Quick rambling notes before I go to bed ======================================== Saturday -------- Overslept and hit the road a little after 5 A.M. Pull into the track a little before nine and start riding! Didn't pull back into the pits until 12:05 P.M. - The endurance race next year is gonna be cake! Sunday ------ I'm gridded on the second row for the heat race. My bike is soooooo outclassed that it's kind of sad but, I figure I can turn a good launch into a major annoyance for at least some of the big bikes as I show 'em what I've learned about blocking. Heh heh. The green flags drops and I dump the clutch and pop a big wheelie ...Damn. The guy on pole stalled his bike, Crap!! Hit the rear brake to bring the front back down and swerve left to avoid ramming him when someone knocks the hell out of me from behind. I'm thrown off my bike and, as the domino's action continues, my right leg gets tangled into someone's rear wheel. The wheel grabs my leg as it tuns, pulling my thigh up under the seat and my foot down into the swingarm while my brain screamed with alarm. Happily for my ankle, he fell down before any bones snaped. Five or six bikes ended up going down in the melee and by the time we get 'em untangled the leaders are coming around the second to last corner. Damn. My bike took some hefty abuse and doesn't want to start. I eventually get it fired up just in time to avoid being lapped at start/finish. The clutch perch spun completely around so, I have to work it with my thumb but, I make the best of it and make a couple of passes and avoid a DFL. That wasn't the heat race I had in mind. Back in the pits I strip of my gear to examine my leg, which was really hurting but, it wasn't too bad - I've got have some pretty good bruising from my toes up to my knee and a decent amount of pain when I try to roll my ankle. Thankfully there was nothing that'd keep me from racing (if there is such a thing). Whew! Tackle the bike - since I had yet to actually hurt the dirt bike I did't carry any spare parts but, I do the best I can with a hammer and a vice and get it ready for the main. The Main -------- The main was generally uneventfull - I started waaaaay back on the 8th row, gotta a good start and was making passes all the way until we got back onto the front straight and half of 'em came thundering back by. Put my head down and work back through as many as I can in the tight stuff. Wash, rinse and repeat. Still, I was getting a little frustrated riding on the ragged edge of my admittidely meager ability and risking it all just to have it all washed away whenever a straight presented itself. I keep trying to convince myself that I'm just cross training to become a better road racer so, my hideously uncompetitive ride doesn't matter. In fact, it can only help by forcing me to ride harder and it's still hella fun anyway. ...The problem is, of course, that all of that doesn't mean squat to the part of me that wants to win.