I have a lot to talk about. You could say that I probably always do. In fact, most people would really like me to shut up. But I always have a lot to say. Even on average weeks I have a lot to say. But, I really have a lot to say today.
Haven’t written much lately, so here goes.
Last weekend I rode for 2.5 hours at Black River Falls with John B. This week on Wed, I rode with Scott, his brother Pat, Tom Baker and Roger Bird. We had a whole posse at Dyracuse.
loading a bunch of bikes in the back of the van and going to Dyracuse is always a good thing.
We rode for hours and hours and burned up a bunch of gas. We traded bikes back and forth and everyone had the opportunity to ride others bikes. Of course I like mine the best, but Scott’s primary race bike is pretty interesting. He is faster than I, so he is looking for more power where I am looking for manageable power. His bike was almost violent feeling. Mine is friendly. We both used those terms when we were done riding each others bikes.
I LOVE my bike. The RMZ250 and I are perfectly suited. I can ride it agressive all the time. Last year when the XC2 guys would pass me, I always marveled at how they were always on the gas. When I was on the 250 2stroke, I was always trying to stay away from the hit. If there was a small clearing in the trail, you were afraid to give it a bunch of gas, because it was going to go all death-murder-kill on you. I mean the power was violent on that thing. So, to avoid that hit of power, I would try to carry lots of momentum all the time. Good strategy, but not really fast. Now, I am on the gas also. And it shows. I have gone from struggling with my riding to always riding at the pointy end of the group.
Damn, it feels good.
Today was the Dresser D16 race. It was interesting.
Started out the drive at 5am, it was dark and foggy. Ugh. Tough driving. Candi pulled me through though.
She has me going, but look closely and you can see that I have quite a ways to go.
I had the radio going and was putting down the miles, and the sun eventually came up and gave up a killer sunrise.
On the road again!
I made it to the race, and it was getting hot and there was no moisture anywhere in sight. I mean I am talking dust like you have never seen before. There was 100+ riders on the line and 8 rows. An 11 mile course, with an Enduro cross section. Telephone poles at angles, piled up rock section, and a second piled up Telephone pole section on a big downhill. It was super fun.
The gun went off and I was 5th going into the woods. 20 people on the line, and it was a dust cave. The woods had this really powdery grey dirt that just made huge clouds. The whole 11 miles ended up just one big dry rut of powdery dirt. When the guy in front of you got on the gas on an uphill, you would get a solid face full of dirt. Blasted. I am scared to look at my airfilter.
I ran a filter skin, and pulled it at an hour. The bike did run better for 15 minutes or so – but eventually must have choked and it ran really rich. bogging.
I worked my way to the front a little bit into the first lap. I was riding really really really well. That RMZ just kicks ass. Suits me like… I don’t know what.
In the end, I had a really great 2’05” race. I rode nearly perfect for that time. Unfortunately, the race was 2’20” long. Dammit. I was so close. With about 15 minutes to go, I fell over. Nothing bad, just a tip over. Unfortunately when you do something like that, it just creates a cloud of dust that is choking. Took me too long to get going, and John along with a lapper went by me. I rode like mad, trying to get around the lapper to get up to John – but in the end I just put myself over the edge and then crashed again. Got going after that, and then a guy that I had just passed screamed at me. I let him go by, and he proceeded to get stuck on the next hill, forcing me to go back down to the bottom and find another way up. It took me forever to get over that hill.
Funny how you can go from on top of your form to so retarded in so little time. I still was 2nd, but I should have won.
After the race, I had a text exchange with my daughter Hanna.
Me – Dammit. I led for most of the race, but with 15 minutes to go i fell and mangled my radiator – breaking my shroud (again).
Hanna – I’m sorry
Me. Don’t be I still had fun and was 2nd.
Hanna. What time will you be home.
Me. Candi says 9, but she lies. I usually can beat her time. Stupid stripper voice GPS unit.
Hanna. Ha sounds good.
Me. Eating Quiznos, listening to foghat.
Hanna. Chillin, listening to Celion Dion.
Me. Yuck
Hanna. I’ve lost my tea
Me. Odd that Penguin being there.
Me. No point in steering now.
Hanna. Your brothers drunk?
Hanna. My super powers are supercharged.
Me. I totally have a space pen.
Hanna. Well that is bizarre.
Me. Left handed driving is he.
Hanna. Well it’s the wrong side of the body.
Me. Are there any animals that breathe mud?
Hanna. Frogs should
Me. Radioactive mud.
Hanna. Anything’ll do
Me. What is better, Maroon 5, dehydrated breakfast cereal hour or Cleveland?
Hanna. Cleveland, Rays.
Me. Only 1 dog pooping today.
Hanna. me too.
Me. Hard to see when you are racing.
Hanna. Strange same here.
Hanna. Mall too
Me. I have never raced at the mall.
Hanna. Weird.
Me. She is your friend.
Me. The weather, construction and traffic conspired to slow me down. Home at 9:25. I already apologized to Candi.
Hanna. Haha. I say you ower her an apology for sure.
There you have it. Not sure what we meant by all of that. I do know that I cannot wait to race again next weekend. Pretty roached right now.
I am getting up early to work on the motorcycle. Clean it and take the broken shrouds off to look at the radiators. I need to try to get AJ at Victory Circle Graphix to send some shroud graphics to get me going before next weekend.
Scott texted me on the way home to say that he smelled a podium for me at Crawfordsville. Not sure about that. I am faster, but that is a long way faster. If I was to do that, I would probably want to go back and do them all again next year.
yow.
Oh, even though the heat and dust were bad. Moose Sahara gear is incredible.
That is is for me.
Joe
303 Off-road 