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Bad start, after start stalled the bike which put me in last place. After two hours chasing a ghost rider. I finished fourth, I am happy with that.

What happened to rocket ship. Your suppose to stay in front of me. I saw Gibbs at scoring trailer. It took me by surprise as you cheered me on.
I found later the rocket ship had a hard time climbing the little hill. Must have lost or used up all his afterburners.
Be happy about Big Springs it's flat.

What a spectacular piece of property to get to race, this place has everything. Rocky sections that I inched my way through, elevation changes, rocky tight single track, fast open grass sections, and then the last section was a perfect mixture of sand and dirt that made for some awesome fast flowing single track.

Like OC I was surprised to see Cosmonaut Gibber cheering me on as I went through scoring. I missed what happened but I'm sure if I stay tuned we will have a full Space Report coming shortly, he's still putting all of his notes together. I'm guessing it was related to the "Rocket Ship" losing a heatshield due to coming into scoring too hot.

As far as a race report, I'm not really sure. I was so busy trying not to crash that I really don't know what happened out there. I know I should have some pretty good video of Nick Spooner because I followed him for a lap. I remember Walker because we swapped spots a couple of times but he got tired of our game and took off never to be seen again. Same with Rob, we rode in the same area for a while but he too disappeared. I also should have some good footage of Dave Aronald. I followed him and followed him but he denied any pass attempt I tried. Gordo was ahead of me but I was able to pass him when he buried his front end in a creek crossing I think. OC was out ahead of me at the start of the race but I could see him when approaching the longest grass section we had that went into the woods. I'm really digging the stealthiness of a 2 stroke because once again I don't think that he knew I was so class and made the pass right at the transition from grass to woods.

Great day and a lot of fun. Funny how may times I wanted to quit but I just kept repeating to myself, "mind over matter, if you don't mind it don't matter". I bet I heard that a 100 times yesterday. Now if Wednesday would just hurry up and get here so I can start to feel and use my arms and shoulders again.

I had a very eventful race. I traveled to the site with AA #131 and the always fast Silva Beach. We took a practice lap and I found it difficult to feel comfortable. By race time I felt a little un easy and decided to not push it, but take it easy and see how the race falls into place.

Off the line, I started in about 5th before falling to about 7th at the end of the lap. Ryan Grun and I played tag for a couple of laps before we both made some strides. A race that I thought I wouldn't see the top, started to turn around. With 3 laps to go, I could see all the way to the leader in the back and forth section within the first quarter mile. Soon after I found my way up to the leader at the beginning of the first lap. I got lucky that Brennen Ladd got stuck behind a lapper on a hill (sorry buddy). As I pressured first he made a mistake and I got the pass. I rode out the rest of the lap virtually by myself and ended up first!

It was a fun day and I would like to thank the land owners, workers, and Dan for the great course and site accommodations. It was a beautiful day for a great cause!

Love hate relationship comes to mind when I think of Sunday...had a great start and was rocking the first minute and a half. Actually got in position to take over third and it was then that I decided to take the middle line through the first big mud hole.

I thought about quitting myself after that first lap but had gotten by a couple guys and worked my way to 11th...midway through the second lap I caught the rocketship reentering the atmosphere. I was whooping and hollering at Gibber to go, go, go!!! I pulled up beside him and slowed, he just looked at me and shook his head. I knew he was out of gas and I thought I would pull off after I made through scoring.

But something happened after that meeting with Gibber, I started digging the track again!! I was flowing and getting into it! I made the decision at the scoring lane that I wanted one more lap. Then two minutes later I was at the old mud hole again. This time I pulled over to chat with Shane and Michael. I went up the hill and helped an 800 rider and in general just had fun. And guess what?? I figured what the Heck I'll do another lap!!

Once again I stopped and chatted with the mud hole boys (and took the time to add some of my own moisture to the soil). I was hoping to catch up to another 700 rider but the last one I had seen was on lap three when I let John Meyers by. Of course I couldn't hold his pace so I was all alone!! I helped a couple guys, stopped and stretched a cramp and when when I rolled around to scoring there wasn't enough time to justify me going around again...so while I hated that first third the four miles or so afterwards just kept sucking me back in!! I'm not happy with my finish but I went out and actually had fun! I forgot all about everything but actually riding and smiling! And I didn't quit after that first lap!

So I can say I hated this track, I loved this track, said to myself 20 times I was never coming back and I'll be danged if I haven't been thinking all day of next year and how I want to run it different!! Yes it was a hell of a race!!!

Man what a tough race! The course was one of the more difficult but also had a lot of fun stuff too. I remember it being challenging last year but it seemed way tougher physically this year.

I got a great start and was second into the woods. Got lucky in the first few mud sections too which kept me up towards the front the first lap. I got a little jammed up in the creek crossing though which then put me through the electric fence somehow. Luckily I was able to find an opening a little ways down but several guys got by me. After the first lap I just tried to survive. The big rock sections just were really taking it out of me. Like Gordo said, the last half was fun so it would get you in the groove but man the first couple miles were brutal. On the fourth lap I was bonking big time so I decided that was it for me. Came through with about 10 min to go so I threw in the towel. I think I only lost one spot so I was fine with that.

This race just showed me that I really need to work on getting in better shape, I felt great for a couple laps but then I was getting super tired. Looking forward to Big Springs since it flows so well. I hope we get the amazing conditions of last year-PK, you're going to water it all again for us, right??

All I can say is I'm glad I'm not the only one that struggled to finish this race.
The last two thirds flowed nice but after scoring the first few miles of rock and mud crossings beat you up. The trail changed quite a bit after the first race and took a bit to adjust to it.
Great seeing all the 700 riders out there, looking forward to racing the rest of the season with you guys!
Big thanks to Todd Sexton for putting on this event again, even though it was love hate thing

Yeah this place was hard to race. I found it difficult ride in the open area's. The grass tracks seem to be the slowest parts of the course. There was no rocks or trees. Ryan passed me in the open.
Where was the rocky hill, did I miss something?

I almost fell off my bike laughing so hard at an uninexperienced rider trying to use the center rut at one of the mud crossings. He almost went head first over the bars. I'm still find this funny as I try to type.

While 1st race was going on, I took a nice three to four mile walk. Checking out the course. I helped Vet rider 1078 out of a ditch crossing within the first mile. Then later walked his bike up an area wear he was having trouble. Matt I will always help another rider, being a good spectator that I am.

I would like to thank all the riders who came up to me before my race, that gave me helpful advise. It was good advise since I'm not a believer in taking practice laps.

GO TEAM ORANGE CRUSH

Here Gibber, Gibber, Gibber. Wear are you? Featuring deep space, episode 3 of 14.

Eric,
It was good meeting you before the race. I did not expect to see you on the course but when I did the nose dive in the mud hole I was sure glad you were there to help.... and when I ran out of jam at the top of the rocky hill it was good to see you again if I ever have the opportunity to return the favor I definitely will. That was a tough track but in the end it was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to some of the tracks coming up with a little less rock on them but when this one rolls around again next year I will be there. Thanks to everyone who put this event together and all the guys who worked this race, you definitely earned your points on this one!

Whew! I finally have recovered from the Camp MO PO Butt Kickin'.

Truth is I got an average start. Went in to the woods between mid to 2/3 pack. Felt pretty good knowing I helped mark the course the day before and ran a real good lap with JP after putting up mile markers. However, once I got in to the real rocky stuff I realized I was not on the same course! It was like we were racing somewhere else.

1st mile or so I clipped a tree and tore lose one of my radiator shrouds. It was flopping around and driving me nuts so in the bermed section by camp I tore it off the rest of the way and kept going. Oh great! Now I have a bolt sticking in to my leg every time I try to hug the tank. This sucks almost as bad as my riding!

Well, I came thru scoring in 13th but I didn't have any trouble with the mud holes, hill climbs or rocky sections except the one tree incident, I was just slow. So I figured, this will be my kind of course, no mistakes, slow and steady and pass the guys when they take bad lines. Or so I thought?

Nothin' doin' in the 700 club. Everybody else was apparently thinking the same thing. So when I came thru scoring for the second time in 13th I realized this race would be a throw away for me and no sense killing myself or tearing up my bike. I decided to pull out and watch the rest of the 700s try to commit suicide! I new I could come back any time and conquer the damn place for fun.

I only marked a small portion of the course and put up mile markers, JP and Todd pretty much marked the whole thing Friday. The course could not have been marked better. And the course had a little bit of everything. I just can't figure out where the hell all those rocks came from?! They weren't there the day before. The second 2 thirds was the best and last year's rutted section which turned in to berms ended up being the best part. And although it was a little dusty and we could have used some rain the dust factor was not near as bad as last year. Overall? I'd say another home run for Camp MO PO and I am looking for another "Race of the Year!"

Thanks for the encouragement from the guys in the 700 club. Several were surprised to see me off the bike at scoring and egged me on. I may not be as competitive in the 700's as I was in the Vet 40's but I do feel like part of the club. And I know these guys will make me faster. I am going to just keep working at it and I fully expect a top 5 finish this year. I've just got to get my fat ass in shape! We have a real nice clothes rack in the basement they say is an elliptical! Maybe I should try using it for it's intended purpose? Oh, that would be too easy!

Thanks to the Sextons, Drumm Farm, JP and everyone else who help put on another awesome race. The sweepers were great too. Guys like Everyhart and Wiemer standing almost waist deep in the mud digging guys out, re-directing traffic and making new lines made the difference between getting thru unscathed and being sucked down into the bottomless mud pit! Thanks Guys!!! I am guessing I will be recruited at some point to make repairs and probably install culverts. So don't be scardycats for next year. It will be even better. Besides, if it was easy anyone could do it. And we all know, not just anyone can do what we do, or would want to!

Well that about wraps it up. Amazing how humble myself and the Rocket Ship can be when we finish outside the top ten. Especially when we let Orangecrush beat us. Look for that to be corrected on the 24th at Big Springs! Better bring your big tank Eric! It's gonna be fast.

See you all at Big Springs for the final hoorah!