November 12, 2005

Bulcher, TX

Red Bull Last Man Standing

www.redbulllastmanstanding.com

By Ryan Moss

Last Man Standing # 21

Finish 61st

Since this was a first time event no one knew what to expect, and I for one am glad I didn’t know.  Rumors on the internet and pictures in Cycle News had everyone either amped up or scared to go.  I’m sure most of you know the layout of the race by now, if not check out the website above for the details.  I’ve got tons of stories from this event, like Jeff Fredette winning the $20 bet on who would drink the left over pickle juice, but I’ll stick to telling how the Red Bull Last Man Standing kicked my ___!

Many of you know me and know I’ve raced some very hard races over the years.  For those of you that don’t know me, a little race history.  I grew up racing Bill Gussie races that include “THE RACE” and the infamous “MOOSE RUN”.  I’ve also raced National Enduros in Ohio, Georgia, and Missouri in the Rain along with a National Hare Scramble in New York in the rain that was truly nasty.  Plus the many local events I’ve attended have been in some pretty bad weather such as White City, IL enduro in the rain, the Byron, IL and Morrison, IL enduros on frozen ground, and Astoria, IL in tornado weather (hail, rain, everything).  What I’m getting at is that I know tough races and I like them, so I was excited to be heading to the Last Man Standing, how much harder could it be then what I’ve ridden??

The one thing to remember while reading this is that all the racers at this race were invited due to being local or regional class champions in either A or AA classes.  Others were chosen due to rankings in PRO classes in GNCC’s, WORC’s, etc.  So everyone that attended is considered to be at the top of their game, not first time riders.

Race Info:

There were sections that Red Bull called Elements; this will be a new term in the racing world I bet.  I’ll describe them on their own.  Other parts of the race were just supposed to be technical trail, but there were a couple parts I’ll call sections.

The Start:

The start had all of us lined up in your typical cow pasture start, only it was a bomb run and the first ½ mile or so wasn’t arrowed.  We were allowed to walk the start on Friday so that we could find a way across a ravine that was probably a ¼ mile long.  Scott Hofmann, Jeff Fredette, and I had found a good line and walked it a couple times to make sure we knew where we were going.  I got a decent start but then got tangled up with Cody Mastin in a rut and we ended up being about the last guys through.  But our line was a good pick as many guys went another route and got hung up in the ravine, so I was able to catch up to the tail end of the group and pass some guys before section 1.

Section 1:

This was less then five miles into the race and they dropped us into a ravine that was wet, sandy, and rocky.  I feel right at home as this was just a typical MOOSE RUN situation.  Guys are already buried, bikes are smoking, and everyone’s looking for better lines.  There’s lines already forming to get up, over, or through some parts already and no one seems in a real rush to jump in first.  I see Jeff Fredette up ahead and he makes it through some rocky little climb, but the next guy tries Jeff’s line and gets all crossed up and blocks the trail, the rest of us just have to sit and wait till he’s clear.  Once past the obstacle I catch and pass Iowa fast guy Jamie Driskell, later I find out he was having transmission problems that finally ended his day in that ravine.  I make some good line choices and get around a two nasty spots, one was a rock wall about 3-4 feet tall with bikes everywhere trying to get up it, the other was a huge sink hole with four bikes stuck in it.  I was feeling like a rock star after finding those lines, then it went downhill, I buried it in what looked like a good line, lucky I got it unstuck before the quicksand sucked it in.  After that I made it up and out for a couple miles or so of “easy” trail to relax some before the next challenge.

Section 2:

I see the arrows drop us into another ravine and up comes another rider saying no way.  Then I see riders coming the wrong direction saying the officials won’t let anyone go that way.  So I drop in then find three bikes buried, one bike barely has the rear wheel showing.  Three guys are yanking on the bike and it’s not even budging.  The walls are straight up and down so I can’t even try to ride the wall up and around.  Finally about 4 of us turn around and climb our way back up and start looking for another way into the ravine.  With the help of an event official we look and look, but nothing, unless you want to launch down a 10-12 feet high wall.  Then an official comes by on a 4-wheeler and yells to follow him, he takes us all the way around the ravine and back on the arrows.  That was the best luck I had all day, to bad it didn’t carry over all day!

Element #1 = The Waterfall:

Getting to the Waterfall was a lot of trail, some very fun and some gnarly, but nothing really terrible.  We did go through the first OB and I find out I’m 50th overall so far, about 15-20 miles in maybe.  As riders we know that when we start seeing people and banners we are probably heading to something entertaining and it’s not for riders entertainment either.  I go down a little ravine then turn the corner to see tons of people and a large rock waterfall.  I stop and take a look then go for it, somehow I made my line and launched right up the first part of the wall, I hear all kinds of cheers, such an awesome thing to hear!  Then I notice there’s another part of wall, I spin around and try to get up but spin a tire and smack into the wall, more cheers.  Then Mike Black from the CC Riders in Bartlett, IA points out a good line and up I go, thanks Mike!

Element #2 = Joshua Tree Hill:

I ride up and see my dad and tons of other people, I think this one must be a good one, it didn’t disappoint.  The old man takes my goggles and starts rambling something about a huge hill, I’m thinking whatever he always gets excited about stuff.  Dad yells something about he’ll meet me by the bottom and to look for Randy Mastin, he can point out a good line.  Well I go down the trail and drop over the edge to see the hill from hell.  There’s about 1000 people everywhere on this hill and I see some bikes towards the top getting drug over the top, without the rider.  There’s a flat spot about ¾ down the hill that seems to the “sit and wait your turn” spot.  I pull up next to Cody Mastin who’s getting instructions from his dad Randy and listen in.  Cody takes off and ends up do the best launch your bike up the hill that I’ve ever witnessed.  Cody’s bike lands on another riders bike then tumbles all the way back down to the bottom, truly impressive.  So I’m next thinking why did I have to see that, then Randy says “your turn, don’t do what Cody just did”.  I fire the bike up and hear some “you can do its” from dad and the Iowa boys Ron Less and Jim Spencer.  I take off and know I can’t hit the line I want so I take the main line and realize it’s way steeper then I thought at the lip, so I prepare for launch.  I’ve only had to launch my bike two other times in my life, both being at the MOOSE RUN, and I’m making sure my bike lands up on top so the workers can grab it.  Well I’m sure the RR Members would be proud as it was an awesome launch (see pictures below) and the bike stayed up top.  I fell back down and had to go over to the snow fence to climb up, it was that steep.  The workers seem to have my bike and are getting it up top so I take a little break and let them do the work.  I have to thank the workers; they had to be so tired at the end of the day.  Once I get to the top I think it’s over, but then you have to drop back down the hill on the other side and it was gnarly.

Section 3:

The trail between Joshua Tree and Triple Threat was pretty gnarly.  There was some good off camber stuff, a couple good hill climbs but then came a rocky uphill that wasn’t very tall, but it was full of boulders after about ½ way up.  No spectators are around so no one knows about this hill, but I guaranty all the rides know it.  I pull up to see about 5 riders at the bottom looking for a good line and a couple riders trying to push over boulders and one rider’s bike tumbling back down the hill.  I figure it’s a good place to rest again and try to see a good line.  I watch a couple more guys crash and struggle, by this point there’s about 4-5 riders sitting under a tree watching and resting.  I finally decide it’s my turn and go for it, I make it up to a ledge I was hoping for and with a little help from the only worker on the hill I’m on a good line and then push the rest of the way up.  Then rest for a little bit then keep going.

Element #3 = Triple Threat:

Again, banners, people, camera crew, etc.  I’m hoping these elements don’t keep getting harder cause I’m tired.  I get to the bottom and there’s another line.  A worker is giving pointers and water.  It doesn’t look as bad as the last, it’s a washed out uphill with three ledges in it and only one line.  Two riders in front of me make it with little help so things are looking up.  The camera man says he rolling and good luck, great you know what happens when cameras are pointing at you right.  Well this time the camera jinx didn’t work and I make it up with a little help at the top.  Again we go back down and it’s big boulders and drop offs, but nothing to bad.

Section 4:

I think this is what the locals were referring to as Bill’s Woods.  It was tons of single track and very fun, I was just too tired to go fast or enjoy it.  There were a couple rocky ravines but nothing that really sticks out or nothing that has been giving me nightmares anyway.

Element #4 = Texas Stadium

Ok, you know the drill, banners, people, etc, it’s time for more fun I guess.  Again I see people waiting and Randy Mastin up on the hill giving directions.  I decide to rest a little and wait my turn.  Randy comes down and points out a good line and then helps another rider up.  I go for it and make it up again with a little help at the top, not bad but I’m tired and need to rest again at the top.  But then you turn and again drop back down the hill, this time it’s about a 3 foot drop off onto a ledge then over some more boulders and back down to where you just went up.  Pretty technical stuff, especially when you’re tired.

Lap one Finish:

I final make it to the finish of lap one in 59th place.  They say I can keep going as I made the cutoff but I ended up not going back out.  I see two more guys go out on the second loop and want to go but I was tired and knew I didn’t have any more pushing, pulling, or lifting in me.  I sat for a while and realized I need to be in way better strength for these types of events.  I go and change and grab the camera to get some pictures of the night time event.

Rest of the Race:

The real men went on and did 3 more laps, well 18 started the 3rd lap which was at dusk, and then the 4th lap was at night.  In the end 14 guys finished all 4 laps; those guys are really racers and deserve a pat on the back.  I give every racer there credit for trying the event, it was an awesome event.

Comparison to the Infamous MOOSE RUN:

I have been asked a couple of time how it compared to the MOOSE RUN.  As I stated above I’ve ridden Bill Gussie races my whole life and I have to thank him for making me a better rider.  If I hadn’t ridden his events I wouldn’t know how to cross logs as big as cars, pick a line through a swamp, or climb hills with creeks at the bottom and logs at the top.  But these two events where definitely different.  The MOOSE RUN is run in good old mud, has real single track, lots of water, and tree crossings that give C riders nightmares.  The MOOSE Run can be anywhere from a 10 to 30 mile loop depending on time of year and what Bill want to put you through.  The Last Man Standing was a lot of rock, boulders, cliffs, and big hills with rocks and was 40 mile loop.  The biggest twist was the night time riding at the Last Man Standing, something the MOOSE RUN doesn’t do, but I think there have been people out there still at night.  Both events are hard but in different ways, mainly due to location and I love both of them.  I will say that Bill Gussie has made me more tired in 10 miles then I was after the 40 miles of the Last Man Standing, not sure if that means anything or not??

Final Thoughts:

This was an awesome event, plan and simple!  Thanks to Red Bull and Josh Whitaker for putting on this event.  They had SpeedVision there with a helicopter filming the riders and lots of other media people at all the Element spots.  They put up lights at all the Element spots that must have taken forever.  So much went into this event it was amazing.  It was truly awesome to pull up to the Elements and see tons of people lining the sides, cheering, waving, and taking pictures.  I’m so glad I was a part of this event and hope to be a part of it again next year.  The only bad thing I heard about was the lack of event T-shirts for sale, if they would have had those they could’ve made a fortune.

I have to say thanks to my pit crew; my dad and Gary Koblar (I know I spelled that wrong sorry Gary).  Thanks to Jeff and Eric Fredette and Scott Hofmann for riding down with us, that was a blast in the Koybco Inc sponsored motorhome.  Thanks to all my 2005 sponsors; Moose Racing, Motosports Factory, Protect Enduro Concepts, Enduro Engineering, ProGrip Goggles, One Industries, FMF, IMS, Arai, Braking, EVS, Splitfire, Hinson, and MidwestEnduros.com

Pictures:

My now famous launch up Joshua Tree and getting pulled up the rest of the hill

Scott Hofmann on his way to the start and making it up Joshua Tree

Cody Mastin’s launch

Jeff Fredette on Joshua Tree and at night in the Triple Threat