Rainy day at Pacific Raceways 09-07-2009
As I feared, the weather forecast juked me out at the last minute, going from 10% chance of rain to 60% two days before the event (you have to pre-register 5 days or more in advance to save money). It rained for the first sessions, then dried up, then rained more, then dried up. Far too many people crashed. The intermediate group was off the track due to a crash literally every session. It was partly a result of the rain, but mostly it was the fault of idiocy: really sketchy passing, and people pushing themselves far past their limits, especially idiots with sport-oriented street tires who had no experience going fast on water.
By the second session of the day I decided that this particular intermediate group was going to get me killed and moved down to the relaxed group. I figured I'd just have an easy day carving corners and have myself a good time. Turned out to be a good decision in the end, as I wouldn't have had any track time at all in the intermediate group thanks to all the crashes.
Oh right! On a somewhat humorous note, I had to get myself a U-Haul trailer this time since no buddies were willing to come with (usually I mooch a trailer or a truck bed off a friend), and I swear, they gave me the SHADIEST trailer ever rented to anybody:
Several other people at the track had rented trailers, and so I got to see what I was supposed to have received:
What a joke. Thanks to their return times mandating a two-day instead of one-day rental, that's $75 out the window. Might as well just get a hitch-mounted bike carrier if they're going to charge me that much.
Man, U-haul is so shady. I don't know if this ever came up on this forum, but my girlfriend and I had once rented a U-haul truck to move to our new place and it kept dying. Middle of the road, in traffic...dead. So after dying one too many times, I told her to pull over so I could tinker under the hood. Sure enough, the whole engine was held together by duct tape. Unbe-F$%!ing-lievable!
Right, track day! Got sidetracked. Well, I'm working on editing together some footage, but it turns out that distilling almost five hours of raw footage into two to three minutes of interesting action takes a while. This is especially true when you've never edited video before. In the mean time, here's something to whet your appetite:
"""Right, track day! Got
"""Right, track day! Got sidetracked. Well, I'm working on editing together some footage, but it turns out that distilling almost five hours of raw footage into two to three minutes of interesting action takes a while. This is especially true when you've never edited video before. :"""""
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Now you know why I pass so much time playing with the stupid camera. LoL
Be kind to that bike man . .you know your gonna go down on the track sooner or latter if you push at all. Look good in the pick! We are goning to have some real track dogs on the board. (-; You and Meg will have to get on the same track and burn a set of tires!
Dude, you can get a decent trailer for $600 or so brand new, a little minor work . . if your going to do track days on a regular basis you should set something up.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_20024...
2006 Harley Davidson Dyna Wide Glide
Sales, Peterson's North Miami Store
Glad to hear that you had a
Glad to hear that you had a good time. I love the picture from the track & have to agree on the trailer.
When we moved last time, the U-Haul that we had basically had no brakes left. Bad deal. Didn't hit anything, but we only made one trip for our large furniture & bed and then returned it. Did the rest with my husband's F150 and were just as happy.
Good luck on the video editing. Never tried it myself, but if the shots are all as cool as the one above, I can see where you'd have your work cut out for you. :) Can't wait to see it!
I wish a trailer made sense for me
Unfortunately, I think that's just plain ludicrous. I live in a house with four other friends, and I've already hogged the entire garage with my car, two bikes, and tools. As a result, their cars are all on the street, and I've got literally no place to put a trailer. I wish I did, cause I'd really like to reciprocate all the free transportation I've gotten from my friends with a trailer of my own.
The far more likely option is a hitch-mounted motorcycle carrier. They're cheap ($250-300), stowable, and both small and light (80-100lbs) enough to be easily managed by hand. Shame, but I suppose it'll be best for now.
Hahah. A track day with the 'spaz sure does sound like fun. Tell you what, if we can convince Ben to come out with us, I'll bring my motorcycle the next time I go visit my brother in San Francisco.
Love the color coordination.
Love the color coordination. Looks good :)
If you want to free up some garage space you can store your two bikes at my place. I will look after them for you.
Fat chance, though...
You do live close enough to me for that to be practical. Alright eon, but only so long as you promise not to do this:
Heh, yeah I did go a bit overboard on color coordination. Although, believe me, that last bit was totally unintentional. It just HAPPENS that the black/white suit had little bits of red, and the helmet I already had also has little bits of red. Total coincidence. The rest? That would be my black/white fetish at work.
Nice! now hurry up with them
Nice! now hurry up with them vids... :-P
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AFM #998
If there's anything more important than my ego
around, I want it caught and shot now...