White Lightning weather update

[firstturn]

To Greg, Thomas, Al and all the others that has put the effort into this Race....thanks for keeping the spirit going.  If it wasn't for people like you the Racing Days would be finished.  I wish I could be there.

Ron Carbaugh

[tmc3c]

Thank You Brother!I am seeing racing in a whole new light!!


   It hasn't rained as of yet. I left the course at 8:00 pm tonight. We have people from all over, Calif. and everywhere between.



Thomas Carmichael


1970 125 Six Day
1976 250 Hare Scrambler

[BlueRidgePathfinder]

First of all, thank you Ron for the kind words.  That's just the kind of thing that motivates guys like us to continue busting our humps putting on events....it surely ain't the glory....nor what little bit of money that might be made.

Let me say, this ain't NASCAR boys, we run rain or shine!

All it did was drizzle a little today.  We could use about .25 inches to knock the dust down, and that would make the course
perfect.

I had the pleasure of riding the course today on my new 1980 Can-Am 350 Qualifier (thanks Don Sprinkle!) and the course is marvelous.  I was the official Post Vintage Intermediate pre-rider, and rode with Greg (2006 KDX 200....like new....for sale for $2,300.00) and a older gentleman on a 1971 Steel Tank Penton 125 Six Day.  He was the official Vintage Novice pre-rider.  We both had a ball.  The 4+ mile course is like the Enoree OHV Trail (near Union, South Caroling)must have been when it was first cut.  FANTASTIC!

Those of you close enough to still drive and make Sunday's round, load up and come on!  I've got really cool, AFFORDABLE event T-shirts to sell (while supply lasts) as well as some really cool commemoratice bumper stickers.  It's worth the trip down here to by these.

Oh, did I mention, the trophies are really cool to, thanks to artist Roger Harvey and the late Ray Ryan, the original editor of VMX magazine (it's a long story that I am too tired to type )

Happy Trails,

Al

P.S. Legenday Hodaka Ace Bob Canfield (and his lovely wife) is here, all the way from Washington state.

P.P.S.  It would have been nice to have someone from the Penton family here at Rounds 4 & 5 of the AHRMA/Penton Owners Group National Cross Country Series.  An impressive image of Tom Penton in action graces the back of our event T-shirts.

[BlueRidgePathfinder]

Howdy folks,

I'm writing you from the warm, dry lobby of the Hampton Inn, Simpsonville, SC.

I am wet, chilled to the bone, and dead tired, but with a belly full of ribs from Arizona
Steakhouse, so please understand this narrative will have no literary flow, and is short
and to the point for now.

As Referee at today's Inaugural Carolina White Lightning Cross Country Classic, I only
had to penalize one rider for apparent course cutting based on absolutely impossible lap
times.

There were several vintage bikes here that I should have penalized for excessive rear
suspension travel, but gave the benefit of the doubt primarily due to their lack of
competition.

Wendall Phillips of the Team Lillian Swamp Boys suffered the only serious injury on the
course this morning with an apparent hyper extended knee.

However, Corky Root gave us quite a scare back at event headquarters, following his post
vintage race on a 1985 KDX 200, when he appeared to be having a heart attack!

For those of you who may not know, Corky is a tough bird! In 2005 he quite literally died
as the result of a Sudden Death Episode while waiting for his heat at Monster Mountain in
Alabama.  At that time Teddy Landers wrote "After he keeled over, the EMTs were
about 100 ft away and they hit him with the paddles three times to no avail. No heart, no
breathing. They did artificial respiration on him for a while and then gave up - he was
gone. Patti was holding his hand and shouting at him to not leave her. After about 8
minutes he gasped and then came back. The hospital credited the fast response of the EMTs
hitting him with the paddles for his recovery."

Today Corky presented the acute chest pain and Grey complexion I know far to well having
seen my father suffer several myocardial infarctions between his first at age 43 and his
death in 1983 at age 59.  Wife Patti kept her composer an administer aspirin as I called
911 and one of our riders rode out to meet the ambulance at the park gate, which is
easily overlooked from the main road.  Once off the phone with 911 dispatch, we covered
Corky with anything we could find to keep him warm in the frigid, wet conditions,
continuously monitoring his pain level and keeping him alert.

As luck, albeit bad, would have it, the two ambulances required during the race had
already been cleared to leave the premises, and were long gone.  The unbelievably slick,
mucky condition of the wet clay roads and and parking lot made it impossible for the unit
that ran the call on Corky to reach our locations, so a local volunteer fireman with
impressive skill in driving and drifting his Ford F250 4WD, drove in, scooped up Corky
and Patti and sped them away to the awaiting ambulance.

About thirty minutes later, just as David Lamberth called out Corky's trophy winning
score, the VFD fellow's truck came slogging back to us, returning his precious cargo, who
insisted he was fine, refusing transport.  This feat earned a tumultuous round of
applause!

Regardless, I know what I saw, and saw what I know, so I ask you to raise Corky up in
your prayers tonight, asking that God let us keep him around, in good health, for one
more time.

Please keep Wendall Phillips in your thoughts and prayers as well.

Wesley Simmons was tallied the best overall vintage score today, and will be receiving
not only his plaquard for winning his class, but also one of my, Greg and Thomas' special
White Lightning Gallon Jugs for his achievement.  

The Kewl Bike Award for the day went to a gorgeous 1975 CZ 400 Falta, who's owner will
hopefully forgive me for not being able to recall his name at the moment.  

Neither can I remember the name of the rider of a gorgeous Husky who won the Post Vintage
Overall, earning the other special White Lightning Gallon Jug for the day, barely edging
out Rokon mounted Mike Murphy.

Short of Divine intervention bringing miraculous drying of the ground, I doubt there will
be any riding of our course tomorrow.  Greg and I are thankful to have Dave Lamberth here
to make the call.

Folks, Greg had a WONDERFUL course, that I had the pleasure to pre-ride on Friday, but
our apparently frigid monsoon has put a damper on this weekend.

We worked very hard to put on an epic event, but will have to ask you all to give us
another chance next year.

Wet, cold and tired near Fountain Inn, South Carolina, ace reporter Al Roof signing off.

[firstturn]

Al, Greg, Thomas and everyone else.  Thanks for the update and Wendall and Corky are in my Prayers.  The rain you have came through Texas earlier this week with 4 to 5 inches of rain and 30 & 40 degree temps.  You guys are the best and put your heart into race.



Ron Carbaugh

[BlueRidgePathfinder]

Ron,

Thanks again for your encouragement.  It is greatly appreciated!

Look for me to start hawking event T-shirts, and commemorative "bumper stickers" all over the Internet soon.  The only chance in hell we have to cover our substantial expenses is to sell all of these.

As I have said before, we are not in this for the money, but, as three individuals of limited means, we certainly can't continue hosting these events if we lose money.

I'll keep you posted.

G'nite,

Al

[firstturn]

Al,
  Send me a email I am a buyer as I hope others will chip in.

Ron Carbaugh

[Ernie Phillips]

Wendell:  Down but not Out

My brother had a bid of bad luck at the White Lightning CC.  He took a hard dab dislocating his knee and breaking his tibia.  He left Greenville Memorial Hospital Sunday afternoon with an external fixator (4 pins and two bars) holding everything together.   He will have corrective surgery in 10-14 days after the swelling goes down.  Keep him in your prayers.

A big thanks to Greg Holder and his helpers for getting Wendell out of the woods.  The White Lightning crew did fantastic job with the event in spite of miserable weather.  Also, thanks to the Lillian Swamp crew for pitching in and getting all our bikes and gear together and for the guy (Tim?) who pulled my truck and trailer out of muck.

Al, please post the T-shirt and sticker info.  We appreciate your efforts.



Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[paul a. busick]

We left Amherst,OH Friday and heading for Winston Salem NC.  It Was raining when we left. We arrived In W/S late afternoon-raining.  

 Left for Fountain Inn SC early Saturday am - it had not stoped raining.  Spent 1 hour looking for Wellies (boots) for the ladys - still raining. Got to the race track around 10:30 am - still raining.  The powers to be were having trouble due to a crash in the vintage run - it's still raining. The powers to be decided to not run the vintage novice. The postvintage would run - still raining.  Mid afternoon the flag dropped on a very wet bunch of riders - still raining.  

I had a very good start in my class (P/V 60+)I was 2nd into the woods - still raining.  The powers to be had removed some of the bad spots to make things easier. Somewhere near the end of the 1st loop, I came out of the coarse on the wronge side of the start/finish line -still raining.  I was sapped out from picking up the PE and decided to save myself and the bike for Sundays race - still raining.
 
The heat and dry of the motel was greatly appreciated.  After the clean up, hot shower and a hot meal, things begain to look better - still raining.  All through the night it continued to rain.

 After a quick breakfast it was back to the track - still raining.  When we arrived at the track, there were only a few very wet gate people waving for us to turn back.  The parking lot was empty - still raining.
 
Headed to Charlotte, NC and stayed the night with our son - still raining.  We were going to ride on the shut down golf course near his home, this was to be the high lite of the trip - still raining.  We decided that it would be alot more pleasent to just sit by the fire - still raining.

 Left late monday heading for W/S to stay the night with our daughter - still raining.
 
Left W/S early Tuesday - NOT RAINING!!!
 
Last summer there was a water shortage in the Carolina's. Every lake, stream and river that we passed was over flowing their banks. I
don't think that they will have a problem with water this summer.
 
Once into VA. the Sun came out. The temp jumped up 20 dgrees and it was clear sailing all the way back home.
 
The clean up was the easiest part of the whole trip.
 
After all that. I would like to thank the whole race crew at White Lighting for doing the best that they could under some very difficult conditions. All of their hard work was truly appreciated.  The weather was just not fair to anyone involved.  We can only look forward to better weather for the up coming events and thank the Lord that there was no REALY Bad physical injuries.  Things could have been much worse due to the pile-ups at the bottoms of the hills.
 
Paul A. Busick
 
P.S.
 Ron Carbaugh,
 Yes, you should have been there.
 See you down Old Dusty.

[firstturn]

Paul,
  You are correct again...I should have been there.  The 3100 mile trip two weeks prior to Daytona and on to Memphis somewhat cooled my jets.  Great article in the Still Keeping Track, but being a Texan I always thought Fort Sam was in San Antonio?

Ron Carbaugh

[BlueRidgePathfinder]

First of all, let me say that Greg, Thomas and I are truly humbled, yet extremely proud by the turn out and support of our event by our friends and fellow motorcycle addicts. You folks, both those who came and those who were there in spirit, are wonderful!

Especially after this weekend, I am going to adopt Dave Mungenast Sr.'s prophetic words of wisdom as my personal mantra. When speaking at the Awards Banquet at the 7th Annual Leroy Winters ISDT Reunion Ride in the Berkshires, Dave said:

"I always say that the motorcycle riders are the greatest fraternity that I've ever seen, because no matter who you are, whether you're Malcolm Forbes, or whether you're Malcolm Smith, or Malcolm the trash hauler, when you throw your leg over that motorcycle we're all the same, we're all bonded together....."

As most of you know, it began raining Friday night, and never let up much all weekend. Saturday, following the Vintage (Pre-1975) race, AHRMA officials (and the riders) cancelled the Novice (both Vintage & Post-Vintage combined) out of concern for the riders' safety, but went on with the Post Vintage race.

After that, what had been a marvelous course on Friday was toast. Then
it rained, and rained, and rained, and rained, all Saturday night into
Sunday, so we were not able to run on Sunday. Instead everyone was frantically, yet carefully, working just to get all of cars, trucks, and motor homes out of the park, which by then was a muddy quagmire. The luxurious land yacht belonging to John ?, the nice gentleman from California (most definitely manly man who rode the Yellow 1974 Yamaha SC 500 in Saturday's event) is still sitting in the upper lot. He figured it would be at least today before he would be able to get that thing out of there without tearing it up with tow trucks.

Due to conditions and consequences caused by the torrential rains, it
will be a real struggle for Greg and me to cover our expenses and commitments related to hosting the event. Whatever profits we can glean from the sale of our event T-shirts and commemorative decals will be our saving grace.

Therefore, I have put together a promotional flyer with prices and
ordering details for these items.

UNFORTUNATELY, I don't possess the gumption to post that flyer here on this fourum.

SO, IF ANY OF YOUR FINE FOLKS HERE ON THE PENTON OWNERS GROUP FORUM WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE OUR White Lightning Event T-Shirt & Commemorative Sticker Sales Poster, please e-mail me directly at [email protected] , and I will reply to you with a .pdf file containing the poster containing all of the pertinent information for ordering our shirts and decals.

I have uploaded our White Lightning T-Shirt & Sticker Sales Poster to the various and sundry Yahoo! Group Sites, and hopefully the Liles have a way to post a link to our promotional flyer on the AHRMA website as well.

Any and all help you can give us in moving these items, to generate some much needed cash flow, will be greatly appreciated!

Happy trails,

Al Roof

[paul a. busick]

Ron,

Fort Sam Houston & the Alamo are both in San Antonio and they are all in the great state of Texas. In the Army, we always addressed the location by the state.  Fort Knox, KY, Fort Bragg, NC, ETC.. Certainly not Fort Bragg ,Fayetteville, NC.

Thanks for the comment/complement on the article?

See you down old dusty,;)
P.A. Busick

[tmc3c]

Hi Mr Busick,
  It was nice to meet you! I am glad that you came to the event! I hate that you didn't get the chance to ride the course on Friday after Greg and I had finished it. The rain was disappointing but I guess that's always a risk we take when planning an event several months out.  I hope our paths cross again! Watch out for Doug on the golf course!!



Thomas Carmichael


1970 125 Six Day
1976 250 Hare Scrambler