh skid plate . Due to the tight timeline , many of the parts were still arriving the day before competition was set to start , something that would make any competitor nervous .
Unlike trials events , which are a full family affair for the Myers clan , Tough
VOL . 7 ISSUE 8- AUGUST 2022 // PAGE 75