Weather was perfect, track was about as good as it gets, traction was great. In attendance were: LinusB, Slacker, Ken, Carl (the new guy) and a special appearance by whyzee96 (who stayed just long enough to get his Eric Gorr book back ;) ).
Linus had his bike up on the stand when I got there and we spent the first hour finishing the sprocket/chain change on his bike and I changed my oil using the Mike T funnel/bottle method.
Carl pulled in and we did the first round of the Chester Woods Track GP. I don't know if it was the sprockets or what but Linus was QUICK. The only time I could get him off my back wheel or take a break while up front was when he was sliding out because he wasn't used to the new gearing. Passing him was nearly impossible, some of which can also be attributed to him sliding out and not being used to the new gearing. He was even attempting stuff out on the big track by mid afternoon.
Went back for a break and Slacker and Ken arrived. I think we all hit the big track next.
The first thing I was noticing was that my bike was running STRONG. I had put the 12oz flywheel weight back on in preparation for Brown Mountain and was thinking it would run sluggish. NO WAY!! I guess the cool dry air and jetting were perfectly synchronized and 4th gear felt like second gear did last week at Parker Valley. I really noticed it when gave it everything it had in third gear (like I usually have to do) to clear the triple after rolling the gulley jump. Well I had no problem clearing it, landed just short of the berm in the turn, jumped the berm and nearly took out some pedestrians walking up from the woods track (well they thought so anyway - I think the fence would have stopped me).
The next thing I noticed is that Ken is real quick in the turns. Can lose him over the jumps but then he is on me through the curves. I think he admitted to cutting the track but I am not sure. The CRF twins were expressing jump concerns early on but started clearing the uphill triple by the end of the day. I hear Ken is secretly filming freestyle videos and just sandbagging out there on the track.
Whyzee Dave was parked up above the kids track teaching Lola how to ride when I found him. Took Dave and Aryn down to the woods track for their first time. Took a break then back to the big track. I was trying real hard to stay out front and did my first Carmichael whip while leading Ken over the big step up. According to eyewitness accounts, I was completely sideways and I could tell from the feel of it that I was approaching the point where the bike is completely flat and I was hanging off of the back - like in one of those Honda commercials. LUCKILY, the ground came up quick enough to save my life and even though the back end bounced side to side on the landing....I managed to stay on two wheels and a foot. Had to go back to the truck, examine my big toe, change my shorts, and stop the scenes of my life flashing before my eyes. By the way, anybody get that whip on film???
I vaguely remember several more Woods Track GPs where Linus was wearing me out. In one of the later races, I tried to pass Linus over the tabletop thinking I am usually quciker over that jump. So I gave it a handfull of gas not thinking about how good the bike was running and overjumped it by at least 20 ft (well it felt like that anyway). I did pass Linus as he was making the turn...but that's because I was making a beeline over the berm and off the track. Had to spend some time collecting myself in the tall grass by the fence (that's where I got it stopped).
In the final race, I did manage to redeem myself as far as Linus was concerned (he was wore out by this point) but Ken put one of those "going for broke" moves on me in the back stretch. He passed me in the rough section through the woods, I took it back on the outside through the curve, and after the two doubles I heard this gawdawful-wide-open-4-stroke-rumbling and then this blur passed me on the right. I don't think he slowed down for the turn even...and then he was gone.
We also extracted a kid from some guys back wheel and I rescued some 2 foot tall kid who had his 4 wheeler grounded between two ruts. All in all, a very busy day.
Had a great time and wish the rest of the Carolina Spodes could have made it. I particularly missed the Gomer clan and I hope we can get the whole crew together soon.
Linus had his bike up on the stand when I got there and we spent the first hour finishing the sprocket/chain change on his bike and I changed my oil using the Mike T funnel/bottle method.
Carl pulled in and we did the first round of the Chester Woods Track GP. I don't know if it was the sprockets or what but Linus was QUICK. The only time I could get him off my back wheel or take a break while up front was when he was sliding out because he wasn't used to the new gearing. Passing him was nearly impossible, some of which can also be attributed to him sliding out and not being used to the new gearing. He was even attempting stuff out on the big track by mid afternoon.
Went back for a break and Slacker and Ken arrived. I think we all hit the big track next.
The first thing I was noticing was that my bike was running STRONG. I had put the 12oz flywheel weight back on in preparation for Brown Mountain and was thinking it would run sluggish. NO WAY!! I guess the cool dry air and jetting were perfectly synchronized and 4th gear felt like second gear did last week at Parker Valley. I really noticed it when gave it everything it had in third gear (like I usually have to do) to clear the triple after rolling the gulley jump. Well I had no problem clearing it, landed just short of the berm in the turn, jumped the berm and nearly took out some pedestrians walking up from the woods track (well they thought so anyway - I think the fence would have stopped me).
The next thing I noticed is that Ken is real quick in the turns. Can lose him over the jumps but then he is on me through the curves. I think he admitted to cutting the track but I am not sure. The CRF twins were expressing jump concerns early on but started clearing the uphill triple by the end of the day. I hear Ken is secretly filming freestyle videos and just sandbagging out there on the track.
Whyzee Dave was parked up above the kids track teaching Lola how to ride when I found him. Took Dave and Aryn down to the woods track for their first time. Took a break then back to the big track. I was trying real hard to stay out front and did my first Carmichael whip while leading Ken over the big step up. According to eyewitness accounts, I was completely sideways and I could tell from the feel of it that I was approaching the point where the bike is completely flat and I was hanging off of the back - like in one of those Honda commercials. LUCKILY, the ground came up quick enough to save my life and even though the back end bounced side to side on the landing....I managed to stay on two wheels and a foot. Had to go back to the truck, examine my big toe, change my shorts, and stop the scenes of my life flashing before my eyes. By the way, anybody get that whip on film???
I vaguely remember several more Woods Track GPs where Linus was wearing me out. In one of the later races, I tried to pass Linus over the tabletop thinking I am usually quciker over that jump. So I gave it a handfull of gas not thinking about how good the bike was running and overjumped it by at least 20 ft (well it felt like that anyway). I did pass Linus as he was making the turn...but that's because I was making a beeline over the berm and off the track. Had to spend some time collecting myself in the tall grass by the fence (that's where I got it stopped).
In the final race, I did manage to redeem myself as far as Linus was concerned (he was wore out by this point) but Ken put one of those "going for broke" moves on me in the back stretch. He passed me in the rough section through the woods, I took it back on the outside through the curve, and after the two doubles I heard this gawdawful-wide-open-4-stroke-rumbling and then this blur passed me on the right. I don't think he slowed down for the turn even...and then he was gone.
We also extracted a kid from some guys back wheel and I rescued some 2 foot tall kid who had his 4 wheeler grounded between two ruts. All in all, a very busy day.
Had a great time and wish the rest of the Carolina Spodes could have made it. I particularly missed the Gomer clan and I hope we can get the whole crew together soon.
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