TURKEY ROCK-MOLINED!

Trialsmaster Chuck said “Bring your “A” game”
….and so it was that after a week of never ending frustration and expense we finally alight on the
hallowed ground once more. From broken Cadi window mechanisms, busted water lines, toilets,
and rough running generators to last minute loading and shopping we have made it!!
No matter we are here, its Friday night and I need a beer! The generator is still problematic but I’m
tired and further problem solving can wait.
Saturday morning and the game plan is get the show on the road early to make time for the evening
fun and games. 27 riders in the fray this morning with several prominent people missing……. we want
to be in the 30’s this year and we are getting very close.
Grouping is the same as San Ysidro so Dan, Chris and myself will be together for another friendly
needle match. We elect to start at Section 4 which should give us some breathing space from the
other groups.
Section 4 kicks off with a dirt entry into the first hurdle of a big step on the side of a big rock formation
to get up and round the split marker dropping back down into the soft dirt to turn right back into the
rock outcrop with another step into a footrest wide gap to the other side of the formation. From there a
gentle left turn into another steep uphill crack and then crest some gnarly formation before starting a
descent to the exit. Everyone is looking a bit nervous and we all take a 2 dabber on this opener.
Around the track to the gate and No 5. Enter into right turn over steep step then flick left for a double
step onto the upper boundary. stay wide to pick up the steep descent and then into right turn in soft dirt through our gate before a quick burst up a mini hill to the exit. Dan and I clean it but Chris missed the downhill gate and collected a 5.

John Clement coming down the steep drop of 5 with the card Chris
missed far right

Don Siedel comes down the 2 line of Section 5
Aptly named “Steps” Section 6 starts with a sheer 2 footer followed by a recovery zone to line up on a
5 footer with about an 85 degree incline. Once over that pick up the water course leading to a series
of large jagged bedrock steps turning left back into the watercourse for one more step to the exit. We
all make it through and plan our subsequent loops, in my case a little slower I think.
Over at 7 we once again have a sheer 2 footer into a boulder field (Chuck sure likes these!) then
gentle right around a huge boulder then left uphill in dirt and loose, descend slightly then back up a
step before a 180 left to come back down. The ride in line turns sharp right in loose dirt and rollers but,
there is plenty of open ground to make the 180 right before going uphill into the final 180 left to the exit.
A small stick 2 feet out from that huge rock will be our “line marker” and stop us from any track
crossing. All through clean.
8 looks challenging but doable! Downhill entry into a dirt and loose rock gulley making a quick right to
follow the gulley uphill into a left around a big rock coming back into the loose for a 130 degree 4 foot
rising right turn between a rock and a fir tree into a simple step out exit. Two goes out the window here
but should ride better next time.
Section 9 we have seen before, come across the loop path into uphill step onto the ridge and then
drop off into choice of tight or wide right 180. Back up into final 180 left to the exit. Looks simple
enough but line is everything and I’m just left of where I wanted to be needing a dab and pull right to restablish. Overdid the pull and needed two inside dabs to get back around the final turn…… dumb!
Nice fast loop ride back to the start for 10 on the big pumice rocks that make up the mountain. Start
into small mini turn and then step around the card, which I dismiss,and then into the meat of the
section. Quick burst up the 4 footer then idle over the ridge dropping downhill but commencing early
turn to scale the next 4 footer before dropping off into a bedrock wash. Follow the wash uphill through
a footrest wide jumble and then choice of lines to the exit. Dan’s TY just stops going up the hill for no apparent reason……fuel/plug ?

Dan coming over the big ridge and getting ready for the early adverse
turn, over the next ridge and then it just Stopped ??
I’m in but overdo the first turn having not paid attention, jack knife the bars and it won’t go up the mini
step and the back wheel just hops and spins in the dirt. Restart from there and clean the rest, a bit
like 10 pin bowling picking up the spare after a gutter ball!!
Also in the start area is No1 where we bump into Ed & Evelyn who are down for the day spectating.
Follow the white dust path in over a couple of bumps into easy 180 left, back over the ridge then up a
3′ adverse to gain a very narrow path to cross a 1′ angled root before turning left and picking up the
descent to the exit. A bit out of balance on the narrow path and in danger of the front dropping back
down so a miserable safety 3 goes out the window! Hmmm, thats 11 lost in the last 3 sections…….
having fun yet?
Now up to moon country and a B/C section up and down smooth rollers, well cleans all round here
so we can still remember some of this trials stuff.

Pete eases through the roller coaster of Section 2
Last section of the loop at No 3 …… follow a gulley up the smoothish moon rock, hang a tight right
hand descending turn staying out right for a left crossing turn in dirt to the base of a smooth 3′ lump.
The bike comes out of the dirt and loops on contact with the rock ……. Great !! another 5 to wrap up the
first loop on 22.
Fresh cards and back to 4 again where a minor improvement for a single dab but this is cleanable.
At 5 off line over the flick second step and another dab but still cleanable. One better on the steps of 6
and another easy clean on 7.
8 seems to have bedded in this time round and I clean this one and nearly get the clean on 9 to boot.
Bad luck for Chris who rode it nicely but then crossed his tracks by the exit for a second dumb 5 of the
day. Back at the start, that first corner has me nervous where I lost the 5 and now I’m over thinking it
and lose a safety dab. Trying too hard for a better line on 1 results in another annoying 3 but I think I
can see it now. Section 2 was our “gimmee” although Dan had a careless dab and back to 3 where I
had previously looped it. This time a better effort and a dab at the bottom followed by one more over
the lump and a final prod on the really nasty exit. Total now on 35 but feeling a lot more confident and
determined.
Out on the last loop we start at 1 and finally the elusive clean as though the thing was on rails!! 2 is as
easy as before and this time at 3 the “ultimate trials engined Superglitz” pops over the first hurdle in its
stride, carts me ever upward and sails over all the rocks for that perfect pleasing clean. The clean at
last on 4, no mistakes this time on 5 and another pleaser with a good controlled clean on those steps
in 6.
At 7 we catch up Wolfy’s group who don’t like the first step much, and clearly have not seen our wider
line prior to the last uphill. We show our line and are all clean ……. here is some of the action

The 2′ sheer entry step takes Rick for a dab

Wolfy takes 1 on the other side

No problems for Chris

1/2 way through the “S” Dan now on the baby Yam

Rick on the hard line in soft dirt

Wolfy a bit wider…… “our” marker is the stick, stay right on the way up,
then right on the way down and out to the blue for the easy option and
our NINE cleans !
8 has cut up again, and I take a giant dab on the last big rock on the tricky right hander. well not bad its
the first lost point of the loop!! Section 9 and a nice working clean so back to 10. Marginally better on
the first turn but can’t resist that dab.

Last run on 10 coming up the second ridge
However, 2 for the loop is very pleasing compared to the first lap effort of 22 !!
Chuck said bring the A game but until the last loop mine was a C+ but riding friend Chris brought his
and Dan was up there with a B+
TONY DOWN
Comments