Words can't begin to explain...

[nikki]

WOW!!! We just got home - it was kinda sad to turn the corner and head back to the house after two of the most incredible days of our lives. First and foremost - a huge THANK YOU to every single person that helped make DW02 the event that it turned out to be!!! :thumb:

Well, after months of thinking there was no chance for Red and I to make Cooperland, things changed two weeks ago when I got the green light to get out of work on Friday. So Thursday night Red and I began the 770 mile haul out to Cooperland.

Right before the riders meeting on Friday morning, we arrived and were greeted by some new and not-so-new faces. We saw the track when we pulled in, with a few rain puddles in spots, but that red dirt looked like so much fun. Our eyes lit up like two kids on Christmas morning with a tree full of presents!

Then it began - Friday and Saturday were two days that we will never forget! We brought the digi camera (yes, I'm normally a digi camera nut) but we didn't take a single picture. Reason being we were having such a blast that we never got the chance. And the two days we were at Cooperland will be in our memories forever... so no pictures necessary.


[I'm seriously half asleep right now... so my best shot of a summary version of our DW02 experience coming later tomorrow. I gotta get in extra early at work to catch up for missing Friday ;) stay tuned...]

 

[firecracker22]

Nikki, it was great meeting you and Red. You're a great rider and I loved watching you race. I hope to see you again, at DW03 for sure if not sooner!

 

[nikki]

Hey Sharla - it was a pleasure meeting you for sure - nice to put a face with a name after so long. Next time maybe you'll have to show me the way through the woods.


Well... I started writing a detailed DW02 write up yesterday at work... and it quickly became 2,000 words and the was just from Friday to Saturday morning. And I wanted Ivan to keep his status of having the longest DW report (almost 3,000 words) so I tried to go the summary route last night and my laptop froze. So... what do they say - 3rd time is a charm? I'll give it one more shot...


Nikki and Red's DW02 highlights:


*Meeting/hanging out with so many cool people - the people really made the event. It's truly a DRN family...

*Red lining up on the gate with Dr. D, Coop, Billy, and Brownie (and being able to say he beat Coop in moto 2)

*Jack and Dianne's frito pie thingy

*The cool looking track when we pulled in being the MINI track and the main track being even cooler

*Hanging out with my favorite online friend - Julius Pleazer

*Finding out Dr. D actually seen me in an article in Cycle USA

*Red going like 40 mph down 80th Ave. cuz we were excited to get to DW

*Finding the "big step-up" that everyone spoke of and actually watching Red jump it a bunch on Friday

*Riding JP's 250F - YEEHAW!!

*Red's smile when he got his A class plaque

*Gomer's Dirtweek or Bust presentation and the standing ovation and deafening applause

*The generousity of all the DW02 sponsors and the hard work of everyone who helped put this event together

*Being a small tabletop for Solo in Billy and Brownie's cornering class

*Group photo - kinda like Prom but way cooler

*Getting personal riding tips from Dubach (including the applause Red got on his practice start after stalling in the first one because he was nervous)

*Seeing my first armadillos

*Elk's kitty litter creativity

*Finally meeting Pro Clean's Buddy Walton in person

*Watching the bikes with lights fly down the straights and through the corners and roll the jumps

*Using Dave's cool tie wire tool

*Billy and Doug teaching the kids MX school just cuz they are two great guys

*Women's MX race - awesome to see so many girls line the gate and what a battle that Blackhawk and I had... if you weren't there - you really missed a show!

*Red getting excited about riding/racing all over again and getting a new hero - Billy

*Finally meeting Walt and Eric and the Westergard family (all locals). Anthony flat out hauls on that RM 85! Kim was tearing it up in the women's MX, too!

*Watching Brownie lead Coop around the track

*Getting smoked by the kid

*The red dirt and abundance of big fun tables and jumps

*Seeing gas stations with 5 different octane selections

*Billy’s plans for the step up so it sends you out to Coyle (according to Thump)

*Mixing it up in the B class race

*Milk - he's one funny dude

*Cooper offering to do much more for next year's DW if at Cooperland again

*Elk’s save in the rhythm section

*Turning down Pokie's 250F at a giveaway for some cleaner

*Meeting most of the ladies from DRN

*Thump's pretzel, I mean front wheel

*Seeing familiar faces again (JP, Oldguy, Eric, Billy, GSR, Eddie, Lou, Jaybird, Wendy, Jim, Okie, Pokie, Shiftless, Crispy, Scooter, Sarge, the Zoomers, Thump, Jeff Allen and anyone else I forgot)

*Watching Blackhawk sky off the finish line table and wondering how she landed that as smooth as she did

*No Mo’s helmet – dang!

*Big Lou on his knees posing as a little guy to get Dr. D's autograph

*Meeting Ivan - what a nice dude!

*Milk's moon

*Tree jumper and his up and down weekend

*Oldguy out front in the C moto (all good things come to an end - sometimes a very bad end)

*Getting roosted by Dubach

*Meeting a 6 year old cutie named Nikki that rides too

*The big Wally World Super Center

*Ripping it up with Solo

*Starting class with Dubach - and listening to him talk about the World Cup (he just won the Fast Master's class the weekend before against a huge line-up of heavy hitters)

*Jumping from Oldguys snake

*Margaritas at Chilis

*The award ceremony - all the thank you's and neat awards (how about that basket case trophy! and Sara and Luke Zoomer in the kids MX! and Thump's Buster Jr. award)

*Frank Dunn = Fast

*Watching Gomer do the robot (heal up soon Goober - did Red get to poke ya on Friday afternoon there?)

*Playing with DW

*Meeting MX-727 and his family - what a tough group!

*Billy demonstrating what NOT to do as he tried turning around his bike in the air on the step-up and wrecked

*VD in the C class MX race - and his exotic bike award

*Having JP introduce me to people (Wrench, Lemming, Timr, Ivan, etc…)

*Tracking down Zio Saturday night

*Meeting fatherandson (who helped babysit my water jug during the motos)

*Eating lots of shrimp at the mod dinner… yummy!

*Driving around trying to find the barn-fire

*Meeting Natalie – she was just as nice as I imagined

*Having Doug come by and prep my gate before the first B start - good thing I actually had a good start

*Meeting the Gomer crew

*Remebering my Joliet death-swap Jeremy Wilkey mentioned in the suspension seminar

*Hiding scavenger hunt envelopes

*Listening to all the CA people complain of the cold

*Thinking/talking about DW03 all the way home

 

[a454elk]

I forgot about the save, all I can remember was, "Don't look to the right, it stinks in there!" Nice meeting you and Red as well.:thumb:

 

[JuliusPleaser]

<*Being a small tabletop for Solo in Billy and Brownie's cornering class>

Now THAT was scary. I was sitting on the outside of the turn talking to Brownie and had a close-up view of the incident. SOLO was right on your rear tire when you went down, and he ALMOST ran over your head. :eek:

Talk about high pucker factor. . .

 

[GETMETOCA]

Nikki, I am so glad that you and Red made it afterall, I was kinda bummed when you posted earlier that you were not going to make it! Was fun to race against you, too bad the most I saw of you was when you were lapping me - lol!!

 

[truespode]

Thanks for the report Nikki. I look forward to seeing you and Red again. Next time maybe we'll all get on the track about the same time and do some riding :)

This trip was short for me but there were a lot of people I met and all of them were tops. Yes... even Jaybird ;) Seriously, not one person I met was a jerk or was not there to have fun. Everyone was very helpful and went out of their way like any DRN'er would!!

Ivan

 

[_SOLO_]

Originally posted by Julius Pleaser
and he ALMOST ran over your head. :eek:

I thought Nikki never fell so it was a surprise to see her go down, next thing I remember I was sitting up and my helmet was off. Trust me it hurt me alot more than it hurt her, my wrist and knee are still feeling it.

 

[Milk]

Red drank all of my beer. :(

 

[nikki]

Originally posted by Milk
Red drank all of my beer. :(

Milk... I tried to cut him off after one... but you kept bringing more :p

Looks like Red owes ya a few beers at DW03 :thumb:

 

[Milk]

He was too damn big and I didn't want him to pummel me if I didn't get him more. :p Red is cool and he rides well too!

 

[nikki]

Originally posted by nikki
*Jack and Dianne's frito pie thingy

Awww... man... I am soooo guilty :confused:

Go figure - I listed it that high on my list :o

 

[Milk]

Stick to your guns girlie! That danged ole Okie will go down next year. I got you at 5 to 1 right now. :)

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Originally posted by nikki

*Jumping from Oldguys snake

:scream: Apparently I missed more than I thought. :scream:

 

[Papakeith]

LMAO!!

 

[a454elk]

Yeah, Oldguy ran around with his snake out, scaring the kids. He put it under my side panels on the grass and yelled, "Lookout, it's an Oklahoma rattler!" He then proceded to grab it and fling it my way. Of course I took evasive action and headed North away from the location!!:) He tried to do the "tie a fishing line to it and pull it across the dirt" thing but he got busted, no dice pal!

 

[Timr]

I'm glad that I didn't see that. If you thought that Elk ran fast when the spiders where around...I'll pass Elk like he's sittting still if I see a snake. I hate snakes. All Snakes. I might run all the way back to Alabama if I see one. :)