By Lyndsie Ferrell
SOUTH FORK— The Third Annual Shady Burro Enduro is gearing up to hit South Fork next weekend on Aug. 10. The enduro has had huge success in the area, with 300 riders coming from around the globe to race along the 1,500 miles of open trail that connect in the South Fork area.
This year’s event is expected to be just as successful as the last two. Event coordinator Scott Bright has been working to create a unique, old school dirt bike race that is sure to knock the socks off of participants.
Bright and his small group of volunteers have spent the last several weeks preparing for the event by clearing trails and creating a course that will adhere to old school dirt bike tracks. Bright works closely with the Rio Grande National Forest for the event, abiding by rules and regulations to make sure that the event is beneficial not only to the surrounding towns, but to the forests as well.
“When we went out on the trails for the first time in a year, it was great to see that you couldn’t even tell that an event of this magnitude had taken place. You have to look really hard to see the impacts from last year’s event and that is what we want. We work very closely with the Forest Service to ensure that the trails remain as untouched as possible and have spent the last eight weeks clearing them of debris and opening them up for this year,” explained Bright.
Due to the high recognition for the past two events, Bright stated that riders have been biting at the bit to get a spot for this year. “We received so much positive feedback from the riders over the last two years, we filled our registry with no problems this year. We are excited to be able to offer this event in the South Fork area and hope that the impacts will be wide reaching for many years to come,” stated Bright.
One of the main goals for Bright and his crew is to not only offer an excellent course for their riders, but to help boost the economy in the areas where the races are held. “We want to help stimulate the community while we are here. Once we moved the campsite to the Rhythms on the Rio field, it brought the riders closer to town so they could utilize sources such as restaurants and stores easier. It worked out great not only for the riders, but the town as well.”
 The event will take place on the north side of Highway 160 and though the course is kept as secret as possible from the participating riders, Bright did confirm that the course runs through Ground Hog Park as well as up Bear and Alder Creek trails systems. “We don’t mind if people come out and watch the race as long as they stay to the side of the trails. We keep the course as secret as possible for the riders who will be participating; its part of the experience,” explained Bright.
The event starts Friday, Aug. 10 with the arrival of the riders and the actual race begins Saturday, August 11.