Colorado Valley Dirt Riders vs. Two Rivers

[RenoPowers]

So I'm in my 30's, just getting into the off road moto stuff. I'm no racer. I have no background in it. Just street bikes and riding dirt bikes around the pasture when I was a kid. But I'd really like to get out and get started making laps on a motocross track though. Maybe by the end of the year I'd like to do some low stress beginner races.

I'm sure over the summer I'll get out to both of these places and develop an opinion of my own, but maybe you guys could start me in one direction or the other? What are the pros and cons of each track? Is one geared toward beginners vs experienced riders? Which one has hot chicks wondering around ?

I appreciate the input. And if anyone is interested in taking on a 30 something future motocross prodigy, we'll I'm sure they are out there ... however if you're interested in inviting a complete noob out, I'd love to tag along and learn a little.

Thanks,

-r

[RedRider31]

Berthoud is better, to me. Haven't been to Two Rivers in awhile, but it was hard for me as a beginner because some of the jumps didn't have much of a run up to them out of the corners.

On an open practice day, no chicks around.

You could try both in a day. There like 10 minutes from each other.

I'm out of commission for awhile, but otherwise I'd be more than happy to show you around.

[MAZIN]

Yea IMI and Berthoud are real close to eachother, I like berthoud but the cost is kind of a pian ($30 for a card and entrance fee), IMI is cool and cheap but they dont groom as often and never seem to touch the beginner track at all. Watkins is coo but I haven't been thier in years and the on I really wanna check out is Pawnee Cycle Club, thier track looks great for beginners. GL and welcome to Colorado's dirty side!?

[Towelie]

I love Two Rivers, but most jumps out there are not really beginner jumps, the other down side is they are only open at select times and when they are every RMXA racer is there and its packed, sometimes they break it into practice groups, but its still pretty busy. Berthoud is good for a beginner, it sucks when its dry but when they are prepping I like it, however they have no idea how to build jumps and they do not maintain the jumps either. But with that said the jumps are still all doable.

IMI is great on Sat or Sun, but I find that new section with the hills BORING. Watkins is an excellent track to learn at, but they seem to prep next to never and a lot of it has to do with how down business is for them but thats because they dont do anything but again its because not enough people are spending money there. Watkins is best in spring and fall, way to dry in the summer no matter how much they water and like concrete in the winter. Thunder Valley is still my favorite track and riding it will make you a better rider in my opinion. Everyone is scared of TV at first but its a great track, I suggest week days or wait till after lunch on the weekends, it thins out after 1-2 and you wont be ran over or intimidated by the fast riders.

[Hit_the_set]

I love Two Rivers, but most jumps out there are not really beginner jumps, the other down side is they are only open at select times and when they are every RMXA racer is there and its packed, sometimes they break it into practice groups, but its still pretty busy. Berthoud is good for a beginner, it sucks when its dry but when they are prepping I like it, however they have no idea how to build jumps and they do not maintain the jumps either. But with that said the jumps are still all doable.

IMI is great on Sat or Sun, but I find that new section with the hills BORING. Watkins is an excellent track to learn at, but they seem to prep next to never and a lot of it has to do with how down business is for them but thats because they dont do anything but again its because not enough people are spending money there. Watkins is best in spring and fall, way to dry in the summer no matter how much they water and like concrete in the winter. Thunder Valley is still my favorite track and riding it will make you a better rider in my opinion. Everyone is scared of TV at first but its a great track, I suggest week days or wait till after lunch on the weekends, it thins out after 1-2 and you wont be ran over or intimidated by the fast riders.

This is right on. ?

When comparing the two tracks for beginners i would say VDR would be your best choice because. It's open all the time and that makes it easy to make it there when not a lot guys are out there so you can spend time getting comfortable. Friday nights out there are typically a ghost town and a great time to learn the track and get more comfortable.

[Towelie]

Oh, I also will add: when do you race, DO NOT RACE beginner! Race the 30+ C class, it is much safer. Too many kids thinking they are going to make their career in the open beginner and they are not worried about showing up for work on Monday. I would meet up with you but I can't ride till Dec, possibly Nov but I am not going to push it, cant afford this crap again....

[RenoPowers]

30+ C ... that's what I'm looking for! I dont want to hold up those 14, 16 and 18 year old future superstars. I want to rub elbows with my tax guy, or my IT guy. Someone who's got a mortgage and some sense! haha.

[mjskier]

I like berthoud but the cost is kind of a pian ($30 for a card and entrance fee)

Just to make sure, since it might not be obvious, the cost of the card ($15) is a once a year deal. 2river also has a yearly membership fee, and so does Watkins.

[RenoPowers]

So this can't be a secret, VDR has the worst website of all time. The information is scattered from 2004 to 2011. The race schedules are a mix of '09 and '10. The link for the mile oval track takes you to a site where I have won an iPod or iPad...lucky me. But the site won't let you navigate away from it. Awesome.

In todays day and age ... you can have a reasonable amount of information on the web for cheep and without knowing much about it. Wow... just crazy.

So it look like a season pass (at least for 2010) is $480. That's 32 days. I'm betting I don't even get close to that. So the day pass would be the deal for me.

VDR also seems to have a lot of "other" area to ride. I think that would be good for me to get out on and get comfortable on my bike.

That said, Two Rivers doesn't seem to have any web presence. COME ON!!! So I don't know what they have, what it cost, when any racing would be. Lame...

People keep saying this place is not open consistently. What is the deal with that? Ownership just can't afford to keep it open all the time or what?

Watkins is a bit of a drive for me, but doable. The information online for those guys is slightly better, but still lacking. Seems like basically the same cost as VDR, +$5 more for the membership. I didn't see a year long membership.

If anyone knows the owners of these places, I will gladly trade track time for web development.?

-r

[Hit_the_set]

Two rivers is only open wednesdays after 4 i think and sundays after noon. There is no guarantee that they will be open those days but they typically are. The reason they have the strange hours is because of there proximity to the town and local ordinances.

[RenoPowers]

Makes sense i guess. They need to get someone on the town council!

[Towelie]

So this can't be a secret, VDR has the worst website of all time. The information is scattered from 2004 to 2011. The race schedules are a mix of '09 and '10. The link for the mile oval track takes you to a site where I have won an iPod or iPad...lucky me. But the site won't let you navigate away from it. Awesome.

In todays day and age ... you can have a reasonable amount of information on the web for cheep and without knowing much about it. Wow... just crazy.

So it look like a season pass (at least for 2010) is $480. That's 32 days. I'm betting I don't even get close to that. So the day pass would be the deal for me.

VDR also seems to have a lot of "other" area to ride. I think that would be good for me to get out on and get comfortable on my bike.

That said, Two Rivers doesn't seem to have any web presence. COME ON!!! So I don't know what they have, what it cost, when any racing would be. Lame...

People keep saying this place is not open consistently. What is the deal with that? Ownership just can't afford to keep it open all the time or what?

Watkins is a bit of a drive for me, but doable. The information online for those guys is slightly better, but still lacking. Seems like basically the same cost as VDR, +$5 more for the membership. I didn't see a year long membership.

If anyone knows the owners of these places, I will gladly trade track time for web development.?

-r

Yep, the websites are lacking. Watkins is 20 for a year membership, then 15 everytime you ride. Berthoud is 15 for membership, 15 to ride. You only pay the membership once. IMI or Erie has no membership and isnt the best but has lots of open space to ride, really good tacky dirt when they prep, they have just screwed up that track if you ask me. Just head out to Berthoud, the place is huge, has two big tracks, a small supercross track that is dangerous but still fun to jump some of it. Not sure they care about their web presence though as those sites havnt changed in years

[cjmx]

So this can't be a secret, VDR has the worst website of all time. The information is scattered from 2004 to 2011. The race schedules are a mix of '09 and '10. The link for the mile oval track takes you to a site where I have won an iPod or iPad...lucky me. But the site won't let you navigate away from it. Awesome.

In todays day and age ... you can have a reasonable amount of information on the web for cheep and without knowing much about it. Wow... just crazy.

So it look like a season pass (at least for 2010) is $480. That's 32 days. I'm betting I don't even get close to that. So the day pass would be the deal for me.

VDR also seems to have a lot of "other" area to ride. I think that would be good for me to get out on and get comfortable on my bike.

That said, Two Rivers doesn't seem to have any web presence. COME ON!!! So I don't know what they have, what it cost, when any racing would be. Lame...

People keep saying this place is not open consistently. What is the deal with that? Ownership just can't afford to keep it open all the time or what?

Watkins is a bit of a drive for me, but doable. The information online for those guys is slightly better, but still lacking. Seems like basically the same cost as VDR, +$5 more for the membership. I didn't see a year long membership.

If anyone knows the owners of these places, I will gladly trade track time for web development.?

-r

Milliken is on facebook http://www.facebook.com/TwoRiversRacing and updates their site often. It has their race schedule and hotline phone number. As for berthoud their race schedule is posted on the local race sites

srac.org and rmxa.org. They also hand out flyers with their vet series and hare scramble schedules and post it on their website. Pete and Terry manage VDR. They are both on this site.

Now here is my opinion on the tracks. VDR is too wide open and has too many long straights. It is way too easy to go fast there. It would be a lot more fun if they added some more turns, tilled the track deeper, and watered more. It would be nice if there was some ruts to ride. Usually no ruts because of the quads on the weekend. Which is fine, but it would still be more fun if they added some turns and changed the track more often. Race days are a lot better because the water a ton and they track gets rough. The Vet series is a blast and makes for an awesome Sat of racing.

Milliken does a good job of prepping and watering. It's a lot of fun to ride. No quads there and usually ruts up nice.

IMI has been improving their track a lot. They water more and have continually been making changes. I see the effort and the track has come a long way in the past few years.

Thunder Valley is my favorite track by far. They constantly make changes and water a lot. No quads and has a ton of good ruts.

I stopped going to watkins a long time ago.

[Towelie]

IMI has been improving their track a lot. They water more and have continually been making changes. I see the effort and the track has come a long way in the past few years.

Thunder Valley is my favorite track by far. They constantly make changes and water a lot. No quads and has a ton of good ruts.

I stopped going to watkins a long time ago.

I guess IMI did have bad dirt, but I LOVED the old layout, it was fun, a little more supercross like and different. When they put the new dirt down and watered it was by far one of my fav tracks. I have not been out there in the last 5 months but I heard they made some good changes, cant wait to get back out.

TV is the best hands down, which is funny considering what it used to be.

Watkins is like an abusive cheating ex, I keep going to hook up with once in a while but say I am never coming back every time.

[RenoPowers]

Not sure they care about their web presence though as those sites havnt changed in years

Well the offer still stands... I'll help develop their web presence if they'll develop my insatiable need for speed!!

Watkins is like an abusive cheating ex, I keep going to hook up with once in a while but say I am never coming back every time.

I'm strangely drawn to this place now...

Couple more weekends and I'll be moved into my new house. Once I get that task taken care of I'm ready to ride. I'm sure I'll be dropping a line on here for guys that are riding on Saturdays and Sundays!!

[RenoPowers]

I rode at VDR today and it was a blast. Maybe like 30 miles from my driveway to where I parked. Tried to ride around on as much of the stuff as I could. Man I suck...

The trails to the west are really fun. Helped me get used to turning on dirt, on a bank and in ruts. The motocross track wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong,I'm sure I set some record times for slowest lap ever, but for a forts time it was as good as I could have hoped for.

So thanks to VDR for being gentle and not making me cry during my first time.

-r

[Towelie]

I rode at VDR today and it was a blast. Maybe like 30 miles from my driveway to where I parked. Tried to ride around on as much of the stuff as I could. Man I suck...

The trails to the west are really fun. Helped me get used to turning on dirt, on a bank and in ruts. The motocross track wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong,I'm sure I set some record times for slowest lap ever, but for a forts time it was as good as I could have hoped for.

So thanks to VDR for being gentle and not making me cry during my first time.

-r

Glad you had fun! Where about are you located? If you are 30 miles south of VDR there are closer places. If you are north of there thats about it up that way. Don't worry about being fast, no one tears a track up their first time out. Sadly as your confidence grows, your speed will increase then the nasty crashes happen. But I seem to keep going back for more.

[RenoPowers]

I'm in Fort Collins. So it's like 20 something miles from exit to exit down I-25. Takes no time at all really.

I went back on Tuesday and they had tilled the corners. I ate it twice. I found it really hard to ride that stuff. I feel like that's probably what it's like for a "race day" but I don't know. I'm sure it's a practice, practice, practice thing, but it was way less fun. haha.

There were two Berthoud fire and rescue trucks out on the west side driving around the track. Kind of getting in the way. Not sure if they inspect the track or what? Just had to watch out for 'em.

[raptobob]

I am guessing they are tilling in topsoil? Dry and tilled isn't very easy to ride. If it's tilled good and watered then it's awesome! During the week is a good time to practice sections of the track if your not familiar with it.

[RenoPowers]

I can't find a good resource for understanding the different terms for track conditions. Loom and hard pack and intermediate. Hard pack kind of explains it’s self… but I need a new back tire, but I don’t really know what the VDR track is? Hard pack made sense, but when they tilled it up??

Just trying to do my research before I spend money.

Thanks!

-r