A picture is worth a thousand words

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peelskid
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Joined: 06/09/2003 - 15:33
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A picture is worth a thousand words

Race Report:
PeelSkid
SORCS Homeplace HareScramble Oct. 15, 2017

I ran the 65+ class. My class started at 2 pm and I was on the row with the 55+. I rode my dual sport KTM 450 xc w.

I tried not to get the jump at the start so I could avoid the crashes and burns at the first turn but I ended up in the middle of the pack by default.

Laps one and two were spend just trying to maintain a constant speed and control arm pump and finger numbness. I was successful at all this.

Lap two, I was starting to get thirsty but my breathing was so heavy that I knew I would not be able to breathe hard and drink water at the same time. Also it was so rough there was nowhere to take my hand off the handlebar to reach my water tube.

Lap three, I went down a couple of times in 180 degree turns that were rutted and slippery. Basically, I washed out the front end. I am sure that my pack on the front fender with a tube and tools didn’t help the bike to track well. Lap three, I am beginning to really feel the jack hammer effect. That course was rough. In fact, I did not find any of the course to be what I like to call FUN RIDING. The course was rutted, slippery, slippery BIG roots, lots of rock from baseball size to bowling size, and off camber ( slippery ) sections leading to hard hill climbs. The 450 just muscled up that stuff like I was on a ride in N. Ga. In fact, the hill climbs were the only place I could hold pace with A riders.

Lap four, I was getting pretty tired and beat up from this rough course. Then, on a straight that was rutted and slick, I went down hard on the left side. An A rider came up and picked up my bike because my left leg was stuck under the bike and I could not get it out. I think being really tired caused that problem. As I was approaching the end of the lap four, I would start to wonder. If I had to do another lap ( 5 ) I wasn’t sure if I was going to do that, but as I rounded the finish line, I saw the checkered flag and I knew the end was at hand. Boy, was I glad that was over. After putting the bike back on the trailer and changing clothes, I saw Paul and John. They both had big smiles on their faces and fist bumps for me. I knew at that point that I had won. I took 1st place in my class.

BTW, many riders bailed from this race and did not finish. It was one tough race and it is the last race I will ever do. I am feeling the effects of it on my body today but I will recover and Barry, Todd and I have a ride planned for this Wednesday.

PeelSkid

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moredownhaul
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Re: A picture is worth a thousand words

Congratulations David.
I doubt I would have finished that, could you move your arms today?

Alan

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webguy
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Joined: 12/31/2000 - 22:01
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Re: A picture is worth a thousand words

Impressive! Great write up.

This re-enforces something that I noticed at the Fall Classic. More often than not, windsurfers are pretty interesting people all around. If we aren't windsurfing, we are up to something else pretty neat.

Good

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peelskid
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Re: A picture is worth a thousand words

I washed out the front end and took an involuntary get off. My left leg got stuck under the bike and the seat fell off. ( How did that happen? ). Still suffering today with left shoulder and left leg. This was one tough course. Alan, like I said a LOT of people DNF ed. I was doing good just to make it to the end. Humidity must have been 110%.

Webguy, yea we have mayors, business men, special ops guys and old retirees like me as friends. This same thing holds true with my dirt bike buddies.

PeelSkid

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peelskid
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Joined: 06/09/2003 - 15:33
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Re: A picture is worth a thousand words

Pic taken by Wes Cronic who stopped and picked up the bike off my leg. Thanks Wes. Wes had a go pro and didn't realize it was PeelSkid until he got home and looked at the footage on is desktop.

PeelSkid

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