t-shirts that Walt (our Aussie), Alex (Virginia boy), Don (resident Shelby homey) and myself designed for distribution among the ranks. I hope you can read the shirt ok....but it contains the top ten most asked moto questions that we get no matter what town or state. 
It is funny how folks always have the same questions! But it is a joy to talk with and explain what we are doing and a little about what's going on.Funny story about Walt Conte....our Australian motofoto. This week he is carrying the race photographer John Pierce who is from England. They are out in front of the race package Tuesday looking for a scenic. Nothing at the moment was really inspiring so John suggested Walt move ahead a bit and stop at the next store for a quick snack. Moving along at 50mph or so, John said that there position was pretty good to move out, but Walt thought he said speed up to move out! So Walt was like... alright dude, thinking you want to go fast....so he wacked the throttle open and put the Buell Ulysses up to some multiple of the speed limit! By this time John's camera's had begun levitating and his helmet started to pull off his head as the wind velocity increased!
John very quickly found a new scenic and suggested they pull off. After some discussion of what just happened, they both got a good laugh as did we all after hearing the story!
The race today started after a 4.2 mile neutral start....when the flagged dropped it was on....the average speed for the first 50k....31 mph! Jono and I were out front a couple miles in the beginning scanning the countryside for a scenic. The race radio was full of chatter documenting the action...the attacks were coming right and left. Jonathan found a neat spot off the road out in a field. By the time he got back to the bike we were out the envelope and had to work the GS pretty good to get back in the caravan(I hate it when that happens...having to speed and all). As we approached the field of riders we were second in line to go through. After getting permission from the Comm, we started in but the group was shoulder to shoulder! We were behind Greg Peart with his video guy and followed them in.
Both sides of the road had zero shoulder and it was roughly 50-60 feet straight down..no guard rails! The riders were all around us and we were rolling pretty fast....Greg got an opening and took off and I followed only to be shut down as a large group moved back over to enjoy the vacuum draft the moto can create in the right moment. We started up a slight hill and the guys really started bunching up and we were right there in the middle of the heat. After what seemed like camping in there for 3 days I finally got a break and accelerated out. Alot of attacks were happening throughout the day, check out one of Jono's shots while we were in the group of Marco Pinotti-Team Columbia as he issues an attack.
Both sides of the road had zero shoulder and it was roughly 50-60 feet straight down..no guard rails! The riders were all around us and we were rolling pretty fast....Greg got an opening and took off and I followed only to be shut down as a large group moved back over to enjoy the vacuum draft the moto can create in the right moment. We started up a slight hill and the guys really started bunching up and we were right there in the middle of the heat. After what seemed like camping in there for 3 days I finally got a break and accelerated out. Alot of attacks were happening throughout the day, check out one of Jono's shots while we were in the group of Marco Pinotti-Team Columbia as he issues an attack.During the next 15 minutes we entered the military base of Ft Leonard just south of Gospel Missouri. Just about the whole base stood roadside to greet us in uniform...man what a sight! We took a hard right up behind them through the grass up to an Abrams tank display...Jono shot the race going by framing it up with the tank and all the service men....cool. As we pulled out we stopped in the road and took a great picture you will probably see in cycling news of the guys smilin' for the camera!
Rolling back up to get through the group, Alex and Casey as well as TV were stuck behind the group...again! Finally we got through but it took some time...some days are like that.
The day was fast, the peleton tight, the attacks continuous....a great day of racing....I'm hungry!
All the moto's were invited to a barbecue and chair massage upon arrival in Rolla. 
The fine folks at Stahlman Powersports, Fairground Chevrolet and Rolla ToMO LOC all collaborated to cook up hotdogs, hamburgers and all the fixin's for us! What a great time as we all enjoyed food and drink right there at the finish! And to top it off....how about a massage!
Yep, three therapist showed up with their chairs and gave us all a nice rub down! I will never forget Rolla and the hospitality for the moto's!
The fine folks at Stahlman Powersports, Fairground Chevrolet and Rolla ToMO LOC all collaborated to cook up hotdogs, hamburgers and all the fixin's for us! What a great time as we all enjoyed food and drink right there at the finish! And to top it off....how about a massage!
Yep, three therapist showed up with their chairs and gave us all a nice rub down! I will never forget Rolla and the hospitality for the moto's! Man I'm full!
1 comment:
I thought Don was one of the little ORANGE guys in WILLY WONKA
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