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- ... CD ai ~ z ~ w Z W .J U > U By Ron Schneiders Photos by Ellen Schneiders OLD WAGON WHEEL, CAL., Oct. 31, 1971 - J.N. Roberts won one of the best desert races to be thrown this year, the 22nd annual'Rams' Hare and Hound. But J.N. wasn't the day's hero. That hooor went to Whitey Martino, who finished an incredible 31st after being virtually "written off" a few short months ago. Whitey was severely injured in a desert race in May of this year and for awhile was thought to be permanently disabled. Everyone was glad to see him not only riding again, but doing well. The word for the Rams' race this year was "fun". At least 10 people used it describing the course and race to me afterwards. Most, however, agreed that the "fun" only started after the smokebomb run which was pretty rough. Rocks and sudden, violent ditches downed many riders who pushed too hard on the way to the smoke. After the bomb run, there was fairly easy desert, nice traifs and fueroads, interspersed with a couple of interesting, tight canyons along the wall. Although they were in a very well·used area, the Rams managed to avoid the really raunchy whoop-de-doo trails that form the base of so many races. Loop 2 was the more interesting and challenPng of the two. After an intial few miles of flat desert, it got into the mountains. There were several miles of Got a long road ·aho.. ,batter check to make sure that p1ug's there. good rocky trail that led inevitably to an old mining road that switchbacked its way up the mountain. Discretion was definitely the better part of valor on that road: It was a long, long way down. Once over the top there was a breathing spell of easy desert and fireroad before the mountains had to be recrossed on the way to the finish. To !let back over, we did a bit of ridge-running. Up hill after hill we went, and I'm sure that most of the riders expected to eventually come to that impossible one where pushing would be the order of the day. But the impossible one never came. All were makable, even on little bikes. The Rams apparently didn't want to leave us without something to remember, however, so right near the end they tossed in a couple super-duper downgrades. There was one cleared path with melon-sized boulders on either side and a Novice plan ted square in the middle of it. It is always the way. When I fD'st arrived at the race site, one of the Rams informed me that their course had been sabotaged, that marking had been changed and lime obliterated. "Did you catch the guy?" I asked. "No, of course not. If we had he wou!dD't alive right now," the Ram informed me matter of factly. They thought from the way it had been done, that it was a rider lllther than some landowner that had done the Amateur, and Chuck Cartiage (Baja) was first Trail Amateur. First Novice was A.C. Bakken, a Husky rider in the Heavyweight division. First Ligh tweigh t Novice was (we think) Charles Swensen (Hus) also on a Hsuky. Regretfully, we were unabk to determine the fIrSt Trailbike Novice. Since 1 was riding the race, I didn't take the results and I must thank the very cooperative and efficient lady Ram who helped me dig out the names and numbers after the race. Such help is appreciated. The Rams had between 650 and 700 entrants. About 450 finished. The weather was unbelievably beautiful, contributing to a very nice race. By about 4 o'clock the Rams had all the stragglers off the desert and everyone had gone home, even Rescue 3. Rescue 3 had a fairly busy day - apparently the nice weather inspired more than the usual amount of bravado - but there was only one serious injury and their day mercifully ended early. RESULTS OVERALL J.N. Robers Wayne Cook has been getting in soma quick lapa around the desert lately. Today he was fourth trailbike. job. With my naturally suspicious mind (all reporters are so-equipped) I entertained the thought that just maybe they hadn't got around to liminll: the course until two hours ago and they were preparing me for the worst. My suspicions turned out to be completely groundless. The course was one of the best marked that I've ever ridden. 1 saw the sport where the sabotage had occurred and if the Rams' advance riders hado't caugh t it, it would indeed have been a mess. The saboteurs were going to shunt the riders down a dirt road righ t into Ridgecrest! I suppose when I say the course was well marked, I should qualify myself somewhat, and say that's the way it appeared to me. I was cornered in a trailer by one of the most obnoxious drunks it has ever been my misfortune to encounter. He waved a half gallon wine jug under my chin and informed me that since I was only a Novice and a pretty poor rider at that, I wam't qualified to report on the course marking. If an)'one would like another view, I can refer you to him and you can get a geunine drunk's opinion. But I though it very well-marked. The results (provisional until the club checks them out) are at the end of the article but there are several riders worthy of special mention. J.N. (Hus), of course was the overall winner and he was followed by Rich Thorwaldson (Bul), some 30 seconds behind. Bill Bogner (CZ) was a rather distant third. Jerome Ruzicka, took Lightweight Expert honors on an AJS. He was 7th overall. Fantastic Terry Clark took fourth overall and lust Trailbike on his Baja. He's going to get a first overall on that Baja yet! First Amateur, a heavyweight, was R.R. Russell aboard a Husky. Bud Martin (Yam) waS First Lighrweight Rich Thorwaldson Bill Bogner Terry Clark Tom Smith Tom Muta Jer'orne RuZiCka Larry BergQuist Whitey Gregory Gary Griffin George WalkAlr Morris Norman Larry Roesler Rick Mark Jack Knebel Wes Anderson. Jr. Jim Sumners Hoyt Statham Terry Jones Jon Hornback R.R. RuSSel Ray Aleonder Bud Martin Bob Kaskel Bob Riley Wayne Cook Terry Davis Dean Hammonds Smoke Bomb Gates Bob Johnson Whitey Martino ChUCk cartilage Chris Mullet A.e. Bakken Charles Swensen Hus Suz ez 1st HW Ex 2nd HW Ex 3rd HW Ex 1st Tr. Ex AJS Bul 1st LW Ex 2nd LW Ex. Bul Hus 3rd LW Ex (Baja) H·D Hus Hus AJS H·D Baja Vam Hus Hus H·D Baja Hus Hus Ric Hus ez 1st HWAm Vam Hus Hus H-D Baja ez Hus Hus Hus Hus Bajs -Yam Hus Hus 1st TR Am 2nd TR Am