Desert 100
 Longstanding
event continues without skipping a beat
With winter now over you can put away your "On Any Sunday"
VHS tapes, your "Crusty’s" DVDs and your "Motocross Madness" video games. It’s
time to get back in the dirt and have some fun.
It’s no secret that since 1970 The Stumpjumpers
motorcycle club has hosted two fun filled days of off-road and dual sport
riding, with the main event being the Desert 100.
In October of 2002 the club was notified that the land
they had used for numerous years near Vantage, just off I-90, would not be
available for their pleasure anymore, instead the area was set to be covered
with bio-solids, something you don’t want to ride your motorcycle through.
A member of the club read an article about a ranch further east, who was looking to provide their
property for
recreational events. A letter was sent, a deal was struck and the Desert 100
goes on without skipping a beat.
The weekend has evolved over the years and now it’s jam
packed with fun for the whole family. There are five events that happen. They
are a Dual Sport Ride, Family Poker Run (just 50 miles), an Ironman Poker Run
(80 miles) a Mini’s Race for the youngsters (11 and under) and the main event on
Sunday – The Desert 100.
The Desert 100 race consists of just that – 100 miles
through the desert. Specific to the race, your bike must have an ORV tag and a
spark arrestor to compete. Due to land management rules, no quads or three
wheelers may participate.
There are separate entry fees for each event ranging from
$20 to $30 and all participants will take home commemorative shirts and goodies
from the sponsoring dealers and maybe even some cash prizes for placing or
winning!
Each year more than 1,500 riders compete. Over the years
the event has been known to get rained out so it’s a good idea to check the
weather prior to heading out.
Spectators may gather at the start and finish lines to
root the competitors on. And just what might a spectator do during the 3-6 hours
in between start and finish? You could begin by exploring the town of Odessa,
but there are hundreds of miles of paved back roads to be enjoyed, so whether
you ride a cruiser, touring bike or sport machine, you’re in for some great
riding. A good road atlas such as the Gazetteer put out by Delorme is highly
recommended.
Dry camping (no fresh water) is available onsite at the
event free of charge and there are nearby accommodations in Moses Lake and
Euphrata for those of you who have had your lifetime fill of sleeping on the
ground.
The event occurs in April. For the date of this year’s event visit the
Sound RIDER!
calendar.
For more information about the Stumpjumpers visit
http://www.stumpjumpers.org
TM/Spring03
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