2009 SANDY LANE ENDURO



The 2009 Sandy Lane Enduro is shaping up to be a great run! So much work behind the scene takes place to make this event a memorable one for the riders. The work done to prepare the trail is amazing and sure to please all levels of riders. I predict a lot of smiles this year. I don’t think many members have had the opportunity to run the entire event. The following is a racers “view” of this years Sandy Lane:



Hot Dog! Finally after a long, long winter break, we get to race again! Everyone is so pumped up you don’t feel the morning chill in the air. It’s 8 am and we’re off! Wait a minute, we’re heading down the road – and I do feel the morning chill! Of well, taking it easy, warming the bike up, checking the computer, everything is good. Boy I wish I wore a jacket! By the lake I go with smoke rising off the water – cool. Finally some trail – neat stuff warming my body up through the sandy fire cuts. Around the corner I go and bang, into the forest. What a fun first section, a great mix of old and new that makes everyone smile. Wow, I forgot what arm-pump was until now – should’ve gone to the gym more often. After about half way through the “points taker”, I’m glad I didn’t wear that jacket after all! What a great piece to start the 09 series off!

After a quick gas stop I continue onto another well-flowing trail that has been ridden often in yester-year, but held up well. I must be doing good – I’m almost on time! Maybe I am faster than Mikey Beeler after all! After a nice ride through the forest roads I enter into “Chuckie’s piece”. You can tell that some serious racers put this section together. Great stuff. Tough but ride able. Just about a perfect length – not too short, and not too long. Yea, I’m sweating now, but liking it a lot. Thanks for the ample reset Keith – I needed it! I start to wonder what’s up ahead with the A&B rider split. Could it be tighter than that last piece? Na, I doubt it. But why the rider split? Something’s up – maybe hobo..err bobby d., has something to do with this, it can’t be our Trail Boss Keith Mahon, he’s too nice of a guy, right?

Welcome to the jungle my friends. This is what riding an Enduro in South Jersey is all about. As I enter the next piece all I see is Bill Sharps smiling face. Why is he smiling? I soon find out as the trail tests the riders skills in everyway – my balance skills, turning skills, clutching skills, my perseverance, my determination, my ENDURANCE! Yes, this is a true Enduro. With a Bill Parrish and Crew well-groomed trail I continue on. Is my odometer broken? How come it isn’t moving faster? Hour out? Na. What’s the speed average? Thank God for the speed average! Finally I can smell the check-out – what a welcome sight – my old friends the Borelli’s and company. These guys know how to run a check! Thanks for the water guys……. And the big reset! The crew tells me to “ take it easy down the road to the gas stop and don’t worry, you’ll get back on time”. And I do. I appreciate the gas break and having my pit crew there to check my bike out and change what is left of my jersey!

I’m all fresh now as I cruise the forest roads in the Pine Barons. It seems like the hardest part is over, or is it? Turning into the forest again I feel like there isn’t a trail I can’t handle now. I run the fire cuts with reckless abandon, dragging my bark busters in the dirt through the high speed turns (or so it feels). Oh no, is it getting tighter, or is it my imagination? It’s tighter but the flow is so good and the turns are so smooth, I feel like Lafferty can’t even keep up to me! In a flash, totally surprised, I enter the Known Control Finish Line with a huge smile on my face! Immediately a pissed-off old man named Willie takes my score card off my bike and tells me to beat it or go get a beer with the rest of the BDJ's over by the truck.


It’s over! Man, did I get my money’s worth! The work those Meteor guy’s do is amazing. The hospitality is amazing too! Big B., a Meteor icon, see’s me at the water truck and invites me back to Camp Deveney for some after-race festivities with Mittens and John, the infamous Mountain Men from NY. Now, for the first time today, I’m SCARED.