Allen's Farm MX - I'm going!

[tooclose racing]

So what's the big deal with the fact that I'm going? It's been a long week ladies and gentlemen.  I had about 1.5 nights in the garage to take the Six Day apart and clean all of the Broome Tioga mud off, spoon on the new tires (I went with the Mr. Rudder's recommendations for this bike - you figure it out!), and clean up the braking surfaces a little bit.  Wednesday I was at the local MX track with my daughter and her TTR, but not with my bike.  Why you ask? Well, follow my Broome thread and you'll see I was having some carburatin' problems.  Friday night was dinner for six at our place to celebrate my wife resigning from her "Just Shoot Me" Nurse Manager job on a med/surge floor.  THAT's another story...Finally got back to the Green Lantern just after lunch on Saturday (today).  Following up on a theory someone had last Sunday, I pulled the Bing, popped the bowl, placed floats in bowl with gas and watched them...sit pretty darn low in the bowl. Like...not appearing to float. Like...just not sure what to do next in terms of trouble shooting the Bing for now. On a Saturday afternoon. Before the Sunday races.  Being a gambling man, I picked the 28mm Mikuni up off the bench, plugged in the 160 Main I had just grabbed from a local shop, and headed to the garage (it could just be my eyesight, but it looked like it had a 100 Main...and this carb had come off of another Penton!).  I had already searched the POG site for any insights into the installation and was also fortunate that it already had the right radiator hose/clamps for the spigot side.  But I spiraled downward from there. Initially looked like the throttle cable was going to be too short, but I finally managed to "find" the slack I needed (ask me if you see me at the races).   I fumbled and fumbled trying to get the Air side boot to fit.  Oh..and did I mention it was 90 degrees up here in the Iroquois Confederacy?  I was soaked with sweat in my garage.  Hook up the gas, petcocks on, kickety-kickety-kickety...nothing. Hey - I live on a hill, out the garage and down the cul-de-sac I go. It fires at about a block and a half, and after clearing its throat..it runs! Quickly duck onto local mountain bike trail at end of neighborhood (sorry boys, but I helped clear half of the trail this Spring...) and...heck, its even running pretty clean down low! I was just tickled....got back to the road after some tree-weaving, ran her through the gears, killed her...and walked about 3 blocks home with my new born baby! Plug looks..good.

So..its about six pm and I've just announced to wife that "We're going to Allen's Farm, honey!"  Looking forward to meeting some fellow POGGERs at The Farm.  More, later...[8D]

[thrownchain]

[8D]

[thrownchain]

[8D]

[tooclose racing]

"Getting to know you...getting to know all about you...."  Those are the words that drifted thru my towel wrapped head in the 90 degree plus heat at the very cool Allen's Farm "grass" track.  I had just pushed my bike off of the track after Lap 2 in our race 7 moto (not sure who else was racing with the 125 classics, but we had about 15 bikes in our moto, which made for great RACING!) and was staring at the carb/spigot junction. My carb had popped out. No S___t.  I had actually tightened the hose clamps before the moto, too.  Of course, the first thing I had to do was sit down under my pop-up and consume massive fluids in the absolutlely oppressive heat.  I had known right away when I heard the boooggg sound that I hearing an "inlet" sound", so I pulled in the clutch, and stopped by the side of the track.  CRAP!  Running 8th or 9th overall, mostly focused on my SHIFTING for chrissakes, and sooo grateful that the Mikuni was letting me run a higher gear thru some of the corners and rough stuff as I remembered how to ride.  Seriously.  You do some stupid stuff when you haven't ridden in the dirt in 20 years. []  But I was having serious fun up until that moment.  I had made some brake adjustments and now had some front brake on the bike (may sound strange to you DIRT guys, but remember that I'm coming from roadracing...).  Rear still sucks, but nothing a new pair of shoes won't cure.  Red Wings seem to be working okay - but this was a ROUGH "grass" track folks, let me tell you.  The 35's out front were performing most excellent.

So...I'll admit..I'm a Gas and Go guy.  I do things in the garage with duct tape and large hammers that would just make some of you guys cringe.  Basically got a BIGGER screwdriver out of the toolbox, cleaned things up, made sure the carb - boot - spigot was not in tension for gawd's sake, and re-tightened everything.  MORE fluids consumed.  By the way, absolutely no appetite in these 90/90 conditions - you just try to force down some fruit.

Race 2 - the rubber band snaps, but I'm already moving boys and I am THIRD into the turn with a Husky 250 on my inside that just doesn't think this is right and moves me outside a bit. So fine, fourth overall or something - and having a hooting time.  BTW -I met a really nice guy running a 125 CAN-AM in the class, he was hanging out with the God-like Drew Smith of ISDE fame who I met for the first time (or was it Chris Smith...? Anyway - 20 ISDEs or something). Anyway, he came by me near end of first lap as I caught my TWELVETH neutral that weekend.  Enduro guy, smooth as silk and feet up on the pegs.  Time to learn, so I just line up behind him for first two laps until the guy pulls off, engine dead as a doornail.  Wow, no one around now, spectator holds up four fingers and  - HEY - there's "Siege" at the side of the track snapping away with his camera.  Geez, now I have to LOOK like I know how to ride.  Now, I'm breathing deep and thinking COLD thoughts as I work my way thru the fourth and final lap.  There's the finish line up ahead, come to Papa....BOOGGGGGG!  

NO! NO! It can't happen.  It did.  Carb popped its front mount again.  AGHHHHH!!  Oh well, it was fun.  Let us pray that my wonderful 125 6B motor has not ingested too much of Pennsylvania's finest.

Too make a short story long, it was a much shorter push back to the shade of my pop-up.  As bummed as I was, I was also having a blast.  I'm guessing that this radiator hose/clamps set-up that came with the Mikuni is really old and tired, with the rubber down right stiff and possibly shrunked a bit.  I will replace all components at local auto parts store, clean it up, and get ready for AHRMA at Broome.

I actually met a few Believers at this round (Penton owners), along with a bunch of other vintage racers.  And the very special guest at this race round - other than Mr. Smith of ISDE fame?  SIEGE was there! All the way from the world of Hammer and Tongs vintage racing in our NW United States.  Had some t-shirts for sale and did some racing himself!  Great to meet this Artisan.  Oh..and did I mention that he was taking some pictures?  I sure did....PLEASE CHECK THIS AWESOME PHOTO at his website(thanks, Siege!):

http://www.siegecraftnw.com/VDR.htm

[Lew Mayer]

The important thing was you had fun:D
And yes we DIRT guys do use front brake.
I may see you at Broome-Tioga. Not Racing yet, though.

Lew Mayer

[Ernie Phillips]

tooclose,  Thanks for the great race report and the photo too!  I feel your pain.  About this time last year my son & I were experiencing broken bikes and overheated and out of shape bodies.  If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.  Last year we were underprepared;  both bikes and bodies.  I had my body melt down at Little Egypt CC and again at Mid-O VMX.  We broke bikes at numerous events.  Looking back at our first season, we were a bunch of jokers ... not to be taken seriously!  Underperforming can be a fantastic motivational force.  We have since improved our physical condition and riding skills and we are getting our bikes in better shape too – finishing races.   I could say, "Better luck next time", but instead I'll encourage you with, "Better prepared next time!"   (Luck is when your competitor is faster than you but he breaks down)  Hang with it and looking forward to your next adventure -- Perseverance is a great element of success.

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[tooclose racing]

Thanks for the words of "encouragement", Ernie..  Your first season sounds like a template for mine so far.

And I hope I see you at the Broome, Mr. Mayer.  

[Lew Mayer]

MR??? Am I THAT old? [8D]

Lew Mayer