Not really gnarly at all as it was a lot like some of the stuff we ride. It's just that some of it is semi challenging but the 120 plus miles is the gnarly part. I'd rate the trails as a 6 hard wise but the amount a solid 8. Lots of DNF's because people could just not ride for 6-8 hours straight in single track where you have to focus all the time. This is not an extreme event terrain wise unless they get some good rain or snow. I also ran it one year when it was very hot and people were dropping like flies. I drank my camelback dry by the first check (of 7 checks) luckily the crews at the check points had lots of water and were running around refueling peoples water supply while you were in line.
Grueling would be the best word. ISDE , 2 days worth. Thats why its called enduro (both bike and rider). You guys are getting me more stoked by the minute to get on with this one.
Terrain is a mix of two track and single track. When it is dry it is kinda silty. Can be real challenging when wet as all that silt turns to goo. These are semi old (09) but a good example of what to expect. Idaho City, population, nothing. Two streets. Cool history and old west stuck in time. Here is half of the town Get your bike prepped weeks in advance. Make sure everything is perfect. Run long lasting robust tires and hope for the best. Impound means very limited time to wrench on bikes. Start is often times right down the main street (which is nothing) and kinda fun way to start out. Silty it looks like this and there are semi fast sections Faster down hill ridges. Lots of going up to, then riding ridges and then down the valley over to the next ridge and repeat, for 6 hours. Lots of nice flowy sections too Start of the special, GO Special tests often include or are completely new turf. Ribbon marks the path and you are up to tackle it any way you like. Fun to watch the pros go through! Semi low key event but sells out instantly and is almost mandatory for some ISDE team hopefuls. See ya there
looks exactly like the "pine forest" near Laguna Hansen in Baja about 4500-5k ft altitude. Same dirt same type of pines. cool. hey maybe this is where we all ride "together" but separate unless we do same minutes?? Im still not 100% but I am close to committing for this adventure.
I think Idaho City is about 4000 feet and the route might go to 8000 some years. Thats why I have never bothered to make the drive to Baja. Might as well go to Idaho or Utah.
I did Idaho in 2010. I attempted to qualify for ISDE in E1 that year. Raced 2010 TXC 250. In 2010 it rained like all week prior to the race and then rained both days of the race on and off. Everything Kelly said is on the mark. Not super hard trails, but all day in the saddle and no time really for rest, especially if you get to your checks with little time to spare. Just gas, quick snack and go. But it was an experience I will never forget and I am totally in for going this year. Of course, racing in LOI class, you race at the front (I was row 3), breaking trail, but that year was totally the way to go. I could not imagine being in the end rows, after hundreds of bikes have chewed up a wet/nasty course. Then day 2, you run an already chewed up course in reverse, well as you can imagine there were lots of DNF's that year I think. My dad and buddy went with me and they talked to guys that were racing while they were out watching the race and there were some guys that were calling it quits haflway thru Day 1 ! My dad said he talked to some guys who do it every year and it was the hardest year they had ever done. They throw some logging/2 track roads in there to coneect sections, but since it was so rained out, those roads were slimy and nasty and after awhile, you just wanted to get back into the single track trail. Especially where there was more duff/pine neddles etc on the trail, that seemed to hold the trail together better. They ended up shortening the race from like 125 miles to around 112 each day, due to impassable sections, but the times remained the same. And racing AA/LOI, the times are fast I was in WAY over my head, but I stuck it out and finished both days and ended up Bronze medal in LOI E1, like in 10th place or something. The thing that helped me out was doing a complete Insanity workout cycle leading up to the race and eating super healthy (No sodas, alcohol, etc). I totality comitted my mind and body to this race. Heck I lost 35 pounds in my preparation. I also rode with LR and Nantista crew for like 6 months prior to Idaho and just riding hard single track with those guys was a contributing factor to finishing. ISDE rules is also a thinking mans game. Its not like Nat Enduro Restart rules. In ISDE, if you get behind on time to your checks, you have to adjust all of your future check times also. So if you get behind say by 2 minutes, everything after, gets adjusted by 2 minutes. If you stay on your time, then you will get penalized for getting to a check early. All you need is a wrist watch set to race time and then take the check times off the master list and make yourself a little time schedule that you tape to your handlebar pad or inside of handguard etc. I saw Chilly while waiting at a check, and even he had that 1000 yard stare going. Everybody was worked hard those 2 days!!! But I loved every single minute of it. Being a former Marine, you dont quit and you just keep on going, right RN Mitch.
Hey Rob, I guess im getting me that 13' TXC 310, LOI E2...I have my AMA, A card for life, so no stepping down to a lower class I guess. We can carpool up there, take Ed and my dad for support. We stayed at a hotel at the base of the mountain road that goes up to the race area and sleeping in a comfy bed each night helped big time. Of course all the top pro/AA LOI guys had their very expensive race rigs/RV's at the race site.
I don't think so. Is that correct? The first year i did it was spode class and I had 10 plus minutes to goof off before my time came up. I think one check was more like 20 minutes.
This is getting better by the minute. Hey thanks for my N crew props but I think the LR rides/chasing was enough to digest. The hotel thing is the way to go, that's what I did/learned at this years Gorman 2 day, impound then hit the hotel, hot shower and some grub, early to bed. And yes get the TXC310R for the bike and for some at least some ROI with Husky bucks contingency payouts!!! the 310R Bike expense is minimal, re-spring for sag set, handguards (oem ones are bitchen), skid plate, ee rad guards and basic pre race bullet proofing, good to go. (if we can talk one N crew member into this adventure we may be able to fun hauler it up), Or maybe even rent it...
Oh man... I really need to do this. I'm glad you all talked about this but at the same time, wish you didn't lol How quick does the enrollment fill up? Are you able to sign up pretty close to the event?
Sorry, I think I confused you and me, by my wording. What I meant to say is if you get behind on your minute to the checks, then you have to adjust the rest of your check times also. Because if you dont and you continue to stay on your actual minute and show up to a check on "your minute", then you get penalized for being early. So for example, lets say your check 2, check in time (Minute) is 10:30 But, you got to check 1, 2 minutes late, now your new check 2, check in time is 10:32, not 10:30. And you have to add 2 minutes to everything after that. And the checkpoint workers will not help you or tell you times etc. And your competition is surely not going to help you out (In AA/A/LOI) classes anyways.
Sign up the day it opens for sign ups just to be safe. All online and easy. But this year, its part of West Chec Enduro series, so expect it to fill up quick, so get signed up. If we get a decent Husky crew up there, anybody (Coffee, Kelly, Rob N), got any pull with HNA??? Maybe set up a Husky booth at the event and give out some Husky swag to the crowd, promote the brand a bit, display our bikes to all the pumpkin lovers and try to convince a few that Huskies work better than their pumkins!!!
It's written clearly in the above rules. about the late/ early stuff. No time for showcasing-----race faces only. If this gets pulled together we can for sure all pit/park at the same spot. Impound is impound so thats where the bikes go anyway. As time progresses we can decide to ride same minute, if everyone is ok with that. I like that idea but best if at least one us is super dialed in on the game and is faster than I (not too hard for that). Also Jake M really come out of "retirement" just keep your silly self inside the envelope man!!
http://ridechec.com/index.php?optio...t-enduro-championship&catid=45:news&Itemid=77 WestChec Is managing it within the WestChec series, it is a very well organized series. They explain your sign up class structure. Sandhusky still 30A?? Me 50A (time to get smoke checked!!).
I should take you up on the offer, thanks very much. The vid I remember was a wet year and the downhills looked exciting!
I'm serious Norm. Come on out. Let me know early so i can get a bike lined up. I'm going to start working on Blake too. Lets make this so people are like WTF are all these huskys doing here?
Yeah I'm pretty serious about doing this. After taxes I get the bike. What's even better for husqvarna is that I go slow enough that spectators will be able to see what bike it is
I'm scheming already.... My club did 2 Qualifiers in the Nineties. One 3.5 mile long grasstrack.... 7 plus miles of ribbon in one test! I see they bend the AMA Qualifier rules in Idaho.... No lights, plates, etc. I'm pretty sure Ohio makes you have plate, lights, brake light... ISDE ready. At my club's last Qualifier, a guy from Cali shows up with no bike registration, so he sticks his truck plate on the bike. Okay with club and he gets through tech and impounds his bike. He then wants to pull the plate and put it back on his truck..... no dice, it's impounded with bike! He's not happy and has to switch front truck plate to rear to get to hotel.... should have pulled the front one first! Rules is rules!
