Dual Sport Perfection

Nevada County Woods Riders (NCWR) held their annual fund raising event this year this past weekend at the Skillman campgrounds in Nevada County, which is located about 20 miles above Nevada City CA. Dry camping was available and I’d estimate over half the camp sites were full and by Saturday morning the entire campground was full.

Because of all the snow this year’s event was limited on the amount of single track available do to fallen trees and huge snow drifts still covering a lot of the trails. Skillman is just below the 5000 ft altitude marker, so most of the trail system is above 5000 feet. In past years the event typically started out with the first forty miles single track, then back to camp for lunch then an 80 mile loop consisting of as many dirt roads and two tracks as possible. The second loop doesn’t need any alternate routes

This year’s event was sold out with 140 entrants and started with a 97 mile loop with as many dirt roads and two tracks as possible. After having to postpone the event a few times because of the weather, the weather this past weekend couldn’t have been better. Finishing the loop back at camp for a BBQ lunch provided by the club was waiting; those who wanted to participate in the raffle had to buy their tickets before they left on the 97 mile loop. Because when they got back to camp for lunch the club volunteers had pulled the winning number’s bagged their prizes along with a 2023 Dual Sport T-shirt and other goodies they put the rider’s numbers on the bags so all they had to do was stop by the tables and pick up their goodies. And it turned out the club had enough swag to give out to all the riders, thanks to the very generous donations from the manufactures and motorcycle shops that help support the club. After lunch for those who hadn’t had enough riding could ride a 26 mile loop of single track

Some side notes, two weeks before the event, Skillman Campground had about four feet of snow covering the open areas. One of the members brought in his bob cat to clear the open areas of snow. There were thirty NCWR’s club members and five club members from the local equestrian club (Skillman Campground is a popular campground used by equestrian clubs) volunteered their time to clean up the campground of branches, twigs and stuff to help get it ready for the event.

I’ve said this before and it bears repeating, one of the things that makes this club so special is the willingness of its members to give back by volunteering their time to something they know to be worthwhile

Everyone I talked with had smiles on their faces when asked how the ride was.

It’s very rewarding and comforting to see a large group of like minded people show up for one purpose, to help put on an event like this and to be able to enjoy being part of an event like this doing something they all love doing riding their motorcycles.  

A reminder, this can happen to any of us any time we ride, two of the riders who were riding together collided and one of them sustained major injuries and is as of this writing is still in the hospital, we all wish him well.

Doug 21J