After riding all of the test section at New Blaine it is still hard to say which one is the best. They each have their own character that makes them all different.
I will say this about each, they all all a real pleasure to ride at a good rate of speed! Now on the awards:
CB's test section has the best all round ground and it flows so well that you can probably ride it faster than any of the others. It is also flat and that makes for some awesome ground and great traction! There are some rocks in areas, but for the most part just good solid dirt! Just not long enough; which, can be said for all of the sections.
Sid's test section: going either way is a hoot. But to get the full effect of the section one has got to start at 52 humps and ride going west. New ground and it is a lot like CB's section in that area. Cross the road and you are in another state. Riding down in that little valley and along that creek brings thought of riding in Colorado without the boulders! Back and forth one can keep a pretty sharp pace and it is fairly technical. Not so tight as it is just terrain technical. But the area makes this one a real hoot to ride. Some of the luster is lost riding the section back toward to east. But it is still fun and one loses about 1/2 mile at the end of that direction. Here's the deal, there are rocks in this section, but they are the immovable type. No babyhead rocks here! They are implanted well into the ground so just ride on over them. There are some trees down and you ride through them, over them and around them in both directions. Well marked and you can see them before you get to them.
The 160: Right from the start of this section you get the idea that this section is going to be nice and tight without a lot of speed. One has got to like tight technical sections to enjoy this area. for the better part of 3 miles that is what you are getting. Too bad that this section can't be 10 miles in length. It would easily be the best area to ride in Arkansas. That can be said about several sections at Ross or even at New Blaine. If you don't like banging your bars against trees, then you won't like this section - especially at speed. Brake sliding is the ticket here and using your throttle to control that rear wheel. The ground is good now and I hope it holds up after several rows of bikes go through it. Saturday it was a little dusty through and I got lost twice, but that didn't take away the fun factor as Charlie and I attack the section right away. I don't think I got out of third until the open field area! Mostly second and third work. Better have good brakes too.
Not to take away from the test section, but after you finish it you come out onto the motocross track; which, Steve Bond has done an excellent job in setting up. I'm not a good motocross rider, but this one is fun. About like the test section before it without the trees! No kidding. It is pretty tight as well.
So as one can tell it is hard to say which section is a clear winner. They each have their own personality and character. I tell you what let's do, after the event we can get together either here as a forum or at the ADR meeting Tuesday after the event and vote on the best test section. That should be fun to see what others think about these sections. Might even have a little vote from the contestants to see what they thought. Should be a fun event and I hope the weather is as good as it was this past week.
