Karine Gendron was Quebec’s contribution to the Canadian Women’s ISDE team in Mexico. She found FMSQ races and the slippery forest trails of Quebec to be far different than the rocks and mountains of Mexico. Riding a 125 at high altitude was no easy task, but Karine kept her positive attitude and treated the ISDE as an adventure as much as a race. Here’s her story.

Offroadmotorcycles.ca: Karine, I know you struggled but what’s your happiest memory of the Six Days?

Gendron: I am a little bit disappointed because my goal was to finish the whole race, but now that I’ve seen how the ISDE works I am proud to have finished two-days of that race! It was very, very hard and new for me. Those big mountains and big rocks and big drops…the terrain was very different than what I am used to riding in Quebec. I was impressed because it was so high, but also so dangerous in some sections. No indication of where the danger was, sometimes we’d miss arrows because the signs weren’t very clear. And then riding on the road in towns and villages…we had to do that and it was all new for me! (Laughs)

What was it like trying to ride a 125 in the mountains?

It was too small. I should have at least a 250 or even a 300. The bike was ok at the paddock area, but when we were doing these big, big climbs in the mountains…7,500 0r 8000 feet…I had trouble with my engine. No power! (Laughs, imitates the sound of a two-stroke bogging down) Thierry Lacombe had a 300 and even he said at the top of the mountains he had a problem with no power. Just imagine me with my 125! (Laughs) I had troubles with the climbs…I need more power!

Were the trails especially difficult?

In some parts they were ok, but the times were very short between the checks. The special tests themselves were very easy, but the liaison sections between were the hardest. The singletrack, with no fence, big drops off the side of the trail. It some parts it was dangerous, because you were following a path and just around a curve ‘Oh no!’ there would be erosion from the rain and there was no trail, so you had to smash through the bush. No arrows, no nothing to tell you there was danger there. The side of the trail had big drops, like 12 or 15 feet. So I had to just slow down if I would like to stay alive! For the next ISDE I will need to practice more high-speed bike control, climbs and drops…and I think I need a bigger bike!

But you are going to try the ISDE again?

Sure, sure! I did two days of five, before the last day was cancelled because of the bombs and everything. I was disappointed but I did my best with the bike I had and learned a lot. I learned mechanic’s tricks, met some wonderful people and saw some great places. I will be more prepared for the next time I race the ISDE, maybe in Germany in two years!

Her enduro-ized KX125 might be the hot setup for tight Eastern woods races, but in the mountains Gendron found herself wishing for more power. Photo by Dorsey Cline

Except for the lack of arrows did you find the ISDE to be well organized?

When we arrived it was not ready, but at the last minute everything was ok. I think they need more arrows, more signs, more policemen…it’s a big country! And when you are driving, ‘Oh no!’ There are cows in the road, some chickens, horses, children, lots of cars, no signs, nobody stops…you have to be so careful to look everywhere! But the Mexican people really wanted to do the Six Days as well as possible. When we arrived they opened their arms with a big party, food. They are very kind, nice people.

A lot of people got sick down there…were you ok?

(Laughs) I didn’t have the ‘tourista’ (Laughs) because I was very careful with the ice and water there, but I had problems with the altitude. I was getting dizzy, my eyes were crossing each other. Getting higher and higher my breathing was getting faster, my eyes crossing, getting dizzy…it was very strange! My bike had problems too, even in first gear with a lot of gas and slipping the clutch it was bogging down. Then on top of the mountains I would be saying to myself, ‘no, that’s impossible! We can’t go down that!’ (Screams and laughs) Sometimes I would watch to see another rider do it just to see if that was really the way we were supposed to go. Crazy. Then I would just close my eyes and just go for it. (Laughs)

Gendron thought the special tests were easy enough but found the transfer sections to be very challenging. Photo by Dorsey Cline

Your confidence in your riding ability must be much higher now. Everything else is going to seem easy !

Yes, when I think back about LaTouque and the CEC at Labelle everything seems to be easy. There were about two or three big mud holes in Mexico; I had no problem at all but every time I’d see eight or ten riders stuck there in the mud. So I am used to mud, but those big mountains are so much harder for me!

Will you be racing the CEC series next year in BC and Alberta?

I would love to race the entire National Series, but I don’t know if I will have the money for it. It costs almost the same to go to BC as it does to go to Mexico. But maybe if I could rent or borrow a bike in BC it would be cheaper? My goal for next year is to do the CEC races in Quebec and Ontario. I know where I have to improve now. I will focus on enduro next year and not hare scrambles, because hare scrambles are not good practice for the ISDE. Hare scrambles are just two hours. In Mexico we were on the bike eight hours a day, watching the trail and trying to figure it out, navigating. In Hare Scrambles you just follow the ribbons and arrows and go as fast as you can. (Laughs) You don’t have to deal with cactus and animals! I would like to come to Ontario to ride the Beagle Bash and the Corduroy next year. I met two Ontario guys in Mexico who said to come and try their championship. So I think I will go there.

Gendron made new friends in Mexico and is grateful for the help of the Canadian support team. Photo by Dorsey Cline

Are you happy you went to Mexico?

Oh yes! I had a great time, I learned a lot. I didn’t reach my goal but I gained so much experience. The Canadian support team was so great! I got to meet Victoria (Hett) and Almeda (Rive) and they were very nice. They invited me to ride with them in BC or Alberta!

Back into the mountains eh?

Ya (Laughs) but with no pressure and with a bigger bike! On the third day I was out, Almeda too, so we were doing support crew work. When Victoria came back after the first lap she said, “Karine, that is the toughest trail I have ever done in my life!” I was thinking to myself, ‘Wow, if she’s having problems imagine me!’ Anyway I loved the trip, but now it’s hard to be back home and go to work and everything. I feel like I am still in Mexico, you know? It’s like I’m still on the plane and I don’t want to land!