Rookie School

What to do, when to do it, and how not to screw up.

Tech IV - PASSED!!!!

Houston, we have liftoff. The leathers passed and the magic tech button was attached. All the to-do items have been checked off. Next stop is the Rookie Rider meeting.

Midnight At The Oasis

After dinner we were up until midnight gluing the edges of the patches. Hopefully this will be the final hurtle to leap.

A Home Of Our Own

This is the pit area for us. The guys that fixed the bike invited us to pit next to them. We should be able to glue the leathers tonight and run tomorrow.

Tech III - PASSED! !!!

The bike is ready, now we just need to fix the leathers. They liked the barbed wire but we need to seal the edges.

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

Honda Harry and his crew lept at the chance to help us out. They welded up the steering stops, cut a chain guard, and had it back together in record time. When I asked how I could help they suggested that I should stand back. Good people are everywhere!

Tech II - Failed

A new to-do list.
Steering stops to wide for the class we got bumped up to.
Inadequate drive chain guard.

What to do? What to do ...

Barbed Wire Leathers

Sure to start a new trend in New York City and San Francisco. We fixed the leathers by safety wiring leather over the textile panels. Ill put them on eBay when we get back and let the bondage crew fight over them.

Desert Sculpture

This is the Tree of Utah. It's just a very big (100' tall) and very weird thing in the middle of the desert. Maybe it migrated from Burning Man.

Back To Wendover

When they said, "Go straight on I-80 for 100 miles." They were not speaking metaphorically!

Fixing The Leathers

We're in Salt Lake City at Charles Custom Upholstery getting the leathers fixed so Beth can race. I'm going to be depending on the generosity of others.

To-do List

Safety wire the head of the axle bolts as well as the nuts.
Replace the rubber valve stems with metal ones with metal caps.
Preposition the steering dampener bracket to allow full lock to lock movement (curiously reducing the dampener effect ).
Class designation not displayed (but they assigned me to a different class anyway ).
Leathers must be ALL leather, no perfs or textile inserts.
.

Look Ma, I'm Flying

Swapping metal tire plugs for the rubber ones that might fly out under the awesome power of the mighty Moriwaki. The to-do is not so bad. Tomorrow we will drive to Salt Lake City to find someone to modify the leathers. Time for a shower.

Tough Day In Tech

Went through tech this morning and came out with a to-do list. Nothing major but things that will take the rest of the day. Both leathers were rejected. Hard to stay patient and positive in the heat and disappointment.

Breaker Breaker Good Buddy

The rule book states that a competitor must provide a support vehicle with a CB radio. Buying an inexpensive handheld unit before I left would have been too easy. Hence this marvel of shade tree engineering. If it rains reception could be dicey.

Street(rod) Show

All the action is not on the salt, there was about 50 cars at a street party in front of one of the casinos. And they had cocktail waitresses fetching drink for people. We're not in New England any more.

We Have Arrived

Got Beth at the airport and drove to the salt flats. Organized chaos seems to be the order of the day. Compounded by my leaving all my paperwork on my desk in CT. We missed the newbie orientation this morning so we are now playing catch up. It will all work out in the end.

Waiting at the airport

It's hard to imagine that air travel was ever glamorous.

Where Did You Wake Up?

Slept under the stars last night. Somewhere in Utah.

Across The Continental Divide

Took US30 north from Laramie until it met up with I-80. Went over the continental divide and the brakes are holding on the downside.
The Guy on the chopper is my hero for the day. I know that he's gone at least. 150 miles today. He was flying when he passed me.