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Moose Northern California Championship Enduro Series Motul/Moose District 36 B/C Championship Enduro Series Round 3/3: The Sawmill Enduro At check six, as the A racers got scored, they learned the event was over early and that they had to follow Elk Mountain Road to get back to camp. Most of the B and all of the C contestants were routed back to camp from the gas stop. "I was disappointed they stopped the race early," said Jeff Bauer. "The course was perfect, other than the creeks - and I was having a lot of fun!" "I didn't even notice it was snowing when we were on the trails," Brian Jelich said. "Traction was too good everywhere. It's too bad the water was so deep in the creeks." After the soggy scorecards and drenched backup books were calculated and compared, Salinas Ramblers-sponsored Brandt came out on top with the best score of 4.200, and Bauer took a close second with 4.209. Wood was next with 4.227, and Jelich and Boardman rounded out the top five with 4.237 and 4.292. "With all the bikes stuck upside down by the creeks, pumping out water," Brandt said, "we didn't have any problems with running into traffic anywhere. I loved the course!" eN SIIwmlll Enduro Upper lake, Callfomie Results: April 1Z, Z003 [Round 3/3J UPPER LAKE, CA, APR. 12 amaha-mounted Jordan Brandt weathered a weekend storm to claim the overall victory at the 34th annual Sawmill Enduro. The event rounds three of District 36's Moose Northern California Championship Enduro Series and Motul & Moose BIC Championship Enduro Series - was held at the Middle Creek OHV area. The North Bay Motorcycle Club drew more than 300 entries, despite forecasts of an impending storm. Unfortunately, the storm arrived early: Heavy rains began about 1 a.m. A few minutes before the 9 a.m. start time, NBMC received word from the OHV area's governing United States Forest Service that there hadn't been enough rainfall to force the cancellation of the event; if they chose to reschedule the race, they would have to go through the whole permit process again meaning it was likely there wouldn't be an event at all in 2003. With the decision to proceed, 247 adventurous entrants left the start in the pouring rain to tackle the twoloop, 80.7 -mile course laid out by NBMC's course experts, Brad Seder and Dave Froman. Shortly into the first loop, it became evident that creek crossings would be the primary obstacle for riders. Early victims with "drowned-out bikes" included defending series champion Billy Russell and current series leader Brian Sperle. "The crossing at mile two took me out," Fox's Russell said. "I saw some guy and his bike floating down the river, so I thought, 'I won't cross there, I'll go up farther.' I ended up handlebar deep and realized I must have been at the same place that guy tried to cross; then it was my turn to float downstream." "I made it about one mile past where Billy watered out," KTM's Sperle said. "Then I watered out. I was glad it only cost me a few minutes to get my bike going again." After leaving the series of creek crossings along the East Fork of Middle Creek, the course worked its way up Sled Ridge, through Deer Valley, past Crabtree Hot Springs and back toward Poges Peak. Not far beyond the beginning of the first special test was another, more treacherous creek crossing at the rain-swollen Rice Creek. The swift, deep water took its toll on several more racers. "I've never seen A riders afraid before," Honda Peninsula's Jim Boardman said. "There were actually guys sitting at the river, looking afraid to cross. I asked someone where the good line was, and I went. The river pushed me into a bush, so I bulldogged it across. Keeping the motor running the whole time was the key to making it." "The river after the check-in at check four had so many bikes on the other side - some upside down, carbs off, seats off," said Mach 1 Motosports/Motulsponsored Dave Wood. "I started to ride my bike across, but it just got really deep, and I jumped off and walked my 56 neVIl's STORY AND PHOTOS By JILL ASHWORTH PATTERSON Y MAY 14, 2003' eye I e bike the rest of the way." By the time racers made it to the gas stop after check five, descriptions of the chest-deep water crossings and of submerged and stranded bikes and riders strewn along the banks dominated most conversations. It was still raining hard when riders began the second loop. As the trails began to rise in elevation, the rain turned to snow. While the A riders worked their way along the next 20 miles of single-track trails and through one more deep creek crossing at Willow Creek, the USFS and NBMC made the decision to call a halt to the event for safety reasons. Snowfall was getting deep along the course on Horse Mountain, and the nonstop rain had made the remaining crossings at creeks too deep for anyone to manage. O/A: 1. Jordon Brandt (Vern); 2. Jeff BtlUer (Su,); 3. David Wood (KTM); 4. Brian Jelich (Hon); 5. Jllmes Boardman (Hon). AA: 1. David Wood (KTM); 2. Billy Russell (KTM). A 200: 1. Robert Mihovich (KTM); 2. Marc DeMarco (KTM); 3. Ryan Gouldthread (KTM). A 250: 1. Jeff B8uer (SUI); 2. Brien Jelich (Hon); 3. Michael Berenbok (Hon); 4. Jorod Reed (Yam); 5. Chzules P1umbridge (KIM). A 4·STRK; 1. Jordon Brandl (Yom); 2. Joey Silv8 (Yam); 3. Brody Borgogno (KTM); 4. Howard Dingmon (KTM); 5. MlUk Enarson (Yom). A OPEN: 1. Joel Burkett (KTM); 2. Chris Hansen (Hon); 3. Greg Ruffoni (Hon); 4. Mike Simmons (KTM): 5. Tony Elmore (Yom). A VET: 1. JlImes Boardman (Hon); 2. Chris Ptllrcinski (Hon); 3. Kevin Ruffonl (Kaw); 4. Christopher Wegner-JllUregg (KTM): 5. Jemes Curry (KTM). A SR: "I. Eric Meshbir (Hon); 2. Ross Liberty (Yam): 3. Kevin Walker (Hon); 4. MlIrvin Miller (YlIm); 5. Chris Von Kleist (KTM). A S/SR: 1. Dennis Hiatt (Hon): 2. Marc Wheeler (Yl!lm); 3. Peter Prichl!lrd. A GENTS; I. WiUiom Craig (KTM): 2. David King (KTM); 3. Fred Cameron (TM). B O/A: 1. Steven Poor (Hon): 2. Louis Higgins (Suz); 3. Jeny Martin (KTM); 4. Robert Nosh (KTM); 5. Derren Walker (Yl!lm). B 200: 1. Ronald Hoyt (KTM): 2. Dl!lvid Boaz (KTM); 3. Dl!lvid Frederickson (KTM); 4. Clndi Roberson (KTM). B 250: 1. DefTen WlIlker (YlIm); 2. Brlld Johnson (Suz); 3. Nick Riui (Yom). B 4-STRK: 1. Steven Poor (Hon); 2. Russell Allen (Hon): 3. Mike Carson (KTM): 4. Doug Mensfield (Yam): 5. Kim Wenig (Suz). B OPEN: I. Greg Pless (KTM): 2. Josh Golden (GG); 3. Tim Simmons (KTM): 4. Rick Rooney (Hon). B VET: 1, Louis Higgins (Suz); 2. Scott Willis (Hon): 3. Jeff Mendes (KTM): 4. Amir Terkel (KTM); 5. Eric Hicks (Hon). B SR: I. Jerry MlIrtin (KTM); 2. Robert NliSh (KTM); 3. Martin Markham (Hon); 4. Ron Matteri (Yam); 5. Kenneth Burkett. B S/SR; 1. Dcnold Chase (Yom); 2. Ron Corson (KTM); 3. Hugo Zwetslool (KTM). B GENTS: I. Ritchey Hayden (Vor). COlA; 1. Tony HiU (KTM); 2. Andrew Rewinkle (Yom); 3. Philip Rewinkle (Yom); 4. Joe Allen (Hon); 5. Greg Gilbert (KTM). C 200: J. Tyler West (Yam); 2. Mike Gordon (Kow); 3. Ryan Shearer (KTM); 4. Cody Tripp (Kow); 5. Peter Hamilton (Kaw). C 250: 1. Shannon Creson (Hon); 2. Steve Cowell (KTM); 3. Christopher Fleming (Yam). C 4·STRK; I. Tony HHI (KTM): 2. Andrew Rewlnkle (Yam); 3. Philip Rewinkle (Yam); 4. Russell Fowler (Yam); 5. DlIvld Chase (Yem). COPEN; 1. Shylo Steinthal (KTM): 2. Daniel Blum (TM); 3, Timothy Bennett (KTM); 4. Aric Morgan (KTM); 5. John Casey (Hon). e VET: 1. Joe Allen (Hon); 2. Michael Fleming (Kaw); 3. Petrick Helfrick (Yem); 4. DZlniel Guerrero (KTM): 5. Karl Weiss (Hon). e SR: 1. Greg Gilbert (KTM): 2. Steve TlIbrett (KTM); 3. Williem Tidwell (Yam); 4. Kelly Broyles (Kaw); 5. Gordon Mortensen (KTM). C S/SR: 1. Scott Riechers (KTM); 2. Bruce Saxton (KTM); 3. Brion WiUett (KTM).