Saturday, October 1, 2011

Goin' ridin'

Off today to ride the Boreal Ridge Trial. 8 miles from my house. Couldn't they have made it any closer? Actually, no. Heh.

The club previously held their yearly "ski hill trial" at Donner Ski Ranch, aka "the granite patch", but there was some kind of property line issue so they moved it exactly one ridgeline over to Boreal Mountain Resort. Even closer and right off I-80.

I'm getting sick and tired of this http/blogspot/img/gif crap turning up about half the time I try to put in a link like in 3 outta 3 in this post. Fixer, I think the Dingo Sisters need to visit their office and put a little fear in 'em.

Update:

Moi, trophy and bike in hand. I was once again the only rider in my class, so the trophy is kinda like the self-esteem award given to a kid for solo tetherball if he managed to wrap the rope around the pole. I bled for the damn thing so that's just fine!



As you may know, riding an observed section without putting your feet down or otherwise bungling it is called a 'clean'. My motorcycle cleaned a section today without me. I had cleaned this section on the 1st loop, but on the 2d loop my left handlebar caught a sapling-type tree. This turned the front wheel sharply full left. At the same time my right arm, being attached to the right end of the bar, got about as long as it will ever be and, trying to make itself even longer, grabbed a handful of throttle as a result. At this point, the evolution was out of my hands. Literally. I flew off and the motorbike, suddenly unweighted and with a fresh blast of power, straightened itself up and rocketed the half dozen feet through the exit of the section and tipped over. The checkers instantly asked if I was OK and all I could say was, "I cleaned it! I cleaned it!". Heh. They scored me clean. Everybody I told about that got a big kick out of it. Oh yeah, I cleaned that section on the 3rd loop.

I got home tired, dirty, sore, a little battered and bruised, but HAPPY! It was a great day at a beautiful venue doing what I love with a lot of nice people. It doesn't get any better than that.

9 comments:

Fixer said...

Are you using Firefox?

montag said...

FWIW when I insert a link in HTML the extra bit pops up a beat or two later. Right click and hit undo it goes away. But to keep you on your toes sometime it doesn't pop up. Also it never appears in the COMPOSE mode.

I think Google just put it in to mess with the Mozilla folks before they take them over.

Fixer said...

Ain't it great, doing what you love to do, just for the fun of it? Glad you had a good time and came home in one piece, mostly, bro!

Spud said...

Did ya catch those two boys on Americas Got Talent ? Fairly impressive riders.

Gordon said...

Spud, I've never watched that show.

DBK said...

Good work. You earned that trophy. Have it made into a hat if you like and wear it with pride.

Gordon said...

It dawned on me that half the fun of trials is getting to beat yourself bloody instead of having someone else do it. Heh.

Spud said...

Yah Gordon, I can emphasize with never watching that show too. My wife told me one night to come watch. Couple of young guys doing trials tricks on stage. Was worth watching, that part anywho...

Gordon said...

Those guys can ride into a phone booth and turn around and ride out. Amazing.