Long, frustrating Day at Big Springs (Warning long read)

[Ed M]

What can I say, weather conditions were good, course had some dusty spots, but not too bad, unfortunately for me the day ended all too soon with a mechanical DNF and the frustration of being broke down in the woods for way too long.

As was mentioned in a previous post the Vet 40 Class was stacked with 24 riders. I have done the standing over the wheel facing backwards before, knowing that this usually is a big aid to those with the e-button and a rekluse clutch, this combination you can have the bike running and in gear before getting a leg over the bike. I decided to take it easy as I have been in the front of a start in a dusty event years ago only to be in a nasty crash with bikes and bodies flying, lucky to have walked away with a pretty good bruised wrist and other body parts.

Got a good start but couldn't get around one particular rider, as the rest of the class disappeared I was passed by a very fast 900 rider who then crashed in front of me. As I got by him, the other rider who had been blocking the trail earlier took a bad line and I was by him in a flash. I was able to pass a couple of 800 riders who moved over when I yelled senior class rider coming through. A big thanks to them. With now clear air I was on the move to try and catch the next rider in my class. I figured early on that with the dry corners I would tuck inside tight and try to avoid the dusty silt piling up on the outside of the corners. If a corner looked at all damp I was looking for ruts to blast through.

When I came through scoring after the first lap I saw I was 18th, I was disappointed but saw I was only about 30 seconds behind the next rider in my class. It took me a couple of miles before I saw him, and was on him like a heat seeking missile, I closed to within 50 feet then it happened – the bike started dying on me and I could smell fuel. I hit the e-button to get her going and saw a spray coming out forward of my left boot. This happened just past the 3 1/2 mile marker, I should have been paying attention to where I was or maybe a little bit of situational awareness should have kicked in but no I was watching the fuel spray while going off the creek crossing crashing into the creek. I hit the e-button again and saw that somehow I had split the fuel line coming out of my fuel tank. I was able to push my bike out of the creek and set it up against a tree. I noted the time as being 12:55. I quick search of my camel-back revealed no tools to fix the fuel line. Not being a MacIver type and with no fuel line or efi clamps, I took my helmet off to cool down after pushing the bike out of the creek and to watch some racing until a sweep rider came by. The only problem – no sweep riders came by or at least no one wearing an orange vest. Some racers and a friend of mine Jim P. stopped to make sure I was ok, I explained that my fuel line was split and that my efi equipped bike would not start and run. I told more than one rider to report this to scoring so that eventually I could be towed out. Everyone said the same thing, just be patient a sweep rider will be along shortly.

About 2:00 I figured the race was winding down, and there should be at least one sweep rider coming along, at 2:30 I was thinking maybe there had been an emergency and that a downed rider was being taken care of but surely someone would be sweeping the course. Three o’clock came and went, I made a decision that if no one showed up by 3:30 I would walk the course backwards and walk out. At 3:30 I headed out I figured walking the course backwards was hopefully the quickest way out. I saw a possible shortcut and decided to try it but it took me right back to my bike. My friend Jim was standing there with his bike and a couple of tow straps. We got her hooked up and going backwards on the course but pretty much fried his clutch traversing a hill. I told him to go back and find Dan, I knew he had a 4-wheeler and could tow me out. After Jim left I made a bit of a mistake. He had left me on a hill, and I thought I could finish pushing the bike up the hill and that on the other side of the tree at the top it looked like a corner and a downhill. I thought I would just finish pushing the bike up the hill then hop on it and ride it dead engine down the hill. Unfortunately, when I got to what I thought was the top of the hill wasn’t, there was a corner then more rocky uphill. By now I was sweating profusely, and figured screw it I will sit and wait. As I sat there I heard the sound of a 4 stroke coming through the woods, I gave a yell and got their attention. It turned out to be a young man on a Honda XR100 looking for the skid-plate that fell off his bike. We talked for a couple of minutes before Jim and some guy wearing a cowboy hat showed up with a 4-wheeler, pulling a trailer with some sort of attachment for towing bikes out. It was an interesting idea, however for some reason my bike would not track straight on this device and fell over several times. Loosen the straps, stand up bike, tighten straps go about ten feet and repeat the process again.

After awhile the best way was to wait for the bike to start to tip grab the rear fender straighten bike and keep going, unless the bike was leaning your way then lean against it in the opposite direction. I was worn out pretty quick from picking up and fighting bike, Jim took over for awhile then we he got winded the young man from the XR100 took over and was able to complete the task. I offered to give him some money for his assistance but he politely refused. To whoever the parents are of this young man thank-you. I’m sorry I didn’t catch his name.

We got back to my vehicle just in time to see the Forward Motion RV and scoring trailer head on down the road. It was now after 4:00.

I’ve been doing hare scrambles and such for over twenty years, I know it is my responsibility to ensure that my bike is mechanically sound to be able to race, it is also my responsibility to ensure that I am physically fit to race, but as we all know stuff happens. I had read previously that efi KTM’s have had an issue with the fuel lines being damaged and failing but this is an extremely rare occurrence. I guess Murphy was in the woods of Big Springs yesterday. Over twenty years of racing - my fourth mechanical DNF.

I have always followed the advice that if you break down in the woods stay near your bike, the sweep riders will find you, and assist you. Has this changed? Or was this my unlucky (freaking Murphy again) day and that there was a breakdown somewhere in the system that allowed me to sit in the woods as long as I did? Again I did not see any riders wearing an orange vest, maybe the sweep riders were not wearing their vests, but no one I talked to indicated they were sweep riders.

Who has the responsibility to ensure that the course is swept at the end of the day? Forward Motion or the course promoter? Worse case scenario, a rider who is the last one through scoring before the checkered flag is posted, crashes and beaks a leg or worse?? A lot of racers come alone without friends, family, etc, how long could they have been in the woods before anyone notices.

I was lucky that Jim had decided to come along and race, on the way home he told me some things, that he had gone to the scoring trailer a few times trying to get an update – was I being towed out or where I was. He told me some other things as well concerning a couple of other individuals. I will not call them out based on hearsay, I was not there, his frustration may have influenced what he told me. Either way I am extremely disappointed with the Forward Motion Series on this, I believe it is the series responsibility to all racers of this series to verify that the promoter has an adequate number of sweep riders and they are performing their duties for rider safety.

[shredder]

OOOOOOhh Ed.
Thanks for posting. Not what I wanted to hear but we all need to know this. Yes I was with Jim several times at the trailer but I was sure the sweepers would get ya out. I am sorry we failed you ED. I'm sure that this sort of thing will not happen again.
dennis

[Iamdanjohnson]

I am very sorry to hear all of this. Email me your phone number and I will give you a call tomorrow. Only a pittance at this point but plan to ride the next event for free including gate fee. I agree this is not how it should have been. The rest I will say in person.

[Ed M]

Dennis you didn't fail me. I was glad to hear that a number of riders reported me as being broken down in the woods. That part of the system worked and I thank all of those riders trying to help by reporting my situation.

Dan apology and offer accepted, - e-mail sent.

[slomojo]

I had a similar experience in 2010 at Collins. I burned my clutch out in a mud bog on my second lap.I waited till after the race and not one sweeper came by. A fellow racer showed up after the race to tow his sons bike out.(also a fried clutch)He asked me if he should send help and I told him not to bother. I would take care of it myself.I walked out, I could hear where the pits were,so I bee lined it.I went back with some spare clutch plates,tools and a little oil. I rode out the same way I walked ,it's fun riding cross country with no trail.

Any way I made a bunch of new friends that day as I helped pull their bikes out of said bog. I also got to observe good mud technique.

There is always a chance of this happening if sweepers don't ride the full course, but then also there is less of a chance that they get bunched up a full lap from where they're needed. I personally think there aught to be one sweeper doing a full lap, even if it's just after the checkers. $0.02

[DrakeW22]

Hello Ed my name is Drake Williams in case you wanted to know. I'm the one who helped you out of the woods. You are very welcome I was very happy to help you out.

[Ed M]

Drake - a big thank-you for assisting in getting my bike out of the woods last Sunday. You stepped up without being asked, to me and others, that says a lot about you and your character, your parents should be very proud.

Also, I hope I didn't scare you when I was yelling (over here) through the trees. I honestly thought it was a 4-wheeler trying to find me to tow me out, I was surprised when you showed up on your Honda XR. Did you manage to find the skid plate you were looking for?

Perry I received your letter today, the apology and indicated sincerity was all that was needed. Everything else was over the top and not necessary. I'm looking forward to racing again at Big Springs next year!!

[shredder]

The original "Mr Ed"!
I was able to get a pic that I took right off the line. See how we Gentlemen stand, steadfast but not cocky. The way this guys rolls and handles upsets like little "bumps" in the road is an example for us all.
What a guy!