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Tonto strikes again; 66 survive 1973 Tonto 100 Massacre Enduro By Phillip Briggs ETlICK STUFF You could tell it was going to be hot. The sun had been up about an hour and already people were shedding their jackets. Itwas (408) 246·7323 CZ PLASTIC AIABOX SAVE TWO MOAE == POUNDS OF gomg to be the kind of day where a shady spot and a few cold beers are the trick setup. UGLY FAT UNBREAKABLE =t 294 529.95 DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED 2&"" EL C.MINO REAl. SANT. CL.....C.LI.ClAN'. 9505' il S GRAI'ID PRIX CKLES pORTCYCLE ACCESSORIES 14616 BEACH BLVD. WESTMINSTER, CALIF. 714-897-9341 VAN TOPS sa40.-.sTA".D But there's always a few hardy souls who persist in doing things the hard way. This morning a hundred and eighty-three of them turned out to ride the 1973 Tonto 100 MaSsacre, the second annual Arizona .State Championship Enduro. The run was hosted by the Road and Trail Association, a Phoenix club of enduro freaks with an occasional street bike. The riders had come from California, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona. California riders made up aboul a third of the field; repeaters from last year, and friends they'd turned on to the run. Among them were the 0.37 Bultaeo, Honda, and Penton teams, and three of the top five enduro riders in 0.37 last year. Word of mouth reached into New Mexico and Nevada to bring several riders. Conspicuous in their absence were the Phoenix riders - making only a third of the entry. The sponsoring club hadn't worked too hard in attracting out-of-state riders, concentrating their efforts in Phoenix. They had felt that the 300 rider field allowed by the Forest Service could easily be filled locally. The lack of support shown by local riders was especially disappointing considering the large effort expended by the club in putting on the event, wading through the red tape, and overcoming the opposition of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The first loop started off at 24 MPH down an abandoned dirt road made difficult by the dust and the rising sun. The water ban and washouts thus hidden from view got a few riders "off" eau Frank Heacox For Info (714) 894-9722 The third place llIam leawes the line witll defending champ John V.zie in front. WHEELS FOR FUN, INC. 11140 Westnn AV<. , BILL Stanton, Ca. 90680 WALTI~-".:'''1 LEATHERS 44S S. Victory Blvd. 8u~,Ca.91502 ~ .= ~ 26 ~1lllAA!ll\jlt!lllAAJllljl.GAAAAltIlAAllAAJlkilA:~ to a good start. After about five miles the course turned south into a small sand and rock wash, and then west for about ten miles of fast fife road, downhill sand wash recently plowed up by the local sand buggy freaks. This one stre tch of the tratl took the major loll of bikes. The sweep crew found about 40 bikes dead in the wash, or dropped out along the next 20 miles of trail. Nearly all of them had seized or holed a piston. From the big wash the course led along smaller washes and rocky jeep roads, fmally swooping down a ridge to the Verde River - scene of last year's famed amphibious landing. Here the course turned towards home, leading up another deep sand wash to a rocky canyon at mile 34 and a speed change to 10 MPH. The canyon narrowed down to a few feet wide and was well stocked with peg and case-eating boulders. The check at the end of this two mile trials section caught many riders late. The last ten miles were posted at 20 MPH, a pace that W'\S more than most of the fatigued riders could meet on the rocky, rutted jeep road. The tricky grooved and rutted steep down hills slowed nearly everyone. Back to the pits at mile 47 in two hours, ten minutes with a toughie under your belt and another to go! Jay Tullis and ex-CaJifomian Dave Wood were tied. with four points each, Bob Steffen and Carl Price were likewise with five points apiece. Jim Halford and Jim Ingersoll tied up with six points and Mike Adams was close behind with seven points. About 50 bikes were kaputzville, and another 60 riders hung it up. After a 45 minute break, it was back out for the remaining 78 riders on the second loop, starting with 20 miles of 24 MPH fire road. The road turned east and climbed from cactus and a 3000 foot elevation in the pits to pine trees and nearly 8500 foot elevation with enough drop-away, off-camber turns and hairpins to keep everybody alert. Nex 1, a few miles of jeep road wandered through the pines to the head of an eight MPH pack trail The trail meandered a couple of miles through the pines and then dropped 5000 feet in less than five miles to the desert. This trail was the most spectacular part of the ride, being just a 12·inch·wide notch in the face of the mountain with enough hairpin turns and slippery spots to require total concentration and perfect bike placement to stay on time - let alone on the trail This trail was the crown jewel and keystone of the route and its use raised the most vigorous objections from the Game and Fish Department and the Forest Service. It was obtained only through reasoned bargaining and the club's assumption of full liability for damage to the trail. Jay, Carl, Bob, Mike and Jim were still clean for the loop at the cbeck at the bottom of this trail, and all 78 restarters were running. The next 20 miles were mostly jeep roads, most of it rocky, with several miles of state and county bighways link..ing them. The 24 MPH pace was fast though, and the next check added a few poin ts. Only Carl and Mike were still clean for this loop. The course then turned west towards home and the mountain between. An easy five miles of fast dirt road was next, and then a 15 minute break for gas ·and Gatorade at Punkin Center. The Dyers' owners of the store, bar, gas station, and community center (one building), had set out ice water and cups in the shade. of the patio for the riders and bad the gas pumps especially manned to speed the riders through. One hundred miles, and the riders still on time had been in' the saddle five hours. The Webco arrows beckoned the riders up the highway a mile and then towards the mountain. Four miles from Punkin Center the speed dropped to 18 MPH, and it was up on the pegs for six miles of rocks, ruts, and water bars. In those six miles the course climbed 2000 feet over the mountain and back down again. A check at the top took away a few more points; Carl and Mike were still clean.