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o 26 mph speed averages, took riders near the Atlas mine and to the next check at 24.1 miles. After a reset, the second test section began at 30.9 miles and utilized a well-mixed combination of trails and roads that allowed the course to go out to and around the Spanish Lake area. The Ramblers' course crew, led by Ed Tobin and Billy Waltrip, arranged the trails in this area to avoid the same A/B and C class course splits that were necessary last year to get all the riders to this remote location over the difficult terrain. Check five was halfway through the section and it claimed the first points of the day from the top riders. Davis, Hawkins, Mike Lafferty, David Lykke, and Nick Pearson dropped scores of two, while others lost three or more points at the check. At check six, the check-out for the test, Hawkins was the only one to score a zero and he took the lead. Fast fire roads led riders back towards camp and the first gas stop, at 58.75 miles, where Hawkins' scorecard showed two points. Davis, Lafferty and Lykke were tied for second with scores of three. "Everything was on a positive roll for me," Cycle Gear/Factory Connection/White Brothers/Bridgestone Tires sponsored-Hawkins said. "I got warmed up and got really loose for riding as the day got tougher." After dry clothes and gloves were put on, riders left the gas stop for loop two. A check-in across the creek at 62.7 signaled the start of another special test. Riders were sent up the infamous "rocky uphill after gas," towards Goat Mountain, at a 24 mph speed average. The weather changed from bad to worse on the second loop and the rains became steady and hard. The winds picked up and gusts along the ridges hit speeds near 40 mph. Several riders were amazed to see other riders get blown over by the wind. "Its pretty gnarly to get on top of a ridge and almost get blown off your bike," KTM/Maxxis Tire-supported Brian Garrahan said. "Its pretty crazy - you just had to put your head down and go slow." Another combination of fire roads and single track trails - some lined o (Above) Mike Lafferty heads into the gas stop at the end of loop two en route to a third-overall finish. (Above left) David Lykke rode well in the wet conditions to take fourth. (Left) Tim Stowe claimed top honors in the 250cc A division. with the area's dreaded manzanita bushes - led to the end of the test near Alpine Mine at 74.5 miles. After a reset and a climb over San Benito Mountain, another check-in for a test was at 97.7 miles. The test was short, but the tight, technical and intense trails forced the leading riders to lose three or more points each at the check-out at 100.9 miles. The 10th check marked the end of the second loop and was also the end of the event for the C class, as well as the A and B class Vets, Seniors, Super Seniors, Masters and Women. The fire roads and common trails that took riders back to camp for the gas stop had now developed ruts with streams of water running through them. Most riders had long since abandoned trying to wear their goggles. Davis ran out of gas after the check, as did others, and many were cue. e n e _ S • MARCH 8, 2000 15