Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. With the leaves all changing and the fall weather leaving the dirt in "onion bed" status, it’s almost sacrilegious not to be at the track. This has been a special week for me. Reality drove its way home in more ways than one.
I've been riding a practice track for a few weeks and trying to get back into riding shape. There are a few local guys I ride with that go pretty good, but it wasn't until I got a visit from Jason Hooper and GNCC star Josh Strang that I rediscovered what a real rider can do. My buddies would say, "Man, you should be racing, you'd win!" I had been turning 1:05 lap times around my track, riding at what I thought was a fast pace. Knowing that Mr. Strang was a world class racer and athlete I brought my "A-Game" to the track yesterday.
As all the gang started arriving I wanted to have a grudge race to see where we stood. I wanted to race seven laps and get a seven second head-start and see if he could catch me. I tore off riding as fast as I could but after two laps I looked over and saw he had already closed to within about 10 bike lengths. "Uh-oh, better wick it up,” I thought. The next two laps I rode way, way over my head, almost endoing on the triple trying a Bubba scrub. My feet were blowing off the pegs and I ruined all of the good ruts we had made trying to hold him off. It was four fingers on the clutch and not even using the front brake the whole 7th lap. I finally reached the finish line and pulled off gasping for air, barely conscious.
Josh rode on, and on, and...well, no less than 30, yes 30, laps later did he finally pull off. As I was pouring water over my head still trying to breathe my Pops walked over to me and showed me his lap times. His fastest was a 57 and he ran every passing lap in the 58 second range. He never went above 58 for 30 minutes. No way. Pops told me most of my laps were 59's and I had one 58 the lap I saw God over the triple. Josh rode up and took off his helmet and his hair was still dry. Then, the 21-year old ripper busted out three more 30-lap motos before calling it a day. Another new set of brake pads were toast.
I've been riding a practice track for a few weeks and trying to get back into riding shape. There are a few local guys I ride with that go pretty good, but it wasn't until I got a visit from Jason Hooper and GNCC star Josh Strang that I rediscovered what a real rider can do. My buddies would say, "Man, you should be racing, you'd win!" I had been turning 1:05 lap times around my track, riding at what I thought was a fast pace. Knowing that Mr. Strang was a world class racer and athlete I brought my "A-Game" to the track yesterday.
As all the gang started arriving I wanted to have a grudge race to see where we stood. I wanted to race seven laps and get a seven second head-start and see if he could catch me. I tore off riding as fast as I could but after two laps I looked over and saw he had already closed to within about 10 bike lengths. "Uh-oh, better wick it up,” I thought. The next two laps I rode way, way over my head, almost endoing on the triple trying a Bubba scrub. My feet were blowing off the pegs and I ruined all of the good ruts we had made trying to hold him off. It was four fingers on the clutch and not even using the front brake the whole 7th lap. I finally reached the finish line and pulled off gasping for air, barely conscious.
Josh rode on, and on, and...well, no less than 30, yes 30, laps later did he finally pull off. As I was pouring water over my head still trying to breathe my Pops walked over to me and showed me his lap times. His fastest was a 57 and he ran every passing lap in the 58 second range. He never went above 58 for 30 minutes. No way. Pops told me most of my laps were 59's and I had one 58 the lap I saw God over the triple. Josh rode up and took off his helmet and his hair was still dry. Then, the 21-year old ripper busted out three more 30-lap motos before calling it a day. Another new set of brake pads were toast.
The reality was: I'm 32-years-old, washed up, and those GNCC guys are gnarly. Josh Strang could bust a top 15 at a national no problem.
Damn, guys, get out there and ride. It's the bee's knees.
It was the most concrete form of reality that's ever hit this dude square in the chest.
I've said it before and I will reiterate, this is an astonishing mud ball we live on. This brief opportunity we have to be alive and breathing should not be taken for granted, because it is a gift and a blessing. Sometimes a little reality helps push this point through. Love your family and go ride dirt bikes.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
Damn, guys, get out there and ride. It's the bee's knees.
It was the most concrete form of reality that's ever hit this dude square in the chest.
I've said it before and I will reiterate, this is an astonishing mud ball we live on. This brief opportunity we have to be alive and breathing should not be taken for granted, because it is a gift and a blessing. Sometimes a little reality helps push this point through. Love your family and go ride dirt bikes.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
