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I am just interjecting here as an aid to my old fellow rider / racers. When it comes to poking ol Mikey - just be carefull here. We were just doing some friendly smack talking between ol Mikey and ol Slow MO Joe and we ended up all three abreast headed into the woods from a long wide pasture. I knew if I just held the throttle pinned Slo Mo Joe would back down sooner or later and he did. Now ol Mikey on the other hand was a different situation altogether. He stayed right next to me and we just kept glaring back and forth with each other throttle pinned and the gap to the 40" wide tree entrance getting dangerously close. I was not going to move or flinch - I just held my course. Mikey didn't back down so he hit the base of the left tree and then deflected off some hidden log and went down. Later in the race about lap four as I was making a clever pass on Slo Mo Joe Ol Mikey comes ripping thru the creek with his front wheel high and rips between us so violently it took off Joes glasses and killed his bike and blew my goggles off completely off and shifted my glasses off my face and flooded my tear offs with a 4" thick brown water wave from the creek. He was literally laughing hysterically the whole time. We could here him as he rode away into oblivion - seriously. He even came by camp after the race to get our full reaction to the whole high speed - wheelie wash out stunt he pulled.

You may not want to poke that bear, he is not a mean spirited dude - he is just void of any fear.....
just sayin...

Shout out to Flyn Ryan. Looks like you had a good solid day. Keep eating those nails son.

Thank you Super Dave. Yesterday was a race I left excited about. First time to race 2 stroke and couldn't be any happier with my start. First time I've ever had a hole shot and once I got into the woods I was giddy like a school girl. I'm just bee boppin along and then I realize Tom Brunholtz was right behind me. I could see a 600 rider that I thought was on the trail stopped at the top of a large downhill and thought he was having second thoughts about it so I passed him and went to the bottom to realize we were off the trail. (Insert joke here Joking and yes I may have been 90 ft this time). While at the bottom I look up at the 600 rider trying to figure out where the trail was and just behind him I see five 700s go rushing by. Sorry for leading you off the trail Tom. Once we got back with the pack we were running in sixth and seventh. Tom went on from that point and recovered quite nicely with a first. Congratulations Tom. I did have a blast racing though with Mike Walline, Nick Spooner, and Rob Appleberry. Mike Walline and I changed spots several times as well as Nick spinner and I swapping spots several times. The one time I had a good shot at passing Rob I was going for it and was even with him when I realized big rocks were heading my way and once I started looking at the rocks I remembered how much it hurts when you land on them so decided it was in my best interest to back off at that point. Now I look forward to hearing from Gibber and Orange Crush.

Well Ryan since you called me out. I felt I got a good start. Held my line, took the line around the rocks that not to many was using. Cut inside of another rider that went wide after the rocks. Found myself t-boning another rider who was out of control going up the hill. I was trying to be nice and not ride over his bike. Couldn't back off his bike as another rider came up from behind me. I couldn't gain my balance. Fell on his bike nocking him down also. I found myself trapped under my bike.
Thanks to who ever came over and got my bike off me.
I was determined to play catch up on the rest of the first lap. I could see some riders as I got closer to scoring. After going through scoring I learn my front tire felt off. Yep I got a flat. Called it a day. It was fun course kept me on my toes. It was harder riding when no one is in front of you.

Steve Gibbs where is that helmet cam.

I think I will be repeating last year's season all over again.

I was wondering who all got caught up in that. I got a so-so start and that definitely helped me out as a few people got tied up in that haha!

My race went ok. Got lucky it sounds on the first lap more than once with Ryan trying his 'creative' lines. I was shocked I was in 4th after the first lap and we were all nose to tail going through start/finish. I basically just went backwards all race but I was determined to have a clean race and not blow myself up. Last year was a disaster at Milford so I didn't want a repeat. Fun race though and big improvement on the course compared to last year. It flowed really well and not many bottlenecks if someone crashed on a difficult section.

Unfortunately I am out of town this weekend for work so I'll see you guys at round 3.

I was trying to be nice and not ride over his bike

So...your a smart *ss on the forum but a nice guy on the course?

If you don't know me personally you might think that I am a smart *ss. If don't like what I have to say, stop reading my post. This forum back in the early 2000's was nothing more than comparing and complaints how this series was ran. Maybe that was before your time. I am having fun with fellow racers. Feel free to give it back. I love a good smack talk. If it really bothers you, PM me and I will gladly lay off.

Last year I rode over Jim's (1099) rear fender during race at Big Springs as his bike was laying on the ground. At the time didn't care, afterwards I felt bad. I am a different person racing than track side.

Feel free to give it back. I love a good smack talk

I just did, and you told me the old interwebz classic, "don't read it blah blah blah" Doesn't seem to me like you "love it"...

Well, it is kind of like the old saying, "If you don't like what they show on TV don't watch it.

Truth is, it's all just fun and Orangecrush isn't so bad. He really is just a softy! He just likes stirring up the "YOU KNOW WHAT!

Now for my race report as per my debut in the infamous 700 Club!

I had knots in my stomach from the moment I walked the start. Took a practice lap the evening before after helping Kim with fence and wasn't real excited about the final beach approach to scoring either. But I knew the 736 Rocket Ship was up for the task. All I had to do was hang on and not blow my self up!

Didn't get a very good start. My bike lugged a little coming out of the hole and I was not real excited about being bunched up going thru the rocks. I would guess I was in about 12th at that point then I hit the carnage on the hill after the hole shot. Passed several guys and ended up behind Spooner. Marolf was right behind me and I am pretty sure Orangecrush was right after that for the first lap.

I stuck with Spooner as long as I could but he finally left me then Marolf got around me. I think at that point I was in 10th. I felt pretty good and my bike was running great so I just kept thinking "ride smooth and steady and don't wreck!

Luke Thomasson #875 caught me on my second lap and I followed him for a while but he quickly got away from me. I watched him jump the 2 whoops on the steep down hill half pipe part of the trail and thought wow, that's what I'm gonna do next time around. Remember the "Don't wreck part"? Stay tuned.

Well, I did what I said, sort of. Next lap thru I hit the gas over that same whoop only my timing was not near as good as Luke's. I cased the next whoop and completely compressed my suspension which shot me up the hill to my right and into the brush and trees. This all brought my bike to an immediate stop (While traveling down hill) to which I did a Bart Conner, gymnastics bar dismount over the handlebars. I'm pretty sure I held on all the way over. Then landed on my back just in time to see my bike flipping over as well and the rear tire and sub-frame landing on my legs. Thanks to the sweeper who pulled my bike off me. I am certain he thought I was going to the hospital. Truth is I have know idea how I didn't get hurt. I was back up and on my bike quick enough I didn't even get passed by another 700!

The handlebars and forks were tweaked and it took a lap for me to get my rhythm back, that is if I had any to begin with! I think I was still in 10th. Got passed by a 700 rider that obviously had bike problems 'cause I ended up passing him back. Then ended up in 9th at the end of the last lap because Joe King cut out early. My luck I guess. 9th place my first go in the 700's. I'll take it.

I have to laugh at Mason Martin and Tony Toman. Both gave me good advice. Before the start I was nervous about the deep sand and how best to navigate it. Mason's advice: Lean back and pin it! I'm not sure I followed his advise completely.

I was also struggling with the last beach on final approach to scoring. One of my laps early on I was coming thru the sand with my left foot down. Toman was on the hill side cheering my on. He shouted "Gibber, get your foot up!" I heard him and did and kept it up the rest of my laps. Everybody else should have done the same because I am sure everyone else at the race heard him too! But he was right and I kept my feet on the pegs and stayed on the gas the rest of my laps. It worked. Same with the rocky sections.

Course was awesome. Marked super well. And a lot of fun. Rocky sections and the beach were pretty tough but still fun. And I have to say that the 600's / 900's I ended up passing were great and so were the 800's who passed me. All in all, it was a great day. Still not convinced I'm a 700 rider but going to keep at it at least for a couple more races. Next 2 are pretty good ones for me so these should tell.

Well, that should be plenty. Sorry I didn't have my helmet cam. Broke it at Carbondale and have not replaced it yet. I hope to soon but first I need to see how many parts need to be replaced on the 736 Rocket Ship!

GO TEAM LETKO!

SOMEONE HAS LEARNED TO RIDE ROCKS! (substitute Shredder report)
I hate rocks, as a matter of fact I grew up in a place where rocks do not exist. If a farmer would dig one up, it would make the front page of the paper. The same goes for trees, no trees where we live either.

A race report would not be complete without taking a few minutes to discuss Saturday. JP and I arrived at the track at 1:00 PM and Dan asked us take a ride around the course and give him some input. After one lap, we were astounded how well he had laid the place out. I rarely practice much anymore, but after one lap, JP and I had to do it again, at speed. It was even better. I thought I saw Shredder down by the waters edge. We loaded up and prayed for a light sprinkle to keep the dust down. We got back to camp in time to cook out and watch Supercross live. After Supercross, Sexton pulled in and hired us to get his recently overhauled KTM running. He hired Gibber as head sales guy and parts finder, JP and his son were the top notch mechanics and I was 2 stroke consultant. By the time we got done working on the KTM we guaranteed it would never run again. We went to bed hoping for better times on Sunday.

It seemed that Sunday rolled around a little earlier than normal. Maybe it was just my imagination. We loaded up the camper and ripped over to the track to get the last parking place in the East lot. Soon, it was time for the big boys to break in the track for us and they did not disappoint. They laid down some great lap times.

Show #2 was up next and it did not disappoint anyone. JGordo and Slim Karl were no shows and after all the ribbing I got from them, it disappointing they could not backup there words on the message board. The 700 class was extremely nervous and they were out there practicing starts, throwing rocks everywhere and wasting energy and fuel. Dan dropped the sign and we were off to the races. Another 700 rookie biffed it in the 2nd straight away and his orange bike crushed him. After the carnage had cleared I found myself behind the class leader (another rookie). It wasn't long before all those nails that Flying Ryan ate threw off his internal compass and he decided to jump off a 20 foot cliff and using the Lemming rule, I followed him into oblivion. I saw a hint of yellow tape and proceeded to head back to the race track as JP goes cruising buy. I latched on him like a flea on a dog. For 2 full laps he was at full speed and I thought I could not keep the pace, I finally got the opportunity to get the Suzuki on the main jet and cruised by him, only to blow the next corner and let him by again. It was a great dog fight and one for the ages. I finally snuck by him when we came up on a lapper. I used that lapper and a few others to gap him on lap 4. It was fun riding a track that had so many berms. As we came into the other classes 90% of them were very good at letting me buy. Just a note out there for the other classes, do not overhaul your bike in the middle of the track. I T-boned a Kawasaki working on his bike there. Soon after that I came upon Ms. Hightower and that girl can ride. I stuck on her tail and she showed me how to ride a KTM. That girl did not put a wheel wrong for a half a lap. It was great. Buy lap six I was seeing things. I swear I saw Shredder with a big plastic bag full of husky parts and he was throwing them out everywhere. I had heard on my two way radio that Gibber has shot into outer space on his 110 octane missile and had a rough time on re-entry. I continued to push myself to the limit, I was not about to let any of the rookie class get close. When the checkered flag dropped, I dropped. It took me 15 minutes to get my helmet and gloves off. I had learned to love rocks for the first time in my life. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks. Just do not poke at that old dog, cause he can still run.

Sorry I will not be able to race at Walters Ranch, but they do not have enough rocks for me. now. LOL

#709
Tom