Bicycle Mechanics - Need help removing fork from Ritchey Logic headset

I've done lots of bike maintainance before but I've never removed a fork. I'm so frustrated right now because I can't figure out what to do. I have a Rocky Mountain ETSX-30 bike with Ritchey Logic headset and Marzocchi MX Pro ETA fork. I broke the rebound adjustment knob so I need to send the fork to Marzocchi to get it fixed. (first bummer)

I removed the stem and headset cap and expected the fork to come sliding out. Then I put a block of wood on the end of the stearer tube and started hammering. Nothing ... it won't budge. (second bummer)

I drove 4 hrs to Tahoe to buy my bike because it was a demo model and so I saved big $$$. So I can't take my bike so the place where I bought it. (third bummer)

Do I need some weird tool or am I missing something here? Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks for reading.

Did you remember to remove the lockring on the upper headset race? If not, you just ruined a headset.

Did you remember to remove the lockring on the upper headset race? If not, you just ruined a headset.

This is a threadless headset, I don't think there is a lockring. (?)
I believe the problem is that there is a plastic spacer that is pressed into the upper race and the spacer is stuck to the stearer tube. I just don't know how to free the spacer.

thoughts?

You're on the right track. I've used rubber hammers on the steerer with "authority". Just as a question, the front wheel was off of the ground to give the fork somewhere to go?

Alright, after smacking the steerer tube it probably only moved about a 1/4 of an inch. With that slack, you can push the fork back up and give you access to the split spacer (it will ride up on the steerer). The split is what will give you ability to slide it off. Once that is out of the way, the fork will slide right out.

Unlike many things, a bigger hammer was the solution. :)