Fun in
the Sun Shines Again at Promise Ranch
Fun in the Sun at Promise Ranch in Florida is always a highlight of Bike Week, and this year's event, held February 28 and March 1, was no exception. Rain rolled in on Friday, followed by heavy fog Saturday morning, creating slick conditions that challenged riders right from the start. Wet rocks on Saturday led to slightly higher scores than those posted on Sunday, but the damp terrain didn't slow down Josh Roper, who delivered an impressive 1-point day. By midday, the course began to dry, setting the stage for a great youth event after the main competition wrapped up.
Sunday brought considerably drier conditions, and the scores reflected the improvement. Sunday also brought out Alex Niederer to enjoy some well-earned time away from work. Both Josh Roper and Alex Niederer rode flawless, clean days. After finishing their final section, they tracked me down on the loop with the obvious question: how do we break the tie? The answer came quickly Ride off! Few things excite a crowd like a Champ class ride off.
I headed to Section one and made two key modifications to elevate the difficulty to near National Pro Class levels, though with only two major obstacles. With the main event still underway, the goal was simple: create a decisive challenge without overhauling the entire section.
The revised section required riders to approach a large rock from the side, climbing a narrow but tall step onto a platform long enough to settle on but too narrow to allow a full 90-degree turn. That turn was essential, as the line crossed a gap and climbed a sloped rock to the top of a small hill. From there, riders would descend partway, then turn left while navigating several angled rock steps. As expected, the pros quickly spotted a sneak option: jumping the gap directly from top to top. We checked the marker placement beneath the rock and decided to leave the section as is. The jump would thrill the crowd, and the first rock would still separate the riders.
To determine who rode first, I picked a number between 0 and 9 and landed on seven. I asked each rider for the last digit of their SSN. Josh was closest and chose to ride second. We agreed on a simple format: lowest score out of three rides.
The
Ride Off:
First Attempts
Alex led off, attacking the rock face with confidence. A slight clutch mistake
caused his rear tire to spin and slide sideways, knocking off a marker and
earning a five. True to the sportsmanship of trials riders, both competitors
spotted for each other, ready to catch a bike and help spotting rear tire
placement. Alex finished riding the section out, turning the bike to climb the
angled rock, launching across the gap between the rocks, and giving the crowd a
show.
Josh followed, learning from Alex's slip. He paused on the skid plate, carefully lifted the bike onto the rock using precise body English and rocking the foot over the foot peg that Pro riders are so adept at performing. After getting comfortable at the top of the rock, a quick flick turn to bridge the gap had Josh set to drive up the rock, make his turn at the top and leap across the gap for a clean on his first ride.
Josh_Roper Ride 1Second Attempts
The scores from the second ride had to be different or
it would be over too soon. The second attempt by Alex resulted in a failure to
get up the rock face due to the motor not quite having the revs needed to
obtain the required drive. Now Alex is in trouble, he needs Josh to five the
section as well. If Josh is able to pull a clean ride, then it's over. Josh
entered the section, gets set up for the face with some helping words from Alex
and has a good launch up, but does not succeed. So, Alex is still in the hunt
at 10 points with Josh at 5, he needs to clean the final ride and hope that
Josh has a failure in order to remain at a tie.
Final Attempts
The third and final ride delivered spectacular rides
from both competitors, each being sure not to repeat the error from the
previous ride. No mistakes, no drama - just clean, calculated execution as both
have uneventful rides as they traverse the section with apparent ease,
carefully picking their way being sure not to rush and both clean the section,
sealing the final scores.
The
Winner Declared:
With both riders having completed the main event with clean days, the ride off determined the winner: Alex with 10 points, Josh with 5. A thrilling finish to the Florida Trials Association's 2025-2026 season at the 2026 Fun in the Sun event in Center Hill, Florida.
Season of Gratitude
A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who came to ride, spectate, or volunteer. Special appreciation goes to FTA Secretary Chris Misturak, who stepped in for me throughout the season after my surgeries. His dedication and hard work were instrumental in making this season a success. Thank you, Chris!