Twili wiligght Fa Farm rmss Round Four: AHRMA Mid-Atlantic Cross-Country, May 23rd, 2021 words by Joshua Schucker // photos by Becky Schreckengost
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few miles west of the wide Susquehanna River, and just below the town of Airville, PA, sits the property of Kirk Roycroft. Known as Twilight Farms, this would be the third time Kirk welcomed AHRMA’s Mid Atlantic Cross-Country series to his collection of hills and valleys. Already garnering a reputation as one of the tougher courses on the circuit, this year’s iteration would prove to be no different. After some tweaking following the inaugural event, the course had been dialed in nicely by year two. This year’s course would essentially follow last year’s with some minor variations. After some minor course work and final approval by local hotshot, and perennial top-ten finisher, Brett Reichart, the 3.5-mile course was ready for action in 2021. As stated earlier, it is challenging, but it sure is fun too. Certainly, a return to its former springtime spot on the schedule would remove the additional challenge presented last year, as the rescheduled event suffered from the heat and humidity of mid-summer. But, after the wacky weather of the previous round two weeks prior, where temperatures dropped into the low 30s and rain turned to snow, Mother Nature was not prepared to quit tossing wild cards on the table. Just as the course followed a similar path as 2020, so too did the weather. Despite the calendar stating late May, the thermometer registered solidly in the 90s. So much for avoiding the heat this year! In one of the few variations from last year, the tight starting area grew a bit larger and moved a bit further north to make way for some new construction at the site. The beautiful,
partially completed, barn would house the excellent ownerprovided concessions on this day, and would play host to the, by-now, Mr. and Mrs. Roycroft’s nuptials shortly after the race weekend. Congratulations! The newly opened starting area resides on the higher elevations of the property and is a bit unique. Laid out like bumpers in a pinball machine, multiple trees remained in the main path. Obviously, with safety being a primary concern, each tree was cushioned by hay bales and conspicuously marked. After dodging the trees, the course entered the western part of the property, which is dominated by flowing two-track following the rolling terrain, with an entertaining grass track section part way through before a return to the woods. A quick trip through the scoring tent and on to the eastern portion of the course where things change quite dramatically as the course crosses a creek and ascends a substantial hillside through a variety of roots, rocks, and single-track. Once atop the hill, the course becomes rather rock-strewn as it zigzags through some ATV width paths before hitting off camber single-track leading to a long rocky downhill return to the valley below. A bit of gnarly rock garden ends with a run back through the creek and into the distinct terrain of the northern bit. Ascending yet again, this time starting on a dirt road laden with glimmering mica-infused rocks. A couple short and steep climbs, often a site of potential traffic, follow one another as the trail enters the woods for a final set of switch-back single-track that meanders its way up in elevation in a return to the starting area to begin
Race 3 start
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AUGUST 2021
