This weekend I had the opportunity to really test out my new CRF250X. We left Kansas for Oklahoma to ride at the Sooner State Cycle Park near OKC, OK early Saturday morning. We arrived at 9:00 am ready for a day of practice.
Since I hadn't really had taken my CRF on an outdoor track other than the first day I picked it up I was pretty nervous. There were several other guys out there but I was the only woman. We were able to practice on the Blue track, the track that has several raveens and goes back in the trees for high speed sweepers. My first lap was very slow as I was checking out the conditions of the track. I hadn't ridden that track since last year and I wanted to try to memorize as much as I could during practice. My next two laps were pretty tame as well, trying to see where the deep stuff was and avoiding the ruts as much as possible. When I went out for my second round of practice I decided to pick up the pace a little. This track has one big 50-60 foot double that most of the 125's were jumping. I knew there was no way I could do that but I decided to see how my CRF would jump off the first jump. As I came up to the jump I made sure I kept my throttle steady and I launched it in the air. My first thought was how much my ankles were going to hurt when I landed. (I am having a tough time trusting this bike since I rode my TTR for so long. With my TTR even a 10 ft jump would make my ankles and knees hurt on landing.) BIG, BIG surprise!! I landed softly in between the two jumps, almost like jumping on a feather bed!!! Well that did it. From then on I was jumping off of everything, even jumping down into the raveens. I was so excited!!! My practice day was cut short because my 9 y.o. crashed hard in the whoops and badly sprained his thumb.
The next morning we went to the track for the races. There were only 120 riders total at the track. I was a little disappointed at the turnout since the other two times we had been there there were over 300 riders for the OK St. Championship races. There were only three for the Womens class opposed to 18 at my last race there. I was hoping for several more women to see how I can do. The two that were there were really good and I knew that there was no way I could hang with them. I had a goal though. Last year these two caught and lapped me by the time I had made two laps. I wanted to see what I could do this time. The first moto I stalled the bike off the start and had trouble getting my rhythm going in the first lap. By the time I had made 3.5 laps they caught me. I was still excited about how I rode, though. In the second moto I was VERY determined to make 4 laps. I started OK but in the second lap I over jumped the finish line jump and about went over the berm at the bowl turn right after the jump. That few seconds would come back to haunt me. My laps were faster than my first moto and I was three turns from the finish with the other two nowhere in sight!!! Or so I thought. We were maybe 50 yards from the finish when the two Suzuki's passed me in the whoops. I almost had it. Overall I could tell I was so much faster on my CRF and I can't wait to get more time on this bike.
Look out Kendall, here I come!!! :thumb:
Susan
Since I hadn't really had taken my CRF on an outdoor track other than the first day I picked it up I was pretty nervous. There were several other guys out there but I was the only woman. We were able to practice on the Blue track, the track that has several raveens and goes back in the trees for high speed sweepers. My first lap was very slow as I was checking out the conditions of the track. I hadn't ridden that track since last year and I wanted to try to memorize as much as I could during practice. My next two laps were pretty tame as well, trying to see where the deep stuff was and avoiding the ruts as much as possible. When I went out for my second round of practice I decided to pick up the pace a little. This track has one big 50-60 foot double that most of the 125's were jumping. I knew there was no way I could do that but I decided to see how my CRF would jump off the first jump. As I came up to the jump I made sure I kept my throttle steady and I launched it in the air. My first thought was how much my ankles were going to hurt when I landed. (I am having a tough time trusting this bike since I rode my TTR for so long. With my TTR even a 10 ft jump would make my ankles and knees hurt on landing.) BIG, BIG surprise!! I landed softly in between the two jumps, almost like jumping on a feather bed!!! Well that did it. From then on I was jumping off of everything, even jumping down into the raveens. I was so excited!!! My practice day was cut short because my 9 y.o. crashed hard in the whoops and badly sprained his thumb.
The next morning we went to the track for the races. There were only 120 riders total at the track. I was a little disappointed at the turnout since the other two times we had been there there were over 300 riders for the OK St. Championship races. There were only three for the Womens class opposed to 18 at my last race there. I was hoping for several more women to see how I can do. The two that were there were really good and I knew that there was no way I could hang with them. I had a goal though. Last year these two caught and lapped me by the time I had made two laps. I wanted to see what I could do this time. The first moto I stalled the bike off the start and had trouble getting my rhythm going in the first lap. By the time I had made 3.5 laps they caught me. I was still excited about how I rode, though. In the second moto I was VERY determined to make 4 laps. I started OK but in the second lap I over jumped the finish line jump and about went over the berm at the bowl turn right after the jump. That few seconds would come back to haunt me. My laps were faster than my first moto and I was three turns from the finish with the other two nowhere in sight!!! Or so I thought. We were maybe 50 yards from the finish when the two Suzuki's passed me in the whoops. I almost had it. Overall I could tell I was so much faster on my CRF and I can't wait to get more time on this bike.
Look out Kendall, here I come!!! :thumb:
Susan
