Chanute Race Day Reports

[E.A.]

Even though I was dead tired and could not think or see straight, I was determined to finish on my own power. Just want to also say sorry if I did not get out of the way for some of you fast guys quickly enough during the race (still wasn't thinking to fast or straight). Thanks for the support and friendship from Shredder, wirefryer, and many other. Anyway, I did finish and was proud of myself and know that I am getting better and faster. Hopefully before the end of the season, I will be competitive. See ya at Merwin!

Quoted this for it being the best thing I have read today!
Love the motivation,..... thats exactly how I felt last year, and how I feel this year trying to reach the goal of riding with the "C" class.

Keep on picking it back up.... it does seem to get easier each race.

Erik

[bugler]

here is video from my helmetcam of the first few minutes of the +45.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=64 ... 8615916905

be sure to click on the HD button to see it in higher quality.

[shredder]

This was my third race on the big Kaw! I am starting to get used to it and riding better, at least for a couple of laps. The start was uneventful for me as I decided to not slow up anyone after the start and left almost last. Went around for the first lap and did fairly well for myself only fell a few times. The second lap showed me just how much I needed to work on my endurance as it took almost twice as long to make the second lap as it did the first one! The water crossing with the sharp short climb after going through the water was the start of the bad lap. The ruts in the far side were deep and there was 3 places to climb now instead of 2. I went for the middle one and promply missed the rut and ended up on my head and in the water. Great props to the guys assisting on that side of the creek. Without them, I'm sure that many of us would not have made it up the side. I was sure that many of the 600 and 700 guys and gals were going to be coming by soon, so was looking back a lot and not looking at the trail enough. Many a tree had moved during the race and wanted to get hit by me. After feeling like a pinball for most of the second lap, and picking up the bike more times than I would like to admit (I really think that the bike was a 2,000 pound cow). At this time I was dead tired and just wanted to finish the lap. I must have really looked bad, because some of the sweeps and helpers were asking me if I needed medical or were telling me maybe I should just take the short way back and call it a day. Even though I was dead tired and could not think or see straight, I was determined to finish on my own power. Just want to also say sorry if I did not get out of the way for some of you fast guys quickly enough during the race (still wasn't thinking to fast or straight). Thanks for the support and friendship from Shredder, wirefryer, and many other. Anyway, I did finish and was proud of myself and know that I am getting better and faster. Hopefully before the end of the season, I will be competitive. See ya at Merwin!

Yup... Yes sir...I get to camp with this gentleman and although he has been corrupted a little by Wirefryer and tweaked a little by SloMoJo (congrats Joe on your 2nd place finish my man!) he is a righteous dude and a blast to hang out with. I love the stories about digging deep and pushing on and going farther than we think we can and then doubling it. John is doing it right. Keeping it fun on and off the track. Just keep riding, ride clean, ride consistent, ride a lot, ride some more, and the speed will come. You will get there because you got the patience my man.

I was very sick last week and coughed so hard and got sick so hard I damaged my ribs some how. I drove six hours and eight minutes to get to this race (don't ask) only to find that my trailer was covered with tranny fluid. (my tranny fluid) I was not amused. My buddies sat me down, got me to stop moving long enough to drink some beer (left mine at home in the friggin RV) and cook some perfect steaks. Oh yeah. The next morning I couldn't even breath as I was sweeping the pee wees. My chest felt like someone shoving a dull screwdriver into it....every single deep breath I took. Man I can not seriously even imagine what broken ribs feel like, for real. I have a very well stocked med kit for almost every kind of pain but nothing for da ribs....Ouchy!

Great race too! I was surprised how many different terrains you might see when Chanute get some moisture. Sure beats the dust eh?

OH! By the way, although I don't recommend trying this but a well oiled trailer will pick up ZERO insects on the way home! Fun fact: they cover the stealth bombers at Whiteman Air Force Base in some kind of greasy pesticide. I was there at the "Wings Over Whiteman Air Show" doing our show with the Heart of America Air Show Team team and I was a few lucky show personnel who got to sit in the front seat of one of those babys. As the few lucky ones were climbing up into the cockpit we looked around the bad boy in the hanger. I stuck my figure onto the side of the aircraft just after they asked us not to (it feels like poking a shark side or a dolphin side as its "soft"). The taste was terrible - like kerosene and weed B gone. The corporal told us (just as I started to look for a place to vomit) that it was an oily insecticide to allow the dead insects to wash or slide off. It really does work, even at only 75 miles an hour!Gotta look on the bright side!

PS - Ever notice that you have never seen a correct photo of a stealth bomber directly from the rear? yup...

One more thing...Joe although I am truly impressed and happy for you on your great run and 2nd place at Chanute, I figure it's only fair to warn you that I am coming for you my man and I'm getting healed up, some new rubber and were banging bars! Just saying...

[shredder]

Great Video! Those rocks are for real!

[wadedawg]

Hey Shredder, I should warn you that SlomoJoe has been using me as a practice dummy getting prepared for your next race! I have red marks on the bike now and I am sure it wasn't from 1018 as he is always out front. I can no longer be Mr. nice guy..... I plan to pull a couple of pages from Joe's book of antics and return the paint! Great track and great fun. Thanks to all the helpers that pointed the way at the river crossing.
Was I the only one who had to dodge a snake while crossing the creek?

[slomojo]

Hey Shredder, I should warn you that SlomoJoe has been using me as a practice dummy getting prepared for your next race! I have red marks on the bike now and I am sure it wasn't from 1018 as he is always out front. I can no longer be Mr. nice guy..... I plan to pull a couple of pages from Joe's book of antics and return the paint! Great track and great fun. Thanks to all the helpers that pointed the way at the river crossing.
Was I the only one who had to dodge a snake while crossing the creek?

I had every intention for that being a clean pass.It would have been except for my foot peg hooking that big rolling log.I just needed 2 more inches.Missed it by that much. For a while I wondered if either of us was going to get out of the log jam.

It takes some serious contact to transfer color from plastic,now you have an orange bike with red pin stripes.

Chanute is always interesting and fun,thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.

[keko]

I got a pretty good start and settled into 4th for a couple of laps. The leaders were pushing pretty hard and I knew there was no way I could keep that pace up so I settled down in my groove an just rode my ride. Came across on the 3rd lap an saw that I gained a position and was pretty happy with that and figured I was still a ways away from catching 2nd. At this point I was on my 4th or 5th wind and picked it up a notch knowing that there where only going to be 2 laps left. Came up on the 79 about half way through the 4th lap and thought I would just ride with him for a while. Hit the muddy section and he bobbled a bit and I went by. Got to the line thinking I was in 2nd and for the first time ever I saw my number, position 1st. I thought wow that's cool! I thought to myself, "just keep riding your ride, don't push it, and get her home." Well, the racing gods had a different idea. About 1.5 miles into the last lap I blew the front and had to limp her home on the rim for 5th. Still had a blast! So glad I decided to join the 700 hundred club this year. Great bunch of guys! See you at the next one.

[ktmracer66]

Race of the Year so far for 2013 in my opinion!! I can't speak for the second group, but the 1st race was probably the best conditions you could ask for!!

[shredder]

I had every intention for that being a clean pass.It would have been except for my foot peg hooking that big rolling log.I just needed 2 more inches.Missed it by that much. For a while I wondered if either of us was going to get out of the log jam.

I was working at the creek and I saw Chris on lap one already working his way through the 700's only about 4 miles in! He was yelling, no he was begging at the 700's to please let him by but he was being ignored for the most part. It was hilarious! I'm almost deaf but it sounded like this....Whoop! WHOOOP!!! HEY HEY HEY! Oh come on! Oh for Pete's sake!!! Are you SERIOUS!!!? (heee heee hee)He did get by one of them by making a cool move on the greasy uphill just after the creek. Sometime a twist of the throttle is all it takes....cool move... Anyway I saw the ol Wade dog snipping at Joe's boot heels with his front tire. I enjoy polishing Joe's boot heels with my front tire also. (hee heee heeeeeee. hee hee.) But the truth be told (and man I hate to say this) Joe will push himself, Joe will push you and make a move in the weirdest most god forsaken places and bet the farm to get the job done too. See Joe doesn't fool around. Nope. He commits fully before he makes a move, waits patiently, takes aim, steady, steady and POW! But I will say that Mr SloMoJo will never intentionally make a dirty move. Nope. Won't happen. Many a time he had me hanging by my fingernails and by all rights had every right to use me for traction and just push me off the edge and make his turn, but he didnt. That guy (he will never admit to this) did every thing he could to keep his bike from touching mine and we were 1/4" apart (merwin 2 years ago). He is just like Brad - He will give his axle nut to help a dude out. But he also aint just playing either. That all I have to say about that...
Yup

[WireFryer]

Chanute somehow never seems to change temp wise.... 100 plus and muggy as a Panamanian cathouse.

Show up Saturday evening with rookie John and his big Kawi in the bed of my poor little Nissan an hour late after thinking 2 Army Vets and a GPS can outsmart the County Road boys at their own game...., we got where we needed to be, but I will give them kudos for not marking a damn thing !

Shredder shows up and his enclosed trailer has this funny sheen to it, well at least we got a place to crash!

We got stories to tell of that evening getting Shredder back to Earth, but they will require a roaring campfire sometime in November AT CHADWICK, with at least 15 occupied chairs around it with a jar of Midnite moon makin' laps

Raceday morning, I hit Scoring, get my assignment, map, radio, and a killer smile from both of the two hottest women in the Scoring Business ( Dan is not one of them)... and run a practice/check loop with Superfast.

Just after the wet creek section at about mile 1.5 a spotted fawn jumps in between us an runs the course in front of me till it turns sharply to the South and exited the course.

Following the little guy, I knew that the kid has the speed needed for this Series, but Wattsy could make him faster . Hehehe.

Lineup for the first show commences and after getting the rolling train wreck/comedy club/500 class... but dont know it yet (cough, COUGH!) line known as the 700 club a clean and legal head count, mosey back to meet my fellow sweepers and notice an odd pause after the board is dropped on each class no matter what speed percentage.

( could someone post a pic of the start board HAY BALE HOTTIE? )

Anyhoo... I'm in the back making friends with my new sweep buddy 'Luke on the Yamaha' when Juniors launch, one of them Merwin style on a XR100!

I pull back guard, help the Kid on the wild XR 100 fix his shifter (Dad, replace it with a quality steel folder from Moose Racing cuz' that one IS done.....).

Ride up on the 900 that nuked his ribs, Sweeper has it covered. Ride up on the 10 class (1035?) about 200 yards later that the sneaky, grass covered field rocks snagged and rolled, and he has another sweeper TKB ....so I move on to the first creek section and hang out.

It is very plain that the Gent assigned to this section by Taylor Farms has had it for years and does not care for my intrusion... but is willing to be a sport about it.

We where chatting about the first lap before I took off to sweep the loop when I happened to glance down and notice a blinking red LED staring up at me from the mud in the creek on the primary line.

It was a GoPro Hero3 camera... no case, no ID, just the camera.

After finding out that it would NOT fit in my GoPro Hero2 casing that was on my lid ..... I took it back to scoring, it finished the race before its owner did .

After pulling the trigger to buy one of the pricey little SOBs... it warms my heart to see one recovered .

I clear my 1-2-3 mile section for the first race and note that #802 and its helmet haven't left the course. Dan is informed and I zip off to cooldown and rehydrate at Hotel Shredder before Round 2.

Stacking on the fast-mover show is odd as the 500's have a full line for once , and the rest of the field looks a bit thin. I leave early and camp out at the first rock garden.

We let em' go, and after 2 loops.... with Luke in tow... and I'm thinking the YOUNG sweeps got it covered .... so I can punch out and load up 2 bikes and gear in my truck since newbie John ain't having himself a good day ... AND help Shredder get loaded up since his ribs are making funny noises plus he starts explaining why the Serbians got a raw deal the last election without my asking.

And then my 230 hours-on-it KTM dies at mile 2 with 50 minutes to go on the late race. Fuel/carb problem.

Luke is a Trooper about it, and busts a ton of thorn-infested brush trying to get me out of there.

The only way out is against traffic, so I cut him loose to sweep and hoof it out.

I heard an accurate comment by the EMT's hanging out at the meatwagon as I staggered by, with helmet in hand... wondering where the Turkey Buzzards where.

Chanute is a demanding lil' beast, and the grin IS that the place has the potential to be routed almost unrideable.... you children have no idea what that place is capable of....

WHOOP!


Tim
#785