Well that was a lot of fun, and quite challenging. My first proper lap with Shane I managed to get the bike beached on logs twice, and he felt I was working too hard so they re-arranged some things to make it less committing. Note I did not do the upright tractor tyres or the crotch-high log - took the questionably-named 'easier' options - and a few of the bigger step-ups I always took the slower ramped option. (What actually happens in race conditions is that a queue forms for the single-line easy option, and the better riders have a clear full width of track to bomb straight over the tougher part.)
The logs actually weren't the worst thing, as they can be taken with aplomb and it is all sweet. A bit more speed and the bike just climbs over nicely, a lot more speed and they act like jumps. The worst thing was a series of pallets arranged in low peaks jammed together like this: ^^^^ where the bike bottomed out hard on each peak - that _really_ throws you off course, literally. Might have to treat them like sand whoops, take at speed floating the front. Several times the juniors ended up off-piste, several times they had great saves... as did I. The second worst thing was a series of pallets arranged in high peaks, with flat tops, but the length of the tops gets shorter as does the length of ground between ramps. Fark that was hard work, and I've done some practice on some easier variants recently!!
As well as the obstacles, the rest of the course is well grassed, so traction is minimal. Half the site is basically flat, then drops down a 5m bank then across a creek and up the other side. So there is some fun grassy/hilly stuff and super-steep banks to launch up & down.
Lastly I had a lap on Nordie's vintage cheddar...err XR250Z... and that was interesting. Sure it was lighter, but with reasonably fresh Michelin S12s it gripped (steer & drive) way better than my thing on the grass; however those tyres made all the obstacles comparatively slippery. I got it beached on one log, didn't get enough clutch out to get drive, but otherwise it didn't seem any easier. It just doesn't stop, turn or bounce like my 640. Plenty enough go.
Shane re-iterated that Nordie's XR was there, and he'll bring Grace's older CRF230, and both are available for use on a you-bust-it-you-fix-it basis. Part of the raison d'κtre for the endurocross is to stretch people a bit and getting them doing stuff they normally wouldn't. As a parting remark, Shane said I should at least do the morning practice, and the first race, on the 640 to psyche out all the MXers.
Lotsa fun, but my arms ache and my forks are twisted even though I didn't crash
Originally Posted by Steve McQueen
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- and another time I got seriously out of shape right in front of the videographer 
but she assured me she got it all on fillum so it wasn't wasted effort. And to top it all off, I arrived with a flat tyre so I had to fix that before racing.
nice easy ride down there via the Porika then up the mountain, when I went past the other w/end there was still a bit of snow up there, might be clear now though 
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