The mid-day road ride took us on a 200 km loop in the spectacular country side, under the energetic guidance of Thomas Kuttruf, leader of the RC8 Superbike program at KTM, and some rider, let me tell you. I rode three models; a 990 Adventure, a Super Duke, and the not-available-in-Canada SMT (Super Motard Touring), a SM that has been turned into a comfortable standard, with wider seat, sit-up ergos and slightly lowered suspension. Look for a report on this machine in the coming weeks.

This is Control Station 17 where Doug Lampkin experienced troubles right before our eyes. You can see him with the rescuers, between the rocks and the grass, as an helicopter flies directly over them. Meanwhile, two riders, including Cory Graffunder (5th overall) are waiting on their bikes until the track is clear.

I always try to stay close to the leader on such rides, to benefit from their knowledge of the roads, and as an excuse to push the bike - it sure worked with Thomas, rushing from one small valley to the other across low Alpine passes, almost too much to take at the time. Back to the track for the Team supper and an early night for this old boy!

Saturday, June 13
Today is Dirt Ride day for us, or should I say Rock Ride as it turned out, something new for this ex Enduro rider from the glory days of the Bultaco Matador SD. One look at my girth and I was assigned a Husaberg 570 (Another test report coming up!), a torque monster deemed capable of dragging me up hills and out of trouble if I chickened out of the throttle. We got to ride up and down the mountain, up slopes - mild ones in my case - always on rock, with the odd detour into the woods where the KTM guides, Cyril included, were helping us with tips and demonstrations. Despres is really the devil, going up 60 degree slopes effortlessly, asking if I got the picture, then going back down and up again as long as was needed to get "The shot".

The ride used me up, and some serious relaxation was in order on Saturday night, to get ready to rush around after the racers on Sunday.

Sunday, June 14
The Erzbergrodeo is a simple concept: ride one 45km lap up and down the Erzberg (Iron Mountain). Ten rows of 50 riders start, and official time is cut off at 4 hours, while the quickest guys can do the lap in less than 2 hours. Twenty checkpoints are strewn about in the toughest spots to prevent creative short cuts, with the final track configuration set early on race day to further hinder skulduggery.

The mountain is covered with an estimated 20,000 spectators aboard bikes and cars, going from one spot to the other to follow their favourite riders. And by the way, the course crosses and runs on the spectator road several times, so that racers weave in and out of spectators, as well as cross the road at speed to take a run at an uphill. Crazy you say?

Here's a 60-degree steep, 60-meter long climb with a control station under the Red Bull arch high above. The lucky ones who got to go first generally made it to the top in their first attempt, as rocks kept rolling down the mountain. The following riders had to overcome tougher conditions, interrupt their ascension if they came across a stalled rival, get back to the base and then try again.