All pages were re-posted by Barry Seppy & Dale Freitas

The story of how the Meteor Motorcycle Club was formed and how the Sandy Lane Enduro came about.
From the Beginning 1928 to 1934

Story by Cale Davidson-Charter Member

In 1928 a sixteen-year-old Glendora Youth, looking for a motor for a boat, found a 1913 Harley big twin cycle and bought it for five dollars. By trial and error he learned to handle this " Iron Horse". It had no lights and no title, so experience was gained in motorcycling by riding back country roads. In 1929 this youth turned seventeen, and purchased a 1925 ex-police 74 Harley for fifty dollars. It was street legal, so he purchased his license took to the highway to enjoy his new found two-wheel freedom. His younger brother often accompanied him on the tandem seat. He helped hold the cycle while the "pilot" worked the controls. In 1930 his brother bought an old Harley, fixed it up, and purchased his license. This started his career in two-wheeled motorized sport. Before long, these two Davidson brothers had met two Runnemede youths who became interested in cycles. Eggie Showalter acquired a 1928 Harley, and Al Volz an Indian Scout. Now there were four "Iron Horseman" riding around together and eager to start up a club. Soon three more riders from Osage, Al and Ed Crompton and Larry McCleary joined with us the first meeting of the club was held December 15th, 1930 at the Davidson Home in Glendora. Our first problem was finding a suitable name and sifting through some titles such as "Rough Riders"--"White Caps"--"Ramblers" and "Idlers." We settled on Meteor Motor Cycle. We were soon to get new members in our group. Hale Carpenter from Ashland, Ray Winter from Stratford, and Joe Walters from Glendora. Now we were to get first taste of competition playing Motorcycle Polo. We practiced among ourselves, and then played against the Newton Brothers and friends from Gibbsboro on farmer fields. We soon learned the problems of playing on stock street machines, so we built our own Polo Cycles. The Meteor Motorcycle Club joined the Eastern Polo League and competed against teams from clubs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Meteor quickly grew and in 1931 we signed up Walter Brown, Tom Gallagher, Harry Alexander, Fred Deveney, Ed Mowrey, Jim Berardelli, Leo Batdorf, Charlie Schmincke, Dave Chambers, Harry Gransden, Joe Ritchie, Don Williams, Frank Bolton, plus seven others. The club had several Secret Time Runs and many Polo meets. In the early years, the club was very active, meeting every week at a member's house, and taking trips on the weekend to historic places such as Valley Forge, Lakehurst, Mauchunk, Conawingo Dam, and several shore points. Gypsy tours and fields meets at Wilson Lake and Fries Mills were always a highlight of our events. We also went on doggie roasts, watermelon parties and skating parties. Individual members had been joining the American Motorcycle Association, so the club decided to apply for a charter as an A.M.A. club. Number 0173 was received in the fall of 1931. The club followed most A.M.A. sanctioned cycle events such as Polo, Hill Climbs, and racing. Some more daring members tried their skill at T.T. (Tourist Trophy) racing at ridge farms, Penna. and Night Speedway Cinder Track at Yellow Jackets Speedway in Philadelphia, Penna. In 1932 we signed up Fred Schmidt, Harry Staller, Charles Fewkes, Harry Palmer, Frank Maloney, Leo Leman, Frank Worts, and many more. The club continued doing much of what they had done in the pervious years. In 1933 Frank Bolton went to Lansing Michigan and rode the "Jack Pine Enduro". When he returned home, he started making plans for a local event of the same type. We signed up more members, Elwood and Bill Stillwill, Howard Bateman, Rudy Thielman, and Bob Kuehner, and more. In 1934 we moved into a clubhouse on the Black Horse Pike in Bellmawr. In October the club was incorporated. In November we held our first official " Night Run", or better known as the Sandy Lane Enduro. The date was November 28th, 1934, and what has happened since then would fill volumes.

The Sandy Lane Enduro.
The Early Years 1934 to 1948
Story by Frank Bolton

The Sandy Lane Enduro was started in 1934 because two Meteor members were enthusiastic off-road riders. They had been reading, dreaming about the Jack Pine. This was a two-day, 500 mile National Championship Endurance Run promoted by the Lansing Motorcycle Club of Lansing Michigan. At that time there were no endurance runs in the east, and Michigan was a long way to go. So we decided to bring the Jack Pine, or a reasonable facsimile there of, to South Jersey. Being long on enthusiasm but short on experience, Tom Simmons and I spent a lot of time reading the A.M.A. rule book and accounts of the Jack Pine in the Motorcyclist and the Enthusiast. Neither of us have ever seen an endurance run, except in our imagination. We knew we would need an appropriate name, a theme, and a date that would be popular and easy to remember. Sandy Lane was chosen because much of our terrain was deep sand. The pioneer theme was represented by the Wagon Wheel Trophy. The decision was to start at midnight on the eve of Thanksgiving. In spite of our grandiose plans, we were a little "chicken." We decided to run it as a closed club event. This allowed us to reduce the 225 mile minimum requirement. We had been exploring back roads, sand trails, etc., for months, and the layout was just a matter of connecting them together. Friends, family members were checkers. So far, so good, but the toughest job was to sell the idea to enough riders to make it worthwhile. The event started at midnight as planned. Riders missed markers, became lost, took spills and bent their 500 pound street machines, checked in early and late (never on time), and straggled in to the finish on a damp, cloudy Thanksgiving morning. Most of them were less than enthusiastic about their latest motorcycling experience. However, the tough course and hard work were soon forgotten, and we applied for a sanction for the 1935 Sandy Lane. Due to the length of the 1935 event (225 miles ), the starting time was moved up to 10 p.m. on the night before Thanksgiving. It was a wild night ride with only four riders reaching the finish. You should have heard some of the excuses! All thought this event was great great for the finishers, we couldn't get enough riders to do it again. So for 1936, we changed to a daytime run, and moved the date forward a few weeks. This was better all around, and we established it as our regular format. By 1939, we felt we were ready to put on a "National." Up to that time the National Championship had been determined by a single event, the Jack Pine. We started to campaign for the big event by: hounding MISTER A.M.A., E.C. Smith, writing to the competition Committee, showing Sandy Lane movies at the A.M.A. meetings, etc. The sanction for the 1940 National was granted to Columbus, Ohio Club. This action gave us some encouragement for the future. We continued to prosper in 1940 and 1941 until W.W. II halted competition for the duration. The 1946 winner rode a BSA, the first win with a foreign bike. Claude Goulding was the 1946 National Champion as he had also won the Jack Pine that year. Finally. In 1947. the A.M.A. granted us the National. This called for an all out effort for Meteor and all our friends, including the Mid-Atlantic Dealers. The entire spring and summer were needed to layout the 500 mile course. Entries came in from near and far. Some from seasoned veterans, and some from riders entering their first National. From the drawing for riding position the night before, through two days of the numerous details of the run, and scoring on the second night, everything went like clockwork. And, now that was all over. Meteor could be proud of its first National. In 1948 we returned to a one day, 225 mile event, and a group of club members lead by Paul Brumfield decided to let me enter the Sandy Lane for the first time. (Club Members could enter the event, if they did not help with the layout) The day of the run was beautiful, the course was great, my score wasn't too good, but I finished. Thanks fellows. Paul did such a good job on the 1948 Sandy Lane, and I was soooo tired, that I was glad to have him take it from there.

Inside the Sandy Lane Enduro
Hertfelder's version 1928 to 2005
By Ed Hertfelder.

Hundreds of riders have ridden the " Lane " for their first salty taste of competition and, years later, nailed their boots to the garage wall with arms heavy as lead after a final bout with the sugar sand, cedar swamps and those little bastards 220 volt honey bees who seem to thrive on sweat. Other hundreds, faint-hearted and candy assed, have ridden it once and sworn "never again" in the soft voice that follows ten minutes spent hacking up a half-ounce of nicotine and lung while praying to god to keep their faces out of mud and other riders off their legs. No other Enduro has the so many of the "why, I remember when" brand of overstatements and downright lies heaped upon it. Like winters that grow fiercer in the retelling, and fish that lengthen, even multiply. After death; we must separate the wheat from the chaff. And the chaff from the horse shit. The Meteor Motorcycle Club, nee Idlers, Rough Riders, was formed near Camden, New Jersey, in 1931. For two years their main interest was motorcycle polo, a form of mayhem most of us have never seen but it sounds like it might be a good idea to make sure your legs are intact before stopping the motorcycle after the game. Every one of the 20 members aspired to riding the Jack Pine Enduro but Michigan then, was further away than the moon is today. There were no concrete freeways or toll roads, just frost-heaved asphalt and your rear suspension was covered by your pants. To compete in the Jack Pine meant two days of hard riding to get there, two days to ride the event, and two days to ride home. Add that up and you will find Americans have been riding six-day events long before they entered the ISDE ranks. In 1934 the Meteor club decided to lay out their own endurance event, based, without apology, on the Jack Pine. 1934 was when folks would run out of the house to see an airplane flying over; and the airplane had two wings. The wet blanket of Depression was unfolded more than halfway and Prohibition was just ending. This meant you were not only depressed but you had to STAY depressed. Certainly there was some alcohol available but it was dubious and being blind drunk became cause for some reason concern. Slim Lindberg was the second most respected man it town. The MOST respected was the neighbor who jumped from the moving train and threw down 40 pound lumps of coal on her head of crowbar red out of the frozen gondola car. If you picture this fellow heaving mound, you are wrong. The cars never more than half full and the coal had to be lifted six or seven feet. Hard times, hard times. You had to be damn fortunate to own a motorcycle in 1934 and a man would be very, very, proud running a 1922 frame and a 1919 engine. Frank Bolton and Tom Simmons laid out the 34 Sandy Lane. They knew from the AMA rule book that it had to be 225 miles, they knew it had to have an arrow every two miles and they thought it would be nice if it had a name. Just about every road in South Jersey was a sandy lane and Bolton lived on Sandy Lane ( until the township got uppity and renamed it Browning Road, after the poet not the gun ). The first two Lanes had a key time of midnight ; Bolton figured that starting it at that hour would eliminate all hassles with traffic; which it did. And running it the night before Thanksgiving would give the riders a day to recuperate from the sub-freezing ride. Sounded good, but the wives and the families started to bitch ; they didn't enjoy the turkey dinner with old dad slumped snoring in the cranberries. In 1936 they petitioned for, and got a late September date. It might be wrong to attribute the success of the event to the invigorating Fall weather but it sure didn't hurt none. In memory of the midnight runs some riders set their clocks to a key time of 12:00. Now that is what they TOLD me-and I think there is some chaff mixed in it. Frank Bolton didn't know the riders should get route sheets, and had no money to get them printed anyway, so he typed up 3x5 file cards for each rider. The first card got you to the first checkpoint where they gave you a card to direct you to the second check and so on. By 1936 they had made enough profit from the fifty cent entry fee (times 20 riders) to get the route sheets mimeographed. The best card holder was a stockroom type clip board hose-clamped to the handlebars-the hot set up was a rubber band to keep the cards from blowing around. The first three events were won on 74 cubic inch-that's over 1200cc motorcycles called, in South Jersey, Holly Davison's. 1934 Harry Staller HD 74cc 1935 Edgar Mowrey HD 74cc 1936 Grove Davidson HD 74cc.These were the largest machines to take the wagon wheel trophy and, because the factory was nice enough to put his name on the gas tank, Davidson came back to win it three times. Only one other man, Penton, has won it three times and factories painted HIS name on tanks also. Grove Davidson's brother, Cale, is the oldest Meteor member today. Another member, Pete Epley, won the wheel with a smaller machine and he and Grove had the thing locked up for a few years.

1934-1st-Harry Staller HD 74-225 Miles

1935-2nd-Edgar Mowrey HD 74

1936-3rd-Grove Davidson HD 74

1937-4th- Pete Epley HD 45

1938-5th- Grove Davidson HD 45.

1939-6th- Stanley Dennis HD 61.

1940-7th- Pete Epley HD 45.

1941-8th- Grove Davidson HD 45.

We became embroiled in World War Two, a few months after the 1941 event, left scattering contestants all over the uncivilized world, exposing many serious enduro riders to the agile, quick-shifting, British motorcycles with less than half the tonnage of the American anvils.

The first major enduro after the war, was the 1946-Jack Pine, which was won by Claude Goulding on a BSA. This was considered a one-in-a-million shot at the time as everyone KNEW those Limey jobs wouldn't hold up like a Holly! The Meteor club, almost as a gag, sent Goulding a telegram to COME WIN SANDY LANE. Claude loaded the BSA aboard one of his excellent Goulding sidecars, drove from Michigan to New Jersey, and did just that. He proved two things; the limey machines didn't break and it took the best rider in the country to win Sandy Lane.

1946-9th-Claude Goulding won it on a BSA- For years the Meteor club had been petitioning the AMA for a National sanction and it well may be that Goulding's win gave them the nod. The National was a 500 mile two-day event and the Jack Pine had been it for so long there was talk of resentment: there was none at all. In fact, Oscar Lenz himself, the Old Jackpiner, RODE the 1947 Sandy Lane National-the first to use a same start/stop point for both days. The club was fortunate to gain the use of the YMCA building just outside Camden. This building today is an extremely busy hot-bed motel and probably frequented by many of the Young Christian Men. The key time was a frightening 6 a.m. and 78 riders entered.

1947-10th-Our first National won by Julius Kroeger on a Triumph, and the 46th winner of the Sandy Lane Enduro Claude Goulding, came back aboard a HD sidecar and brought the kids along for the ride and they demolished the holy contested sidecar division. Goulding took first, his daughter Dot came in fifth, two places down from her husband Earl. Oscar didn't take any trophies back to Michigan but he did take the National sanction and he kept it until the AMA decided to run a series of Nationals to determine the championship instead of just one event a year. If you wonder how they ever got those sidecars between the trees be advised they had SIDECAR ONLY trails around the really thick lumber.

1948-11th- Rod Coates Matchless.

1949-12th-Julius Kroeger Triumph

1950 -13th-Dorney Wood HD

1951-14th-Renick Parkey Triumph

1952-15th-Les Parker Triumph

1953-16th-William Penton BSA. The first appearance of a familiar name here- Bill Penton won it with a  score of 988, the highest ever scored until then. His little brother, John, BSA also, totaled 986 for second highest score; he gets better later on.

1954-17th was won by Edgar Kaufman on a Zundapp

1955-18th-Don Pink HD

1956-19th-Don Pink HD

In 1955 was the first year the entries went over the 100 mark. In those days you could travel to nay enduro, anywhere, and meet the SAME 40 or 50 riders. There are those that say these were the best of times; when riders would help each other out of mud holes. We ran just one a minute then and you could ride for a long time and not see anyone. If you were running early you might stop after a bad spot and even go back and help the next guy just to hear a human grunt. And there is something to being stuck that brings out the best in profanity. Don Pink was the last to win on a Harley V-Twin. He placed first in A class in 51, 52, and 53 and was accused of whipping a dead horse until his back-to-back wins.Sal Scripo, the last Lane competitor still wearing a helmet he could fold up and put in his pocket, was the last to ride the big twin Milwaukee iron. Strangely enough, a Harley side hack is still the first machine over much of the Sandy Lane course each year. It's called "Brumfield's Hack" and was used by Paul Brumfield to lay out the course after Bolton switched to referee and scoring. This rig is now owned by Mel Downs who, along with John Boone and others, arrows the run today. The frame of this beast is 1946 but the side hack sheet metal and frame have been replaced. Mel once attempted to go around both sides of a sizable pine tree propelling this writer, rather rudely, out the front of the hack, banana peeling the sheet metal and destroying the wooden frame- a fragment of which is still permanently enshrined under the skin of my right thigh. I swapped seats with Mel after the incident, understandably, and discovered that driving an 80 inch hack deep sand was about the same as bull-dogging a large recalcitrant moose through a forest fire. It would be fair to call Frank Bolton the father of Sandy Lane and Paul Brumfield the stepfather. It is difficult for two men to lay out an enduro. Where one man would arrow out tough sections early in the run to weed out incompetents and make the check crew's job easier, another might lay out so everyone gets a reasonable ride and takes his points toward the end of the event. Bill "Training Wheels " Schemel worked with both these men as did Eggie Showalter and Bob Hanselman but it gradually became Brumfield's show. It might have been due to the vast amount of responsibility Brumfield assumed, but at Sandy Lane time Paul's disposition was somewhere between that of a Parris Island D.I. with hemorrhoids and Attila the Hun on a bad day. He once summoned me to appear before him in his Gloucester apartment, seated me next to a large dog who yawned a lot with a mouth like a crocodile, and wanted to know what the HELL I thought I was doing laying out an enduro in HIS woods. It was obvious he might have considered the rest of the country part of New Jersey : I never found out. The enduro in question, Curly Fern, was sanctioned exactly six months from Sandy Lane and I thought it would be nice for riders to use their motorcycles more than once a year. He was a true dictator: obstinate. I admired him.

1957-20th Won by Jim Fennell Triumph and Ed Elliott BSA.Your reading it right; two winners. Both riders had identical scores and if you think it couldn't happen twice, Don Pink and John Penton tied for second in A Open.

1958-21st-Dewey Hoffman Triumph.

1959-22nd-Dewey Hoffman-The second set of back-to-back wins and there will be more : apparently, winning it once is the best way to get charged up to win it again. After almost endless petitioning for another National sanction the Meteor club began a series of twelve in a row. The first one almost didn't make it-hurricane Donna flooded the course so badly that only 16 of the 138 entries finished.

1960-23rd Won by John Penton NSU.

1961- 24th Jack Wright Triumph. Wright, like Goulding in 46. was fresh from a Jack Pine win. When you read Triumph it means a 500cc machine except for Wright's exception : a 200cc T20 Cub.

1962-25th John Penton BMW. A BMW ?? Sure was. A 250 single. Shaft drive and all. The thing had BSA front forks and sidecar gearing. John rode it " because it was available." This BMW had a route sheet holder that was just a beer can with a long bolt through the center. Penton cut his route sheet into strips and wound it around the beer can, tearing off the strips as he went. " Well, if you need beer can to win Sandy Lane then let's get a beer can," said the 117 guys who scored below Penton. I can tell you that N.J. Route 206 is normally lined with beer cans but on the night the beer can won Sandy Lane I had to drive along the shoulder of that road for six miles before I found one and almost got rear-ended by a guy with Michigan tags who had twig eyes out for beer cans and none out for traffic. The beer can was a great improvement over taping the route sheet to the gas tank but mine rotated constantly until I got another look at Penton and saw the valve spring over the bolt pushing against the can.

1963-26th William Baird on a Triumph. This is Baird's only win despite being National Champ for eight consecutive years, it's heartbreaking to read the old result sheets and final Baird missing it by one or two points year after year.

1964-27th John Penton BMW-125 Mile National-Here's a good example of the luck Baird had. He scored the same as john a 988. The tie was broken be an emergency check-something like FIVE SECONDS difference. Because the emergency check has always been so important the puts it's best hands there. Mr. Sandy Lane, Frank Bolton, busy as he is helping Bill Wollerton with scoring, usually manages to spend sometime there during the event. In the past they have set this check on a steep downhill, three or four feet will do, with the flag at the bottom. An early rider "accidentally" fall, but, unless he's got a fast opening parachute on the motorcycle, it won't help much. Time is taken, you see, as the front wheel of the motorcycle crosses the flag they don't care WHEN the rider staggers in. This is Baird's only win despite being National champ for eight consecutive years it's heart breaking to read the old result sheets and find Baird missing it by one or two points year after year.

1965-28th Gene Esposito Triumph-125 Mile National.

1966-29th-Eugene Esposito on a Triumph-125 Mile National.The first five rides Gene had in the Lane he broke, crazy things like a wheel, a shock, the frame. Gene enjoys mud and water and Brumfield was adding more swamp year by year. Now a Sandy Lane is not just something they arrow into to drown people, mostly it's part of a real road that is under water when it rains. All of them are under water after a heavy rain in the pines, most go under water when it rains ANYWHERE in New Jersey. And some go under water when it rains in London. A flooded road presents no problem to a well-prepared motorcycle: what presents a PROBLEM are places where a jeep has gotten stuck-a stuck jeep is just a four cornered excavator. And Esposito is an expert in staying in the center of a road that is under the lake he is riding across. The first year Gene won they said it was because he had an early number. He won it the following year with a very late number-and no one said a word.

1967-30th Jack McLane Jr., on a Honda-135 Mile National. Jack came all the way from Michigan to put a Japanese bike on the Wagon Wheel trophy-a 305cc. Jack was the only rider to zero a section of Pope's Branch Creek, an underwater corduroy road slippery as hell. McLane had put steel studs in his tires, now outlawed, and motored right past a lot of us. He left toothpick-like splinters in his wake. That year they had so-called "free time" into the finish to keep riders from speeding. It didn't work-some clowns flew in faster than ever. I went to the finish after our checkpoint closed, walked out on the course away from the crowd and there sat McLane killing time. "It's free territory", Jack, I said "They are not checking time in. "I know, " McLane said, "but I am."

1967 was the last "Lane to start and finish at Pic-A-Lili inn, a spacious restaurant bar where it wasn't at all unusual for a finisher to down two mugs of beer then ask the bartender for some water to quench his thirst. A pack of street riders tore up the place weeks after the enduro and motorcycles lost their welcome. The WORST thing the enduro guys ever did was put junior's pet goat in a side hack and scare one of the horns off him. Unable to use them, Brumfield cast around for another location. Paul knew just about everyone in the pines and he went to Chatsworth, where he'd frequently scheduled gas stops, and was fortunate in obtaining the use of the firehouse for his sign-up, trophy presentation and haranguing area. The folks in Chatsworth probably own more motorcycles per capita than anywhere on earth and they have a lady in the Auxiliary who takes a chocolate layer cake I would kill for.

1968-31st John Young on a BSA 135 Mile National

1969-32nd Robert Fusan on a Husky -135 Mile National. Paul Brumfield got aggravated at the way the contestants spun wheels off the start line in 69 and vowed to slow them down. He did. He turned the start chute so that it was FACING the Jersey Central tracks ten feet away two feet of stone ballast, ten inches of wood tie and eight inches of track on top. It must have looked like an Armco barrier to the new guys. The old hands had no problem but they were sure going a lot slower than last year. Watching some of the inexperienced riders was enough to give you stomach cramps until your minute came up and you had to sit there and eat that stone ballast fusillade while Brumfield stood off to one side saying ; how do YOU like it?

1970-33rd Buck Wallsworth Ossa 150 Mile National. First victory for a Spanish machine. Ole! Riding on the same number as Wallsworth was Spike Griffin on a Yamaha he had ridden from Florida on a BMW the day before and he was 63.Spike had come close to winning the 1948 event.

1971-34th Bob Fusan Yamaha 150 Mile National. Brumfield died this year and his layout almost took the "Lane with him". It was ride able by ordinary mortals right up to 96.4 miles where it took a left into the biggest bowl of chocolate pudding you ever saw. It took the heart out of a lot of riders; I know it took the soul out of me. The rider outery was terrible to hear and, except for the time they laid out the Reading run with a submarine, it was the worst piece of trail I'd ever seen at an enduro. It cost them the National sanction. Some said that Don Pink was only representing the riders at the AMA and he had a stack of written protests he had to honor. No, Pink didn't kill it ; it was the pudding at 96.4. John Boone and Mel Downs vowed to make the 1972 event the MOST ride able enduro EVER and Boone boasted he could take a full dress HD over the entire course except for the railroad crossings. Someone, me, called his bluff and Boone actually DID ride a Harley over the course! Someone entered a three-cylinder Kawasaki street model with bald tires and finished easily. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1972-35th Dave Meade Triumph. 125 Miles. Meade finished with a perfect score, very unusual at any enduro, and we are not sure just who named it Candy Lane, but it sure was. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1973-36th Alfie Henrich Honda.-150 Mile National
The Meteor club was given back it's National sanction for 73 and while it wasn't the cake walk the 72 was, it was a big improvement over a "swamp run".  Warren Beetle was made trail boss for the 1973 event and promised he'd get rid of that "Candy Lane" title and, at the same time, no one would have to carry his motorcycle. He ran the thing in heavy brush and we haven't heard "Candy Lane" since.  ( Sandy Lane Results )

In 1973 I was working a Lane checkpoint when Penton came in with an early, and expensive, computer hung on his handlebars. The thing lit up with the correct time, mileage, temperature, the next high tide and when he should eat his granola bars-I couldn't help but wonder why he went to all that expense when all he needed was a old beer can.

1974-37th Alfie Henrich Honda. 100 Miles.
For some reason the Meteor club didn't apply for a National sanction and 74 was just a club run. Alfie, as so many others before him, chugged his 350 single to a back-to-back win. There are those of us who feel that when the day comes that the whole world is all urban sprawl, enduro riders will load their bikes onto rocket ships and compete in Sandy Lane on the far side of the moon. Lift off Keytime is...." One of the best Sandy Lanes ever run" said Boyd Reynolds of Cycle News. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1975-38th Les Bowne of Farmington NJ on a Can-Am won it. 150 Mile National.
Trail bosses were Mike Borrelli Sr, and Jr. and John Boone. They set out a course with lots of variety and terrain. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1976 - 39th Bill Harris III, riding a Maico, won the Lane.This was a non-national, 100 mile run. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1977- 40th  marked Meteor M/C's 40th anniversary of the Sandy Lane. Meteor had four antique motorcycles start the enduro on number 40. The riders were wearing riding gear typical of the past. The event was a 125 mile National. This was won by Charles Stapelford of Delaware. The riders machine, Ossa. New Jersey riders got their act back together and have won each Sandy Lane till the present. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1978 - 41st Bill Geier won the 100 Miler on a KTM-( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1979 - 42nd Roy Cook won the 125 Miler on a KTM - ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1980 - 43rd Husky Motorcycles started a dominance, winning seven Sandy Lanes in a row. Frank Vanaman won this 100 Miler and got the ball rolling. This was a fairly tough run, and dry as a bone since it hadn't rained for weeks.( Class Results / Overall / Teams ) 

1981 - 44th Bruce Kenney, riding a Kawasaki, won this year's 100 mile event. Bruce lived in Great Meadows. Dave Harris was the trail boss.
( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1982 - 45th Jack Lafferty Jr. riding a Husky won this 100 Miler event. Jack was from Millville NJ. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1983- 46th Meteor switched to a trail committee system. Henry Braaksma held the title "trail boss" but Russell Hancock, Doug Benson, and Henry worked together in preparation for the event. Their first event produced the Sandy Lane "hare scramble". There was lots of woods trail, but no resets put the riders back on time. Jack Lafferty Jr. of Millville, out raced the other riders to claim his first of two Sandy Lane overalls.The following year was similar to the previous. Lots of woods, some real knuckle-busting tight trail, and Jack Lafferty Jr. as a winner. Resets were also introduced with excellent results. This was a 100 Miler. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1984 - 47th The team just keeps getting better. More woods trail, more tight, good speed change averages, and a increase in rider turn out. Sandy Lane was gaining a reputation as a tough enduro, but definitely worth riding. Donnie Tomlin, also of Millville, won the 100 mile Lane that year. Trivia time. Donnie has won the Sandy Lane overall three times. His wins are also all in a row, 1984-85-86. Donnie is the only rider to do this. John Penton has also won the Sandy Lane three times, 1960 62 and 64. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1985 - 48th There almost wasn't a Sandy Lane. A hurricane blasted the South Jersey area the Friday before the enduro. How bad was it? UPS wouldn't deliver the Jart charts. That's BAD! Meteor worked overtime Saturday, Sunday night, and Sunday morning to get the trail in riding order. The hard work paid off with another successful Lane. The event was one for the record books. Held in May, the temperature climbed to the low "90"s. It was also very dry., with a high chance of forest fire. Meteor received special permission from the park rangers to run the event. There were two reasons for this. The first was the excellent track record of enduros, the second was each check was equipped with a walkies-talkie. These were manned by the members of the Burlington Amateur Radio Squad. If there had been a problem, all the riders could have been removed safely from the woods.
( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1986 - 49th was also the Squad's twentieth anniversary for working with Meteor M/C at the Sandy Lane. The squad was needed. The enduro was an A.M.A. regional event. This was in preparation for our 1987 national enduro. The enduro was stopped at the three-quarter mark. Not by heat, although all the riders thought it was a gift from heaven, but because of a land permission mix-up. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1987 - 50th Meteor held it's 50th Sandy Lane Enduro. It was an AMA National enduro and after 150 miles Kevin Bennett riding a Honda from Millville New Jersey was the winner. Trail boss for the event was Doug Benson with assistance from Henry Braaksma and Russell Hancock.
( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1988 - 51st running of the Sandy Lane Enduro and was the last year that the event would start in Chatsworth, NJ. It was a 100 mile enduro and was won by Kevin Bennett from Millville New Jersey. New trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma.
( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1989 - 52nd running of the Sandy Lane Enduro. The Enduro Moved from Chatsworth fire hall to the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 100 mile enduro and it was won by Rich Mollingkoff out of Toms River, New Jersey. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1990 - 53rd Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 90 mile enduro and it was won by Chris Smith out of Stanhope, New Jersey. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1991 - 54th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Michael Lafferty out of Millville, New Jersey. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1992 - 55th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Donnie Tomlin out of Millville, New Jersey. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1993 - 56th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Jack Lafferty Jr. out of Millville, New Jersey. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1994-57th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Michael Lafferty out of Millville, New Jersey on a Ktm. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma.                                                ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1995- 58th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Jack Lafferty Jr. out of Millville, New Jersey on a Ktm. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1996-59th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Richard Lafferty out of Millville, New Jersey on a Ktm. Trail boss for the event was Dale Freitas with assistance of Henry Braaksma.                                                ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1997-60th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Fred Hoess out of Stanhope, New Jersey on a Husqvarna. The club had a new Trail boss for the event and that was Rudy Egbert with assistance of Henry Braaksma.
( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1998-61st Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Richard Lafferty out of Millville, New Jersey on a Ktm. And the club had another new trail boss for the event was Keith Mahon.( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

1999-62nd Sandy Lane Enduro was won by Jack Lafferty Jr. out of Millville, New Jersey. 80 plus miles, won on a ktm. Trail boss for the event was Keith Mahon. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

2000-63rd Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 80 mile enduro and it was won by Fred Hoess. out of Stanhope, New Jersey on a Husqvarna. Retired Trail boss Dale Freitas was asked if he�d handle layout for the enduro. His response was that "It was only temporary and that the club would have to develop a committee of assistant Trail bosses so that one day one of them could take over the layout duties. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

2001-64th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 65 mile enduro and it was won by Aaron Kopp out of Bayville, New Jersey on a Honda. Trail boss again for the event was Dale Freitas and the club went to an all Start Control/Checkout style enduro. The weather was nice and we had close to 500 riders. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

2002-65th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was a 65 mile enduro and it was won by Aaron Kopp out of Bayville, New Jersey on a Honda. Trail boss again for the event was Dale Freitas with the assistance of Mike Barr. Again the weather was nice and we had close to 470 riders. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams )

2003-66th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was another 65 mile enduro and it was won by Aaron Kopp out of Bayville, New Jersey on a Ktm. Trail boss again for the event was Dale Freitas with the assistance of Mike Barr. Another nice and event, but the course got harder. Rider turn out was close to 460 riders. ( Class Results / Top 20 Overall / Top 15 B-Riders / Teams )

2004-67th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was a 65 mile enduro and it was won by Fred Hoess out of Stanhope, New Jersey on a Husqvarna. Trail boss again for the event was Dale Freitas with the assistance of Mike Barr. Weather for the event was nice, but the course layout was more demanding on the riders. Rider turn was still good with close to 450 riders leaving the starting line.                                        ( Sandy Lane Results )

2005-68th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro gun club in Green bank New Jersey. It was an 85 mile enduro and it was won by Michael Bradway on a Honda out of Millville, New Jersey. A light rain fell through the day and that might had something to do with the low rider turn out. Some 300 riders left the starting line, but C-rider turnout was low. Dale chalked the low turn out on bad weather and the Sandy Lane was getting a reputation for being a tough event again. This was the last year for Trail boss Dale Freitas as he planned to retire after this event. Course layout was assisted by Mike Barr and Bob Deveney. ( Sandy Lane Results / Top 20 Overall / Top 15 B-Riders / Teams )

2006-69th Sandy Lane Enduro started out of the Interboro Gun club in Greenbank New Jersey. It was a 65 mile enduro and it was won by Michael Bradway on a Honda. We saw rain all day the riders were in some pretty nasty conditions. Keith Mahon has taken over as Trail Boss this year, and has put together one old school enduro, with check in and outs. Not like mastermind Dale Freitas of old, with start controls. This year even though with the rain, we still had a great turnout. 450 wet riders despite all the rain. ( Class Results / Top 20 / Top 15% B-Overalls / Teams )

2007-70th Sandy Lane Enduro also started out of the Interboro Gun Club, It was 70 miles of trail, two track roads, and fire cuts. This year the only thing that was different, it iced and snowed the Friday before the event. As far as anyone could tell, if you where not in the Chatsworth area, you didn't know the storm completely missed Chatsworth and the Green bank area was spared! Riders coming as far as Vermont drove in 14 inches of snow to come to the Sandy Lane Enduro this year and telling us, they couldn't believe it when they got to Chatsworth not seeing any snow put a smile on these guys faces. It made for great traction, the ground was compact and ready to go. We saw King Richard Lafferty take this event with a low number to second place Michael Bradway of last year. Another fine meteor event had by all. Keith Mahon trail boss, with Anthony Tomasello, as co-trail boss / master time keeper, Bob Deveney as referee. Over 490 riders show us that nor rain, sleet, hail, or snow, would put a stop to a tradition now going on to it's 71st running next year. Our president Brett Mutschler dubbed this years event as " Snowy Lane". 350 rider turn out. ( Class Results / Overall / Teams / Top  15 B Riders / Flyer )

2008- 71st The Sandy Lane Enduro was held at the Interboro Gun Club. We had no less then 70 miles of good two track trail and fire cuts mixed in with some prime fast woods. Another well laid out event by Keith Mahon, with the same group as last year and his hard working trail snakes. This year was starting to look like years of past events. a well thought out course that saw rich lafferty taking the overall, with john burgard jr. placing second, was the low scorer of the event. no snow this year but a steady light rain most of the day gave way to perfect traction all day. with over 340 pre-entries, and another 100 the day of, meteor came out on top look pretty good this year. Meteor once again gave the boys and girls something to talk about. Another fine Meteor event as the saying goes. Just perfect! ( Class Results / Top 20 Overall / Top 15 B-Riders / Teams )

2009 -72nd This is Keith Mahon's fourth year as trail boss. As in previous years, he has opt to lay out one of the best trail system since the early years. As the day turns out to be cold and wet, a record number of riders turn out this year, waiting for the start of the 72nd consecutive running of the Sandy Lane Enduro. Our starter this year is Joe Adamitis and crew will be counting down to 8:00 am key time. They are off for a wet ride down the black top on a cold morning to the first section. This year is different though, we got some national boys stopping down to mix it up with our own ECEA boys for a challenge to see who is better or smarter. Two track trail, some fire cuts, and some old flowing trail makes the first section flow nicely to the gas stop, for a small rest before the show really begins. We saw Mike Lafferty and Wally Palmer battle it out in the first section only dropping a 1 while wally had a 2 going into section 3, with a south jersey young gun Dane Schoeneberg keeping it close. after section 4 we had a rider split, to separate the men from the old men, well we like to say that but these guys are really good and really fast. The check out of the last fast section we saw Mike Lafferty post and untouchable 1 coming out of Borrelli's check out, with wally close behind, following dane and Andrew Tsankanias following a deep 4th. when it was all over mike lafferty over all the event with just 20 seconds over 2nd place Wally Palmer and third place Dane Schoeneberg. Another great battle to the end and one all got to be a part of. Hopefully next year we can bring all back for another fun day in the forest. A record turnout this year, with just over 500 riders leaving the start!! ( Class Results / Top 20 / Top 15 / Teams )

2010-73rd-The trail guys came out this year with one thing in mind, try and duplicate last years record run and give the ECEA another great enduro. Well this year started out with a record already, but it wasn't for attendance, it was for a record amount of rain! The forest's were saturated with water, too much for our liking, but Keith Mahon and his trail crews got to work and put together another winning Sandy Lane Enduro. A cool day, just the right amount of sun and no rain made this day, a pleasure to be in the woods. We didn't peak in rider's, but those that showed, were in for an awesome day in the woods. Second year AA rider Andrew DeLong, started the early lead, with 2008 Overall Sandy Lane Enduro winner Rich Lafferty, and Sjer club rider, Chase Compton keeping a close third. First few checks the top guys all zeroed, the next Andrew Delong only had a 10 second lead over Rich Lafferty and Chase Compton dropping 1 minute at check 5. Going into the gas stop, Andrew had just a few seconds over Rich and Chase, the second half which the Sandy Lane Trail Boss Keith Mahon decided that it's time to kick it up a notch, gave back to back 6 and 7 mile pieces, that separated the men from the boys, and with a 6 mile piece of tight, you know you got to twist it a little better to come out on top. At the known control we saw Andrew Delong post a 16/381 and Rich Lafferty post a 16/431 just 50 seconds off and gave Andrew his first Sandy Lane Enduro Overall win for 2010. Chase Compton posted a better score at check 10, but had dropped a couple points earlier in the day to round off the top 3 with a 18/431. Kudos go out to the Meteor members, and their families who came out and gave us another fine Meteor event for 2010. ( Class Results / Top 20 Overall / Top 15 / Teams )

2011-74th-First year President Jeff Fitzpatrick told long time Sandy Lane Trail boss Keith Mahon, to give the riders a little more seat time, and said, Keith put together another awesome ride for all. The morning started out with basically a trail ride for the first 10 miles, with a couple of possible's looming just to keep you honest. Then the fun begins to burn off the morning chill into some nice, fast flowing trail going into the first gas. Occr rider Jeff Pasqua, and Mci Dane Shoeneberg put up some really great scores up to this point, but only one problem, Jeff was burned at a check by a mere 4 seconds, carrying that minute with him through out the day, to a near perfect Dane Schoeneberg. With Dane holding a 1 point lead over Jeff, the two battle it out in the second half. Jeff posted at check 7 ( 1/83 ) to better Dane's score of ( 2/98 ) but still couldn't make up that blasted burn. Next coming out of the famed stick farm at check 9, Jeff, and Dane posted identical scores of ( 4/226 ) respectfully. With one more points taker to the finish, Jeff needs to turn it up a notch, which he can, but Dane's superior knowledge of the trail, takes him to his first Overall win of the Sandy Lane trophy for 2011'. The top 3 were Grand Champion-Dane Schoeneberg-12/324, Jeff Pasqua-2nd Overall-13/309, and Darren Schoeneberg-3rd Overall and High Point A- 15/408. Again, thanks to all Meteor members and their families for joining us in our annual ride of the Sandy Lane Enduro. Next year is our 75th!!. Mark your calendars now. We are planning one of the best events of the year!! See everyone back for our Anniversary run of the 75th Sandy Lane Enduro.   ( Class Results / Top 20 Overall               Top 15% B Riders / Team Results )
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2012-75th-Won by Jeffery Pasqua on a Ktm. 85 miles on March 18th 2012. Sunny day with temperatures in the 70's, and a record turn out of just over 500 bikes! Our beat reporter was to busy with the Penton's and other celebs that showed up for the 75th to write a report, but you can still look at our 75th Sandy Lane Enduro page here. ( Class Results / Top 20 Overall / Top 15% B Riders / Team Results )

2013-76th-75 Ground miles-Won by the "King Richard Lafferty" 5 time wheel holder, riding a Husaberg, from Port Elizabeth NJ,posting a 20/604, and saw second Overall Wally Palmer posting a 22/623, and third Overall Jeff Pasqua, winner of the 75th Sandy Lane Enduro posting a 22/670. We had 50 degree weather, sunshine, no rain, just an awesome day to be out in the woods riding with your friends as Rich would say. This was Superbike Mike Mchale's first year as trail boss and did one hellva great job with the trail he had to work with. Just around 370 riders left the line. Also we saw the Bob “Hobo” Deveney do his thing with perfect check placements with help of now retired Keith “Bucket Head” Mahon.  ( Class Results / Team Results )
 
2014-77th-75 Ground miles-Won by Kyle McDonal riding a Ktm, from Port Elizabeth NJ. Can you say fire cuts, unimproved roads, and unimproved sand roads?? This is what we had to work with this year. So we went with what we had, and try to make everyone happy. Roughly 264 riders left the line this year, weather conditions were just perfect, 50 degrees no rain. Just north of us, they had over 2 ft. of snow, so this might have kept our northern riders from coming down to snow-less south jersey. We had two new co/trail bosses this year. Charles Leonardo and Mike Herrschaft our Dual Sport trail bosses wanted to try their luck at something different. If you rode our Dual Sport then you know what type of event you are going to get here. Nothing but the best of trail ( If you call fire cuts trail ) were blended in with sand roads at high speeds. Master mind Super Bike Mike Mchale inserted his old school check in and outs, that were as usual spot on, so you had to be on your game to out wit SBM. Low score of the event went to Kyle McDonal of the Tri-County Sportsmen of Port Elizabeth NJ, posting a 1/128, 2nd Overall went to Dane Schonenberg of MCI with a 2/119, and 3rd Overall went to Chase Compton of SJER with a 3/146. Hopefully next year we will be back on the grid with our traditional Sandy Lane Enduro 78!!   ( Class Results / Team Results )

2015-78th-
Wild Wally Palmer won on a Ktm from Williamstown NJ this 60.5 ground miles in our traditional enduro for 2015. single track trail is what we used for this event. getting away from the old firecuts and unimproved sand roads, the 78th running of the sandy lane enduro this year took us back to when enduros were fun and challenging. this year saw our new trail bosses johnny herrschaft and president mike barr come together in making this one of the best sandy lane in years! lots of single track trail and sand roads for transfer sections. wally posted a 14/572, second place saw the 75th sandy lane enduro winner Jeffrey pasqua post a 19/792 and third overall winner, Isde 2014 usa rider john kelley from Connecticut, six day rider in Argentina 2014 topping off the top 3. weather was just about perfect. the week before we had 10 inches of snow. the day before it poured rain, but nothing could stop the meteor boys and girls in making sandy lane the best ever. See you in 2016 ( Complete Class Results )

2016-79th-
Wally Palmer on a Ktm from Williamstown NJ, 60.2 ground miles with his repeat performance won our normal traditional enduro. Nothing but single track trail old and new, and groomed to perfection, Trail boss Johnny Herrschaft got together with his section leaders and put together one awesome enduro along with master mind Super Bike Mike Mchale the time keeping wizard of old. You couldn't ask for a better weekend than we had, well except for the 50 mph wind gusts, which was a challenge in itself, but as tough as they come our riders had one of a great day in the saddle.  The day started out with a road ride for 8 miles to our land owner sections and than used some state roads in Bass River State Forest for transfer section's only. Once off the roads, you were in Meteor Land!!! A history in the making for our 79th straight. A mixture of tight woods, open, and a little of sand thrown in just to keep the name Sandy Lane Enduro tradition going. This year we incorporated a sand pit that was used as our fuel stop / spectator points. You came into the pit area fuel up, and there was a  start control that our Meteor girls  handled, and off you went for a 4 tenth of up and down and around and over and out of the pit, this was a crowd favorite for sure.  Out of the pit, through a wide open forest section with speeds just around 24mph, a third gear area with lots of fun fun fun to be had! Next up another wide open section back to back 19mph and than 24 mph back to the gas. If this wasn't fun than you should be doing something other than riding through the woods with you hair on fire. Back to the pit for a splash of fuel and than your road ride to the finish for some after run bench racing and some cool drinks and hot dogs to boot!!. All said and done everyone really thought this year was one of our best rides in a long time. congrats to Wild Wally Palmer on the Overall. Second Overall to Dane Schoeneberg, and Third Overall Brian Maco. Rest up fellows, the 80th is just around the corner, and this time just like the 75th, this will be another mile stone in the making. Another fine meteor event!! ( Complete Class Results) ( Teams ) ( 20 Overall )

2017-80th -
Now 3 time Sandy Lane winner "Wild" Wally Palmer riding a KTM from Williamstown NJ, 60 Ground Miles, posting a 11/281, blew by all competition this year by beating second place overall Jared Mohn on a KTM, with a 15/420 and 3rd Overall Brian Maco on a KTM, with a 16/422. We don't know what this young man does to win the Overall like that but keep it up!! This years event we used only private lands no state forest at all, so in doing this, we had to at least try to continue the tradition without them. Our master mind trail boss, Johnny Herrschaft and crew put together some nice old trail on our private land owners property for a quite ride through their woods that we clean and use the fee's to help with area donations to the townships and our charities. With only 4 weeks to put something together we used existing trails that were already used from previous Sandy Lane events, that have been approved in the past. With just around 200 plus riders and 5 sections, the day saw a long road ride to and from the first check point and than back to the finish. We had the use of a enclosed area that was used for Observation points to service their riders. Once leaving this area, they were off to another section which were three sections of nothing but fast flowing approved trail, with ample resets to get you back on time for the finish. Please, this area is only used for the Sandy Lane Enduro. Do not come back and ride any of this protected land. We strive to keep the land free and we do clean ups yearly to be able to use this land that we have, for Sandy Lane. Please help us to keep the rich Meteor History and our tradition going! Hope to sea you all back once again for the 81st running of the Sandy Lane Enduro in 2018!! Until than, God Bless you all!!  ( Complete Class Results ) ( Teams ) ( Overall ) ( Flyer )

2018-81st-
Brian Maco won it on a Ktm from Oakcrest PA., 60.0 Ground miles the same as last year, just running the event backwards this year. In Just 4 days before the 81st running of the Sandy Lane Enduro, we had just over 5 inch's of fresh snow that had fallen from a record 4th nor'easter on the east coast the Wednesday before this event. President Frank Kaminski, Trail Boss John Herrschaft, and Section leader Eddie Worszylo, went the day after to excess the damages of the woods roads and forest, to determine if it was safe enough to put on the 81st or not. With just 4 days to get the run ready, the meteor crew took to the woods as always. Cleared downed trees, and branches from the main roads, and by the middle of the day the sun came out, starting it's melt down process. By weeks end the snow had started to go away and late Friday afternoon there was just patches of snow here and there, so President Frank Kaminski said it's a go!! And so the rest is history. I myself usually writes a report on this but due to a very stressful week, I asked one of our riders if I could use his run report of the day, since he rode it. Thanks to all Meteor member families and friends who gave it their all when things looked bad. Thanks to the Waterford Twp. EMS and Green Bank Vol. Fire Dept. in assisting us on Sunday. 

We had a new Wheel Overall Winner Brian Maco to win on a Bromley powered Ktm of Oak crest Pa.(Race report by Drew Evans)
The day started with temperatures in the mid-30s and at 9 o’clock the first row took to the 9 mile transfer section. The first section of the day started with a puddle leading up to the check. It claimed quite a few people causing them to enter the section late. For me this section might have been the hardest because I dealt with arm pump in the beginning of the day. The trail in this section was fast and flowing in spots but some deep whoops made it hard to stay on pace.The second section had a little bit of everything. It started with riding on trail that was used for a controlled burn recently. The burned part of the section was very fast and choppy. All of the choppiness was cause by root balls and if you’re not careful they will put you on the ground before you know it. After the burned section the trail went into a piece that was very fast in spots and without warning it turned into a stick farm.The third section I believe was the longest of the day and one of the more challenging due to the tight trees and the deep sand in spots. For me it felt like I bounced off of almost every tree and ended up picking up my bike more than once.The second to last section was definitely one of the faster ones for the day. The trail started out tight but once it opened up the speeds increased and so did the size of the whoops. It was easy to get out of shape in this section because of a few whooped out straightaways.The last section of the day was very similar to section 2 because of the fast paced choppy sections and tight trees. This was my favorite section because I was able to smooth out and stop riding like an idiot. Brian Maco took the overall with a score of 20/508 ahead of Rich Lafferty with a 21/484 and Bobby Lapinski with a 21/550. This was the first win of the season for the reigning champion but with only a one point lead over second and third the racing was close. Besides the 9 mile transfer sections in the morning and in the afternoon the race was a lot of fun. As always Sandy Lane is one of the better Jersey runs and I can’t wait for next years 82nd running of this historical event. (Copied by Barry Seppy )                                         ( Complete Class Results ) ( Teams ) ( Overall ) ( Flyer )

2019-82nd-Reschedule Date Nov.24th 2019
George Hauser from Bamber Lakes NJ won it on a Yamaha yz250 - 60 Ground Miles
On March 30th we had a major forest fire come into the area and shut us down on the Saturday before the enduro. When it was all over, it had burn some 11,000 acres of woods in an area that we were using some of it for our planned Enduro. Due to the safety concerns it was deemed unsafe to have, so Meteor Mc postponed it for a later date in the year. This was our last shot and President Frank Kaminski, and VP Dave Crane asked for permission to move it and we were granted a new date of Nov. 24th 2019. So with that said our 82nd Continuous Running of the Sandy Lane Enduro, a Traditional Time Keeping Event was to be held!! John Herrshaft and his crew came out and surveyed what we had to use after 7 months of forest to cure and regrow which it did. Of course there was a blacken forest, and the earth's bottom was growing once again. Good to see after a devastating fire that some idiots left embers burning in the woods from a pallet fire on private land they had no permission to be on. So as I was saying, Johnny and his crews set out to put together one awesome single track trail, mixed in with some fire cut lines used for transfer sections to other trail through the forest. Approx. 60 ground miles and our usual black top ride from Interboro Gun Club to Lake Oswego and back was the norm. We used an 8:00AM Key time for this due to it getting dark earlier in the evening and with the cloudy skies and some misty rain in the morning proved to be awesome traction for the event. Yes, we had a little small downpour in the afternoon, but all in all it was a good turn out. I do not have all the details of the event except we do have another new wheel holder and that is B&B Yamaha yz250 rider George Hauser, from Occr with a 23/1066 to win the Overall of the 82nd Sandy Lane Enduro, and coming in 2nd Overall Yamaha rider Steve Mason Jr. posted a 23/1093 who was just 27 seconds behind George. Coming in 3rd Overall was Justin Lafferty riding his first enduro ever, posting a 24/1097. Sure to be watching this young man in the future as he is growing around a legacy of Laffertys which Jack Lafferty Jr., Justin's father, is a 10 time Ecea Enduro Champion, so he has the name, has the speed and now we need his name to be on the wheel in the future. Thank you all for coming back with us when things looked bleak. See you on March 22nd of 2020. Results are now done by Moto Tally which can be found at. http://www.moto-tally.com/ECEA/Enduro/Results.aspx  
Teams were won by The Delaware Enduro Riders, only club to submit. ( Flyer )

83rd-March 31st 2020- (Cancelled both dates) Nov. 29th 2020- (Covid-19 Pandemic)
The 83rd will have to wait. For the first time since World War II, Meteor was unable to put on Sandy Lane. We had two dates to have the enduro and it was just not possible. The first was in early March, the second was in late November. In mid-March, in response to the effects of the Corona Virus pandemic, the State of New Jersey issued lock down orders requiring only essential activities to take place.The lock down was eventually lifted later in the year with limits on the size of outdoor gatherings. In July, the size of outdoor events was raised to allow 500 people. We secured a make-up date in November and proceeded to prepare for the event. In mid November in response to a second wave of pandemic cases the group size limit was lowered to 150 people including all support personal. Since we use state controlled roads to connect sections of the enduro, we are require to have permits from the state to have the enduro and the state shut us down again. We could not get the necessary permits in both March and November due to the restrictions imposed.  We are looking to 2021 to resume the Sandy Lane tradition.

83rd-Nov. 27th 2021-9am Keytime: Won by Kyle McDonal (2 Time Winner of the Wagon Wheel ) riding a Beta 450, from Mays Landing NJ. We used our 2019 trail, and ran it backwards this year, as it has been ready for the last 2 years or should I say 3 other times, so this is what we went with. Roughly 250 riders left the line this year, weather conditions were just perfect, 45 degrees no rain but cold and windy. Our trail Boss John Herrshaft with help from SBM Mike Mchale put together another 60 miler that gets the best of you if you are not use to riding sweet single track trail. The only bad thing of the whole day is the morning and afternoon cold ride to and from the Interboro Gun Club to get to our planned course. 9 miles of cold black top in the morning is not what we call ideal but it is what it is as they say. Nothing but the best of trail in south jersey were handed to our enduro riders this year, with some sand roads used as transfer section to and from our 5 sections that were used. This year was our first for using the ECEA RFID guns for our check crews to manage incoming riders. Just like going through a check out in your super market, there is this tag under the helmet of the visor that all you do is point the gun across the trail to a target, hold the trigger and boom, you have scanned your info into the gun to be transferred back to the scoring area to download into the computers. Some like it some do not, but this is the wave of the future for better scoring and faster results down to the thousand. Old schoolers have a different look on it, but I would take 1 hour of results than 4 hours of it anytime. So on to the day. Master mind Super Bike Mike Mchale inserted his old school check in and outs, that were as usual spot on, so you had to be on your game to out wit SBM. Low score of the event went to Kyle McDonal on a Beta 450, posting a 22/956, 2nd went to Wallace Palmer 23/1005 on a Kawasaki, and 3rd went to Justin Lafferty 27/1125 on a Ktm. Was hoping someone who rode our event would have given us a ride report, but it is still a little early so I'll wait to put it up here later. Thanks to all that braved the cold and had a safe and eventful day with us at our 83rd running of the Sandy Lane Enduro!! Full Results here. Teams won by the Ocean County Competition Riders.

84th-March 27th 2022 - 9am Keytime: Won by Justin Lafferty on a 250 KTM from Port Elizabeth NJ -(Jack Lafferty Jr. 10 time ECEA Champion's son) (1st time wheel holder) Just add another notch in the Lafferty Legacy of Champions on the Sandy Lane Enduro Wheel and riding on number 76A, in a field of around 312 Riders on a  day that was partly cloudy, with snow showers and sleet in late afternoon  with gusts of wind of 45mph and better at times, but we all got through it. Shout outs go to our Meteor Mc., President Frank Kaminski, VP Dave Crane and our trail boss Johnny Herrschaft, with help from Master Time keeper SuperBike Mike Mchale in keeping the 84th running of the Sandy Lane Enduro in tact for another year. Also we can not forget our trail bosses and their crews that kept the trails in perfect condition for another year to run on. To our sign up crews, clean up crews, Meteor MC families and their friends, Interboro Gun Club, PICC, Greenbank Vol. Fire Company, Waterford EMS, Pinelands, DEP, Wharton State Forest, Bass River State Forest,Washington, Woodland, and Bass River Townships, NJSPRC, NJSP, we thank you. Click for results here

85th-March 26th 2023 - 9am Keytime: Won by Tegan Temple on a Husqvarna from West Chester PA. After a soaking rain the past week, Sandy Lane Enduro was about to become Soggy Lane Enduro but Sunday turned out to be the best day of the week with temps just around 50 degrees and bright sunlight all day, you couldn't ask for a better day. With just around (460 riders) the 85th would turn out to be one of the best enduro's laid out by our trail boss Johnny Herrshaft, and his crew, to becoming one of the best timekeeping enduro and trail the East Coast has seen in a long time. 

​Click for full results here

Pig Pen - Author from - On your minute, The Life and Times of the ECEA:

Sandy Lane is like no other race on the ECEA schedule. For any other race you can make a comparison. Beehive is like Greenbriar, Foggy Mountain is like Michaux, Ithaca Sprint Enduro is like Ridge Rider’s Sprint Enduro. But Sandy Lane is “like” nothing else. Open flowing fire cuts, super tight woods, miles of stick farms and some super fun fast rolling single track and that is just one section! Hell, in this race, you can see all of that in 500 feet. Sandy Lane is the enduro version of a “Psychological Thriller”. During this enduro you will go through every human emotion… laugh, cry, rage and delight in equal doses and sometimes all at once! There are places in this race where you look off in the distance and you would think you are on some small non inhabited volcanic island. Heaven to Hell and everything in between.

Riders racing through the 8-mile A/B split found themselves shouting 4 letter words at trees, other riders, small animals and members of MMC. It was tight. That section was followed by one of the finest, fastest flowing sections we saw so far this season. Then more tight single track and stick farms, some sand, some flow, some fire cuts and everything in between. Sandy Lane will throw it all at you and often all at once.We couldn’t have asked for better weather for this time of year, or any time of year for that matter. It was close to perfect, not hot, not cold, full sunshine and no wind. For those of us who froze last week at Curley Fern this was Heaven. Most of us were shedding layers after the first section and there was no shivering at the lunch stop this week. Meteor MC has their act together. These guys have been doing this for a long time and it shows. The organization, course layout and club support was top notch. I met an MMC member at the starting line who has been a member of the club for over 50 years and he was loving telling stories and was proud of this race, and his club, as he should be.

Tegan Temple (KTM) finished the day with the overall win. Kyle McDonal (Beta) came in second and Justin Lafferty (KTM) was on the podium finishing in 3 d overall. Doug Allen (Gas) took the overall in A class for the second race in a row. William Holmes (KTM) took the overall in B class Justin McKenzie (Beta) took the overall in C class for the second race in a row. Kerri Shank (Husq) took first in Women’s class for the second time this year Hank Knabe (KTM) took First in Masters Class Bill Atherholt (KTM) took first in Golden Class for the second week in a row And Don Kirkpatrick (KTM) brought home first in The Legends Class for the second time this year.Lastly, A big thank you from all of us riders to the dedicated members of MMC for keeping this event alive and true to form. MMC is an old school club with an old school enduro. Sandy Lane remains one of a kind.

86th - Was Scheduled for March 24th but some NEW DEP changes forced most to reschedule for a later date as did Meteor Mc for another late date Nov. 17th 2024 is now the new date. Mark your calendars, we will try again.
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For some interesting facts that happened in certain years from two of our early meteor members read below:
Meteor M.C. and Sandy Lane 1947- 1962 by Bill Schemel

The big event in 1947 was the 500 mile National Championship Endurance Run. Many hours were spent by crew chief Frank Bolton and his able crew. It took all the members and the Auxiliary to promote this great event. Grove Davidson, Pete Epley, and Bud Coates resigned from the club so they could ride. The event started at the old YMCA building on Admiral Wilson Blvd. Keytime 6 a.m.  00.0 East on Wilson Blvd.   00.7 straight on NJ # 40 - 4.8 R. on NJ # 41 - How's that for a start? Julius Kroeger on a Triumph was the winner.- Grove Davidson - 2nd on a solo , Pete Epley went out with a flat tire 440 miles in. 78 Entries and 14 Finishers.

In 1948, Grove, Pete, and Bud were voted back into the club. Meteor's midnight Reliability Run was won by Bill Schemel. Members not working on the run could now ride. Sandy Lane started at club house, Westville Grove. 250 Mile event. 6 a.m. start. 78 Entries 21 finishers. Rod Coates was the winner on a matchless.  Grove Davidson-1st A solo, Frank Bolton - 3rd A solo, Paul Brumfield ran this year but did not finish. Pete Epley was the crew chief, assisted by Bill Schemel and Dave Gravener. The club rode in the Middle Atlantic Dealers Association, Round Robin Run won by Grove Davidson. 3rd-Bill Schemel. Philadelphia Corsairs M.C. Mid-Night Reliability Run Expert class won by Lou Mahan.

In 1949, Frank Bolton returned to head up the Sandy Lane. The event started at the Old Barrington Airport which was Meteor M.C. new head quarters- another 250 mile event.85 Entries - 25 Finishers. Won by Julius Kroeger on a Triumph, Grove Davidson 3rd A Solo, Bill Schemel 4th B Solo. Conrad Kenner kept Meteor MC represented in flat track racing at Langhorne, William Grove, Charity Newsey's, to mention a few tracks. Bill Youngson won the Mid-Night Reliability Run. In the fall of the year, different clibs promoted Turkey Runs. These runs were between 75 and 100 mile in lenght with a trophy and a turkey going to the winner. This fall, trophies and turkeys were won by Fred Metzler, John Fenimore, and Bill Schemel.

In 1950 Sandy Lane - Trailblazers John Fenimore, Bill Schemel, Jack Wright-Lane won on miliage by Dorrance Wood - n one finished. A torrential downpour to noon control caused all riders to hour out. Still a 250 Mile event. Started at Westville Grove. We had a riding club. Remember the runs: Hell Mt. - Tomahawk Enduro - Banshee Enduro - Battle of Brandywine - Silver Dollar to mention a few.

In 1951 Sandy Lane started at Pic-a-Lily Inn. 6 a.m. start. Fred Metzler referee - Bill Wollerton is scorer and will be the same for many years to come.Run won by Renick Parkey Ohio. 75 Entries - 7 Finishers. English bikes out number Harleys. "125" class for the first time. Bill Schemel rode the Jack Pine and broke his collarbone, 400 Miles into the run.

In 1952 Sandy Lane was changed to 150 Mile event in an effort to get more riders. 9 a.m. start. 90 Entries - 17 Finishers. Lee Parker won run, Paul Brumfield and Bill Schemel form a team as trailblazers - each taking care of half the run. This will continue to 1961. This years run will be the end of the sidecar class - won by Frank Dean and passenger Stan McPherson. Frank has won this class each year since 1948. club attempted to build a club house at Pete Epleys sand pit Glassboro. Lack of help caused this project to fold.

In 1953 Meteor MC has been holding meetings at members homes. Checkers meetings for Sandy Lane held at Lou Mahan's H-D Store. Remember the swim parties at Pete Epleys home in Haddonfield? This is to become a yearly event. This years Sandy Lane was won by William Fenton, Ohio. 76 Entries - 28 Finishers. 6:30 a.m. start. 225 miles. Frank Bolton referee.

In 1954 Sandy Lane had a 6:30 a.m. start - 225 Miles. Event started at Spartan Hunting club Medford NJ. 58 Entries - 15 Finishers. Edgar Kauffman, Pa., was the winner. Attractive Cedar trophies were made by Burt Legg.

In 1955 Sandy Lane started at Medford Diner - Route 70 - 8 a.m. start. 150 Mile event. Won by Don Pink, NY. Heavy rain week before caused low land flooding. Some course rerouted. 112 Entries - 25 Finshed.

In 1956 150 Mile Sandy Lane. Start at Pic-a-Lily Inn. Won by Don Pink, NY 148 Entries - 24 Finished. Pete Epley is now referee.

In 1957 150 Mile Sandy Lane - start at Pic-a-Lily Inn. 150 Entries - 64 Finishers. Dual Sport Winners - Jim Fennel and Ed Elliott, Ohio. The emergency check could not be used because of an error. Pete Epley's decision after consultation with E.C. Smith, AMA, was to have Dual Winners.

In 1958 Pic-a-Lily Inn start, 150 miles. 140 Entries - 29 Finished won by Dewey Hoffman, Indiana.

In 1959 Sandy Lane 150 Miles - Start at Pic-a-lily Inn. 106 Entries - 17 Finished, Dewey Hoffman. Indiana, winner.

In 1960 This year Sandy Lane is a 200 Mile National won by John Penton, Ohio. 138 Entries - 15 Finished. Ray Schemel is Official club photographer. One shot made cover of AMA Magazine. This year had a Powder Puff class and Side-Car class. Hurricane Donna messed up low-lands. Bill Schemel and Jack Wright pulled out 3 stalled bikes the following week. Trailblazers - Jack Wright, Paul Brumfield, Bob Seamon, and Bill Schemel.

In 1961 125 Mile National Sandy Lane. Start at Pic-a-Lily Inn. Won by John P. Wright. 122 Entries - 62 Finished. Jack Wright rode Jack Pine and won Grand Champion. Jack then resigned from Meteor mc to ride Sandy Lane, which he won. Jack finished 2nd to Bill Baird for the National Enduro Championship, by a few points.

In 1962 Pic-a-Lily Inn Start. 125 Mile National. 118 Entries - 63 Finishers, won by John Penton.

Meteor Mc and Sandy Lane 1963-1980 by Mike Borrelli.

In 1963 125 Mile National Sandy Lane. Started at the Pic-a-Lily Inn. Won by Bill Baird, Sterling Illinois. 25 Finished. Pete Epley is referee. Rain, rain, rain, literally unloaded and 35 finishers could easily qualify for submarine duty.

1964 125 Mile National Sandy Lane. Pic-a-Lily Inn. Won by John A. Penton, Lorrain, Ohio. 118 Starters and 69 Finishers. Timber dry woodland, bottomless Jersey sand and a forest fire burning 4 miles from the start ( not along the course ) did not help the Sandy Lane.

1965 125 Mile National Sandy Lane. Pic-a-Lily Inn. Won by Eugene Esposito from New York. The Banton weight class "B" only had to go to noon control.  Our wagon wheel trophy was refurbished this year.

1966 125 Mile National Sandy Lane. Pic-a-Lily Inn. Won by Eugene Esposito from New York who had back to back wins.

1967 135 Mile National Sandy Lane. Pic-a-Lily Inn. This was won by Jack McLain, from Michigan on a Honda. Our dinner was held on March 4th at Flying "W" ranch and 88 people attended.

1968 135 Mile National Sandy Lane. Moved from Pic-a-Lily Inn to Chatsworth Fire Company. This was won by John Young, Illimois. ( from this date until now we are still at Chatsworth Fire Co., and hope to continue there.;

1969 135 Mile National Sandy Lane. Chastowrth Fire Company. Layout chiefs were Frank Bolton, Bill Keller, Ed Bolton Jr. and Jerry Ballinghof Sr. Fred Metzler was referee. Our banquet this year was at the Comptons Log Cabin. Run was won by Robert Fusan. Penn.

1970 150 Mile National Sandy Lane. Chastowrth Fire Company. Paul Brumfield trail boss and referee Butch Elder. The "Sandiest Lane" was submerged for 5 weeks worth weeks of rain fell in a half an hour! Run was won by Buck Walsworth from Indiana. On December 22nd, 1970 we lost a dear friend and conscientous member with the passing of Paul Brumfield.

1971 150 Mile National Sandy Lane. Chastowrth Fire Company. Won by Robert Fusan, Penn. on a husky. Butch Elder was referee and John Boone was trail boss..It was back to "Pope Branch Creek" and up to Bear Swamp Hill".

1972 125 Mile Sandy Lane at Chastowrth Fire Company.  412 Started and 280 Finished. It was won by Dave Meade, NJ on a Triumph. John Boone was trail boss assisted by Mel Downs. This "Lane" was considered a "cake walk". Our constituiton was revived after 39 years. Bill Wollerton received the Paul Bumfield Award.

1973 150 Mile National Sandy Lane at Chastowrth Fire Company, won by a local boy Alfie Henrich,NJ on a Honda. It was said to be a "piece of cake" and needs more spice to turn it into a challenging National.

1974 100 Mile Sandy Lane, at Chatsworth fire Company, It was won again this year by Alfie Henrich, NJ., who had back to back wins. Michael Borrelli Sr. was winner of the Paul Brumfield award this year.

1975 150 Mile National sandy Lane, at Chatsworth Fire Company, won ny Les Bowne, NJ on a Can-An. " One of the best Sandy Lanes ever run" said Boyd Rennolds of Cycle News. Had lots of variety and terrain! Mike Borrelli Sr., & Jr., and John Boone were trail bosses. Frank Bolton Jr. was referee.     Al Sundusky was the recipient of this years Paul Brumfield award.

1976 100 Mile Sandy Lane, Chatsworth Fire Company., won by Bill Harris, NJ on a Maico. Trail Boss was Mike Borrelli Jr. and referee was Fran Marrara. John Boone moved to Ohio and is missed by his many friends. In February, E.C.E.A. had a Two Day Qualifier at Coyle Field and Mike Borrelli Jr. received a bronze medal.

1977 125 Mile National Sandy Lane, Chatsworth Fire Company, This being the 40th Annual Sandy Lane we had a;; antique motorcycles start the enduro on number 40 wearing the gear typical of that year. This was won by Charles Stapleford of Delaware on an Ossa. He had been trying for many years and finally won"The Lane". Mike Borrelli Jr. was trail boss and Fran Marrara was referee. Ed Hertfelder was the recipient of this years Paul Brumfield award. This years Two Day Qualifier had out member George Stauffer win a silver medal.

1978 100 MIle Sandy Lane, Chatsworth Fire Company, Winner was Bill Geier of NJ on a KTM. Layout chief was Warren Beetle and referee was Mel Downs. It was a good run with a lot of tie scores.

1979 125 MIle Sandy Lane, Chatsworth Fire Company, won by Roy Cook NJ on a KTM. Bob Eppinger was Trail Boss and Bob Schmidt was referee. It was a tough but good run. A light rain fell all day.

1980 100 MIle Sandy Lane Regional, Chatsworth Fire Company, won by Frank Vanaman NJ on a Husky. Trail Boss was Dave Harris and Referee was Bob Eppinger. This was a fairly tough run and dry as a bone since it hadn't rained for weeks.

A few years ago everyone said we would not have a 40th Sandy Lane because of land closure. We made it to not only our 40th, but our 43rd year. But we have had our problems. This years trail boss Dave Harris had quite a few problems with the birth of the "Pinelands Commission". Since Chatsworth is in the "core" of the "Preservation Area" it will be tougher for all of us to get permission to use the land. Lets hope we can keep on going and make a "50th Sandy Lane".
                                                              
An the tradition continues onward.....................