Damn! 13 IS a fantastic number!

I broke down.  I NEEDED a 2013 motorcycle.  New motorcycles are just so shinny and well…new.  It is really not much different than needing a new pair of shoes.  They fit so well and look so good and the laces have not been caught in your bicycle chain yet…mmm.  I ounce bought 5 pair of Converse I was so intoxicated with the new feel of them.  I think I still have 1 pair in the box…

Chris Bach told me that the new 2013 250XC-F was phenomenal.  I did not believe him.  I loved my 2012, how much better could it be?  I am now here to tell you that it is WAY better than the 2012.  Not exactly sure how.  The power is incredible, the handling is even better.  I am pretty excited about mine.  Chris was right.

Enjoy the photos of the first ride on it.  I have not finished it entirely.  The fork is not massaged yet by Neezer at Fox, no radiator braces yet, MX handguards on it just now – but that will not cut it for the woods.

Precious!

#Superstar!

It is time!  Racing time!  Every year, Georgia GNCC comes around and I get to kick my season off with a trip there and jump right into racing.  No need to do any riding before racing, just get after it.  I have this conversation alot with Liz.  She thinks that I should be more slow to my start of the season.  Get a few more riding weekends in, then get myself up to race speed later.  Nah…Just get after it and race.  No better way to know what you need to work on.

I mean seriously, don’t you just go get a burrito when you want one?  Do you have to build up to it?  BTW, a burrito is way better than a pizza.  No one really wants a pizza more than a burrito.  I mean pizza is good, but it is not a burrito.  There really isn’t another way to improve on just about any food.  Wrap it in a tortilla.  Corn or flour, nothing wrong with that.

So this year I booked a flight down to Atlanta and sent my bike down with Mat.  Yep, pretty much a superstar.  I am full pro you know.  Fly down, get on a pristine bike, fly back home.  Yep, it is pretty much always that way for me… Ha, lol.

Your basic $12 rental car. “I’ve got a killer deal for you…” Sweet.

Ok, you know that I have been about to jump off a bridge because of the cold at home.  Winter that just will not start.  Not that jumping off a bridge would do anything other than break my leg at home, as the water is solid still everywhere.  I mean, will this winter never end?

Don’t know, but I am here in Georgia where it is clearly not winter.  In fact, it was downright hot today.  It is amazing how the 1st time you are in 75 it seems like it is Africa hot (Africa hot is not as hot as Alabama hot is though).

71 on the way to the track, 75 for the high. Damn, that is hot at this time of the year.

This freak across the aisle, pulled out a Native American wind instrument on the plane, played it, then covered up his head with the blanket and slept. Superstars should not have to put up with that.

So I am sitting here now watching Supercross in the hotel.  Just had a killer mexi meal and now I am just living the life.

I probably should still have my sunglasses on.

Sunday evening, after the Georgia GNCC.

The Georgia GNCC never disappoints.  It is a proper GNCC.  Hard.  Clay that gets super rough, creek crossings that get really snotty, crazy rough everywhere, spaghetti roots everywhere, long loop etc…  Every time I do it I am not disappointed.  In 2008 when we did the whole series, it poured down rain the day before and we got the van stuck and it was amazingly muddy and clay that stuck to everything.  Last year when I came down it was sort of muddy, not like it was in 2008 but mud.  This year it was hot (75 – that is crazy hot for someone who is living in a winter hell), and dry.  Dry = holes EVERYWHERE and rough and roots that come out of the ground everywhere.  My hands are completely roached.

When Georgia is like this, it is like velcro. Beautiful, tacking and tough.

Clearly I already knew what was coming in this photo. Good to get the 1st race in though.

I ran pretty comfortably in 5th place for most of the race.  But, I stopped to change my gloves (my hands were torched) and get something to drink.  I should not have stopped.  I just could not get back up to speed after that.  I ended up falling back a couple of spots, and just could not make it up.  At the end of the race, all I could do was lay there on the ground.  My whole body hurt.  But damn was it good.  Racing and spring all at once.

All in all, I am pretty satisfied with the result.  The 1st race is always tough.  I went better than last year at this race, but still need to work on getting up to speed this spring.  Hopefully I can go down and ride with Adam in Illinois next weekend.

It is good being a superstar though.  Maybe I will do it again.  Now, where are my sunglasses?

Joe

Superstar! Full Pro weekend!

New stuff!

We have been pretty busy putting together our program and bikes with our current sponsors and a list of some new sponsors.  Sitting here looking at a super wet and not summery feeling Sunday, seems like racing will never get here.  But, we are really getting close.  This week I will head down to Georgia to do the 2nd round of the GNCC series, and it is just weeks till we are racing in the upper midwest.

Bikes have come together really well, and we have a bunch of new sponsors along with a bunch of the same.  Our program has just gotten larger every year.  Tons of thanks to everyone involved.  Here is a run down of what we have going on this year.

Vesrah has been our title sponsor for a long time.  Mark Junge has been a longtime supporter and a great friend.  He is an amazing road racer, a great cyclist, an ace motor expert… among a bunch of other things.  Vesrah has always provided our brakes and we rely on Mark for alot of advice on how to run our season.

Don’t have it yet, but one of these is on it’s way for Joe. “I am going to tear up things this year on this!”

We are back with Fun Mart for the 2nd year.  They have proven to be a great resource for us.  Nicholas there will get parts out to us fast, they are always there for technical advice and they are just really nice guys.

What can I say.  The best made graphics, period.  AJ is the man!

That bike is the bomb, eh?

After using Pirelli for years, Scott and I were a bit nervous to switch brands.  I know that alot of people feel that way, you get used to something and it is tough to switch.  The guys at Kenda helped us to figure it all out and now we both could not imagine riding on anything else.  Try the Millville 2, you will not be sorry.

Brand new sharp knobbed Kenda tire there on Scott’s rig. Yum.

The first new sponsor for the year is the Fox rear shock.  I guess I never really new how great a rear shock could feel.  I never knew just how much difference those kind of things could make.  I always figured that I am really the weak link in the bike

That little baby is the bomb! Wow.

going faster (I am still not changing that pov), but do not discount what a difference that a super high end part can make.

This Fox baby is the bomb.  Wow!

The guys at Full Spectrum called up and asked if we really wanted a cool little thing for our bikes. Sure!

This tiny baby does it’s thing and saves 2+ LBS on the bike. 2 pounds! On top of that Full Spectrum provides a wiring system that delivers the full voltage to the starter without loosing anything along the way. Zing!

Pretty psyched about the battery thing.  It is a small thing, but 2lbs is a big deal, especially if it really starts the thing reliably.

Factory Connection has always equaled great suspension for us.  They have been supportive and loyal to our program since 2008.  I do not think we would have anyone else tuning our forks.  If you need suspension work, give them a shout.  They will hook you up properly.  Period.

Have you checked these out yet?  That is the Bell Moto 9.  Reminds us all of Bob Hannah.  (Only wish I had that kinda speed – ha!)

This is a bunch of years for us in Bell helmets.  They were one of our original sponsors.  Love their moto helmets.

Yep. Orange gear this year. You will definitely be able to pick us out of the crowd – I hope. Been in Moose gear since 2009. Thanks for the support guys.

Another of our long term sponsors has been Maxima oils.  You know that Ronnie Lechien works there?  He is actually our contact there.  How cool is that?  So not only is the oil the best, we get to talk to an absolute motocross legend every time we need something.  (I tend to order things one bottle at a time so that I can talk to Ron every time I need something.)

Rekluse.  Auto or standard, they are damn fine clutches.

Not only is there logo just about the coolest thing out there, the bars and gels are perfect for before during and after a race.  Use them during training and during a race and you will see a difference.  Plus, all organic.

You will for sure see us at a few GNCC races, a few MAXC races in Indiana, most of the WIXC races in Wisconsin and a few of the D16 races in Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan.

Ok, it is about time to get this season started.

Out,

Joe