ROUND 1: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Date: July 25
Location: The Orleans Arena
Best Airport: McCarran International (LAS)
Best Hotel: Orleans Hotel, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89103; 800.675.3267
Local Hangouts: Pre-race party at Pole Position Raceway, Las Vegas (www.polepositionraceway.com), post-race party at the Alligator Bar in the Orleans Casino-classy!
Don't Miss: The In-N-Out Burger on Tropicana will rock your Alpinestars socks off.
Nearest Bike Shops: RideNow Powersports: www.ridenow.com, 702.451.1121 (Boulder), 702.214.5380 (Craig), 702.656.1955 (Rancho)
Inside Line: In case you haven't noticed, Las Vegas is hot in July. Don't forget your swim shorts and sunscreen.
*ROUND 2: GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA
Date: August 15
Location: Lazy E Arena
Best Airport: Will Rogers World Airport (OKC)
Best Hotel: Best Western Edmond Inn & Suites, 2700 E. Second St., Edmond, OK 73034; 405.216.0300
Local Hangout: Pre-race party at Pole Position Raceway, Oklahoma City (www.polepositionraceway.com)
Don't Miss: The posted speed limit signs. Those OK State Troopers are sharp!
Nearest Bike Shops: House of Kawasaki: www.hok1.com, 405.787.7901; Performance Cycles: www.performancecycleokc.com, 405.787.4688; Baker Boys Yamaha: www.bakerboysokc.com, 405.789.3535; Ajax Kawasaki: www.ajaxkawasaki.com, 405.632.3370
Inside Line: The Lazy E Arena is awesome but can be tough to find. Bring a detailed road map if you don't want to miss opening ceremonies.
ROUND 3: FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA
Date: September 12
Location: Florence Civic Center
Best Airport: Florence Regional Airport (FLO)
Best Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott, 2680 Hospitality Blvd., Florence, SC 29501; 843.662.7066
Local Hangout: You're bound to find some good bench racing at the Chili's near the hotel.
Don't Miss: NASCAR fans should be sure to hit the Joe Gibbs Racing Shop in nearby Huntersville, North Carolina.
Nearest Bike Shops: Yamaha Kawasaki of Florence: www.yamaha-kawasakiofflorence.com, 843.665.8486; Ray's Suzuki Kawasaki: www.raysoutdoorsports.com, 803.469.2573
Inside Line: An easy-to-access arena with good restaurants and close parking makes this one of the most accessible stops on the EX tour.
ROUND 4: COLUMBUS, OHIO
Date: October 3
Location: Schottenstein Center
Best Airport: Port Columbus International Airport (CMH)
Best Hotel: Fairfield Inn & Suites/OSU, 3031 Olentangy River Rd., Columbus, OH 43202; 614.267.1111
Local Hangout: Pre-race party at the AMA's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum on October 2. Come meet the rider from 7-9 P.M.
Don't Miss: The "scenery" on Ohio State University's campus is out of hand! You'll go Buckeyes!
Nearest Bike Shops: Lancaster Sport Cycles: www.lancastersportcycles.com, 740.756.9650; Athens Sport Cycles: www.athenssportcycles.com, 740.592.1692; Iron Pony Motorsports: www.ironponymotorsports.com, 877.799.7669
Inside Line: This wild college town went crazy for Enduro-Cross in 2008. Don't expect to be in bed early!
*ROUND 5: DENVER, COLORADO
Date: October 24
Location: National Western Sports Complex
Best Airport: Denver International Airport (DEN)
Best Hotel: DoubleTree, 3203 Quebec St., Denver, CO 80207; 303.321.3333
Local Hangout: The 16th Street mall is a cool spot to cruise.
Don't Miss: The Thunder Valley Motocross track. This is where the Outdoor National is held!
Nearest Bike Shops: Colorado Powersports: www.copowersports.com, 303.427.9000; Fay Myers Motorcycle World: www.faymyers.com, 303.539.5011; G-Force Powersports: www.gforcepowersports.com, 303.238.4303; Rocky Mountain Kawasaki: www.rockymountainkawasaki.com, 303.651.2453; Vickery Motorsports: www.vickerymotorsports.com, 303.755.4387; Sun Enterprises: www.sunpowersports.com, 303.287.7566
Inside Line: The Mile High City is packed with off-roaders, so get your tickets early for this sure-to-be-hot event. And don't be surprised if there is a little snow on the ground!
*ROUND 6: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Date: November 21
Location: The Orleans Arena
Best Airport: McCarran International (LAS)
Best Hotel: Orleans Hotel, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89103; 800.675.3267
Local Hangout: Pre-race party at Pole Position Raceway, Las Vegas (www.polepositionraceway.com). Post-race party at the Alligator bar-again? Yes, again.
Don't Miss: Didn't see the strip the first time around? Go count the lights!
Nearest Bike Shops: RideNow Powersports: www.ridenow.com, 702.451.1121 (Boulder), 702.214.5380 (Craig), 702.656.1955 (Rancho)
Inside Line: If you can only make it to one round of EnduroCross this year, the Las Vegas Finale is the place to be. Here, the 2009 EnduroCross champions will be crowned.
*Indicates that an event is part of the three-round Geico Triple Crown, which awards $50,000 to any rider who can win all three races!
Hungry for some EnduroCross race action? The 2009 season spans six rounds all over the U.S., so there is no reason not to get in on the action! Whether you want to attend as a spectator or as a participant, tickets and entries are available online, along with a wealth of information regarding the series. For more, log on to www.endurocross.com.