The Race #6 event by SDMX was cancelled at Riverfront due to track flooding... This next event on our tour was Race #7 at LA GRANGE by CMA on March 1st, 2008. This has always been the track that separates the men from the boys, but on this day I was delivered back to my boyhood. The track has been re-worked and someone thought that extending this already long track was a good idea... well my stamina was nowhere near capable of taking on an extra 1/4 to 1/2 mile of track. In addition to the extra length, they had ripped it extra deep and the ruts and braking bumps that developed over the course of the day were brutal in their dispense on the riders. I for one was thoroughly trashed after both my motos and the second motos had even been shortened by one lap. It was tiring to say the least.
Added to the fray of long laps times and very technical turns that were added, mother nature appeared in the form of healthy wind gusts and blew most of the track into a dustbowl at times. Some of the jumps were running perpendicular to the cross winds which made for some rather uneasy air time. I was in mid-air at one point and felt the bottom of my bike twisting out from underneath me and had no idea what was going on. Eventually I figured out it was the wind taking me off course. I started jumping alot less.
The OTHG turnout for the day was overwhelming, many of the gates were pretty full with the 38+ Novice class having a full 30 riders taking off from the gate at once. I was gated right behind them so it was a quite a site to see all those guys taking off into oblivian.... behind a screen of dirt and dust, then waiting to see who came out on the other side. Awesome racing guys!
My 45+ Novice group had 11 riders at the gate and the 50+ Novice was in the 2nd gate right behind us with another 11 riders. My first moto I got out in about next to last place but made up some positions at the top of the hill. I stayed in position through about the 3rd lap and then did a flat-land on the step up jump and jambed my back. I started falling back at that point. I just couldn't concentrate and keep my focus on what I was doing to keep a racing line. I fell back to 7th position and that's where I finished.
My second moto, I was just going to make one lap and take off just to get points for the event. I was pretty beat-up, my back was really hurting and I just figured I couldn't possibly finish a another complete moto. I got a good start and flew up the hill in about 6th place, then I passed another couple guys in the first turn again and I was in about 4th place right behind the leaders. I thought "cool!!!, focus focus focus!!!"... I didnt even think about taking the exit when the first chance came up I just kept on going. I really didn't even think of my back I was getting focused on the guy ahead of me. Everytime that exit came up I just couldn't make myself take that turn.
"Hello, Im Paul... Im an MX addict!.... " Ok so this is what Im thinking to myself after I get off the track after my second moto heading towards my truck, my back aching and dreaming of the 800 mg ibuprofin tablets inside it. This sport is a total rush!, and I am addicted to it, over pain, over debt, over... well.... over almost anything.
45+Novice Results:
Moto 1: Finished 7 out of 10 riders
Moto 2: Finsihed 7 out of 10 riders
Overall: 6th Place of 10 Positions
La Grange.... I'll be back, hopefully in much better condition to take on your new expectations.
I took some pretty good images of the all the riders out there. We also had the honor of having the vintage riders running with us. Many beautiful 'old' bikes still running well.Photos located here: LA GRANGE 1 PHOTO ALBUM
