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NORA’s Monkey Butt Hybrid ISDE: Rocks, Rocks, and more Rocks! The race was held in the Millican OHV area managed by USFS in Central Oregon. The place is famous for high speed, gentle terrain, and rocks of every kind. The race was a qualifier-style race with a start time set up for riders in sets of three, check points, and special tests. But after that, it more resembled an open desert race where some folks poked along and others ripped through the course like there was no tomorrow. I had an early start time that put me in front of many open and 30 experts so I maintained a strategy of keeping the bike moving at a high rate of speed while not wasting energy. If anyone was going to pass me, it’s because the were hauling the mail and would most likely be a faster rider than me, so I wouldn’t be held up in a special test. As it turns out, I was not passed by anyone all race. The leg from the start to the first test was 17 miles so the racers got well spread out and dust, which was plentiful, was not an issue. Immediately into the first test there were whoops in turns and whether straight or curved, the course was rocky – gnarly rocky. Not fun. It was clear to me the race would be decided by those with their suspension set up for these conditions. I quickly backed out my fork compression adjusters and found my happy place a half turn from by starting point. Everything went well for me in the tests and the transfer sections. The Goldentyres held well and the suspension kept them on the ground. No bucking, no kicking side to side, no bottom-out clanking in the front. I had bumped the C/S sprocket up 1 tooth and the rear down a tooth so I really had that freeway speed most of the time. Bike was just ripping. No looking back! Then I got to the last special test and the volunteer reco