Alberta Dirt Riders Hare scramble / XC

[mb1]

Has anyone been to one of these races either as a racer or spectator? I would like to check it out and possibly try a race once I get a little more seat time on the EXC. I would be in beginner or whatever. I'd like to go and see one to get a feel for how hard these guys go. I don't really want to do it if people are real serious about it. I still have to go to work and pay bills, etc. Not much fun either if there are some sandbaggers whooping arse in the easy classes.

Also what is the diff between HS and XC?

[winterax]

I've been doing the cross country & hare scrambles since about 1982 in Alberta & B.C. The cross countries got really ignorant in the late eighties and I stopped doing them, they were next to impossible to finish at times. I started again with the hare scrambles about 5-7 years ago, raced the Vet Junior class and now am in the Super vet ( 49+ years old ). Theres a couple of serious guys, but just about all the guys will stop to help if your stuck, or will stop to ask if your're ok if your're taking a breather on the trail.
A hare scrambles is 2 hours long and 10 to 30 KMs long. You do a loop always coming back to the pits , so if you get bagged you know whats ahead of you. A cross country is a longer loop 4-6 hours long. You don't come back to a common spot and a lot of the time they spot your fuel can for you. What I don't like about the cross countries is that you don't know what's ahead so if your're tired, it can turn into a really long day.
They usually have the kids races the day before, so its fun being a "chase " rider for my youngest son, or being his pit crew. There's a hare scrambles coming up in Busby at the end of the month, the last 2 times I've been there its been really good, all on private land. I think you can still buy a CMRC day license so if you don't like it it won't totally kill the wallet.
Just remember to pace yourself and take your time to think through some of the sections. A lot of the time there's an easy line around stuck riders or some obstacle, you just have to look for it.

[elephant rider]

i'm a vet jr. went in the big kahuna @ whispering pines in kamloops, had a blast!! good idea to not let a younger rider convince you to booney bash for too long !!!!! the race was april 5th this year, if you want everything; this babay has it all!!! mx/harescramble make a point to hit it next year!!!!!!! OH YA!!!!