- Jun 7, 2000
- 450
- 4
TNT is near Chester SC. A "must ride" place. www.tntmotorsportsinc.com
Shin Ichi and I went up on Saturday evening to meet up with Ivan for a fun night of camping.
NO DICE!
When we arrived, the gates were locked and Ivan was nowhere to be found! (we apparently misunderstood his post and he did not plan on camping out. (wuss :p )
We found a motel about 15 minutes from TNT, quashed a few beers and had a good night's sleep.
[Side note to Shin's girlfriend .... He did'nt SNORE a bit!]
We arrived at the track around eight-fifteen and the gates were still locked! I called the number on the sign and spoke with Barbara Parrish. She told us that they did not open until 10am, but that she and Jimmy had a late night babysitting Ivan and Gomer at the HLG zoo! Barbara told me to stay put and she would be right there to let us in early! :)
(Having been to TNT before, this did not come as a shock. They are a couple of the most wonderful people that I have ever met.)
After about 15 - 20 minutes, Barbara arrived with a big smile to boot! We sat a talked with her for quite a while (the three of us had a common love of an intelligent political discussion ... she is very much "on top of things"). After telling her of our plite during the 5 hour drive (should have only taken 3), and how we were about 10 minutes out of Columbia (the "Hill Folk" from GA would have been skeered of some of the places that we saw on that road), before we realized where we actually were going (directions courtesy of Ivan). Barbara told us about the "WILD" night with the farm animals at, Rancho Gomer'o (she has pics of Ivan doing a "chippandale routine" :p ).
Anyway ......
We suited up and headed out on the trails. The trails were impeccable! Jimmy had redone them since my last visit (i thought that they were great then). Very nice mix of twisty, sandy single track, creek crossings, elevation changes and some open stuff. Shin Ichi has just recently returned to the world of dirtbikes and proved to be a competent pilot on his pristeen '97 KDX.
It rained for about an hour. We ate lunch and went back out. Shin talked me into taking a lap around the MX track. He actually passed me on a double!
The trails had become very slick, especially ont the clay sections. I was sticking to Jimmy's DRz (i finally got new meats for the YZ) back tire. I was surprised at the "tackiness" of the trails after the rain, and regained the "zone" that I had earlier. After about a mile or so, I realized that Shin Ichi had dissappeared. I turned back to make sure that all was well. The stock dunlops on his bike were no match for these conditions. Shin had made the wise decision to fore-go injury and return to the truck.
If you aren't bored yet I will give the tale of the rest of the day, including the arrival of Ivan's "Blue Piglet"
wrench
------------------
Shin Ichi and I went up on Saturday evening to meet up with Ivan for a fun night of camping.
NO DICE!
When we arrived, the gates were locked and Ivan was nowhere to be found! (we apparently misunderstood his post and he did not plan on camping out. (wuss :p )
We found a motel about 15 minutes from TNT, quashed a few beers and had a good night's sleep.
[Side note to Shin's girlfriend .... He did'nt SNORE a bit!]
We arrived at the track around eight-fifteen and the gates were still locked! I called the number on the sign and spoke with Barbara Parrish. She told us that they did not open until 10am, but that she and Jimmy had a late night babysitting Ivan and Gomer at the HLG zoo! Barbara told me to stay put and she would be right there to let us in early! :)
(Having been to TNT before, this did not come as a shock. They are a couple of the most wonderful people that I have ever met.)
After about 15 - 20 minutes, Barbara arrived with a big smile to boot! We sat a talked with her for quite a while (the three of us had a common love of an intelligent political discussion ... she is very much "on top of things"). After telling her of our plite during the 5 hour drive (should have only taken 3), and how we were about 10 minutes out of Columbia (the "Hill Folk" from GA would have been skeered of some of the places that we saw on that road), before we realized where we actually were going (directions courtesy of Ivan). Barbara told us about the "WILD" night with the farm animals at, Rancho Gomer'o (she has pics of Ivan doing a "chippandale routine" :p ).
Anyway ......
We suited up and headed out on the trails. The trails were impeccable! Jimmy had redone them since my last visit (i thought that they were great then). Very nice mix of twisty, sandy single track, creek crossings, elevation changes and some open stuff. Shin Ichi has just recently returned to the world of dirtbikes and proved to be a competent pilot on his pristeen '97 KDX.
It rained for about an hour. We ate lunch and went back out. Shin talked me into taking a lap around the MX track. He actually passed me on a double!
The trails had become very slick, especially ont the clay sections. I was sticking to Jimmy's DRz (i finally got new meats for the YZ) back tire. I was surprised at the "tackiness" of the trails after the rain, and regained the "zone" that I had earlier. After about a mile or so, I realized that Shin Ichi had dissappeared. I turned back to make sure that all was well. The stock dunlops on his bike were no match for these conditions. Shin had made the wise decision to fore-go injury and return to the truck.
If you aren't bored yet I will give the tale of the rest of the day, including the arrival of Ivan's "Blue Piglet"
wrench
------------------