SF Enduro II By Jeff Hecox

Having done the first SF Enduro a little over a year ago, I really wanted to make the second running of this race (I use the term race loosely for me since I just wanted to finish after making all the check points)

The Start was 9 am in Golden Gate Park at the William McKinley statue. About 70 riders signed up for this day of pain. I saw my other Wrong Way team mate Erik Trauschke a few minutes before the start and he was planning to latch on to Isaias Job wheel and not let go for the day. There’s no way I can ride at Erik’s pace, so no thought entered my mind of ever riding with him. My plan was to pace myself and ride with a group of friends for the day. No classes for this race and Murphy announced two bonus sections out on the course, the first one would be a loop in Tamarancho of all single track for a 1.5 hour time reduction off your overall time and a second bonus, a climb up Loma Alta to the top of Big Rock to the Radio Towers, for a 2 hour time reduction. At this point at the rider's meeting, no one new where the ride was going yet, no maps of the course had been posted, we had all been told no matter what bike you bring it will be the wrong bike at some point!



Last year I rode my Salsa Cross Bike and cross bikes dominated that race, I had a feeling Murphy would make this race a little tougher on the Cross bikes so I set up my 29er Fisher Superfly full rigid with some fast rolling tires this time.



We were told to put all our bikes on one corner of the lawn about 100 yards away and come back to the Statue for a quick riders meeting. The first maps where set down by our bikes on the lawn and we were told that a second map would be at the first Check Point for the rest of the race course. After a quick briefing on the race we had a Le Mans Start with a run around the McKinley Statue and off on the bikes.



It was mayhem and confusion, after getting our first map, we had to ride to a Check Point at the Legion of Honor and pick up a new set of maps for the rest of the ride. Hopping on our bikes and heading out into the street of San Francisco. Once rolling I tried to get together with my group that I planned to ride with for the day. Our group of 6 quickly became 4 with Justin, John, Craig and I. Craig was our navigator since he knew San Francisco and Marin well. After the Check point at the Legion of Honor and a new set of maps, we headed over the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin for a climb up Mt. Tam on Old Railroad grade.



Water management was a key for me since I was only using two bottles to keep the weight down. After we made the summit of Mt. Tam we all topped off our bottles at the look out and had a quick bite to eat before headed down Eldridge grade. Craig quickly flatted in the first 1/2 mile and was fully prepared to deal with it. Eldridge grade was littered with cross bikes and MTB with flat tires. About 2/3 of the way down Eldridge we stopped to regroup and wait for Craig with some Roaring Mouse riders on cross bikes waiting for one of their team mates that flatted. They were not roaring about their cross bikes at this point, they were eyeing our MTB 29er's with envy.

Just past Lake Lagunitas we were now a group of 10-12 with the 4 Roaring Mouse riders and our new navigator Moab Johnny, who lives in Fairfax and knew all the local trails.



Johnny knew where all the hidden water spots where and kept us on track for the rest of the day.(we owe this guy big time) We all headed off for the climb up Pine Mt with Johnny leading the way to the next check point.



Just past the Check Point 2 on Pine Mt, Johnny took some of us on a little side single track called Paradigm, the top 1/3 was great, but the next 2/3 had suffered in this winters storms , there were about 30 trees blown down, that turned into hike a bikes, we lost some time here but it was single track!



We climb out of the canyon up to Check Point 3 at White hill fire road and then headed off to check point 4 for the Tamarancho extra time loop. At check point 4 we came across Erik and Isaias, they had just finished their loop in Tamarancho. Erik gave me a few words of encouragement and I was off for my bonus loop in Tamarancho.



After Tamarancho we headed to Check Point 5 with a stop under the bridge at Sir Francis Drake Blvd. before the climb up Gun Shot. Murphy was there with cold beers, cokes, Water, and popsicles, wow how nice was that at mile 45. All I can say is the climb up Gun Shot SUCKS, but Check Point 5 was at the top and the out and back extra time bonus to Big Rock started there. I made it to the top of Gun Shot about 5:10pm and missed the 5pm cut off for the extra time bonus. I was pretty beat at this point anyway so no great loss for me. My buddy Justin and Moab Johnny went for the bonus anyway. Out of the 70 riders, only 9 made this extra bonus climb, (Team Wrong Way rider Erik Trauschke being one of them).



From Check Point 5 I now had a 25 mile ride back to San Francisco, I was on my own now since Justin and Johnny where going for gold. I did take a wrong turn going back down Gun Shot and ended up on Sir Francis Drake Blvd., for the long road ride back to San Francisco and the Party at Murphy's place.



My stats where 9,940 feet of climb 81.82 miles, I made all 5 check points for the Enduro and the Tamarancho bonus loop.



Can't wait for the next one.



Jeff Hecox



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