AFM Round 6 Thunderhill - HOT HOT HOT!

I'm starting my race report early. I'm here at the track the sun is just coming up, I've taken a shower, had a cup of coffee, and it's already warm enough that I'm in shorts and sandals.

I decided to do something a little different this round. Usually I stay at a hotel with whoever I'm traveling with, girlfriend, racing partner, whatever, but this time I was solo, and I didn't want to spend the $150 on hotel money. made the decision to sleep in my 92 Nissan Pathfinder. Now understand I'm not the camping type. To me ruffing it is staying at Motel 6. So this was going to be a whole new adventure in racing.

Friday night I night I hauled my now trusty Kawasaki EX650 up to Thunderhill around 7pm, and the temperature was still in the 90's when I got to the track. Ouch! My buddy Robin was already there, and had a place for us all picked out. I set up my pit area, and was seriously considering getting a hotel. How can people sleep in this heat? Robin and I grabbed some dinner in town, and then back to the track to chill out with some beers, and stars. It was really cool just chilling at the track with all the other people. I've always stayed at a hotel, and in the 5 years of doing this I think I've been missing out on something. Everyone is just kinda milling about, drinking beer, riding their pit bikes from pit to pit chatting hanging out. It was a good time.

Thunderhill was completely repaved 4 weeks ago, and the track was going to be very green. I had been warned that the new surface was really abrasive and chewed up tires quickly. What I was more concerned about was that all the track surfaces I had been using as reference points where gone. Later I would come to the conclusion that this was a good thing as I was just making the same mistakes over and over, and now I had a chance to make all new ones!

Saturday morning and out I go. Wow, the track looks different. I spent the day trying to find new braking points, turn in points, and any visual information I could to navigate my way around this newly minted tarmac. By the end of the day my times where around were they where at race pace last time we where here. That is a good thing, but I still need a couple more seconds per lap to not embarrass myself again. We'll see what today has instore for us. Meanwhile I sit here watching the sun crest the horizon, listening to Stephane Pompugnac's Hotel Costes Vol 3.
I think today will be a good day.

Sunday has come and gone. Morning practice went well. I did the exact same times I had been doing the day before. Not as fast as I'd liked, but considering all the traffic I couldn't complain.

Race 1 650 Twins. I was gridded 13th farthest right on the 3rd row. When the green flag flew I got a great start, and pulled up even with the front 10 or so riders. As we came out of T1 and stood our bikes up to drive down the small hill towards T2 someone passed me on my right, and before they where fully by me they started moving over to their left, and hit my front wheel. My handle bars began shaking violently back and forth in what we call a tankslapper. As I tried to regain control I began to move to my left, and into the bike next to me. I had the presence of mind to lift my elbow so as not to hit the riders brake lever. I got it back in shape and turned in T2. I gained a couple of spots going through the off camber section of T3, a place many riders aren't comfortable with. As we crested the hill of the tight T5 someone came from my right, again hitting my front wheel, and sending me into a tank slapper as we went down the hill. I regained control just in time to not plow into the bikes at the bottom. Ouch tough first lap. After that we mostly settled into a rhythm. I knew if I was going to keep pace I'd have to find some speed in places I had been struggling with. T9 is a struggling point for me, and as we crested the hill of 9 I was right on the backs of the bikes in front of me. OK good sign. The T11, 12, 13 combo is another weak area, and as we came out of that section onto the back straight I lost a few bike lengths to the pack in front. OK I know I can make that up. I've been struggling with brake fade since I bought this bike, and I finally replaced the last possible thing, the master cylinder. Now I have great feeling brakes, and I used them to their best getting on the brakes really late to make up the last ground coming out of 13. For 5 laps this would be the story, I would lose ground in T2, and the 11- 13 combo, and make it all up entering T5, and T14. However if I made any little mistake anywhere else that would be ground I couldn't get back. And as such whenever someone would pass me, I could hang with them for a little while, but I could never get back around them. Thus I ended the race in 17th place, 3 back from where I started. I must have gotten passed 8 times.

Formula IV. Green flag flies, and I think everyone was a little more conservative. We got cleanly through the first 5 turns. I made a couple of passes, got passed a couple of times, and settled in for 6 laps of battle. I was keeping much tighter with the lead pack, and I thought I might be able to hand with them. I did for the first couple of laps. I think I lap 2 or 3 coming down the hill from 5 the rider in front of me ran wide and into the dirt, I stayed on the racing line and continued on as normal. The rider without looking came back onto the racing line, and directly into me. My mad skills kept us from actually colliding. Would you be surprised to know it was the same rider that hit my front wheel at the start of the first race at the top of T5? Once again I regained my composer, but lost some bike lengths to the guys in front of me. Later in the same lap we where coming up on the back of the previous wave which where a couple of Ninja 250's. Ouch talk about closing speeds. Well in an attempt to not be a dangerous ass like other riders had been earlier today I didn't stuff the poor Ninja 250 coming into T11, but that slowed me way down, and as we came out onto the back straight 2 riders passed me, and I was pissed. On the next lap we came up on another 250 in a bad place and I lost another position. In the end I finished 18th, which was disappointing considering I was staying with the faster group.

It was a fun weekend hanging out at the track. The new brakes are great, and will come in really handy at Sears Pt where there are three serious braking zones, and 3 minor braking zones. I think I will do much better next time.






As always Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's

AFM Round 5 Sears Pt

After my bitter disappointment at T-hill I had found some new motivation for racing at Sears Pt. Sears is a very technical track with no room for rest. the rider is constantly moving around. You blow one turn, and it blows the timing, and rhythm for several turns after. For some reason I'm good at Sears Pt.

There was a trackday on Friday hosted by Lance Keigwin and I had signed up for that back in January. Good I needed the extra day.
I was still having issues with my brakes overheating, fading, and giving me no confidence in pushing the front end. Friday went well, and I was feeling smooth and aggressive.

Saturday practice is short now because of the races held in the afternoon so you have to make the most out of the 4 you get. I tried some different brake fluid recommended by Zoran and that helped. I had a much better feel, and could drive much deeper on the brakes, but they would still over heat after about 6 laps, but that was better than before.

Sunday I was in races 1, and 5. The first race of the day, and the first race after lunch. I was again feeling confident and aggressive, and those are huge elements to going fast in a race.

I'm good at starting, and when the green flag flew I had a plan on where I wanted to be on the track, and I followed through with it driving deep into the rows in front and charging up the hill. Nobody passed me going into T2 which has been a weakness for me before. I had been practicing passing people going into T4 and that paid off in this race as I was easily able to gain a spot going down the hill into 4. The race would be a dog fight the whole way. There where about 6 bikes in front of me as we lined up going down the back straight for the first time, and I was determined to get around all of them. I passed all of them. Sometimes I would get passed back, and start all over. It was fun fighting for every inch. I finished 15th, and was happy with that.

The 2nd race was more of the same. I got a good start, and then started picking people off, while at the same time fighting to hold my position. Good times. As the race was winding down on the last lap I could feel myself getting tired. I knew I was running out of energy, and starting to make mistakes so I took a long glance over my should to see how close 616 was to me. Drats he was only a couple of bike lengths behind me. So I started riding really defensively. I would get on the brakes super late, and take a tight inside line. This is not the fastest way around the track, but It keeps the other person from being able to get up inside. I did this going into T's 7, 9, and 11. I stayed in front by just a couple of tenths of a second. He came and found me in the pits, and I told him I was sorry that I had to ride so defensively, he told me I was an asshole, but that's racing, and next time he'd better get in front of me before the last lap. I told him "yup" and as he walked away I smiled and thought "good luck with that" game on.

Despite riding so defensively that last lap of my second race FIV, was the fastest lap of the weekend, keeping my record of the last lap of FIV being the fastest time.
I turned a 1:51.9. Finally I broke into the 51's. A personal goal of mine. Yesterday I bought a new Brembo racing master cylinder. Hopefully this will cure my fading brake woes, and allow me to use the brakes the way I like to. On the ragged edge!







As always Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's

AFM Round 4 Thunderhill

The T-hill round was forever ago. I didn't write about it then because I didn't do very well, and I was disappointed. It's hard to write about things post them to the world when you aren't feeling positive about it. I need to get over that, and just write down whatever happened good of bad.

I used to think I was pretty good at T-hill. The truth is I suck there. My results from earlier in the season, and at Sears led me to believe I was a better rider than I am. I think I am still a good rider I just have exposed some weaknesses.

I'm not going to got into extreme detail. I practiced Friday and Saturday and I knew my times weren't where they needed to be. I didn't have much confidence going into Sunday and it showed. On the first lap of the first race there was a crash in T2 immediately in front of me, that took focus to not be apart of, a couple of turns later in T5 another big wipe out just in front of me, and now I'm thinking "what the hell am I doing here" The race was restarted, and I finished a lowly 22nd.

The 2nd race was much the same. I would get passed, and not have any motivation to go back after the person. Again I finished a lowly 22nd.

I went home with my tail between my legs, broke, disappointed, and wondering if I wanted to keep doing this.

A Little Rock 'n' Roll

I wanted to write about something other than motorcycles. (I'll get to that next) So I wanted to share about two recent projects I was involved in.

The first was called The Unforgettable Tour When we where first told about the show it was dubbed "the largest Indian rock show to ever come out of India" OK Whatever. Note to self: If someone ever says they are doing a large Indian "bollywood" style show. Believe them. When we fist saw the renderings and lighting plots we surely thought someone was putting one over on us. Not the case. This truly would be the largest gathering of Indian movie/entertainment stars to ever tour outside of India. The lighting design was by two British designers that where very cool guys. The lighting rig consisted of at least 80 moving lights, multiple Soft LED video curtains, and one large video wall in the center. We thought for sure when they saw the price of all the gear that most of it would go away, like it had in other Indian rock shows we had done. Nope instead they cut us a deposit check. Ouch!

Walter and I redrafted the plot so it would be in a format we where used to working with, and got to work figuring out all the data, hardware and what not needed to put this together. When the producers asked if we could provide the hardware to fly in entertainers at two different times we thought we'd heard it all.

The process was a great experience. Kevin Reilly, Walter Holden, and myself all worked on different pieces at the same time. We really utilized the drafting software to it full potential. That was a great experience.

Then came installing the show. We added Greg Kunit to mainly manage the dimmer beach, and a extra pair of eyes never hurts. There where over 70 chain motors, and 9 universes of dmx data for all the moving lights. We got the entire rig in the air, and I had started flashing out the system when we called it a night. The following day we came in early, and I continued ringing out the system. The LD's came in around 12 noon, and saw the rig for the first time.

This was there 3 show on the tour, and it was the first time they had seen the whole rig. So far no one had been able to get the entire system up and running for them. When I told them we had installed it in one day Paul the main LD said "That's normal, 1 day. 1 day for rigging, and 1 day for lighting" When I told him we installed the entire rig, rigging, and lighting in one day the look on his face was the best compliment you can get. "Fuck me" he says. Thanks Paul, we thought so to!

When it came time for the show we had three Grand MA lighting controllers FOH, and 1 GMA light backstage all networked together through a pair of MA NSP's controlling 9 universes of lighting, and 5 universes of MA media servers, and the only thing that connected FOH to backstage was one orange fiber optic cable. This was the most high tech show I'd ever seen. They where truly using the latest and greatest everything on the cutting edge of technology.

When the lights went out and the first entertainer took the stage, and the 15,000 person crowd screemed the scale of the whole thing came into focus. This really was the largest show to come out of India. But when one of the performers flew out over the audience in a steel basket the crowd went absolutely ape shit. To these people it was like seeing The Beatles, Elvis, Madonna, and Barbara Streisand all on the same stage.

When the show was over, and we had packed it up, and put it back in it's three semi trucks the four of us went to a bar in Alameda at 7am, 23 hours after we had started that day. Tequila and Budweiser at 7am. Rockstars.

Here's a link to some online photos. http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/5582382_dpGm3#P-1-12

I have more pic's on my work computer I'll post later.

The other rock show I worked on last weekend was The Outside Lands Festival

Impact did all the backstage VIP, and hospitality tents, and we did one stage. the Sutro stage. That part got handed to me, and I worked with the producers to design something interesting, and cheap. It was a great time. Three days of rock and lighting mainly in the day time. Friday I had Cold War Kids, and Beck, Saturday I closed with Cake, and Sunday Widespread Panic. Only Beck had an LD for the rest I ran the lights. It was a lot of fun, and I hope to get to do some more.

Here's a link to some photos

AFM Round 3 at Sears Point

The weekend of May 24-25th saw the AFM show return to my favorite track Sears Pt.

The weekend started rough as it rained on Saturday. Rain at the end of May - WTF? I only got two practice sessions in, and the track was slippery, and I didn't feel very confident. Then the rain came and that was the end of the day.

Sunday had much better weather, and I put fresh tires on before the morning practice. The track was still very green, and the tires where new so I didn't find out anything new just sort of warmed myself up.

My first race was Race 1 Formula FIV. We have a riders meeting at the end of practice, and the first race starts very shortly after that. So if you're in Race 1 you need to have all your shit together because there just isn't much time. I know that, and my bike was totally prepped and ready. When I got to my grid position I wasn't very focused. Normally at the start of the race I take a second to look around, and formulate a plan on where I want to go on the track. I don't know why but I didn't do that, and as the race started it showed. I got a bad start and went backwards from there. I got passed several times, and only on the last lap did I make one of those back. I was not focused and not confident. I finished something like 21st. The first time I finished behind where I started. What I learned from that race was that I need to take time to narrow my focus, and gather myself up before heading out for the warm up lap.

My second race was Race 9 650 Twins. By the start of race 8 I was in my leathers and sitting in my chair next to my bike just doing laps around the track in my head. Totally focused. We go out on the warm up lap and I feel much more aggressive. I leave early and get to my grid spot on the third row with only a handful of people gridded. This gives me some time to once again narrow my focus. I take note of where I am on the track, and where I want to go. The Formula II race is the first wave and it gives me a chance to watch the starter from my peripheral vision.

When the green flag flies for my race I get a great start and head up the hill with only a few people in front of me. I can't believe how far up front I am and I tell myself to hold a tight line through T2. Well I was so focused on my line I forgot to down shift and I had no drive exiting T2 and I lost a few positions. By the end of lap 1 I was in 10th place with a good chance of a Top 10 finish. On lap three the red flag comes out. Bummer. I go back to my pit, put the tire warmers back on, and sit back down next to my bike, drink some water, and try to maintain my focus. People keep trying to talk to me about the race but I know it's going to restart any minute so I just ignore them and keep focused.

I am totally focussed, and now energized at the possibility of a Top 10 finish. I'm the first one out for the warm up lap, and I'm riding aggressive. I'm the first person to the grid, and I take my spot, and I stay totally focused. This time I'm going to remember to down shift for T2.

The green flag flies, and I get an even better start, and as we head up the hill I'm in 7th. I down shift and stay on the gas. I give up a spot going into T3, and another going into T4, each by guys I know are capable of winning the race so I feel like I'm in rare company. By the end of lap 1 I'm in 9th place ready for a fight to defend my position. By the time we get to T7 the red flag is out race stopped again (more on that later) OK back to the pits and once again try to remain composed and focused. This is the biggest exercise in patience and focus I've ever had. I'm trying to keep my energy level up, but I'm feeling a little dejected like I've missed an opportunity. We go out for our 3rd warm up lap and I'm not riding as aggressively and I notice it. Focus I tell myself. I get to my grid spot, and I try once again to find that composure that I had in the previous race.

Green flag flies, and I don't get the rocket ship start from before but a solid start still. As we head up the hill one of the Twin Works bikes pinches me off the inside and we nearly collide. I have to stand it up to keep from hitting him as two of the leaders run off track having made contact going up the hill. I see them coming across the dirt heading for the track and I wonder if they are going to get stopped in time, and as a result I roll off the gas and a couple of people get by me. DAMN IT I think. OK as we go through 3 and 4 I stay with them and I think I can salvage a Top 10 finish if I can get in front of one or two of them. As we exit T6 onto the back straight I am hard on the gas setting them up for a late braking maneuver, and the face shield on my helmet comes loose. It sucks to be going 100mph with nothing covering your eyes. I try to push it back in place before I need to get on the brakes, and in doing so a few people get by me. I go through turns 7,8, and 8a, and as I head down the hill to T9 I try again to snap the shield back in place as a couple more people get by me. At this point I decide I'm a danger to not only myself but the people around me, and I put my hand up, and pull behind the tires in T9. I wait for the field to go by and I cruise into the pits. DNF

So it was a disappointing weekend. There where some high points. Jim Hoogerhyde won the Formula Singles race. Some of Jim's friends from the Cretin MC came up from LA to race their vintage bikes, and they where super cool guys to hang out with.

At the start of the year I was helping a guy I had met while doing track days get started racing. Last night he sent me a text message saying he was the reason for the red flag after the 2nd start. Reason for red flag Thanks Steve.
Oh well that's racing. We'll get 'em next time at Thunderhill.

As always Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's

AFM Round 2 at Sears Point

Round 2 of the AFM season took place at one of my favorite tracks Infineon Raceway, forever known to me as Sears Point April 26-27th.

I went up to the track Friday night to get the pit area all set up, and Werkstatt friends Marie, and Cliff had ridden on Friday and saved me some space.

Saturday morning my first order of business was to get a new rear tire! We only get 4 practice sessions on Saturday so it's important to get up to speed quickly. I had been racing and riding a lot so I'm now comfortable on my bike, and it's time to start to really push to find time. My previous best time on my EX500 was a 1:54.7 which was an epic lap time for that wet noodled race bike. My goal for the weekend was to get into the 52's. I was struggling with my brakes fading after a few laps. It hadn't been bad at Willow because you don't use the brakes much but at Sears you use the brakes alot! After about 4 laps the brakes would fade, and I would need to pull the lever harder and harder to get any bite, and when they would bite, they would come on sudden. I kept trying to adjust the suspension to deal with this sudden and sharp brake hit, but that was the wrong solution. I had run off track in my last lap of several sessions not having enough braking power to get slowed down into T9, and that is not a good feeling. I spoke with many racing veterans about what could be causing this problem, but it was the guys at Galfer that really helped. It turns out that my EBC so called "kit" racing pads had warped after only 2 race weekends, and where having a small but constant drag which would cause the brake fluid to over heat, and thus fade. So even with my brake problems I was running consistant 54's, and best time of '53.7. Not too bad considering the brake problems.

Sunday morning practice was great. The new brake pads from Galfer, and my bead blasted rotors had done the trick. I rode the whole 20 minute session with no brake fade. I felt confident about my possibilities. I was starting 24th in both races based on my finishes in Buttonwillow, and I felt a top 20 was possible.

My first race of the day was race 6 650 Twins. I got a great launch, passed at least a row of bikes and drove up the hill into T2, but like my usual self I gave back more places than I took entering T2. I need to figure out why I suck so badly entering that turn at the start of the race. I settled in and started making passes as soon as we got to T4. I rode hard and clean and passed every bike I could see. The next bike being too far away to catch. I finished 16th with a best time of 1:53.3.

My 2nd race was number 11 Formula IV. It's hard to stay motivated that late in the day, and when the race started I did not have the same determination I did earlier. Once again I got a great launch, and gave it all back in T2. This time I had given up a slight gap to the group in front of me, and I lacked that motivation to go after them. I went around a lap or so with the gap staying the same. Then Alex Florea #49 had a moment going down the hill from 3A to T4, apparently suffering from a cramp. All the bikes behind him checked up, and now all of a sudden they where within reach and I had found my motivation. The next few laps would be some of my smartest racing yet. The wind was blowing hard, and as you approached T7 and I figured I could brake a little later since I wouldn't be going as fast, and the wind would help slow me down. That allowed me to get past a couple of people on each lap. Since there was a head wind going into 7 there was a tail wind going into 9, and I figured I needed to brake earlier. This also allowed me to make some passes, because I think the wind and extra speed spooked the other riders. These are examples of why have good reference points work. I was able to make adjustments mid race to braking points, and take advantage of people. I finished 19th with a best lap of 1:52.2.

That was a great weekend of racing with good results. I I finished top 20 in both my races, and hit my lap time goal of 52's. I look forward to going back to Sears May 24th, and improve even more. I think top 10's could be possible by the end of the season, and maybe even a sub 1:50!.

Thanks to the people that help me go faster.
Jennifer at Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction
Dunlop, and Terry at Sport Tire Services
Paul Fine of Fine Design
Julio from Tommy's

AHRMA at Willow Springs

AHRMA stands for American Historical Motorcycle Roadracing Asscociation. AHRMA is a nation series for vintage motorcycle racing. They only have one west coast round, and it is held at Willow Springs in April on the 3rd, and 4th. Having raced at willow as recently as February I was excited to get back there, and pick up where I left off.

To attempt to save money I loaded my bikes, and most of my pit equipment onto the trailer, and I had my friend, and teammate Jim Hoogerhyde tow my trailer down. Getting to the hotel Thursday night turned out to be quite a chore. After we picked up Jim's current girlfriend, we made Jim's required stop at Farley's coffee shop and hit the road around 8pm. We finally made it to the hotel in Rosamond around 3am where Jim had a room shared with friends Jim Reagan and owner of Werkstatt Jennifer Bromme. You can read about her weekend here. Jen's blog. I slept on the floor, and it was a damn fine floor if I do say so. About 3 hours later we where up and ready to hit the track.

Friday after getting my registration all sorted out is a practice day. AHRMA is a series classic, vintage, or just old racing motorcycles, and if ever there was a place to see rolling history an AHRMA race is where to go. These bikes where not built to sit in a museum, and it's great to see something there is only a few of in the world out doing what they where meant to do: race. Since most vintage race bikes are single cylinder, or twin cylinder machines AHRMA has classes for modern bikes in a separate classes called Sound of Singles, and Battle of the Twins, or SOS, and BOTT respectively. Friday is a practice day, and Saturday and Sunday are race days so with only one day of practice I went out and tried to quickly get up to pace. I was riding on my older rear tire that was on the later half of it's life span. Tire management would turn out to be my Achilles heel. As I've stated before in previous posts willow is hard on tires, and my worn out practice tire didn't even last all day Friday. By midday the tire was completely shagged. On a side note I've used that term "shagged" to describe worn out tires before but I didn't really know where the term came from. Friday I knew. By midday the right side of the tire looked like a piece of 70's shag carpet. I switched to my 2nd rear wheel that had a tire with only 2 races on it, and I really wished I hadn't. Hind site is 20/20, and I would have been better off calling it an early day on Friday and saving that tire for the races. Friday was a lot of fun. I got play on the track with Jim, and there was gratuitous but pinching by all.

Saturday is a race day, but there where a couple of practice sessions in the morning, and again I would probably would have been better off skipping these. My first race was the middle weight class, or BOTT F2. I was racing up a class against larger displacement bikes. The grids for the modern bikes aren't very big compared to AFM standards, but what is? This would be my 4th race weekend of the year so I was comfortable with my bike now so when the green flag dropped I got a great launch and took the holeshot into T1. Holy shit I'm leading the race in F2!. As I tipped it into T2 I told myself to keep my head down, be smooth, ride my lines, and hit my marks. Don't worry about what's behind you if the faster bikes can catch you they will. I think I lead 3 laps before this bright orange Ducati blasts past me on the straight. I pulled right up on the back of him as we entered T2. I thought if I could get in front of him in the tight stuff I might be able to hold the lead on the final lap. As we approached T8 he definitely gapped me. As we approached the exit of T9 there where slower bikes in front of us. He easily passed a guy on a supermoto just before the apex of the turn, and I set up to go around the guy just past the apex, and that's where things went horribly wrong. The guy on the motard suddenly stood his bike up and ran wide right as I was about to make the pass. That left me with the choice of trying to get on the brakes to keep from running into the back of him, and standing it up and running off track. Neither of these choices is a great option at 100+mph. So I ran off track and I remember looking right at the wall on the outside of T9 thinking "how am I going to get stopped in time" Thinking that I was not going to make it I chose to try to enter the hot pit, and I easily made that happen. I looked up at the pit marshal, and he seemed to know exactly what I was thinking "now what do I do?" and he motioned for me to come on through. I dropped a gear and powered through the hot pit coming back on track in 4th place. I quickly disposed of one of the Buell's, and set out to catch the other one who had inherited 2nd place from me. As we entered T2 he ran wide, and I crept up the inside to take 2nd place. Either he didn't see me, or thought he could take the position back, at the exit of turn 2 my opponent came back onto the racing line at full speed and we came together at 100 mph. It made a loud crunching sound as fiberglass and metal became interlocked. For a brief moment we where locked together and looking at each other. Then he was gone. When the bikes became disengaged I was left in a terrible tank slapper, and off into the dirt I went again. I got back on track, and by the time I made it through T3 a red flag was out. My opponent had gone down and stayed down. That was the end of the race. I was credited with 3rd place.

My 2nd race was the BOTT F3 or lightweight, and I thought since I had finished so well in F2 I would easily win F3. Complacency is a killer. I got the holeshot easily and led much of the race, each lap getting slower and allowing the 2nd place guy to catch up. He made a clean pass on the last lap and I couldn't really do anything to get back by him. By this time the right side of my tire was shagged, and every time I tried to make time up on him I would slide the rear, and I thought it just wasn't worth throwing it away. My previous off track excursions took some of the wind out of my sails. I finished 2nd.

Sunday had me worried since the right side of my tire was so worn and we had 2 more races to do. I flipped the tire on the rim putting the worn side of the tire on the left side of the rim. When it was race time I definitely had better grip on the right side but now I nothing on the left, and even though there are only a few left turns they are all slower, but you need to drive hard on the exit, and each time I tried getting on the gas at the exit of those turns the tire would slide. I finished 3rd in BOTT F2 after inheriting a position when the orange Ducati crashed out of the lead. I had to race on BOTT F1 after a technical issue, and I only did a few laps in that race. I wasn't going to finish on the podium, and my tire was sliding at the exit of every corner, and I brought it in early figuring it just wasn't worth staying out there and being a danger to myself and everyone else.

It was a great racing weekend. We had several SFMC members, Harley, Miles, Jim, myself, and friends of the SFMC, Jennifer, and Johnny all racing. It was fun having soo many friends to hang out with.

A special thanks to Deb for making coffee, and breakfast, and being a great all around pit wench, and to my dad for hanging out and letting me use his truck.

A little note about that orange Ducati. I knew it was a pretty bike, but after the races where over someone explained to me that it was a NCR Ducati . A hand built custom rumored to cost $50,000.

AFM round 1 Buttonwillow

Last weekend was the first race for the AFM season at the world famous Buttonwillow Raceway (just kidding).
One of the great things about coming to this track is that my Mom and Dad live only a couple of hours away.

With two races at other clubs under my belt my personal expectations where high. I traveled with one of my SFMC teammates Eric Schiller Thursday night. We stayed at the local hot spot, The Red Roof Inn. The accommodations where far from fancy but they suited our needs just fine, and give AFM racers a discount.

Friday morning we where up early to get everything set up. After the quick tech inspection we where out on track. I hadn't been to Buttonwillow in two years so I wanted Friday to be a mellow day of relearning the track and adapt more to the new bike. At this point the bike wasn't so new and scary. It did surprise me how fast things felt. BW has several very fast sections and I don't remember them being that fast. That makes perfect sense seeing how my old bike just didn't go very fast! On Friday I had anticipated purchasing a new front wheel for my bike from fellow AFMer Kim Nakashima. This was too be a very trick 16.5" wheel, normal is 17", made from forged aluminum weighing several pounds less than my current wheel. The smaller size is the ultra trick set up professional racers are using. By lunch I had found Kim, but the wheel wasn't there yet. Bummer, there's always tomorrow. On Friday I had a chance to chase around my old nemesis, not really, John Forman, and that was good for me as he showed me some lines that would prove useful later on. By hand timer I has best lap in the 2:05 range. Probably 7 seconds better than my fastest time on my 500.

Saturday morning: Our third teammate Jim Hoogerhyde, now joined us. On Friday afternoon my parents joined us with their 5th wheel camper trailer. We took a whole corner of the paddock and made one hell of a SFMC racing compound. Once again I tracked down Kim, and this time I got my sexy new wheel. Too bad it was for a different year than I thought and didn't center up on my forks. So I missed my first practice session, which is a bummer as Saturday practice only gets 4 sessions total. Even with the abbreviated day Saturday was good, and I ended the day in the 2:04's. I would have liked to be a couple of seconds quicker, but I was lacking confidence in a couple of places, like T2, T7, and T11.

Sunday race day: I put on a new rear tire just for the races. The first race would be Formula 650 Twins, also known as 650T. Since I had never raced this class before I was gridded in the last row. Something like 49th place! I knew it was going to be a long uphill battle with 48 other riders in front of me, but I was feeling good, and ready for game on!
2 Board drop the shield on the helmet, 1 board bring the rev's up to 7k, sideways, get ready , Green flag go! I got a solid launch and drove deep into the middle of the pack, but as we neared the first turn I backed off a little. You see I got taken out in a big way a few years ago by a guy who charged up the inside and couldn't make the turn, so I tip toed through 1, and then got on the gas after that. T2 wasn't much better so I went around the outside and passed several people. Charging down into T3 I gtt on the brakes a little early and #649 of Code-4 gets inside of me as we enter T3a. I'm here to do the passing not the other way around so I let off the brake early and carry a little extra speed and stay to his outside of T3a which gives me the inside line into T3b. I stay on the gas going up the little hill toward 3c, and 649 thinks he's going to try the same trick I just pulled on him. I don't think so as I get on the gas and drift wide forcing him to roll off to keep from running into me. Yeah sucks to be him, that's racing! I begin making my up through the field passing people every couple of turns. I don't know how many because I was always focused on the next rider. There where two more bikes left within catching distance. I can't tell you why but I sucked in Turn 11 leading up to the front straight. I was really good on the rest of the track but not so good on that part. The bad thing about that is the pursued rider would put a gap on me down the fast front straight, and I would close up on him around the back side, but lose it on the front. I had reeled this guy in, and I knew I was running out of time. I told myself I was getting around him no matter what. That is a dangerous attitude on a race track! I had pulled up within a couple of bike lengths of him on the front straight, and I knew if I could get him into Turn 1 I he would never get a chance to get back around me. The idea was simple really. Don't use the brakes until he does, then count to 1, and hit the brakes really really hard. hahahahaha. OK I see him grab a hold, I wait, and go for it. At this point I'm waaaay farther down the track than I had been used to so I pulled a little harder which puts the bike in a reverse wheelie or stoppie. Yes I go flying by him with my back wheel hovering a few inches off the ground. At this I have several things going on in my head. I need to start turning soon, I need to down shift 2 gears, I need to get the back wheel on the ground. In what I consider an amazing feet of mental control this is how it played out. While the rear wheel was still floating I down shifted twice, gently left off the brakes, and set the wheel down, as soon as it touched I started the turn, and a beat later I opened the throttle to accelerate out of the corner leaving my opponent high and dry. whew... All of that happened in less than 2 seconds time. It's amazing how slow things seem when it's the only thing in the world you are focused on. Next lap one bike to go. I suck right up on the back of him as we enter T1, and I know I'm going for the pass in T2. He takes a super tight line either by mistake or to defend against me. I know he won't be able to carry much speed as he exits so my plan is to enter late and carry extra speed through and pass him on the exit. Half way though T2 as I start to add gas BAM down he goes. Too tight of a line, too far leaned over too much throttle. The guy is now sliding directly into my path of travel. I stand the bike up attempting to not run him over which will end badly for both of us. I stay on the gas because I can tell if I get on the brakes I'm going to t-bone him. He makes contact with me head first sending me into a violent Tank Slapper as I head out into the dirt. The BW dirt is very soft and I know not to hit the front brakes so I go to step on the rear brake, and there's no lever. It's bent 180° backwards. That explains the violent shaking motion. The fallen rider hit the brake lever with his head. Ouch! I gain control of my bike, and tip toe back onto the track as I watch rider after rider go by. I limped my bike around the final lap just fast enough to not get passed again, and finished a disappointing 24th.

Up next was the Formula IV race. Even though I was gridded in a much better spot I still finished 24th. I had lost some of the fire after my "Soil Sampling" experience.
There was nothing memorable of super interesting that happened so enough said.

It was a great weekend none the less. Jim finished 1st in both of his races, Eric finished 3rd in 500T, and I went faster than ever before. As always I have to thank my Mom and Dad for coming out and supporting me and my friends with love and lunch! A special thanks to Jennifer from Werkstatt for her race support, and Dave Moss from Catalyst Reaction for helping me get my bike dialed in. Next up is AHRMA at Willow Springs!

Here is link to some lo res pics as I haven't bought the CD yet. 4 The Riders

Gygax is Dead, Long Live Gygax!

Gary Gygax died yesterday

Most people will say "who?" That's OK. I played a lot when I was a pre-teen, but dropped it when I discovered girls in highschool. I picked it back up in college, and formed friendships that last today. I love fantasy fiction books, and I'll go see just about any fantasy movie, even if it's meant for kids. I can pretty safely say that comes from playing Gary's games. Later I played Magic the Gathering. I still have a stack of cards under my bed I break out when my friend Michael comes over.

This quote from John Kovalic over at Dane101.com really sums it up.

I saw shelves and shelves of roleplaying games like D&D, GURPS and Vampire, card games like Magic and Munchkin, miniatures games like Warhammer, just dozens and dozens - hundreds, in fact - of games, toys, dice, gamer comic books, gamer collectibles, you name it.

"You know," I said, to nobody in particular. "If it hadn't been for Gary and Dave (Arneson), none of this would probably be here."

Godspeed Mr Gygax, and thank you for the memories

The End Of An Era

Last week I sold my EX500.

And with that the end of an era for me. It seems so long ago that my friend Craig talked me into racing. Yeah I had to be talked into it. Craig is a great persuader. The conversation went like this "Mickey. I could buy this racebike, and you could work on it all the time, or WE could buy this racebike, and you could work on it all the time"
If only we knew how true those words would later be.

My 500 taught me so much. As a rider, a mechanic, a bike builder, and more. I'm not really good at selling bikes, because I hold such a personal attachment to them. But it was time. I have grown from those early days when Craig and I didn't have a clue where the hot pits where, or even what a "hot pit" was.

Now look at me with my fancy new race bike, running in multiple racing series all over the state, helping other new racers build race bikes, and start their racing careers. How did I get here?

Yes it may be the end of an era, but it's the beginning of a whole new one.

Here's how it all started.

And this is what it looked like when it was time to move on.

The Fastest Road in the West (Revisited)

Once again in an attempt to gain an advantage over my AFM racing competitors I traveled south to get some much needed familiarity with my new Kawasaki EX650. During the third weekend of February I went to Willow Springs International Raceway, WSIR to race with the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club. This is the 2nd time I've been to this track, as some may remember I went there a year ago to try out for California Superbike School, but this is my first time racing with WSMC, and of course the first time I've been here on the new 693.

Lucky for me my parents live an hour away from the track so after the long haul to get there, I have a nice comfortable base of operations. The track is an amazing place, and I'll do a brief description of a lap around the track. You start off coming down the main straight and clicking in 6th gear, and wind it all the way to the RPM redline before braking for T1, that's about 135mph on my EX650. At T1 you brake hard, go down one gear, and try to carry as much speed as possible as there's a little rise at the exit. Between 1 and 2 you hold the throttle wide open and redline 5th gear. At the entrance of two you roll off the throttle a little tip in, and add gas the whole way through 2. T2 goes on forever, and you have to continuously add gas or it will load up the front tire, and dump you. You come out of 2 and hit a short straight once again pinned at redline before T3. At T3 you grab a handful of brakes, down 1 gear, and turn left (one of only three lefts), and up the hill for T4 "the Omega" as that's what it's shaped like. You double apex at the top of the hill, and try to hold a tight line as you exit coming down the hill, and you need to be on the gas or it will again load up the front end. Drive down the hill with as much speed as you dare, because T5 is a down hill left. Get on the brakes as late as you dare (down hill), enter the turn late, and carry the speed out because again there's a rise at the exit. I click up a gear between T5, and T6. Turns 6 and 7 are hardly turns at all, you barely changed direction so they are more of a subtle chicane. Down the hill after 6 click up another gear into 6th, and hold the throttle pinned through 7 (not really a turn), and into T8. Turn 8 is where you separate the haves from the have-nots, the men from the boys if you will. You hold the throttle pinned entering T8, lean all the way over, but stick out your knee, that will have the wind trying to rip you off the bike. Because here you are 6th gear 9,000rpm, 130mph, leaned all the way over. There is very short piece of asphalt between what is considered the exit of T8, and, and the entrance of T9. Here you roll of the throttle drop a gear, and carry as speed as possible through T9 and onto the front straight.

I did a half day of practice on Friday, and saw my times get into the mid 1.40's. I knew if I was to have any chance of racing I needed to get into the mid 30's. A daunting task. Saturday a guy named Eric Angel, pitted with me. He loaned my his transponder for the WERA race, and was now giving me tips on how to get around willow.

Eric's help is immeasurable. Without his guidance I would have been lost. I did 7 practice sessions, and my rear tire was toast!. I couldn't believe it. This was only the third track day on the rear, and it was a shredded sad pile of smoking rubber. The speed of T8 just destroys rear tires. By the end of the day on Saturday I had got down to the 1.37's. Good but I needed another 2-3 seconds to run with the pack. Where the hell was that going to come from? I knew exactly where. At this point I was still a boy, and rolling off the throttle going into T8 losing precious ticks of the clock doing so. I knew I had to find the courage to hold it open.
Sunday came around and a new rear tire is on, and I do two practice sessions that morning, again in the 37's.

I gridded up for the first race, and I knew if I could stay with the group I could find the courage to hang with them. The flag drops, and I got a great launch, unfortunately the guy in front of me did not, and I had to roll off the throttle to keep form hitting him, and that was pretty much the end of that race right there. I went into T1 about 2 bike lengths behind the front pack, and lost touch. By the time we got to T8 they where 8 bike leghts in front of me, and I didn't have what I needed to stay with them. I rode around for 6 laps by myself. Too slow for the front group, to fast for the back group. I finished 8th out of 14.

Race 2. This time I could feel it. I didn't care if I had to knock someone down. I was going to stay with that front group at the start no matter what.
That is the racing attitude I hadn't felt yet this year. Red Mist.
the flag drops, and off we go. I hold a tight line through 1 and come out 4th in the 2nd pack of riders, which would put in in 9th overall. This would turn out to be a great race. The 4 of us enter T8 nose to tail in a line, and I told myself out loud in my helmet "if they can you can" and I hold that damn throttle wide open all the way through, T8 and we come out on the straight 4 in line nose to tail. OK game on. i make a move on the brakes into T1, and get a position, but the guy goes right back past me exiting 1. We come around 4 8 again, I hold the throttle open again, and I realize that I close up on the exit of 8. They are rolling off mid turn! We come down the front straight again, and the guy two bikes in front of me runs off track at the exit of 1, but to his credit he stays on gas, through the dirt he's on the gas, and come back on track between 1, and 2. This mixes the 4 of us up, and I get two guys going into 2. One of them gets me back at the exit, and now I'm 3rd in the group of 4. Nothing really happens between 3-8. Sure we show each other a wheel, but always back off. T8 again. I hold it wide open, and go underneath one of the guys in front of me, yeah baby I just passed someone mid turn in T8. Unfortunately that spooked me and I rolled off too soon, and he got it back down the straight. We hammer at each other for 6 laps. On the last lap heading down the hill from T7 I'm once again 4th in the group. So I use my head. I back off just a little, and give them some room. I now know that I can carry more speed through 8-9 then these guys so rather than riding right on their tail. I give them 3 or so bike lengths going into T8, and I hold it open gaining on them as we apex 8, we come out of T9, and I slingshot right past two of them onto the front straight, and up a gear and on the gas I almost got the third at the start finish.

What a great race. I finished 7th over all, but in my book I finished 2nd, in what was a hard fought, smart race where I finally stopped being a boy. I was really proud. Not only had I overcome my fear of going fast through T8, but I had found it as a new strength that I could exploit over my competitors. That last lap of the 2nd race was my fastest lap of the weekend. 1.34.2
Later in pits I found those guys, and we all agreed it was one of the most fun races any of us had ever rode.

A special thanks to Dave Moss, Jennifer at Werkstatt, Slim Jim, Dunlop, and my mom, and dad.

Look out AFM here I come.

The New 693

I'm here at California Speedway sitting on my ass (story later) so I thought I'd post some pictures of the newly painted bike.
So with out further ado the new 693.
:)

New Race Bike

My racing efforts in 2007 had some highs and lows. In two of the races I finished I placed on the podium. The problem was I didn't finish many races. In fact I think my start to finish ratio was less than 50%. Why? Almost always engine overheating. I tried and tried, and tried to get it worked out, and in the last race weekend of the year I finally got it all sorted. But with that I just wasn't sure if I wanted to keep going.

The 2007 season had started pretty positive (scroll down through the blog, and you'll see). So with 2007 coming to an end I was trying to make sense out of this racing thing. I was really considering giving it up all together. I was tired of riding the 500. I had put as much money into it as I could stand, and still I was not going to win any races. Even though my bike is highly modified it is still based on a 20 year old design, and there are newer bikes in the class that no matter how well I rode I was not going to overcome. So a new thought entered my head. Why not buy a new race bike? I didn't think much of it at first because a modern race bike that was remotely competitive would be in the $6k range, and that was not an option. But then I worked my ass off (see post about Oracle). In fact all I did for three months straight was work, and at the end of all that a new race bike wasn't out of the question anymore. So I started looking at Suzuki SV650's. They could be found fully race prepped with competitive modifications, like a front end swap, engine mods which would include carb's (if first gen bike) cam's, exhaust ect... I hadn't found the perfect bike for the right price until one day I was trolling through a thread on barf, http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/, about a trackday I was looking at attending. I had posted a comment about how I was thinking about getting a new bike, and a well known bike builder named Zoran, http://www.twinworksfactory.com/, let me know that their Kawasaki 650 was for sale. With a couple of days some e-mails where exchanged, and the new bike was mine. I picked it up Thanksgiving weekend at a trackday at Thunderhill. Below is the bike as it was delivered to me that day.

It's difficult to explain how great it is to ride this bike. My old race bike was never easy to ride. The great thing is I didn't know any better. My 500 had an old style square steel tubed frame that even though it was braced flexed like a wet noodle in high speed turns. This made it challenging to get the bike to change directions at high speeds. It took a lot of strength to wrestle the bike over. The new bike is not like that at all. It goes where you point it, with minimal effort, uses modern, suspension, brakes, and fueling.

The bike: A 2006 Kawasaki EX650. It is a 20 year newer version of

my old race bike. It uses a 650cc parallel twin cylinder 4-stroke motor. Fed by fuel injection (my first FI bike), and with after market cams, and a modification to the air box it makes just under 80hp. The front end is off a 2005 Kawasaki Ninja 636, as is the rear wheel. It was bought new in 2006, and immediately turned into a race bike. One of the main benefits of buying a new bike is that it doesn't need much. The suspension is going to get redone to my weight, and the body work has been dropped off at the painters to get it's customary blue. While riding at Sears Pt on Saturday I noticed a little clutch slippage in 5th gear so I think I will put a new set of friction plates in before my first race. Other than that it's change the oil, add gas go race!

Acquiring this bike has opened new doors. I alway wanted to race with other organizations, but my 500 would usually be in the same classes as the 650's and thus being no where near competitive. Now that I have a 650 it's time to put it out there. So with that I hope to race with WERA in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Utah as well as AHRMA at Willow Springs, and my regular AFM here in Northern CA. My first race is in January at California Speedway. That's not even three weeks from now. Yee

Ha!

Oracle 07

Oracle has come and gone.
What an ass kicking. Yet another mega show, but this one has a special element. We build the main tent in the middle of one of the busiest street in SF. Howard Street. Right between the the two main buildings of the Moscone Convention center.
The Oracle Howard Street project is not so much about beautiful, cool, or even extravagant lighting. It's really an exercise in logistics. How do you build a tent in the middle of the street, get the lights up, the carpet down, and the tables set ready to open in 3 days? Very carefully.

One of the most difficult aspects is just getting gear into the venue. There is no loading zone. We had the meters on 3rd street bagged, but between 4pm-6pm that lane is open to traffic. So we had windows that we could load and unload trucks.
Like I said it's tough. Add in the the rain, on the 2nd day, the long days, and short nights, and it adds up to a tough week.

Did I mention the other big tent in the garden?

Oh and the tents on the terrace?

I don't even have pictures of all the tents like on the upper deck of the Metreon or outside of Moscone West.

It takes a really tight team of people. Producers, technical directors, tent designers, even down to the person who manages getting the trash collected and into the correct recycling bins. This group spends 17 hours a day together during the week, and really come together to pull it all off. It's an amazing display of teamwork.

I know one thing for sure. We have less than 300 days until load in of Oracle 08

AFM Round 5

I raced last weekend. I really thought I was going to take home a trophy, and I almost did. Here's a brief race write up of the 500 Twins race.
I gridded up in 5th just behind class leader John Forman. I thought I might really have something for him this weekend. Two board, and my visor clicks into place. 1 board, and I put the bike in gear. The one board goes sidewaaaaays! Green flag and we're off!
I got a great start but for some reason turned chicken as we powered through T1, and 3 guys came around me. I was mad at myself so I stayed on the gas through T2, and ran it up the inside, cutting off my friend, and teammate Eric. That put me in 4th with the "Lenny" in front of me. I was right behind Lenny through turns 4, and 5, and was pulling around him through 6. His bike has some serious motor work so he pulled a little gap on me in the short straight into 7. I knew I had him though because he didn't pull enough of a gap, and as I got on the brakes much later, and harder than him I went right by him into 7.
That's how it would be for the next 6 laps. I'd keep him behind me for most of the track, and then he'd gain on me between 6, and 7, and lose it all on the brakes. A couple times I saw him try to show me a wheel, and I'd move over a little, and get on the brakes blocking him.
I really had it until the last lap. That's when my bike overheated. Bummer....
My bike started running rough, and I knew from the droplets on my face shield what was happening. "come on baby one more lap, just hold it together" I was yelling in my helmet. But it was not to be. Into T6 "The Carousel" my engine started to sputter, and he got around me going into 7. I got on the brakes really really late, and literally pushed him wide. I had regained the position for a brief moment for when I twisted the throttle my engine died.
ugh
I coasted for a few minutes, and considered pulling off the track, but instead I tried to start it, and indeed the bike fired up, and I limped it home running on one cylinder for a 4th place.

I think I know what's up, and I will make some changes this week. I've got another race in two weekends so hopefully this time we'll bring it home.

Make it RED!

When Virgin America finally got the OK to start flying their new airline out of San Francisco airport they wanted to make a local statement. Something non traditional to let everyone know they where here. So when they contacted the mayors office of SF they where told in no uncertain words that if they wanted to do this they'd have to work with Hartmann Studios, and in turn Impact Lighting. So I got the call to make San Francisco Red.
OK what exactly did they mean? Well threw out some pretty wild ideas: Golden Gate Bridge, Trans America building, City Hall, Coit Tower. I thought "yeah right" everyone wants to talk big. Well it turned out they didn't just talk. So we settled on 5 civic structures. SF City Hall, The Opera House, the Veterans Building, the monument in Union Sq, Coit Tower, and The Ferry Building. Oh, and as a bonus they didn't want to disturb the daily activities around these buildings so could the lights go away each night?
Um Yeah, sure. ..?
So how does one light up 5 major civic structures for 5 nights in a row and not have any lights visible during the day? The answer: Trucks
The main focus was City Hall, and the Ferry building. We would prebuild a lighting rig on a flat bed truck and drive it into place each night. Rather than making this a case study of how I did this for each building I'll just show some cool pictures, and those of you that are lighting nerds, can post questions.

I used a variety of equipment Source 4 pars, Varilites, Mac 2k washes, and Xenotech 7k's.








The trucks where all prebuilt in the impact shop, and driven to the two locations each night. Can you imagine a parade of 8 trucks packed with movers heading down the freeway? I watched them cross the Bay Bridge and I couldn't help but laugh.

First up is Coit Tower which was not done with trucks, but with pars mounted on the roof of the lower museum. It was the only place that we didn't have to take the lights down each night.




Next is City Hall



I seem to have exceeded my photo limit.
I'll put some more pictures up at later.

The Allstar Game

San Francisco hosted the MLB Allstar game earlier this month. I was the lighting designer and project manager. I got back from Italy on July first around 8pm, and I was on site at 9am the following morning. It was not easy going from the super chill Tuscan lifestyle right back into "the pace" but I didn't really have much choice.

I have to say that if one is going to have to go right back to work this was as good
as it could be. A rare sunny warm week by the bay. The project was massive. I had I had 6 other Impact project managers working on it each paired up with a union head electrician, and I designed, and oversaw the whole thing.

The tents started being built on June 22 (the day I left for Italy) and the first day

of lighting installation was July 1st. The first of the two events was July 9th. We took one day off for the 4th so it was 8 days of install for a 3 hour party. Yee Haw!
The end product was definitely one for the picture books.
I've posted a few of the pics from my camera. I want to get some others.

In other news I plan on racing mid August. Unfortunately I've got another monster event to deal with first. Virgin America "Paint the town Red" Can you believe I have to light 5 SF civic buildings in red for 5 nights. Not an easy task.

Italian Adventures

I recently got back from a trip to Italy.
It was great. I got to join Sophia's family for a reunion abroad. The combined extended family made up 42 people. We rented 4 farm houses on a converted 15/16th century abbey in the Tuscan country side.
http://www.abbaziadispineto.com/
It's difficult to put into words all the fun that was had.
We flew out of SF, through Frankfurt landing in Florence. We spent a night there before heading down to the abbey on Saturday June 23rd (yes I spent my birthday in Italy).
Saturday morning we (Sophia and myself) picked a KTM 640 Adventure from a company called Stradanova. They where a cool group of people real enthusiats, but a little less than organized. It's good to see that motorcycle people are the same all around the world!












Once at the abbey the week was mostly spent doing very little. A day trip here and there, lots of cooking, but mostly lounging.


























Everyday there was at least a little riding. Some days the riding was more. The roads on the abbey property are all dirt, and there where some really fun and challening "tracks" as well. Around the abbey is the heart of Tuscany, specifically a national preserve called The Val d'Orcia http://www.nautilus-mp.com/tuscany/presentazione/valdorcia/indexing.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_d'Orcia
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1026
It made for some of the most breathtaking motorcycling ever. I spent a lot of time twisting my way through this amazing landscape. Some days I would go for a ride in the morning, then come back to the abbey, pick up a passenger, like Sophia's brother Steven, or sister Eva and head right back out. Many of the roads I explored where groomed dirt roads that would past ancient farm houses.
Amazing stuff.






It was a great trip, and I had a lot of fun being there. I honestly wasn't ready to come home.