Monday 23 August 2010

Up and down day

Well, praying for sun worked. I live 35 miles from King's Lynn and it rained most of Saturday and all Sunday night, but it was baking hot on Sunday for the race. I had another up and down day. I crashed trying to miss Steve Red Max (who was riding like a demon all day, but decided to park in the middle of a corner on the one lap I was going up the inside of him), then my brake rod stripped in a heat and fell out. I thought quickly enough to lay it down before crunching into the boards. Then everyone behind me (and there were a few) managed to miss me (including Chippy). Carl from CFM (who was spectating), along with Jacapo Monti's mechanic jumped the fence to get my bike back straightened for the restart. Massive thanks fellas.
I've enjoyed the last two rounds even though my results have been poor. I woke up very early this morning and tried to work out what I'm doing wrong. I'm not short of bravery, just skill or feel. I crash my brains out and keep coming back for more. I must be an idiot, but my mate Diplo, who comes along and offers help and encouragement, sent this email putting a different spin on things.

'Don't de-construct too heavily. Surely crashing goes with the job - a bit - and you're not hurting yourself, which is vital. The thing that grips me is that the nature of the sport is such that a dropped brake link arm can be the cause of a whoopsie rather than a massive bone-crunching event, and that there is enough adrenalin pumping around to force a track-side bodge in time
to make the re-start.
'I thought John Lee (Capt Highside) had an absolutely blinding day, Jacapo was a pleasure (on and off track), the sun shone, lending the arena the atmosphere of a bull fighting ring, and I was exhausted by the time I got home, without the racing, - great drama and on such a manageable friendly scale.'


Thanks to Boastie for the photo who said 'How close!!! love fact gary is put your hands over your helmet'
More King's Lynn soon. GI

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

dont sweat the crashes G!.
if pete and aiden are allowed to fall of, then i think we are entitled aswell!!.
think about the near misses where you stay upright, and it helps balance the falls out!.

Mick P said...

That arms-up stance from GI is to protect his purdy face. No, hang on, that can't be right.

Good work all. Crashes without injury; camaraderie; bodges; 'the atmosphere of a bull-fighting ring'. Not many people have Sunday afternoons as rich as that.