I'm a woods rider. I'm certainly no racer. I like bouncing over rocks, logs, and other various obstacles all while under the canopy of the forest.
My nephew Dave (some of you may have met him at DW) has moved away from woods riding and has taken up motocross. He and his boy David both have been racing all season in the NEMA series. Both have been doing pretty well.
Here's where I come in. Dave wanted to have me race with him for at least one stop in the NEMA series. I told him I would.
Well, yesterday was raceday. I, a C level mx rider, had to sign up for the GP class (A,B,C all in the same gate) because there was no other class for a 40+ rider to participate in if he didn't have a child racing.
My goal was to survive. I'm certainly in no shape for this type of riding. My practice leading up to the event consisted of 2.5 hours of stationary bicycling.
Practice-I managed two laps without killing myself. I realized I didn't know the track at all, and was leery of just blindly gassing it over a jump. It had rained the night before, so the track was muddy. I managed to dump and stall the bike once on the snottyist section. No damage to me or the bike.
Moto 1 - I'm out of my element. The only other gates I've ever taken were at DW events. The line was mostly A riders with a couple of Bs thrown in for good measure. Honestly I had no business lining up with these guys.
Off we went. I did my best, but still managed to wash out in one corner-faceplant. At least the bike didn't stall on me.
The highlight of the race for me came on the 4th lap; I could hear the A riders coming up to lap me for the second time. All I could do was pray that they would pass me before I made it to the finish line to save me from having to go around again. They did, and I didn't :).
moto 2- I'm tired, I'm hot, but I signed up for the race, so I'm going to ride it. By now I've gotten a few atta boy's from the guys at the line. They know I've got no business being there, but they think it's cool that I'm out there trying.
Off we go. I was determined to really attack the course this time since now I know which obstacle is where. I hit the first table and land right about where everyone but the A riders are landing. An off camber right is next. There's a nice berm built up so it's a non issue. Next is the sloppy corner that I fell in during practice. No problem. I'm on fire Baby!!
Now the back stretch a double to a table. Over the double I go. I committed myself to making it. Oh Sh**! I went very nose high over the jump and didn't think I was going to make the lip of the landing, or stay on the bike for that matter. I did make the lip though, and managed to stay with the bike. Whew! Lots of braking bumps into the next left 180 and into a whoopsish section. No troubles there. Now a 90 degree right hand turn over a slight rise and accelerate for the step up. The A riders hit this and go beyond the step up landing and hit the down slope another 40 ft further away. I was happy to clear the step cleanly. another 180 and another large table. I didn't clear it, but I did ok. a tight 180 after that and there was a big double double. Not a snowballs chance in hell I'm doing the first one, so I went single single double. Yeah, I know it's all in my brain. but that's where my brain was at that point.
Another 180 to a sweeping left. Drop down and accelerate for another step up. No troubles there.
Ahh the finish line jump. Hit it and clear it. now downhill to the triple. I double single that. One more table and a 10 ft mound to climb over while making a left 180 and we are back on the start straight.
I only got lapped once this race and managed 5 laps. curiously I wasn't as fatigued as I was after the first race.
All in all it was a great time. I can barely walk today, but it was still fun :)
My nephew Dave (some of you may have met him at DW) has moved away from woods riding and has taken up motocross. He and his boy David both have been racing all season in the NEMA series. Both have been doing pretty well.
Here's where I come in. Dave wanted to have me race with him for at least one stop in the NEMA series. I told him I would.
Well, yesterday was raceday. I, a C level mx rider, had to sign up for the GP class (A,B,C all in the same gate) because there was no other class for a 40+ rider to participate in if he didn't have a child racing.
My goal was to survive. I'm certainly in no shape for this type of riding. My practice leading up to the event consisted of 2.5 hours of stationary bicycling.
Practice-I managed two laps without killing myself. I realized I didn't know the track at all, and was leery of just blindly gassing it over a jump. It had rained the night before, so the track was muddy. I managed to dump and stall the bike once on the snottyist section. No damage to me or the bike.
Moto 1 - I'm out of my element. The only other gates I've ever taken were at DW events. The line was mostly A riders with a couple of Bs thrown in for good measure. Honestly I had no business lining up with these guys.
Off we went. I did my best, but still managed to wash out in one corner-faceplant. At least the bike didn't stall on me.
The highlight of the race for me came on the 4th lap; I could hear the A riders coming up to lap me for the second time. All I could do was pray that they would pass me before I made it to the finish line to save me from having to go around again. They did, and I didn't :).
moto 2- I'm tired, I'm hot, but I signed up for the race, so I'm going to ride it. By now I've gotten a few atta boy's from the guys at the line. They know I've got no business being there, but they think it's cool that I'm out there trying.
Off we go. I was determined to really attack the course this time since now I know which obstacle is where. I hit the first table and land right about where everyone but the A riders are landing. An off camber right is next. There's a nice berm built up so it's a non issue. Next is the sloppy corner that I fell in during practice. No problem. I'm on fire Baby!!
Now the back stretch a double to a table. Over the double I go. I committed myself to making it. Oh Sh**! I went very nose high over the jump and didn't think I was going to make the lip of the landing, or stay on the bike for that matter. I did make the lip though, and managed to stay with the bike. Whew! Lots of braking bumps into the next left 180 and into a whoopsish section. No troubles there. Now a 90 degree right hand turn over a slight rise and accelerate for the step up. The A riders hit this and go beyond the step up landing and hit the down slope another 40 ft further away. I was happy to clear the step cleanly. another 180 and another large table. I didn't clear it, but I did ok. a tight 180 after that and there was a big double double. Not a snowballs chance in hell I'm doing the first one, so I went single single double. Yeah, I know it's all in my brain. but that's where my brain was at that point.
Another 180 to a sweeping left. Drop down and accelerate for another step up. No troubles there.
Ahh the finish line jump. Hit it and clear it. now downhill to the triple. I double single that. One more table and a 10 ft mound to climb over while making a left 180 and we are back on the start straight.
I only got lapped once this race and managed 5 laps. curiously I wasn't as fatigued as I was after the first race.
All in all it was a great time. I can barely walk today, but it was still fun :)
