Lots of folks on the known attendees Spodelist, now. Click on the link above to see them all. Let me know if you want your email address on that page and I'll add it.
I've updated the directions page and I think it's complete. I even have GPS coordinates for the WRM camp area.
Well, here we go again. The 5th annual Wudi ride will be held at White Rock Mt (WRM), Ark. See below for directions. We will start the festivities on the first weekend in March this year to avoid a conflict with a National Enduro and a WORCS race in that area. Sorry if this messes some folks up as I understand the first weekend in March is also Bike Week in FL.
This year's plan is much like former years and is basically last year in reverse. Not many folks made it to WRM after Chadwick last year, though, so it should be something new or different for most of ya'll. After the weekend at WRM, we'll move up to Chadwick, MO, aka "The Rock", and have Stewart "Two Toes Gone" Hall guide us around on all the awesome single track there for a few days during the week.
See the link at the bottom of the page to the Wudi IV ride to see my report and pictures from last year about both of these riding areas.
Email me, link at the bottom of the page, if you want to get on my e-mailing list for this event.
So just what is annual WARM WUDI ride? Good question! It stands for the annual WUDsracer Invitational. It happens each year in February to let us northern types get some winter riding in. The only riding we get to do at that time of year is on snowmobiles up here in Minnesota. It's only open to whomever, oops, that's all ya'lls who can come so it's not much of an invitational, actually. Please pass the word on. The more, the merrier.
These events started when Jim Cook extended an invitation to my Yankee self and friends to come down south and ride. He's since come to regret the offer but he's too much of a gentleman to turn me down when I come begging each winter. It's grown from there into whatever it is now. This is NOT a full blown spodefest. However, there is some MX available in the Branson/Chadwick area but I don't have any details about that.
I am going to try and round up some sponsors this year, too. Well, besides Jim who's been sponsoring this ride since '99.
Here're link's to the trail map and legend of the WRM riding area, thanks to Wade Wassinger.
I'll be traveling down in the RV again for this trip. It's the fun way to stay as you can just kick your boots off at the end of the ride and fall asleep around the campfire. For anyone not camping, here's some accommodation info for the Chadwick/Branson area.
Weather:
The first 3 Feb trips I've made have all been pleasant, at least for us northern types. NORMALLY, it might get into the low 30's at night but usually it is warmer than that. We've seen some rim ice on puddles in the morning from time to time but that's not usual and it's only in the lower ATV trails. It gets up into the 50's to upper 60's during the day generally, which is perfect riding weather to me. I've seen it much warmer and somewhat cooler. The rocks never seem to get any ice on them, which is good.
As you may have seen and read from last year's Wudi website, it got quite cold and nasty at WRM after the Chadwick weekend. No one stuck around to see it except for Steve V, Pat Hawkins and me but it was nippy even for us Yankee types. They had record lows at least one of the nights. A full propane tank in the RV got us through it, though, and we still had some good rides. Hopefully, that kind of weather won't happen again.
I'll be traveling down in the RV again for this trip. It's the fun way to stay as you can just kick your boots off at the end of the ride and fall asleep around the campfire. For anyone not camping, here's some accommodation info for the Chadwick/Branson area.
Stewart Hall will be the local trail ride guru at Chadwick. Stewart's club maintains trails, sets up the HS and Enduro held at Chadwick and rides there often. He's a great guy and a hotshoe. He's won his class in HS and Enduro in past years and is an A rider. Stewart ran into a nasty rock at Chadwick in April '00 and ended up loosing two toes out of the deal.
He's back in the saddle now and riding well. He's got a great attitude about the whole incident as evidenced by his new email address of two_toes_gone! Check out the pictures from last years ride to see him taking special care of the offending rock. :-)
I (John Brunsgaard) have ridden at Chadwick several times now. Chadwick has a well developed and marked
trail system. It's very rocky (Stewart calls it 'The Rock'!) but not like boulders or anything. Mostly
planted flat rocks with a lot of loose rock in some areas. I love riding down there but it's hard on tubes
and tires. Make sure you get thick tubes from Jim.
Speaking of which, it's time to plug our sponsor and namesake. Jim, for those of you who don't know, owns Smackover Motorsports in scenic Smackover, Ark. Click on his name or picture above to link to his website. He sells GasGas dirtbikes. Jim can get you almost any part for whatever bike you ride for great prices. If you have him deliver it to the ride you will not have to pay shipping or sales tax.
Anyway, he's a great guy who will give you the shirt off his back. I've ridden with several times now and I even
rode with him at his beloved (for good reason, too) Breezy Hills riding area near Alexandria, LA over Thanksgiving in '00.
Mike Kruger may be at the ride as well this year. He's the manager of Cycle Zone KTM in Topeka, KS. So for you KTM guys, he'd be able to bring you parts if you let him know in advance. Here's his website: http://www.cyclezonektm.com
Chadwick requires a permit to ride. They may be purchased in the town of Chadwick. Spark arrestors are
also required at Chadwick. Permits for Chadwick are $5 per day and $35 per year, or at least that's what they were last year.
I talked to Jim at length about tubes and tires. He recommends going with the Dunlop 756 front/Michelin S12 rear combo that he loves so much. I have the same setup on my bike right now so I may go with it, too. Other tires he recommended are a Dunlop 755 front, a new Michelin M12 rear, or a 6 ply Vee Rubber that he sells. He tried a Michelin H12 last year but I never heard how he liked that. I've used the stock rear tire from my KTM's twice and have been very happy with them in the rocks. It's a Brigestone M77 or 78.
You should run heavy tubes in both tires. Moose Super Tubes are very good tubes and Jim sells them. Give him a call at 870-725-3966 to place your orders. Again, click on his picture at the top of this page to go to his web site. Click here to go to the 2002 WUDI IV web page
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