To the Course
State Highway 305 begins as main street with a 25 mph speed limit in "downtown" Battle Mountain.  It hops over I-80 just past the Super8 motel, the event headquarters the past two years.  Continuing further on, you pass over some cattle gates across the road, and then you can press the accelerator. Miners and other traffic are usually heading into town for the evening. Past the last outposts of Battle Mountain (urban sprawl) and around some foothills, the road opens into a beautiful valley with mountains far off in the distance on either side of you.

More than once you think you've arrived on the straight stretch of road that marks the course, but it's not. After a while, you see a pyramid shaped foothill on your left as youíre driving. You descend towards it on a long sweeping turn. Then the road drops off straight as an arrow in front of you for at least 7 miles.

Further along this straight stretch, the color of the road changes to a deep black with the recent top coating. Here is absolutely the best road (currently) in the world for high-speed racing.  With the dry air and calmness of the mountains, and the fantastic colors and lighting of the late afternoon sun, it's almost mystical.  Each year, I still feel a tingle of excitement when seeing the course.

Both of these areas are a bustle of activity during the event.  A bus is provided by the town for shuttling spectators and people back and forth.  Townspeople can park here and be picked up.  Chase crews pull in to this spot after their rider's runs.  Camera crews are usually running around.  The volunteer "catchers" stand near the highway, wearing bright orange reflective vests. 

But the adventure has only just begun.  From here you can drive another 3⁄4 of a mile up the road, past some metal guardrails which are lined by dozens of hay bales.  This takes you to the "timing area," which includes the finish line, 200 meter timing trap and the spectator bleacher, which can accomodate maybe 20 people.

The timing area is where the IHPVA's "space scientists" hang out, literally. Some of these guys like Bill Gaines work on satellites.  Bill is the official IHPVA records keeper.  Paul Gracey has a large assortment of timing gear to set up, with official wind measuring equipment cameras.  A few volunteers, including Tom Novak this year and myself last year, help them.  Down another 200 meters on your left you'll find Garrie Hill camped out with his own DeciMach timing equipment and wind measuring equipment and one or two volunteers. 

As you drive up the course, you come across areas known as Ranch Road 2 (a kilometer from the timing traps), Mid-course and Ranch Road 1 (a mile from the start).  A few people are camped out at these spots, equipped with walkie-talkies and orange vests to inform everyone of a rider's progress down the course.  Their big job is to block the few surprised "locals" from entering the course at the ranch roads and provide feedback in case of emergencies.

An ambulance parks at one of these positions usually.  No one wants to hear "rider has crashed," but there's several of these every year, as the spectators and everyone else down the course waits.  The next team, if already speeding down on the course, may have to go around the rider or be signaled by their chase car pulling in front of them or a flare from the downed team warning them to stop or pull over.

The final stop is the start area about 6 miles past the parking /catch area. It's hot and sunny here, with no shade.  The only cover is canopies off the side of the campers or vans or behind one of the big gravel piles, which double as a "pee stop" for everyone. The riders are busy warming up on their stationary bikes. Camera crews are also running about filming.  Everyone is carrying vehicles out to the highway to await their spot in the pre-arranged lineup.

Chase cars make their way to the edge of the gravel lot there, ready to take off as soon as the rider takes off.  A little ways up the road is another NDOT crew ,blocking traffic coming north during the races.  This year Chris Broome was the starter. 

The starts are always nervous, with some bikes falling down and the teams' "launchers" trying to keep the bikes upright as they get started.  Tanya Markham, just 18 or 19, has earned a reputation as being a pro at launching bikes the past two years, including her father Fred's Varna.  A steady hand atop the bike is really all that's needed.  With very limited steering these bikes are prone to falling over at slow speeds.  Suffice it to say, most can't be launched on their first attempt.  The catch job is easier.