Rorr H/s 6/9/07

[Matt 193]

This was too much space so Part 1
Reading OffRoad Riders put on a great race yesterday. I Woke up around 7:30 on Saturday, the trailer was mostly packed for the 3hr ride to Hazelton PA. I wasn't worried about being late because my race didn't start until 5:30 that afternoon. After Finising getting ready we went over the check list and left the driveway. My dad was driving and my friend Jesse came to my race with my greatly mannered puppy Haydn. We drove the regular 2 hour drive to Tower city, but instead of getting off the exit we headed farther up I-81, and after a little while we turned onto the exit and headed down Route-61 until we hit St.Clair where we turned left onto Route-209 and followed what would be a perfect street bike road through the mountains. I was thinking about signups when in a scarred vioce I said "No way!" My dad asked "No way what." I said "I think I left my wallet on the office desk that had my AMA and District 6 card in it" The truck went silent even Haydn layed his head down. I bit my fingernails and thought of anyway to prove my membership to the AMA and District 6. We pulled the truck strait to the sign up tent to see what we could do. When I opened my door my wallet hit the coal dust ground. I couldn't belive it the tenson lifted and we signed up for the race. I joined the ECEA and got my bar code. We parked and got unloaded at around 2:30. Even the Pee Wee's didn't start until 4pm.

 

[Matt 193]

Part 2
Since there was no racing for a while Jesse and I walked to the starting area. The start was in coal dust, basicly a super loose dirt. I was not too enthusiastic about the start so we walked with Haydn to the entrance of the woods. It was a muddy rutted rocky tight uphill. I could only imagine the mayham of the start not to mention the dust of the start. I didn't walk too far into the track I needed to save my energy. We walked back to the Trailer and sat under the shade and ate a hotdog. I sat and talked about the conditions to my dad. I had a sort of a plan but I didn't have to follow the plan. We heard the Peewees start to race around 4 so I walked to the edge of a rocky section and watched a little of there race. I suited up as my dad sold my old kx65 to another man. I hoped on my 85sx and headed to the start area with Jesse and Dad in tow. I got the very outside spot on my line and waited as everyone revved their bikes up I sat and waited the 3 lines before me took of and I was now shakeing. I had adrenaline to control. The flag dropped. I started first kick and took of. About 40 feet into the start I was near the front when a Cr85 came drifting towards me I could run him over or try to aviod. I attempted to aviod he hit my front tire which knifed and dug into the loose coal dust. I flipped over the bars and the bike landed on me. I got up pretty quick and took off.

 

[Matt 193]

Part 3
I could barley see where I was going but I gunned it up to around 4th gear through the first 2 corners. When I entered the woods there were bike and bodys laying all over the main line and secondary lines. I found a way up the first 3/4 of the hill and then hit 2 tree's I didnt go down but I stalled I was moveing again within maybe 2 or 3 seconds. I had passed a few kids in my class up the hill but I was still in about 20th. I worked through the single track and got caught behind another slower kid in my class. After about 2 miles I yelled "Lemme by Lemme by". He pulled over and I grabed another gear and yelled"thanks." and was off to pick off another rider while still conserving energy. I was caught by a kid about my speed and we battled through every lind of rocks mud and singletrack. I was ahead of him and he dissapeard. Then someone in my class came flying by. I didn't even attempt a battle I was pacing myself. I went through the last 2 miles of trail by myself when I followed another rider through a fire road and hit a big whoop I didn't see and popped into a super man and saved it. I backed off for a minute and started again. I struggled up some rock and rock and mud uphills. Then I went up a stream the was up a decent sized hill. I couldn't belive how good of traction I got.

 

[Matt 193]

Part 4
Then we headed onto another section of single track where I battled with one other rider all the way to the fireroad straitaway before the end of the first lap. I was in 17 out of 25. I passed the boy and headed down the trail. I stopped in my pit area took a gulp of Gatoraide and took off down the trail. I went through the same course at a good pace and passed a few kids on the side of the trail too tired to ride. I went over all the same opsticals and passed a few boys and kept on riding my own race. I hit a tree and flopped of the trail. I was back on the trail and at race pace in no time. There was nobody really around until I was lapped by 2 supermini A riders. I was haveing a great time and started pushing myself so I could make a 3rd lap in the 1 hour race. I came around the end of the course pegging my bike trying hard to make the 3rd lap but I missed it by 2 minutes. I was kinda mad, but I figured I picked up some spots and was pleased. A half hur after the race results were up. I placed 14th out of 25 racers but, I still wonder how it would have played out if I had a better start.

 

[Atruckee]

Good story, and good writing. Where exactly was this H/S? Hazelton?

 

[olderndirtmom]

Nice telling. Thank-you!

Looks like you'll be looking for another race real soon, eh?

 

[trakkerman]

Great story. I was reliving my race it as I read. That was an awesome course. I raced Sunday. I am really bummed I got a flat front tire on the first lap. It was the first time I have ridden in rocks and it, well, ROCKED!

See you at the next race?

 

[Matt 193]

Great story. I was reliving my race it as I read. That was an awesome course. I raced Sunday. I am really bummed I got a flat front tire on the first lap. It was the first time I have ridden in rocks and it, well, ROCKED!

See you at the next race?

Well I can't wait to go to the next race. I used to race regular Pa State series, but I loved the singletrack and non-moto in this race. I will be racing more ECEA's for sure. What Tire pressure where you running in the rocks?

Thanks everyone for reading about the race.

 

[Matt 193]

Good story, and good writing. Where exactly was this H/S? Hazelton?

It was a few miles below hazleton off Route 209 on a dirt road.

 

[trakkerman]

What Tire pressure where you running in the rocks?

12PSI.

 

[Matt 193]

Oh. those rocks can give some real pinch flats. I would invest in heavy duty tubes and run at least 15psi, if you plan to ride the rocks again.