Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Stumpjumpers race brings thousands
Poker run contestants park their bikes after testing out the course during a rainy, muddy day in Irby Friday, April 5.
Desert 100 attendees keep warm by the campfire while waiting to register for the race in Irby Friday, April 5.
IRBY-The Annual Stumpjumpers Desert 100 brings thousands of riders, family members, spectators and pets from around the country to the scabland fields seven miles west of Odessa, and this year's 52nd iteration was no different.
By Friday morning, hundreds of RVs lined the Irby fields, with no end in sight. Folks stood in line for registration, to buy t-shirts and to mingle with other campers despite pouring rain, blowing winds and sopping mud.
Tommy Larm of Vancouver brought his son Whelin for his third Desert 100. Larm, who has been riding motocross for most of his life, said comradery returns him to Irby each year.
"It's super fun people," Larm said.
Longtime Desert 100 rider Josh Peters of Puyallup brought his family, including his mother Julie Cooley of Kalama. The family pulled into their campsite early Wednesday, April 3 to beat the crowds.
"I've been coming since about '08," Peters said. "IT's fun to come out here and hit the trail. We also sell goggles."
Matt Jacobsen of Enumclaw brought his 10-year-old son to his first Desert 100.
"Hopefully, we're making it a yearly tradition," Jacobsen said.
Jacobsen heard about the race from his friend Kyle Buck of Arlington, who was in his third year at Desert 100. Buck didn't seem to mind the rain as much as most, noting it could help settle dust levels, but acknowledged a muddy race could be in store.
"It's a fun community event," Buck, who brought his wife Sharlette and 10-year-old daughter Emily along for the ride.
Joel Anglin, meanwhile, drove 34 hours from central Illinois to join his friend Aaron Rogers of Bremerton for the duo's second Desert 100. Their friend, Steven Lemus of Silverdale, tagged along to offer his support.
Anglin and Rogers said they've only competed in the Desert 100 but ride their dirt bikes frequently. Lemus has just begun to dirt bike himself, so he refrained from this year's 100 to, as he put it, avoid "killing himself."
Tom and Amanda Sullivan of Snohomish brought their son, Thomas, from the West Side to compete in his first Poker Run Saturday, April 6. Thomas began riding last year, his father said.
Another first-year rider was Dan Fowler of Spanaway, who joined his friend Paul Welsh of Lake Tapps. Welsh said he used to ride the Mattawa 100, but is visiting the Odessa iteration for the first time.
And Eric Pink, Jordan Malone and Nicole Coleman of Aberdeen joined Daniel Lillie of Lacey and Mark Lillie of Hoquiam for their fourth year of Desert 100 action.
"It's a one-of-a-kind uniqueness (that) kind of starts the season," Malone said. "It's a way different terrain than where we're from. It's a blast, the best version of riding there is."
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
Reader Comments(0)