ED9 - Saturday

The Second annual Enduro from Crow’s Next Productions consumed the lives of a few dedicated riders this past June 13^th and 14th. Known as the ED9 or Enduro De Nueve, this race awards the title - Most Bad Ass Mountain Biker in the World, to the rider that accumulates the most points over the course of the weekend. The weekend consisted of the following events:

· Cross-Country Race

· Skinnies

· Wheelies

· Speed Trials

· Night Time Pump Track Time Trial

· Dodge Ball (non-biking)

· Derby

· Uphill Race

· Downhill

· Short Track Downhill

· Lake Jump

The Enduro is really just an opportunity for a few people with mad skills to get together, show off these skills, push their skills and have an unbelievably fun time doing it. Last year it was thrown together at the last minute, on a shoe string, underground, and sketchy, and turned out amazing. And the all the same goes for how it came together this year. Points were awarded a little bit differently this year. Last year the only people scored were those that were there for pretty much the entire weekend. This year we gave anyone, even random passers by, the opportunity for points in this event. The number of people participating in any one event equaled the max points awarded and it went down from there. In addition the first, second and third place winners of each event received bonus points (3, 2, 1 respectively). The above events were 11 of the 12 events of the weekend. The 12^th event was “Winning the Party”, which is determined by, the main score keeper at the commencement of the party, which of course is when the Party Winner is done. And finally, additional participation points were awarded - the number of events participated in was added to the total (1-12 points).

It all began at a local trailhead Saturday morning. Marshall Hance pops out at the end of his ride just as people begin gather. He had just completed the course in 47:30, so that was the time to beat. Marshall came and raced before everyone since he had to work all day and miss out on many events which he would have certainly dominated in. Eventually everyone racing made it and was ready to go. Chief Volunteer Kylee Cross and Organizer Beth, lead the racers out down the road to the official start. Special guests to this ride included Adam Ray, pro road racer, hill climber extraordinaire, and Adam Engell - a totally random guy to us who had just finished riding this trail. Adam Engell was training for an up and coming race that covers the same ground and seemed pretty stoked to hop on to this little group ride, for a cool down maybe? The race began and Adam Ray kills it up the climb, dropping everyone but Adam Engell and they kill it till the end. Also on this trail were people who had never seen this technical challenging fast hard trail before. This included Eric Nicoletti, from Georgia, who arrived the day before with his pregnant wife of 8 months, her friend and their 4? year old child. Eric, who got turned around on the course, still managed to come in top 5, setting the tone for the weekend of subtlety killing it across the board.

Results for the Cross Country Race:

1. Adam Ray - 45:45
2. A. Engell - 46:52
3. Marshall - 47:30
4. Dunn - 51:03
5. Nicoletti - 51:05

From here we traveled to Industry Nine, where the afternoon events took place. Snacking on fresh pasta salad and Pisgah Brew riders spent the next few hours preparing for the Skininies, speed trials, wheelie competition, and a dirt sprint with jumps. We were sad to have to bail on the Bunny Hop and Dirt Jumping competition, but a lot had already happened and a lot still needed to happen to finish this day of events and it was a sacrifice, benefiting some in the end, hurting others.

As photographers Jeff Zimmerman and Bryan Bloebaum began to catch air on camera, Johney Massey dominated the skinny ride, Travis and Justin killed the speed trials, and Ryan Taylor showed everyone how to ride wheelies.

Skinnies

1. Massey

2. Travis

3. Jut

4. R. Taylor

5. Denny MF Stevenson

Speed Trials

1. Travis

2. Jut

3. Nicoletti

4. Winston

5. R. Taylor

Wheelie

1. R. Taylor
2. Nicoletti
3. Dunn
4. Massey
5. Gabe

Before heading out to take a break and grab dinner, we fit one more quick race in. A “dirt sprint” through part of the jumps and pump track of Industry Nine’s back yard. Our youngest rider began his participation here in this quick ride through the yard. Ian, Otto’s son, laid down an amazing time it just like his dad.

Dirt Sprint

1. Kevin Burkhead
2. Otto
3. Denny MF Stevenson
   
4. R. Taylor
5. A. Winston

While dusk set in, ferries descended upon the Kenilworth pump track and set up tea lights throughout the dirt and grass. Around 9 something it was dark enough to start the time trial, and Otto and Ian went out for the first runs so that Ian (4 yrs old) could make bed time. This event was nearly impossible to score as each “pedal stroke” was a 7 second penalty and with it being dark we had to go on the rider’s honest opinion as to how many pedal strokes they had or had not needed. I do feel confident that the top riders nailed the whole course without penalty, and therefore got the points that they deserve. Otherwise, sorry, ya know… its really just a bunch of people hanging out so it doesn’t really matter.

Jeff Moreadith (1^st) and 3^rd place Marshall Hance are two people who know every curve of this track so well they could ride blindly and then there is the out-a-towner-Eric Nicoletti, 2^nd place, never been here before, dropping jaws. We did find out later that Eric rides a lot at night.

Night Time Pump Track Time Trial

1. Jeff Moreadith
2. Nicoletti
3. Marshall
4. Callum
5. A. Winston

From the pump track those that were still in it to win it, cruised on to the ole flint street bike house to continue to work on the keg from Pisgah Brewing Company.

A killer party ensued and once ready we took off for the local park where we separated in to 4 teams of 5 and had a quick dodge ball tourney where we had our second major injury of the weekend – Travis seriously rolled an already bunk ankle in a heated match on the old fenced in basketball court. Again this year, Justin brought his team in to the final match and dominated to be the last man standing.

It was getting late.. was it 1.. 2..? Participant numbers were getting low but we still had to have a derby. The derby happens fast. Everyone gets on their bikes and as soon as your foot goes down you are out. Adam, the local favorite, dominated again.

Derby

1. Winston
2. Denny MF Stevenson
3. Troy
4. Jut
5. Nicoletti

We began to loose more and more participants to the lateness of the evening. This is when the “winning the party” competition begins. A posse of seriously ready to dance ladies and a few key dancing participants, Callum, Justin and Massey tore up the rug and bounced the bass under our roommates room (SORRY!). I battled the majority with respect to the volume. It was too hard to fight for a low volume as the Enduro is a once a year, unprecedented, history making event and this was all part of the competition. Eventually (around 4 am) I finally seized on a dancing break and killed the music. Up until this point Eric Nicoletti was still hanging out (!!!), with a 4 year old and pregnant wife sleeping above. He eventually caved as the last 4 chatted it up on the front porch. Adam, Callum, Justin and Massey and I had one last laugh and said good night and see ya in a few hours at the next trail head for the uphill/downhill battle.

Party Winning

1. (Tie) Adam, Callum, Justin, Massey
5. Nicoletti

However, I actually won the party.. its part of my job on this weekend.

Photo credits to: Bryan Bloebaum's Blue Tree Images and Jeff Zimmerman Photography
More pictures here