The 2017 Turn and Burn Six Hour Race

Maybe it is just me, but there seems to be a different vibe to endurance-style races like the six-hour Turn and Burn. Take, for instance, the beer hand-ups; were this a more standard XC race I don't think we would have seen Mike Arnold out there with cans of beer on offer for anyone thirsty enough to grab hold of one. One reason for the vibe may have to do the the tag-team nature of the race; anyone not racing at a particular moment can be found in the team area lining the course just downwind of the start/finish, ready to jump up and trade places and any given time. It kind of keeps everyone directly connected to what is going on.  Then, of course, there is the element of time - if you are racing (especially solo) for six hours (or eight, or twenty-four in longer events), I am not sure it is possible to race in serious-mode continuously for that amount of time. I am not saying that anyone is going to go nuts after six hours of racing, but being able to joke about things from time to time certainly lightens the mood, helps the time pass, and keeps things fresh.

None of that is saying riders were taking it easy. To the contrary, they were tearing into the course with no shame, and no regrets, same as ever. The rooster-tails of dust were just as thick, the flames licking at the trailside just as hot, the trees looked just as withered after they had raced by.

As you probably know the Turn and Burn is not a part of the Triple Crown series of late Summer into Autumn - it is more like a bridge between the first two races in the series and the grand finale, now a week away. Time to get serious again?

A taste of the photos are here, and the usual selection of, seventy-nine photos this time, can be found here.