where Have all the tough enduro ' s gone ?
words & photos courtesy of Brian Pierce
When Google Maps loads up a 14-hour cross-country road trip from North Texas to Colorado , 205 miles of that trip is a small blip of the journey . When an enduro course map has 205 miles of transfers and tests looped through the Rocky Mountains over two days , you know you ’ re signed up for something serious . That ’ s what racers faced as they worked their way to South Fork , Colorado for the 2021 Shady Burro Enduro . Every racer had a different route to gather at the race site , but once on course , their challenges were the same : keep the bike and body together for the grueling mileage so they could stand tall as a finisher of The Shady Burro Enduro .
The idea of not finishing an enduro these days doesn ’ t seem very commonplace . The evolution of the National Enduro Series within the new “ National ” format has created a fast-paced , technically-lacking , low-mileage event that doesn ’ t have the Ironman feel of events past . That ’ s why I believe we have seen the growth of Hard Enduro events in the States ; racers are looking for a
VOL . 6 ISSUE 12 - DECEMBER 2021 // PAGE 39