May 15 and 16, 2004

This was another double header weekend. I was not too excited to get going Saturday morning so I accidentally slept in. I blame it on Vince since he called me before my alarm was set to go off so I turned the alarm off and laid down *just for a second.*

Next thing I know it is almost 10am and I had to get my butt in gear. Needless to say I missed practice. However, I used my first heat as practice and was happy to see that not much had changed to the track since last time. I used my heats just to feel out the jumps.

I'm getting a lot more used to the auto clutch on the MX track too. There is one uphill double that I could clear last time but could not brake for the inside corner. This time I had no problem on the inside corner most times b/c I did not have to worry about the clutch and possibly b/c of the extra stopping power I got from my steel braided brake lines I installed late in the week.

After the heats I checked the overflow tank and there was not any rubbing on it and I came up short a few times. I feel it will be out of the way enough for my riding. I'm very happy with that.

In the 250D main I got a bad start but fell in with a couple guys my speed. One was on a Yamaha behind me and another on a CRF450 ahead of me. We battled for a couple laps before I felt I could make a pass.

I tried getting around on the jumps but couldn't. Finally I set him up by going outside, cutting in and outbraking him into the corner. I then moved on to see if I could put some time on them.

Luckily I did. I then caught Danny who had gotten dirt in his eye on the start and had to stop. I lapped him but when I caught him he saw it was me and took off to make me earn it :) It was a lot of fun battling with Danny for a lap.

I ended up 12th out of 15. I felt like I rode a lot faster than that though.

In the +30c/d class there was only 5 of us. We were running with the +30 am and the +40 class. Those am guys and some of the 40 year olds were really fast.

I got a last place start and stayed there entire race. BUT... the good news is I rode hard the entire race and DID NOT GET LAPPED by the am guys. WHOOO F'n WHOOOO!!!

The first time ever I rode with the am's that I was not lapped.

5th was a trophy position and I took it and wrote on the back that I was not lapped. For the first time the trophy was not a lapper award!!

After that we all sat around and told lies and watched Lee and Paul drool over jail bait :) We then went to Arizona Steakhouse all sweaty and dirty. We stuck out like a sore thumb but had a good time.

Sunday came too early for the second half. I drove to Charlotte (1 hour) to pick up James. We then drove to Sanford (almost 3 hours) for the harescramble.

We both were looking forward to the hs b/c we heard it was a wide race. At least that is what Mike Liebal told us. He's lucky he's in China b/c if he wasn't we would have strung him up after the race <vbg>

Needless to say the race was single track. It was 5.2 miles long. 4.5 miles of tight single track that I could barely get my bars through and .7 miles of the mx track.

The first lap I fell in behind James and felt him out. It was his first HS but he did really well holding his line when the faster guys came. There was not much room for passing but in the areas where there were he did really well.

I passed him by taking an alternate line and felt good. I thought I was moving at a good pace. Then I went through a drop down between some trees and next thing I know I felt the bars hit the trees and then felt water down my back and hit the ground.

I got up to realize that my bite valve on my water system had come off :( First lap and I had emptied almost all my water down the back of my pants!!

I got going again and then on the second lap I hit some more trees but didn't go down. I had a lot of times where I bounced to a stop hitting trees but got back going.

I caught a few guys and passed them when they pulled over and then caught a guy on a KTM but he would not move over. I tried finding places to pass but there was very little room.

Finally I saw an opening and I went for it. Next thing I know I saw the sky, ground, bike, tree, sky, ground, bike a little farther away and then the sky again. I got up. Turned off the gas of the bike and sat there.

Then I hear a bike and realized I was sitting right on the trail!! Ooops. I picked up the bike and leaned it against a tree. I then took off my helmet and rested a few minutes before trying to start the bike.

Then here comes James. He blasts by me as I wave him by and yell at him. He was moving very fluid and looking good. I then proceeded to cuss out the freaking 4 strokes as I tried to start mine. It just did not want to start after lying on its side for so long and b/c of the auto clutch there was no way to bump start it.

I finally got it started and then took off. Next thing I know the bike is bogging and cuts out. DAMNIT!! I forgot to turn the gas back on!!!

I get it restarted and I'm sucking as much water as I can from the water system but there is not much in there. I take off and get back to the MX track where I see James a few straights a head.

I haul butt but do not catch him until we are back in the woods. I finally catch him after he had stalled it. I felt good and then started going again. I then fell down again. Then again. Then again. Then I think I fell again.

Then sometime later I went down hard again. I just layed there. Finally got up and took my helmet off and rested. James past me some where in there and I tried to get the bike going again and did but I was pooped. There was not any water left in the system. I think I only had 8 oz total after the bite valve was ripped off.

I finished the race in 11th place.

My lap times were horrible. They were 27min, 22min, 27min and 28 min.

James was impressive though. He was 27min, 23min, 25min and 22min on his final lap!! His fastest lap was his final lap.

Hopefully the next track is not so much single track. That stuff is not my favorite. Especially with it littered with roots, rocks, tree's, ruts, whoops, etc. It was the tightest, most difficult course I have ever raced on... including enduro sections.

I'm tired today and my back is sore from the get offs but I'll be back.