Enduro Race Series Week #1
by Andy Trueworthy • July 24, 2023
Date: June 29, 2023
Event: Men’s 30-39
Venue: Mt. Abram Bike Park | Greenwood, ME
Race Day
After a years’ hiatus the Mt. Abram Enduro Race Series has returned to Thursday Nights! I was unable to attend in the inaugural season, but am delighted to have carved out the time from my schedule to enjoy some races this season! Attendance was about 50 riders. The vibe at Mt. Abram is kind, unpretentious, and welcoming. When the race starts at 4:00pm the base area is full of day camp riders, friendly staff, and other community members coming out for the Thursday live music. Entry Fees were very affordable at $15 including an uphill-only ticket. Race consists of 2 stages per evening.
The stage options were limited as the venue contended with wet conditions from the season’s high rainfall, but Mt. Abram was still able to make it happen! Stage 1 was Yellowjacket, a flowy technical trail with all the fun fixins and plenty of mud! Some big puddles and larger ruts were in just the right spots to make the usual racing lines too janky so I had to get creative on the bike. It was a welcome challenge to an otherwise familiar route. Stage 2 was held on Pinball Wizard and transitioned down to Rock Bottom with its mixture of natural and built terrain including skinny bridges. Both of these trails were dryer than Yellowjacket and made for a nice stage.
I felt pretty good on both runs having some good suspension choices to help prevent any sudden skidding on the wet roots and rocks. Having put down what I felt was a decent performance, I was disappointed to learn that my timing chip had not been activated at check-in and I was unable to post times for the day. Within the 30-39 category I missed the podium, but had fun and met some new peers in the sport. I resolved to come back the following week and try it again. Thank You BIKEMAN.COM for your support!
Results
Stage 1: N/A
Stage 2: N/A