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  I have never asked for help before from anyone but companies of whose products I use.  However with the fuel prices being what they are, I'm asking for assistance in paying for fuel to get to the races.  If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, please click the link below.  It will take you to my paypal account.  Please use the "Friends and Family" option.

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May 26th 2022

Iowan Hard Enduro Results

Well, I can add the Iowan Hard Enduro to the list of things I've done in my life that turned out to be incredibly......STUPID! ?? It was 12 to 13 miles of which I may have completed 2 miles.  I know for sure I made it 1 mile because that was the first check point.  I was 58th at that point.

About 1 mile later I was working my way up a very steep tree root covered hill.  The kind you have to switch back up by raising your front tire up and swinging it around to continue on to the next tight turn.  I got almost all the way to the top and I just couldn't go any further, I had no energy left.  I had to have help from another rider to finish it.  We couldn't receive any outside help, but we could help each other.  When I got to the top, one of the course workers said, "That's it the leader just crossed the finish line at the 3 hour mark.  Thank God!

There was a lot of waiting, bottle neck after bottle neck.  I really feel like I could have gone much further, but with all of the waiting it just wasn't possible.  I hadn't ever ridden this difficult terrain before.  I broke my starter switch at the top of the first bottle neck, which consisted of two 20 or 25 inch logs laying next to each other with both running at different angles.  There was no run at it by the time you physically got to it.  This race was hard on me and even harder on Rei.  I'm banged up and brused, Rei got the worst of it though.  Broken start switch, dented header pipe, right hand gaurd smashed in and break lever bent, rear fender mounts broken.  I didn't realize it at the time, but she over heated going up the last switch back hill, I though the radiator cap just vented off, glad I didn't have to continue on. 

After getting home and cleaning her up and inspecting for damage, I discovered that a plastic tee in my cooling circuit under the gas tank blew apart. I've never had that happen before.  Pictures show her pain.  I had fun, but I will probably not ever do another one of these.  It turned out to be pretty expensive if you count the repairs I have to make.  I'll stick to my regular Enduro races and leave this stuff to the likes of Graham Jarvis. ?

To my surprise I finished 18th in class! I normally wouldn't even make a finish like that known, however, considering what Rei and I went thru, I have to say I'm pretty pleased with that. Can't wait for the next Hard Enduro! ? NOOOT!

Until next time, Cheers!

Marc

May 17th 2022

Leadbelt National Enduro Results

We had rain the night before the Leadbelt Enduro, woke up to a beautiful morning. I had to ride 6 Test that totalled approximately 53 miles. Test 1 was 8 miles, I got arm pump pretty much out of the gate. The course was a little slimy at first, I think I just got frazzled off the start and was gripping to hard.

Test 2 was much better, the arm pump wasn't as bad and the course flowed way better than Test 1. Test 2 ended back at camp, so I headed to the trailer to eat a quick sandwich and down some pickle juice for the arm pump.

Test 3 was a lot like Test 2 as far as the course flow went. Arm pump was completely gone now. I had a younger rider on my row that was in the A 250 class. I was able to stay with him thru most of all of the tests. He would loose me towards the end of the tests though. He helped me keep a faster pace throughout most of the day.

Test 4 and 5 were much like 2 and 3 and were pretty much uneventful. I didn't feel like I was riding the best, even though I had the younger guy on my row pulling me along with him.

Test 6 was for "A" riders only. They told us in the riders meeting that Test 6 was tight and very technical. At this point, I hadn't been on the ground once, which is a big deal for me at the Leadbelt Enduro. This place has always beat the @$!# out of me in the past. I told myself, "Just ride smooth and keep the rubber down for 8 more miles." The younger guy must have been thinking the same thing because I was able to stay with him without much effort.

About 3 miles in, we were coming down a steep bank that was covered with planted bowling ball size rocks that had a 45 degree turn in the middle of it. I lost the front end right in the turn and went down. I rolled down the hill a little bit, but was able to get back up and get going again without losing to much time. I wasn't able to catch back up with the guy on my row though.

About 4 miles into the 8 mile Test it started raining and then hailing. To say that it got very slick would be an understatement. I can't even explain how slick it got. Needless to say my pace got way slower, but I still felt I was doing ok considering the new conditions.

With roughly 1 mile left, the course crossed a creek and then went up a rock covered bank on the other side. I stayed on the gas thru the creek with the intentions of shooting up the bank on the other side. I didn't want to get stopped on those slick rocks. Just as I was nearing the top, I lost the front tire again and went down hard on my left shoulder and forearm. I almost made it thru a Leadbelt without crashing! ? I said some words and got back up and went on to the finish.

Man was I soaked. When I got back to the trailer and was getting out of my wet gear, I kept wiping what I thought was water off of my left forearm. I then saw that it was red. My elbow had a deep gash that just wouldn't stop bleeding. I held a napkin on it until it stuck. ? That allowed me to finish getting out of my gear and dressed. I kept that napkin on all the way home. Every time I tried to take it off, it would just start bleeding again. My wife, Nurse Lisa took care of me when I got home. As off right now it's still oozing red watery liquid. She says its just draining it'll be fine. She thinks I'm stupid by the way. ?

I finished 9th place out of 23 riders in the A50+ class. I'm very happy with a top 10 finish considering the guys I was racing with. The A50+ class is full of some very fast old guys! On to the Iowan Hard Enduro next weekend. Thanks to Nurse Lisa for patching me up and to my sponsors for helping me do what I love.

Until next time, Cheers!

Marc

April 27th 2022

111 Ranch Enduro Results

Round 5 of the Black Jack Enduro Series at the 111 Ranch Enduro in Maramec, Oklahoma was a slimmy mess during Test 1.  I choose ahead of time to ride the Rieju which was probably not a good choice for me considering the mud.  I'm still not that comfortable on Rei and a mud race was not a good time to get more seat time on her.  I would have ridden much better on the 4 stroke. The power delivery and clutch and throttle technique is considerably different between the two and I just haven't got use to the 2 stroke yet.

We had too complete 3 laps on Test 1 and 2.  Test 2 and 3 ended up being way better than Test 1 after all of the mud holes got splashed out and packed in.  There were still plenty of deep ruts and snotty sections to navigate thru though.  For Test 3 they combined Tests 1 and 2, we had to complete two laps for Test 3. I ended up 5th place for the day with 3rd place Black Jack points, which puts me in 3rd place in the series.  I think I'll stay with the 4 stroke for the rest of the season.  At this point I'm just way more comfortable on Woody.  I'll save Rei for the Iowanhardenduro on May 22nd.  Thanks to all of my sponsors.

Until next time, Cheers!

Marc

April 12th 2022

Black Buffalo Enduro Results

Round 4 of the Black Jack Enduro Series was a good round for me.  I managed a 2nd place at the Black Buffalo Enduro in the A 50+ class, 7th Overall A and 18th Overall.  I'll get 1st place Black Jack points because Alan Randt isn't following the series.  We rode 49 miles of fresh single track that hadn't been ridden before. The A Class rode 6 test in all. This was by far, in the 4 years that I've been competing in the Black Jack Enduro Series, the most fun I've had racing!

The tests were put together very well and the transfers between test were short. I will definitely be going back to the Wilderness Rider Buffalo Ranch & Adventure Park for a weekend riding trip. Tests 1 thru 5 were a mix of both semi tight and flowing single track, very fun. Test 6 on the other hand, WOW!  They made sure that the A Class riders didn't get board during the last 4 miles of the Enduro. Test 6 was basically a mini Hard Enduro. I made it thru with out to much trouble. I got hung up in a couple of spots due to riders being stuck, but was able to navigate thru them with little trouble. I took my time and just focused on being smooth and not dropping the bike.

I had a great day, looking back now, I don't remember being on the ground one time all day.  Not sure that has ever happened before.  I want to thank all the people that help me do what I love to do!  Please check out my sponsors on my Sponsorship page.

Until next time, Cheers!

Marc

March 31st 2022

White Rock Enduro Results

Round 3 of the Black Jack Enduro Series had a suprise in store for me.  The third round was held at the Razor Back Riders Club grounds in Combs, Arkansas.  This is one of my favortie races of the year.  I've spent alot of time riding in the area in the past and am very familiar with the terrain.  In the past, part of the race course was always held on White Rock National Forest ground, but for the last two or three years they have utilized only private propertiy for the race course.  It was a great course as usual with a pretty large grass track.  Last year I broke a chain in the grass track section, so this year I checked my chain over pretty good before heading down.  I rode Woody around in the yard a bit before loading up.  I also took Rei (Rieju) with me, I wanted to ride her, but wasn't totaly sure about it.

My buddy and I got there about 2:30pm on Saturday afternoon and got all set up.  We spent the evening at the 2021 Awards Banquet, Black Jack always feeds us well.  This year was BBQ!  After getting my 2nd place A+50 Jacket, we spent the rest of the night visiting and then turned in fairly early.  Starting time was at 9am Sunday morning.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling good and well rested.  I went thru my normal routine of hydrating and eating and getting dress in all of my protection garb.  I was on row 11 so that meant my start time was 9:11am.  About 9:05 I was getting on Woody and just happen to glance down at my chain and saw that the clip was missing from my master link!  What the heck!  I just checked that Friday evening before loading up.  It must have came off when I was riding around in the yard.  The pins that the clip attach to where really thin, one of them had a piece completly missing.  I'm assuming that is why the clip came off.  I rushed around like crazy getting Rei out of the trailer and gased up.  I had talked myself out of riding her the night before, so she wasn't ready to go.  

I managed to get to the start just when my row was taking off, I just barly made it.  Man that was close.  Todays course consisted of 7 test for the A riders for a total of 69 miles.  I was concerned about the amount of fuel that I had.  I wasn't sure I brought enough 2-Stroke fuel which is why I had decided not to ride Rei.  I can easily ride 69 miles on a tank of fuel on Woody, he's a four stroke.  For those that do not know, 4-strokes are way more fuel effiecent than 2-Strokes.  I ended up having to put 2-stroke oil in the fuel that I had for Woody to complete the race.  I filled up three times during the race, though I think I could have skipped the third one. It was the last time being close to the trailer though, and I had time, so I went ahead and filled up again anyway.  

Not really much to say about the race, I wasn't all that comfortable on Rei, I haven't ridden her much yet and the difference between the 4-stroke and the 2-Stroke are enough that I was off my game most of the day.  I think once I get use to working the clutch and throttle again, I will do much better.  I finished 4th place for the day.  I truly beleive I would have done much better had I been on Woody.  Rei is considerably lighter than Woody, and she started right back up everytime I stalled her.  So far, for as little as I've ridden her, I'm loving the Reiju!

Round 4 is coming up next, The Black Buffalo Enduro in Boxely, Arkansas on March 10th.   I haven't signed up yet, going to wait and see what fuel prices are going to do.  If they stay as they are right now, I will more than likely be going and will be riding Woody,  he has a new chain now, Lol.  I skipped round 2 at the Crosstimbers Enduro due to high fuel prices.  I just couldn't bring myself to spend $300 plus just in fuel cost.

Just want to thank all my sponsors for helping me do what I do!  Maybe I need a diesel fuel sponsor now!  Lol!  Check out my sponsors on my Sponsorship page.

Until next time, Cheers!

Marc

February 1st 2022

Red Canyon Enduro Results

Well, Round 1 of the Black Jack Enduro Series is in the books.  I think I swallowed half of West Texas!  This was my first time to compete at the Red Canyon Enduro in Fluvanna, Texas.  Man was it dusty! There were a few A Class only sections that did not disapoint let me tell you.  There's some extreme terrain in that area with some massive drop offs.  I felt good all day and managed a P6 out of 23 riders for the TSCEC Series and a P3 for the Black Jack Enduro Series.

LEATT took care of me once again, what do you use for protection?

This was a co-sanctioned event so there were two guys that beat me that are also competing in the Black Jack series as well.  I think I should have been a little higher in the results, but due to a little issue at the end of section 4, I think I messed my time up.  Near the end of section 4 my steering got really hard to turn, I knew right away that I was having an issue with my steering stablizer.  The stablizer slows the movenent of my bars from sudden movements such as hitting a tree or any other solid object that would normally rip the bars out of your hands.

Anyway, what happen was, during section 4, I did go down fairly hard at one point and the bars must have rolled back in the bar clamps enough that it was causing the dampener to bind up.  Once I was finished with the section, instead of continuing on to the next section, I stopped to see if I could fix the issue.  I didn't know what had happened at that point.  Once I realized that my bars had rolled back, I started asking riders coming thru the check if they had any tools.  No one did, so I walked back to the check with my helmet on to ask the guys working the check if they had any tools in their trucks, which is a huge no no.  I knew better than to do that, but I was in fixit mode and just didn't think about it.  When I got close to the check, the transponder in my helmet triggered it again which more than likely overrode my actual time that was captured when I first came thru the check point.  I eventually found a fellow rider that had a 10mm wrench and was able to get the issue fixed.

Over all I'm very happy with how I rode and my finish, those Texas boys are super fast, so I'm happy with the P6 finish and 89th Overall out of 425 riders.  Thanks to all of the folks that help support me, I appreciate it!  Please take a look at my sponsors page and help me by supporting them.

Seat Concepts

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

Flow Vision Goggles

Risk Racing

Blendzall Lubricants

Engine Ice

Acerbis

Leatt Protectives

Odi Grips

SmartCarb

Until next time,

Marc

January 18th 2022

New Steed In The Stable For 2022

I bought a new pony in early January from Letko Cycles in Olathe, Kansas. A 2021 Rieju MR Racing 300.  Aint she sexy!

I've had my eye on this one for a while.  Long enough I knew it wasn't going to be an impulse buy anyway, LOL!  I'd been seeing more and more of them at several of the races last year which kept my interest up.  I grew up riding 2-Strokes just like most everyone else.  I tried a 4-stroke several years ago and just fell in love with the raw power and grunt they had and never really looked back.  Until recently that is, I'd been kicking around the idea of getting a 300cc 2-stroke to start focusing more on Hard Enduro activities.  The 4-Stroke tends to wear on you after a few hours of that type of riding.  I wasn't interested in dropping the coin for a KTM, Husky or GasGas.  I bought this new for the price of a used model of any of the three mentioned above.  All of the 2018 - 2020 GasGas parts (Pre KTM owned) will fit it, so I wasn't concerned about parts being availble for it.

Rieju is Spanish owned company that purchased the rights to what was the 2020 Gasgas dirt bike, they improved the starter and some other minor upgrades.  Rieju has been around for quite some time.  In 1934 two young businessmen, Luis Riera Carre and Jaime Juanola Farres, began thier entrepreneurial adventure manufacturing bicycle accessories.  They put their middle names together to form the Rieju brand name (RIEra+JUanola) pronouced "Rye-A-Who."  Here is a link to the full history of the company if you would like to read more. 

RIEJU History  

Shortly after my purchase I started looking at the SmartCarb as one of the first upgrades.  I had read that the SmartCarb added considerable more bottom end power, which is what I'm interested in for Hard Enduro riding.  I found out that they where just an hour and a half from where I lived, so I reached out to them to see if this was something that could be purchased and picked up locally.  I wanted to asked questions about installation and tuning.  Nathan replied back the same day, they would be more than happy to let me come and pick one up and let me ask whatever I needed more information on.  I told them that I had recently purchased a Rieju from Letko Cycle and that I would be using it for Hard Enduro competition.  He emailed me right back offering to install the SmartCarb and tune it in their facility if I was willing to let them have the bike for a while.  Since it was brand new and clean, they were interested in filming the installation for promotional purposes because they hadn't completed an install and tuning on a Rieju in their facility yet.   They have been working with Quinn Wensel on tuning his Factory Rieju USA 300 but hadn't had an opportunity to actaully install one and then tune it on their dyno.  I obviously jumped on this opportunity, as of this writing, they have it installed and documented.  Their dyno is tied up right now, but will be putting the bike on the dyno within the next couple of weeks for more tuning and testing.  I'm super exicted to get it back!  I've named her "Rey" after Rey on Star Wars by the way.

My first race is coming up at the end of the month in Fluvanna Tx, I can't wait to get the season started!  Want to think all of my sponsors for the 2021 season!

Seat Concepts

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

Flow Vision Goggles

Risk Racing

Blendzall Lubricants

Engine Ice

Acerbis

Leatt Protectives

Odi Grips

SmartCarb

 Until next time!

Cheers,

Marc