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Categories: all aviation bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater Sun, 30 Mar 2008Full write-up to follow soon. The day was essentially a success: I didn't fall down, I completed all the practices and races I went out for, and the bike ran great. There were problems: the footpegs are seriously wimpy, and I keep bending them; the handlebars are set at the wrong angle, which will take some welding to properly fix; the seat needs to be fastened down much more robustly than it is. However, that's a teeny tiny list. The weather was freakin' cold in the morning (I have pictures with snow coating the trees), but ended up being sunny and almost not-frigid by the end of the day. The two races were held on actual dry pavement. In race one, I came in dead last, due to a variety of factors. In race two, I came in 12th out of 20, but most of the people who came in after me didn't actually finish, they crashed. Fortunately, I was so far behind them, that by the time I got there, they were well off the track and wandering around collecting pieces of bike. So, practically, I came in last, but the score sheet says 12th out of 20. Rejoice in a fiddling technical victory! My best lap in race two was two minutes and 22 seconds, which isn't terribly far off a real race pace (which is more like 2:10 to 2:05). Jesse also did well, although he sat out race 1, having heard a bizarre and potentially ominous noise from his engine. It turned out to be absent once he got back to the pits, so who knows what that was. I actually kept pace with him for about a lap in race 2, but it was probably my fastest lap, and his slowest. I had a good time, and I'm looking forward to the next one. I have some issues to fix before then, but before I do that, I'm going to take a good solid week or two off from working on the bike. I've done enough. Now it's down time. Posted at 19:31 permanent link category: /motorcycle Today's the day. I'm up well before oh-dark-thirty. We tech at 7 am, rider's meeting at 8:30, then a practice or two. My race heats will be at 1:45 and 3:00 pm today, as you can see here. To get to the track, just follow the directions. I believe the gate entry fee is $10 this year, although I've heard varying reports. Be prepared to sign away a surprising panoply of rights when you arrive. Racing is, apparently, dangerous business. Jesse and I got the bikes loaded yesterday in shockingly shining sunshine (of course we decided not to go to the track yesterday, since the weather was so likely to be cruddy, so it was nice yesterday, and will be terrifying today). Jesse will be here in about five minutes, so I have to go get my stuff together. See you at the track, you hardy souls! Posted at 05:54 permanent link category: /motorcycle Categories: all aviation gadgets misc motorcycle theater Written by Ian Johnston. Software is Blosxom. Questions? Please mail me at reaper at obairlann dot net. |
