an alternate . In fairness to the low ground clearance and potential for downpipe destruction , the vintage race excluded “ The Log ”. Plenty of ATV trail and singletrack followed and utilized the hillsides and manmade shelves to great effect in creating epic flow through the dense pines at a perfect pace . Another expert line made an abrupt left up a steep incline with a kicker midway .
The hill was a “ chugger ” where maintaining traction and momentum were key . The go-around was far longer , but a rider with a load of hustle and no mistakes could rendezvous nearly in sync those taking the tough line … assuming the hill wasn ’ t littered with cursing riders and stationary bikes , as was the case at times . A treat of triple sweeping uphills were awfully entertaining and a good place to wick the throttle and rail the berms to shoot the bike uphill .
A final , challenging hill climb was encountered late in the lap with a tricky approach that required good line choice , a strong twist on the right grip , and the appropriate gear selection . The easier line here blasted through a small mud pit and took a less technical approach at the hill . Again , a fast rider on either route nearly equaled out in the end , making for some great battles . Following the hill there was just enough remaining flow to push a competitor for position before the scoring tent and transition to the beginning of the next lap through the starting area .
No one wanted to admit it , but the forecast was increasingly calling for overnight rain , and sure enough come Sunday morning Mother Nature had found her way back to spoil the Reitz ’ efforts . Sunday ’ s races were slated to cover an entirely separate set of trails in the western side of the road , and while the rain forced an early morning scramble to reroute some sections that were most heavily impacted by the slick conditions , the vintage class lined up on time and ready to tackle the mud . This side of the road basically starts at the top of a valley and descends to the bottom , climbs back and forth between each side before ending back at the top near the start line . Taking full advantage of the piles , mounds , and reclaimed open land left over from Sutton Station ’ s mining days , the course is technical and tight . Containing several climbs and off-cambers , the difficulty level was certainly exacerbated by the traction deficit provided by the continuing rainfall . Slot-car level ruts forming , evolving , and moving each lap didn ’ t help either . Looking past the challenges , the terrain covered by this course was awesome . It is such a shame that the weather dominated the experience . Despite deteriorating conditions , and waning attendance , with some modifications to
VOL . 7 ISSUE 11 - NOVEMBER 2022 // PAGE 135