SETTING SECTIONS




 

What would become "Not More Sand !" a Sunday Section


 A new road has been built around the entrance to AZ Cycle Park so your's truly who thought he knew
where he was going missed the turn off and ended up going South for another 10 miles before 60' of
rig can be pointed in the right direction.... never mind by 1200 on Tuesday we are on our jacks and level
in what will be our home until next Monday morning.


 

Saturday No 2 "The Pit"

 Ed and Evelyn along with Hugh campbell and his wife Jan are already here and they have looked out
about 5-6 sections already. A few arrival beers later and the Cub is dragged out topped up with fresh
fuel and a little oil and amazingly bursts into life on the first prod which pleased me no end as the last
time I'd swung my leg over the little beauty was back in September last year at Sandia.



 

Our NEW Saturday No 7 having removed a ton of branches "Palo Verde 2"



 Within 3 hours we have laid out and taped 5 sections including a NEW double which needed some
major lumber work to unearth the little gem from under the dead branches of an offending Palo Verde.
It then became "5 o'clock somewhere" and a beer call was announced and with temps just cracking 80
there was no dissent. I took a little ride around and think we have a couple of good NEW sections in
some broken concrete and another pile of dead asphalt which must have come from the old
road /turnoff that I missed! Further investigation has provisionally found this years "Graded Hill"....... yes,
I'm determined and this will certainly be no AHRMA gimmee, although with sand it could go either way,
but now they are forecasting rain and showers for the weekend so it could change dramatically.

 

Saturday No 4 "Rocks & the Barbie Fence"


 

Saturday No 5 "The Grand Canyon"




 

Saturday No 6 "Palo Verde 1" with the very soft sand and bank


Wednesday and the team are hard at work laying out and putting in the splits now that more stakes
have arrived, by o'beer 30 we have 8 of Saturday's 12 taped and splits done and 6 of Sunday's taped
and ready for the split cards. The ladies put on Feast 2 as dark comes and after more beers and tales
of daring do the camp is quiet once more.

One of the 3 sections called "The Ditches"



 

Sunday No 3 "The Stumps 1" 

 Thursday and today I test the Graded Hill or "Tony's Terror" as it is now called, while Ed and Hugh
attend to the splits on the 3 Ditches sections. With that batch wrapped up we find a couple of rock
sections for some extra variety and after lunch finally get the splits in the Ironwwod section which will
be Saturday No 8.

 

Last year's favorite "The Ironwood"  with the big roots, this will be
Saturday No 8





More of "Ironwood" with the soft sand turn at the bottom




 

"Arizona Mud" which will be a mark grabber as Saturday No 3

 Just across the wash we lay out "Not More Sand!" a charming little "same line for everyone" blast in
eggtimer sand finishing with a sweeping uphill adverse. By 5 we have 23 done and ready to roll and we
need just one more to replace the provisional Hay Bale section which we can no longer use. Ed and I
completed the first day loop marking so things are ahead of schedule for the event.






"Firm Concrete" the No 1 for Sunday


 Friday with just one Sunday section to lay out and then the Start & Ends boards to be stapled on. Some
maps from Google to be printed for the people with a good memory but with Ed's route marking you
would have to be really having a bad day to get lost. I may change the second Graded Hill for Sunday as
although it is "doable" I have the feeling it will actually become TOO easy after a few riders have been
through it, and just in case some of my "theoretical friends" have any thoughts of questioning my
RESULTS, yes I have ridden some of the sections to prove the course but I have ridden the other 3 lines
that I PERSONALLY will not be riding..... so carry on eating those Grapes!

 By afternoon banqueters and riders are arriving and we look set for a reasonable turnout. The last
section for Sunday is done and the route maps are ready. I'll ride Saturday then attend to Trialsmaster
activities all day Sunday...... looks good!

 So the final Game Plan is:

Saturday        1 & 2         The Pit
                        3                Arizona Mud
                        4                Rocks & The Barbie Fence
                        5                Grand Canyon
                        6 & 7         Palo Verde 1+2
                        8                Ironwood
                        9                Tony's Terror   The Graded Hill
                       10               Ditches 1
                       11               Ditches 2
                       12               The Cliff



Sunday           1                Firm Concrete
                         2                Asphalt
                         3                Rand McNally
                         4                Ditches 3
                         5                Tony's Terror
                         6                Stumps 1
                         7                Stumps 2
                         8                Rockery 1
                         9                Rockery 2
                        10               Not More Sand !
                        11               The Pit Reversed
                        12               The Pit Reversed




Have Fun and let's see how they ride ?



TONY DOWN