spinalguy
06-15-2002, 08:24 AM
Well, i last motocrossed 24 years ago when i was just turnin into a teenager. Now, i am an owner of a KTM 300.
i went to Blackfoot moto track 3 weeks ago to see what i could do(NOT DO ) and had a blast. Although it is difficult to ride the tracks WITHOUT airtime but dammit i sure tried. i wasn't allowed on the main track as it was race night (Thursdays) so i stuck to the hill, sand and even squeezed a few laps on the 80cc track. When the day was done i put the mirrors back on and RODE HOME :D
A week later saw me back on a Saturday doing the BIG track. Everyone passed me, but i was a polite rider and held my line. Just how the hell do you do those 10? whoop de doos?
Last night was race night so i was prepared to just do it. i bought the essential chest protector and suited up at home. i rode to the track and borrowed a wrench to get the mirrors off.
i entered the beginner class along with 17 other folks. Personally i think that anyone that has a name and number attached to their chest thingamijiggie should not be classified a frickin beginner but.....
We did the 3 lap warm up and i felt mighty neighbourly letting everyone go ahead of me off the line. i thought i might learn a thing or three Well what i learned is that i suck. lol. But i was determined to not come last in the race.
The Race.... First off i am already intimidated as they move us to an actual starting gate, you know the kind you see on t.v for the PROS!!!! Well, i ask the guy next to me if he has any tips? He looks at me, my bike, my turn signals, my liscence plate, my missing mirrors and at me again and says" Just make sure that if you get caught in the starting gate, twist and pull and your wheel SHOULD come out."
"Huh" i say
" Be careful" he says.
i look and NO ONE has lights on their bike. :confused:
Great, now i am really intimidated and we haven't even left the line. The starter comes out with a sign that he flashes a 30 followed by a 5???? What the heck does that mean? Maybe buddy should have given me that kinda advice.:flipoff2: By the time i stop scratchin my head the other riders are all at the first corner. Thats ok, i says, as that was part of my strategy...let them go off the line real quick and than i can pick them off one by one. Ok,ok,ok, not Jeremy Mcgraths plan probablly but for the Spinalguy it will have to do. The funny thing is it works because at corner 2 there is a log jam and i remember from my bike course with pylons that i can just ride around and between them. It works i pass 7 riders. The whoop de doos arrive and 6 of the 7 pass me. Have you ever been pelted with snowballs containing rocks? That is what i felt like at the next corner. Ouch, that shit hurts!
i am well into the race and 2 guys are behind me, 14 in front of me....somewhere. i decide that my use of turn signals on every corner is wasting precious time and i stop doing it and immediately i get passed by 1 more rider. Damn, i should have remained with the signalling. (you see, i was confusing them by throwing the odd left signal light for a right turn.he,he,he, gotta keep the competition on their toes).
Well that rider that passed me should have been paying attention to my brake lights for the big air sections because as i land off yet another jump, there he is sprawled on the ground with the yellow flag waving over his head. i pass him.
i think i can even though as a doctor i am supposed to stop at all accidents, F**K him, this is a race.:flipoff:
My luck is turning as i see another yellow flag, and hopefully a few riders down as this will move me up in the ranks. Unfortunately it is just one guy and i pass him as he pushes his bike up a hill, so long suckah. :smokin:
The white flag is out and i don't think it means surrender. i go for my last lap all full of adrenalin. Not good, i go for air and it turns out to be BIG. Now i know what it feels to be in suspended animation, the KTM comes down and i rack my chin off the handlebar but i hold on. Wheh! i see that guy that was pushing his bike gaining but i only have 1 corner and 2 air to go. i hold on by a Indy 500 photofinish to take 15th place.
i borrow a wrench and put the mirrors on and ride home feeling like a champ.
If this was a night race i would be king
Til next Thursday, i'm outta here.
i went to Blackfoot moto track 3 weeks ago to see what i could do(NOT DO ) and had a blast. Although it is difficult to ride the tracks WITHOUT airtime but dammit i sure tried. i wasn't allowed on the main track as it was race night (Thursdays) so i stuck to the hill, sand and even squeezed a few laps on the 80cc track. When the day was done i put the mirrors back on and RODE HOME :D
A week later saw me back on a Saturday doing the BIG track. Everyone passed me, but i was a polite rider and held my line. Just how the hell do you do those 10? whoop de doos?
Last night was race night so i was prepared to just do it. i bought the essential chest protector and suited up at home. i rode to the track and borrowed a wrench to get the mirrors off.
i entered the beginner class along with 17 other folks. Personally i think that anyone that has a name and number attached to their chest thingamijiggie should not be classified a frickin beginner but.....
We did the 3 lap warm up and i felt mighty neighbourly letting everyone go ahead of me off the line. i thought i might learn a thing or three Well what i learned is that i suck. lol. But i was determined to not come last in the race.
The Race.... First off i am already intimidated as they move us to an actual starting gate, you know the kind you see on t.v for the PROS!!!! Well, i ask the guy next to me if he has any tips? He looks at me, my bike, my turn signals, my liscence plate, my missing mirrors and at me again and says" Just make sure that if you get caught in the starting gate, twist and pull and your wheel SHOULD come out."
"Huh" i say
" Be careful" he says.
i look and NO ONE has lights on their bike. :confused:
Great, now i am really intimidated and we haven't even left the line. The starter comes out with a sign that he flashes a 30 followed by a 5???? What the heck does that mean? Maybe buddy should have given me that kinda advice.:flipoff2: By the time i stop scratchin my head the other riders are all at the first corner. Thats ok, i says, as that was part of my strategy...let them go off the line real quick and than i can pick them off one by one. Ok,ok,ok, not Jeremy Mcgraths plan probablly but for the Spinalguy it will have to do. The funny thing is it works because at corner 2 there is a log jam and i remember from my bike course with pylons that i can just ride around and between them. It works i pass 7 riders. The whoop de doos arrive and 6 of the 7 pass me. Have you ever been pelted with snowballs containing rocks? That is what i felt like at the next corner. Ouch, that shit hurts!
i am well into the race and 2 guys are behind me, 14 in front of me....somewhere. i decide that my use of turn signals on every corner is wasting precious time and i stop doing it and immediately i get passed by 1 more rider. Damn, i should have remained with the signalling. (you see, i was confusing them by throwing the odd left signal light for a right turn.he,he,he, gotta keep the competition on their toes).
Well that rider that passed me should have been paying attention to my brake lights for the big air sections because as i land off yet another jump, there he is sprawled on the ground with the yellow flag waving over his head. i pass him.
i think i can even though as a doctor i am supposed to stop at all accidents, F**K him, this is a race.:flipoff:
My luck is turning as i see another yellow flag, and hopefully a few riders down as this will move me up in the ranks. Unfortunately it is just one guy and i pass him as he pushes his bike up a hill, so long suckah. :smokin:
The white flag is out and i don't think it means surrender. i go for my last lap all full of adrenalin. Not good, i go for air and it turns out to be BIG. Now i know what it feels to be in suspended animation, the KTM comes down and i rack my chin off the handlebar but i hold on. Wheh! i see that guy that was pushing his bike gaining but i only have 1 corner and 2 air to go. i hold on by a Indy 500 photofinish to take 15th place.
i borrow a wrench and put the mirrors on and ride home feeling like a champ.
If this was a night race i would be king
Til next Thursday, i'm outta here.