I got beat by a girl!

[firffighter]

Did the Shelton Valley Enduro School on Saturday up in WA state. Pretty fun and would like to do some more enduros. I like the old school timekeeper aspect. After doing a couple of harescrambles, I think the enduros are cool.

Anyway, Maria Forsberg was at the event and decided to ride the course. I think she simply started after everyone had left and just rode the course instead of doing the timekeeper checks. I was on minute 9, so right up front, after 20 or so miles, I hear a thumper bearing down on me, so I get over to let the faster rider by. All I see is a flash, and FORSBERG across the butt of her pants. Well, I get the bright idea of seeing how fast she really is. I was right on her for about 3 miles! But, the problem was, I was riding way over my head and my tongue was hanging on the ground! That girl is very fast! Google her and check out her riding chops.

BTW, it was my 3rd ride on the gasser and all I can say is AWESOME! This bike is perfect for the tight, nasty singletrack we have here in the NW. It tracks amazing, yet feels light and you turn it on a dime. The suspension is the best I have ever ridden (Ohlins front and back is top notch). But, maybe the best feature is that perfect power delivery. Lug all day, give is slight twist to get up and over anything you want, and if you ride it in the higher revs, it will fly! Simple Amazing!

[jhendr3702]

i will never forget the first time that happened to me...clicking along pretty good (i thought) in an enduro.... got passed... pony tail....

did not even attempt to keep up with her.. no idea who she was, but bad fast.

glad you are enjoying the gas gas...

[dank]

i was at the monticello hare scramble in minnesota and i wasnt riding, but i was working, and i was spotting in the rock garden, and amongst the b, a, and aa class riders i see this little 105sx with what appeared to be a 14ish year old girl, and man she could ride the rocks! she's blip a little wheelie and right over she'd go! there would be guys on 250f and 450s and all sorts of other bikes that would fall right over in those rocks! i will never EVER doubt a girls talent on a bike as long as i live!

[Tim H]

You should come up and race more NMA stuff. We have the opportunity to get beat by girls a lot. Maria is just the latest in a string of fast Washington women. Carol Williams and Lori Taylor are both regular A class competitors, and are both competitive in the A class (if you get the difference). Carol worked the event (PSER member), and I don't know why Lori wasn't there (though her father WAS one of the trail bosses of the event, but she isn't a PSER herself). Anyway, both were members of the first ever all-womens 6 Days team in the early 90's, both are still fast and tough, and both keep lots of egos in check up here. You think it's bad being beat by a girl, try having your ass handed to you by a middle aged woman. After the first few times it stops stinging quite so bad.
I was riding minute 8 at Shelton, I'm surprised it didn't register that we were in the company of fellow GG riders at the start at least.

Tim H

[firffighter]

We have some very talented young ladies from here in the NW. Maria is one of them as well as Emily Raines.

I guess riding in wet, nasty, rocky, rooted, Northwest woods can pay off.

And yes, after an 85 mile weekend of singletrack that never got me out of
2nd gear, I dont miss the WR450 one bit!

I think those guys in Spain had the Northwest in mind when they made these bikes