AHRMA CC @ Wilkes Barre 9-26-10

[tooclose racing]

It's probably too much information, but I think that my MC5 and I finally "hooked up" this last weekend. []

Our NE region has a couple of guys that are members of the Back Mountain Enduro Riders (BMER)in central PA and they arranged for AHRMA guys to participate in an AMA Distict 6/Penn State modern bike Hare Scramble.  Maybe 125 modern sign-ups.  There were only about 10 of us signed up and they lined us up with the Women and Children on the last row (okay FINE - the youth races were two hours earlier...).  The "C" riders were in front of us.  We were scored separately and - my favorite part- we only ran for one hour.  Which reminds me of a great club t-shirt I saw a woman wearing at this event.  It said something like " I can last for two hours, how about you?"  Hah - I had no idea this Hare Scrambles crowd gets this dirty.  Bah-da-boom...

Dead engine start - I'm sandwiched between a couple of PE400s mounted by Dave Driver and Dan Horengic.  They point to a guy on a 250 Elsinore with some kinda up-pipe and say "he's the rabbit, his name is Tim Ferguson".  I smile and nod with my acknowledgement of these facts.  

The start is about a 75 yard dash to a hole in the trees about 6 feet wide.  I watch the bigger rows in front of us bunch up a bit as they hit it.  Then the bikes come back out of the trees, down a short straightaway, and back into the trees.  I watch some poor sap go DOWN on that second short straight and think "what a doof to do that in front of all these spectators."  Then it's time for our row.  Of course I take two fumble-bumble kicks to start my bike and I'm off towards the trees near last.  Out on to that short second straightaway and...Down I Go.  Like a Doof.  Must have been an ice patch or something. Back up and now I'm really last.  Everyone is in front of me by the time I get going.  By a lot.  Crap!

But I get it together, try my best to "style" my way past the spectators in the other front sections - and then off I go into the wilderness.  Great track and trail - fairly open - even in the trees, but pretty knarly in terms of brake bumps and roots and stuff.  Definitely glad I'm at least on a PV bike.  No rain (of late) so trail is mostly dry or loamy.  I pass just about everyone I can mentally remember by halfway thru the first 20 minute lap except for the PE's and "the Rabbit".  Out in a field that the course enters, exits, and enters, I spy the PE400s in the distance.  By the time I get to where they were I realize that they have at least a minute on me, maybe more.  And the Elsinore wasn't even in sight!  By Lap 2 I am catching the C riders, but my "across the field check" of the PE boys only reveals a small gain - maybe - in the scheme of things.  No Rabbit.  I am caught by the overall race leader on the 2nd lap, who is just blazing.  The second "A" guy to catch me seems pretty far behind the leader - its several minutes before he passes me after the leader.  And suddenly I am on top of the first PE400 - he seems to have fallen or slowed or something and I am by him.  With the smell of PE blood now in my nostrils, I pick up the pace.  [}:)]

Of course - the bad thing about racing with the moderns versus racing with just your own kind is that - even starting on the last row- they are going to catch you eventually.  And this definitely is the case on the third lap as the B riders and Vets (what is Vet - over 35 or something? Wooses...) come on like gang busters.  It does mess up your rythym - particularly in the tight stuff.  I try my best to get out of the way.  But I also use these guys to help pick up my own pace.    

The MC5 feels pretty good except for the really rough/chopped up field stuff that the moderns just seem to float over.  Not a blubber or hickup from the engine/carb at all.  The first two laps I never went down to first gear, but Lap 3 sees me grabbing it a couple times to be safe in some slow uphill direction changes in the tight stuff (versus just some clutch slipping and gunning).  An occasional missed gear, but that's just me.  Since it's Lap 3 and we're easily past 50 minutes I do start to do a little more "seat" time versus being up on the pegs.  No training for three weeks has taken its' toll.  And where is that frickin' second PE!?!

And then it's over. Three laps at 20 minutes apiece uses up the clock for us.  And there sits Dave Driver on his PE watching - he tells me the that the Elsinore has decided to do another lap (he actually ends up doing the entire two hours).  Since the EGO has landed (me) I gotta ask Dave how far he finished in front of me -the scoring table didn't use a clock on us for this event. He indicates about two minutes and I nod and smile and think "god DAMMIT", and tell him great job. He IS good.  He indicates that he never saw The Rabbit (Tim Ferguson).  Who must simply be Really Good.

We watch the other vintage bikes check in and "Atta-boy" the  finishers.  Back to the trailer for 40 ounces of Gatorade and then its "Labatts Blue Light Lime" time along with a sandwich.  Look at my watch and it's just 1 pm, plenty of time for the 3-1/2 hour drive back to the North Coast.

It was great to finally race some XC with some of the Pennsylvania regular AHRMA NE members.  Clearly some Fast Boys in this clan.  And the Penton MC5 250 was just a blast to race today.  Several of the modern racers and fans stopped to say hi and take pictures. I had put some fresh tank stickers on (thank you Al B) and she did look purty.  I LOVE the orange paint on these things. When the KTM guys stopped by, I'd say "this is your great-grandfather, son".  

[Lew Mayer]

As always, good story and fun to read.

Lew Mayer

[dennis foley]

bob, what can you tell me about the swap meet this saturday in fulton,

[thrownchain]

Dennis, I went to that swap last year, alot of snowmobile stuff, but there was some other stuff mixed in, some older dirt bikes, and some street stuff. If you don't go with high expectations, it's a good time.

[dennis foley]

thanks, dan. i might take a ride up.

[tooclose racing]

Dennis - If you take a ride up, be sure and let me know.  I'll try and work you into my HEAVY Honey-Do schedule for this weekend.  

Why the Honey-Do list?   Well...I showed the wife my nice trophy from the CC race and she is not impressed - somewhere in that 100 GB mind/memory of hers is some kinda blood-vow I apparently made  - that I do not immediately recall - that the Hancock MX race was my last one for the season.  I got two front row tickets to the Chateau De Bow-Wow as soon as I drove away Sunday morning for the Sunny Side of Philadelphia..so to speak.

And hello to Lew Mayer - sorry I didn't give you a heads up that I was visiting the Quaker State.  Missed ya at VMD this year - maybe next year.

And Oh Danny Boy - hope all is well in Cayuga County.  I just KNOW you are going to post a picture sooner or later of one of your projects reaching the finish line, figuratively speaking.

Sincerely,

Doctor Robert

[dennis foley]

bob, i will be heading up, i will be there early.

[thrownchain]

I may go, but it'll be late morning before I get there.