Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Kyle Achi of Sumner rids his 250cc KTM across the bridge over Crab Creek. He finished 20th in his class and 84th overall.
Riding in the 30-39-year-old division, Ryan Higgins of Coeur d'Alene races along the base of a basalt cliff on his KTM.
Chandler Wesson of Lynnwood pushes his motorcycle across Irby Road. The 250cc Class competitor didn't finish the race.
Racing in the 40-49-year-old division, Wes Goumaz of Cle Elum rides his Suzuki across a makeshift bridge over Crab Creek.
Izzy McCollom of Moses Lake acknowledges photographers and course marshals as she makes her way through Gate 1 in the Women's division of the 50-mile race Sunday.
IRBY - This year's start line faced north, away from State Highway 28.
On the line, racers spread out a half-mile wide, awaiting the boom of a cannon and the ensuing cloud of pink smoke.
The 921 course took competitors on a northerly route through sagebrush to a slight left-hand turn through the first gate, which was only about 50 feet wide.
Once through, they raced down an embankment to Ott Road and Crab Creek. There, racers jostled for position to cross one of two, small makeshift foot-bridges.
During the first lap of the Desert 100, with hundreds of motorcycles reaching the bridges just minutes apart, racers bottlenecked, each trying to get across the bridge before the other.
Racers were not allowed to race through the creek, even though the crossing was shallow and had an accessible approach.
After crossing, racers weaved their way along the base of rocky palisades of basalt before circling up the ridge and looping back toward the start and west toward Irby Road.
At the road, course marshals and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office personnel directed traffic while riders dismounted and ran across before remounting.
Racers in the 100-mile event made two laps on the course. At the halfway point back near the start line, fans, supporters and pit crews awaited.
Before a cheering crowd, racers refueled, changed tires, briefly stretched and grabbed a cool beverage before repeating the course.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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