Alligator Sprint Enduro

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lucy
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Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by lucy »

THURSDAY, March 10th. Promoted by the Daytona Dirt Riders. Come enjoy our Sunny Florida weather!

doakley is comin'(Come get your autographed palmetto frond!), I'll be there(I'll give you a whole palmetto root), DDR26 will be there.

Come join us for a fun event. Show power to the Green Team!

Photos and videos to follow.
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doakley
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by doakley »

Ha Ha! I don't expect a long autograph line but I am planning on going to help out. Looking forward to seeing everyone there. It would be nice to see some Team Green bikes!! Y'all come on down to Florida and lets hang out in the sun! BTW, this race is held during Daytona Bike Week. You COULD take an extra day and go take in the "sights" at bike week while down there!

Old Guy Racin'. (ret.)
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by SS109 »

I wish I could join you guys. Have a blast!
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by MoonStomper »

Soooo tempting!!! An autographed palm frond would be worth the drive all by itself!
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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doakley
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by doakley »

Well...........How about a brief report from the Alligator Monsoon Sprint Enduro! (Maybe that says it all?)
I arrived Wednesday morning as the guest of Larry Kuhn (Lucy on this forum) to what looked like a promising morning but with an ominous forecast. We had a great morning of riding, cutting some trail, adding some arrows where necessary, the usual last minute details for a race. Once again I got my fill of riding in the palmetto root balls quickly! (Notice I did NOT say riding quickly!)

After lunch break, more of the same. It was a great day and I felt useful (hopefully) having at least some basic knowledge of what an enduro trail should look like. (Basic rule, you want the racers to easily see the next arrow after every corner so they can set up for any upcoming turns, etc.)

That afternoon around 4:30 the rain began and by 5:30 the sandy soil had magically transformed itself into so seriously slick mud. By dark vehicles were beginning to have problems with the road into the camping area. By morning (after a night of solid rain) even 4x4's were having some problems, especially if pulling a trailer. This was going to be a challenge to say the least! Off to bed early inside my little tin can cargo trailer turned camper with the alarm set for 5:30 AM.

Wisely, the next morning Daytona Dirt Riders (Kudos to team leader Ronnie) decided to shorten the race. Instead of everyone riding three laps through each of the 3 sections (9 timed tests in all) The A & B riders would ride two complete loops while everyone else would ride only one. The start was also delayed 30 min. while DDR track riders went out to reroute the course around some of the really nasty spots. There were some complaints heard early but after that first loop, no one was complaining about the shortened race! In fact some people were complaining that we didn't just cancel the event completely. Insert John Wayne quote: "Never cared much for quitters, son."

There was also a 1.5 hr "rest" period between laps 1 and 2, which allowed DDR track riders to throoughly sweep ride the trails for stranded bikes/riders and to again reroute around the newly made imposible mud holes. To add insult to injury, the hardest rain began just as the race ended which turned the entire place from "Palmetto Hell" into "Mud Hell".

Due to the rain we did not get a lot of photos and I cancelled the palm frond autograph session as well! (Sorry, Moonstomper,)
Still it was a fun event. I got to meet one of our members, Larry Kuhn, my host, as well as a lot of dedicated Daytona Dirt Riders (DDR) club members who collectively worked their A$$es off to put on this event. I don't think most of us who race or spectate at races have a real idea of just how much work goes into putting on a major event like this. I only worked two days but DDR members had been working on this course for weeks prior. It was truly a shame to see the weather put such a damper on so much hard work. By the end of the race, everyone was tired, soaked, muddy (thank goodness it wasn't cold). Bikes were stuck all over the course in mud holes or just broken down (several smoked clutches) or just exhausted riders. Campers and vehicles were stuck in the roads but DDR was prepared with a tractor and a skid steer to push and pull people as needed. Many of the DDR members didn't get off the property until late Friday (Thursday was race day) due to the mud.

Will I return next year? Yeah, most likely! Hell, its DAYTONA, MAN!! You just gotta' go!
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Cattle and Pigs greet me upon arrival!
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That's Larry in the red pants standing on the four wheeler (club photographer also)
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Me in the blue rain jacket with red stripe. I swear it is NOT a Honda jacket!
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This was the rut in the first turn right at the start of section A after the first session. Doesn't look like it but that rut is at least 2 feet deep. In session 2 bikes were getting sucked into and stuck in that rut until they got smarter and started going around. If this place had been hilly it would really have been a mess! Moonstomper, imagine this kind of rain at some of the mountain courses you race!

Y'all keep brapping!

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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by KDXGarage »

WOW!! Thanks for the report. It sucks to have everyone's hard work get soaked.
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by SS109 »

Glad you helped out :supz: as I know every club can use it. Yeah, people don't realize how tough it is to setup a race just on the physical side let alone the mental and logistical aspects. I know every year (but not this year) my buddy and I do the grass track for our race. Last year we had over 80 hours in to it and that's not counting the people we actually had helping us at times. I bet it at least doubled our hours. Oh, and this was only for a section of course less than a mile long! More people should actually work a race from the planning stages to tear down/clean up to really appreciate what goes in to one.
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by MoonStomper »

Wow what a hard day! That’s serious mud rut racing right there and look out for the quicksand. Glad no one was lost to the alligators down there.

I decided I’m only racing the bluebird races this year myself if I can help it.

They postponed our opener last weekend till weekend after this coming and I’m glad. It was high thirties Sunday after a 1/2” of rain Saturday on a course that really can’t take it… oh and it was 18 degrees FAHRENHEIT (for all you Canucks) the night before. So some snow too.

The Joe Lloyd Memorial Virginia Championship Hare Scramble has a very high average speed and is fast and flowing with high speed horse pastures, fun woods sections and great soil (if it’s not SLURPEE MUD). Hopefully it will be ready again in two weeks! It was super fun last year, but not my best finish after having a third a few weeks prior and an engine rebuild in between.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
lucy
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by lucy »

It was truly an honor and pleasure to host doakley at the Alligator Sprint Enduro.

Doug is a gentleman and a very hard worker. He got to the property and promptly started working like it was his! The club appreciated him driving over 8 hours to join us.

My only regret is that I didn't get him to sign a palmetto frond and I took no pictures of him. I hope Doug will return next year...or come down before and ride the property when it dries out.
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Re: Alligator Sprint Enduro

Post by doakley »

Thank you for the kind words. Right now the 2023 Alligator is on my schedule! I'll even be there in my new truck as my old one crapped out her transfer case and front axle in that mud! That's ok, she had over 350,000 miles on her and didn't owe me anything.
Y'all keep brappin'

Old Guy Racin' (Ret.)
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