Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125623
200 Miles Of Mike Stewart Memorial Slor7 by Bob Schwarz Pbotos by Doug Coe TILLAMOOK BURN, ORE., Juoe 14-15, 186e- Lut June 14-15 anaveraceoll04 l1dera c:ompeted each day ia the Secood Aaaaa1 200 Mile MIke stewart Memorial EIIdaro beJd ia the Tillamook BarD area 01 IIOI'thwestern Qrecon. TIle man for 1Ibom the enduro is named was an avid, bard-riding brusb rider unW b1s unt1me11 death not too lone from cancer. Both MIke and blsdad, whooperalied 8. IlLS statloD and restaurant at Lee's Camp on H1gbway 26, just east of Tillamook, have spent many enjoyable bours riding together througb the sprawling 246,000 acre burn area. It was MIke's dad, Bill Ste-n, who did uch of the 1Ditlal lee work to set the wheels ia moUOIl to make this one of the biggest AMA enduro runs beld in this part of the country. All proceeds from this event went to the American Cancer Society. TIle entire event was the result of a cooperative effort on the part of four Portland area groups, namely Lobo, HUltopper, Mt. Scott and King Mountain clubs. Eacb of these brusbrlder clubs took on a major share of the necessary work and did an outstanding job. Saturday morning at 9:01 the first wave of four riders blasted ott on the first leg of the 200 mUer. The 17.0 mpb average over gravel roads leading down course toward the good stuff was pretty slow, but It was meant to be that way. At known check #1 the 2 cbeckers reported aco at tile end 01 the day, "My Gawd, there were so many riders all atOllCe,1t 100ked like a borde of locusts buzzing up to our nest on the mountainside." That's probably because most of the neopb1te enduro riders didn't want to lose 81gbt 01 some 01 tile Northwest's best enduro men riding ia the first two waves. From bere on the Saturday run got nasty. The iastruction at Cbeck #1 said 2S.2 miles ia 64.3 mia. That works out to be pretty fast for the bills and terrain that Ue between bere and tile nooo step. But when you're riding !bra the good stuff ia open country and not baYini to encounter too many flaked out rider s in front of you on the loose bills the average can almost be maintained. Adpl1ttedly, the knotbead who laid out the course and established the speeds said there was a speed error that amounted t07 rnpbfaster than It sbould have been. This wasn't really so bad, until someone tore down a WRONG WAY sign mounted on top of a steep, dusty bill. For about 40 riders It closely resembled a good old tasbioned Chinese fire drlll. Naturally everyone was bell bent on maJdng the bill. Consequently few riders saw the course make a sharp Fight turn in the middle of the bill and traverse back down into the canyon. This error cost many riders ia excess of an hour getting re-ortented to tile course and start riding for real. Alter the 30 minute noon step the course was talrly decent with only a 16 mpb average for 30.2 miles. SurPrlsing- Tho Black Laloon ,obbl.. Motb. rId•. I-HARLEV-DAVIDSON I OF !tDI N, La Brea (ne. Centinelal INGLEWOOD 871-7809 or 871-7800 • • • • • • • • Factory trained Mechanics OPE N Taesday - Friar 8 a.lLto 6 p.m. Financing & InSlR'.ce Saturday 8 a.m, to 5 p.m. lay IIIlI_dels ALL BRANDS Closed Sunday & Monday JI. HotflI. p,..... ~ .. 40 loeb TrlUllpb lbrou'" tb. wont wilt. bol. on lb. cour••. ly enough tbere were quite a few riders who m1ssed a secret cbeck and an "on course" check. This narrowed the field of competitors considerably. As the day wore on, those who got as tar as the t1niBb line travelled 102 miles, not including the distance travelled when a few were lost. Only 25% completed Saturdays run with all the required known, secret and on course cbecks. Ex National Hill Climbing Champion, Rlcbard Clay, on b1s H-D managed to drop only 80 po1nts and emerge as #1 rider for the first day. The Saturday nigbt encampment area was writhing with activity until 2 a.m., including 16mm movies, dancing, refreshments, gossip, etc. However, there were a few riders who missed the entire nlgbt's activities because they were busy resting weary muscles, bones and eyelids from the first endurance. Again On Sunday at 9:01 the first wave of 4 riders took off in a completely dltferent area to compete for the day's gold and a cba.nce at the overall trophy. Sunday's rip devoured a number of riders in the first river crossing and a few more at a secret cbeck. Those who survived rode throughout a bot dusty day in the mid 80' s, mostly up access roads of one type or another. Then near the summit of the mountain the coarse would duck oft over the bank and go down, down, down over stuff and small rock that make brakes and compression releases almost useless. The best way to brAke seemed to be like IJa1l.1ng oft the bike and grabbing the nearest brancb (except that there Weren't any) as you went by. Alter all was said and done, most everyone was overjoyed that the 2 day endurance was over, not only for the weary riders, but also the people who attempted to put on the event. At the end, refreshments flowed freely and the North Fork of the Wilson River actually turned muddy from the bathing of dust encrusted riders and spectators. We'll be lookIng forward to next year's Mike Stewart 200 MUe Memorial Enduro. (Results on page 20) elmRTTI