truespode
Moderator / Wheelie King
- Jun 30, 1999
- 7,984
- 251
First some pics since most of you can't read anything over on sentence :D
Ivan
http://www.ncdirtrider.com/graphics/030908nchsa/B Race/IMG_3735.jpg
http://www.ncdirtrider.com/graphics/030908nchsa/B Race/IMG_3934.jpg
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/OrderPage.aspx?pi=0NR8000T030046&po=46
Liebal
http://www.ncdirtrider.com/graphics/030908nchsa/B Race/IMG_3937.jpg
The week was starting to scare me. I was very concerned about the weather. We had rain Tuesday and it poured down hard. Then Friday the skies opened up again. I was seriously thinking it would be a mudder.
Friday night I watched the Daytona SX on TV and it was a lake... I had pictures of my Sunday race being just like that.
Saturday was beautiful and extremely windy but I decided to head out to TNT to get some practice riding in. I got 4 moderate laps in when a kid on a Honda passed me. I figured I'd chase him back down and I was going to pass him on a small table top, maybe 15' if that. I get up beside him on the face and we both get in the air.
He went in the air at an angle and came over on me. His left footpeg hit my forks and tire and down I went. I was cussing as I was bouncing. My visor broke and pieces got into my helmet somehow leaving me with a small cut on my eye and forehead. My neck was tweaked as I landed on my head and right shoulder.
Fortunately I landed on the downsloap so I was able to slide on my head to a stop instead of lawn darting into the ground.
Final report was severely tweaked front end, lots of road rash, cuts on my head, bruises on my arms, bruise on my hip, extremely tight neck and a trashed helmet. I do not think I had any concussion of any sort but I replaced the helmet anyway.
I bought a Sparx helmet. I have heard bad things about it on TWMX when Don Maeda said he was able to break it with his bare hands by giving it a bear hug. However, the guy from Sparx was on Thumpertalk defending his helmet and the reason they don't go for a Snell rating... they said it is too hard for our type of riding so they go with DOT and another Euro rating. He made me feel a lot better about his product so I was planning on getting a Sparx as a backup helmet anyway.
I tried the bear hug thing and couldn't get the thing to come close to flexing enough to even feel like it was going to give way even a little. Don Maeda is a small guy so I doubt he is 5 times as strong as I am when giving a hug :D
So, Saturday night Jen comes over and cleans my wounds. She is freaked out a little because normally when she sees road rash it is on a dismembered body or dead body from a crash. She doesn't deal with live patients... just dead ones and parts. But she still agreed to go the race. Definitely a lady and the tramp type of scenario :)
Sunday we get to the track and things look perfect. The morning race seemed to have dried things out and I even saw some dust here and there. I was feeling better about getting out there.
We waited a long time on the line but then we took off. I didn't get a great start. Maybe beat 4 or 5 others to the turn. There were about 27 or so in my class.
The first lap was a long train of riders. I passed quite a few at some bottle necks and got passed by a lot at other bottle necks. There were two really hard parts of the trail. One was a hill with a lot of roots and deep ruts. The other was a hill but not as steep but it had 2 rutted areas that was 1st gear and hope you didn't have to stop and pull your bike through.
I had to stop and pull my bike through on laps 4 and 5. I think 50% of my effort in the race was on those two hills alone each lap. They were grueling for me. I really wish I would have had an auto clutch.
Somewhere around lap 3 or 4 Liebal passed me. It was after I got to a bottle neck and put my bike in gear and just watched. I took a breather b/c my arms were really tightening up on me. My right arm was hurting really bad from the ace bandage I had on protecting my road rash. It caused a lot of arm pump.
I finally picked a line and passed about 6 riders. But while I was waiting I got passed by 20 or so riders.
I caught back up to Liebal when he tried a bad line ;) He was stuck and his trials tire ($cha-ching$) was spinning. I hollered a reassuring $cha-ching$ as I rode by!
He caught me on a hill and I mis-shifted as I got going on it when I was going into 3rd. He blew by me like I was standing still and I tried to catch back up to him but never saw him the rest of the day. His lap times were a lot faster than mine too.
Liebal's were...
14.15 average mph
20:04 Lap 1
19:09 Lap 2
18:08 Lap 3
19:05 Lap 4
18:59 Lap 5
Liebal wias a lot more consistent than I was. I think I have his speed but not in the really snotty sections. An autoclutch may be on order soon. I don't want to use my credit card for a non-emergency purchase but if my race next week is as bad as this one I will probably bite the bullet.
My lap times were...
12.89 average mph
Lap 1 20:31
Lap 2 20:30
Lap 3 19:24
Lap 4 21:08
Lap 5 23:11
I hovered between 16th and 19th each lap, finally finishing in 17th. I had a great battle with #823 Jason Lurz. He would pass me and pull away then I'd reel him in and do the same. It was safe, respectful racing. I finally passed him for good on the last lap when he pulled over for a breather. I imagine he was exhausted. I know I was really close.
Cardio wise I felt really good but my arms and my right leg were really hurting. The ruts were so deep that on the last two laps I had a hard time keeping my legs clear so I about got ripped off the bike several times. I only stalled the bike twice but both times were on the crappy hills mentioned earlier.
Each lap I came around on the track was awesome! Jen was cheering me on and waving the entire time. I could hear her hollering for me each lap. Keep in mind a year ago she said she didn't understand why I enjoyed dirtbikes and not to expect her to like them or get involved. I offered her a ride to the starting line in the beginning of the day but she said she would walk as she would never be on a bike.
Now she has been to an SX and was at her first race.
When I came in from the checkers she hugged me and kissed my helmet and even jumped on the back of the bike and let me ride her back to the truck.
I have NEVER felt so supported and appreciated in my life. It made a great time even better.
Liebal was awesome as well. I really enjoy hanging with him. He is a great rider as well as safe and considerate of everyone around him.
I'm already looking forward to next week!
Ivan
http://www.ncdirtrider.com/graphics/030908nchsa/B Race/IMG_3735.jpg
http://www.ncdirtrider.com/graphics/030908nchsa/B Race/IMG_3934.jpg
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/OrderPage.aspx?pi=0NR8000T030046&po=46
Liebal
http://www.ncdirtrider.com/graphics/030908nchsa/B Race/IMG_3937.jpg
The week was starting to scare me. I was very concerned about the weather. We had rain Tuesday and it poured down hard. Then Friday the skies opened up again. I was seriously thinking it would be a mudder.
Friday night I watched the Daytona SX on TV and it was a lake... I had pictures of my Sunday race being just like that.
Saturday was beautiful and extremely windy but I decided to head out to TNT to get some practice riding in. I got 4 moderate laps in when a kid on a Honda passed me. I figured I'd chase him back down and I was going to pass him on a small table top, maybe 15' if that. I get up beside him on the face and we both get in the air.
He went in the air at an angle and came over on me. His left footpeg hit my forks and tire and down I went. I was cussing as I was bouncing. My visor broke and pieces got into my helmet somehow leaving me with a small cut on my eye and forehead. My neck was tweaked as I landed on my head and right shoulder.
Fortunately I landed on the downsloap so I was able to slide on my head to a stop instead of lawn darting into the ground.
Final report was severely tweaked front end, lots of road rash, cuts on my head, bruises on my arms, bruise on my hip, extremely tight neck and a trashed helmet. I do not think I had any concussion of any sort but I replaced the helmet anyway.
I bought a Sparx helmet. I have heard bad things about it on TWMX when Don Maeda said he was able to break it with his bare hands by giving it a bear hug. However, the guy from Sparx was on Thumpertalk defending his helmet and the reason they don't go for a Snell rating... they said it is too hard for our type of riding so they go with DOT and another Euro rating. He made me feel a lot better about his product so I was planning on getting a Sparx as a backup helmet anyway.
I tried the bear hug thing and couldn't get the thing to come close to flexing enough to even feel like it was going to give way even a little. Don Maeda is a small guy so I doubt he is 5 times as strong as I am when giving a hug :D
So, Saturday night Jen comes over and cleans my wounds. She is freaked out a little because normally when she sees road rash it is on a dismembered body or dead body from a crash. She doesn't deal with live patients... just dead ones and parts. But she still agreed to go the race. Definitely a lady and the tramp type of scenario :)
Sunday we get to the track and things look perfect. The morning race seemed to have dried things out and I even saw some dust here and there. I was feeling better about getting out there.
We waited a long time on the line but then we took off. I didn't get a great start. Maybe beat 4 or 5 others to the turn. There were about 27 or so in my class.
The first lap was a long train of riders. I passed quite a few at some bottle necks and got passed by a lot at other bottle necks. There were two really hard parts of the trail. One was a hill with a lot of roots and deep ruts. The other was a hill but not as steep but it had 2 rutted areas that was 1st gear and hope you didn't have to stop and pull your bike through.
I had to stop and pull my bike through on laps 4 and 5. I think 50% of my effort in the race was on those two hills alone each lap. They were grueling for me. I really wish I would have had an auto clutch.
Somewhere around lap 3 or 4 Liebal passed me. It was after I got to a bottle neck and put my bike in gear and just watched. I took a breather b/c my arms were really tightening up on me. My right arm was hurting really bad from the ace bandage I had on protecting my road rash. It caused a lot of arm pump.
I finally picked a line and passed about 6 riders. But while I was waiting I got passed by 20 or so riders.
I caught back up to Liebal when he tried a bad line ;) He was stuck and his trials tire ($cha-ching$) was spinning. I hollered a reassuring $cha-ching$ as I rode by!
He caught me on a hill and I mis-shifted as I got going on it when I was going into 3rd. He blew by me like I was standing still and I tried to catch back up to him but never saw him the rest of the day. His lap times were a lot faster than mine too.
Liebal's were...
14.15 average mph
20:04 Lap 1
19:09 Lap 2
18:08 Lap 3
19:05 Lap 4
18:59 Lap 5
Liebal wias a lot more consistent than I was. I think I have his speed but not in the really snotty sections. An autoclutch may be on order soon. I don't want to use my credit card for a non-emergency purchase but if my race next week is as bad as this one I will probably bite the bullet.
My lap times were...
12.89 average mph
Lap 1 20:31
Lap 2 20:30
Lap 3 19:24
Lap 4 21:08
Lap 5 23:11
I hovered between 16th and 19th each lap, finally finishing in 17th. I had a great battle with #823 Jason Lurz. He would pass me and pull away then I'd reel him in and do the same. It was safe, respectful racing. I finally passed him for good on the last lap when he pulled over for a breather. I imagine he was exhausted. I know I was really close.
Cardio wise I felt really good but my arms and my right leg were really hurting. The ruts were so deep that on the last two laps I had a hard time keeping my legs clear so I about got ripped off the bike several times. I only stalled the bike twice but both times were on the crappy hills mentioned earlier.
Each lap I came around on the track was awesome! Jen was cheering me on and waving the entire time. I could hear her hollering for me each lap. Keep in mind a year ago she said she didn't understand why I enjoyed dirtbikes and not to expect her to like them or get involved. I offered her a ride to the starting line in the beginning of the day but she said she would walk as she would never be on a bike.
Now she has been to an SX and was at her first race.
When I came in from the checkers she hugged me and kissed my helmet and even jumped on the back of the bike and let me ride her back to the truck.
I have NEVER felt so supported and appreciated in my life. It made a great time even better.
Liebal was awesome as well. I really enjoy hanging with him. He is a great rider as well as safe and considerate of everyone around him.
I'm already looking forward to next week!
