Lapping Day

This past Saturday was Lapping Day at High Plains Raceway.  The day started out cold but the sun came up and changed everything.  The track was perfect, the atmosphere was great, and we all had a great time.  If you ever get the chance you have to visit this track - it's set among the farms and ranches of Eastern Colorado and the facilities are great.  There are four courses in one track - a 1.28 mile Short Course, a 1.86 mile North Course, a 2.00 mile West Course or the 2.55 mile Full Course.  There is a lot to learn about this track with lots of turns, over 300 feet of cumulative elevation change per lap, and the longest straight-away is over 2,800 feet long.

I'm really glad that most of our Colorado races will be here this year.  I really liked the accommodations and the folks at the Motorcycle Racing Association are fantastic.  Our team rider, Roger, went to the new rider school on Saturday and there was one instructor for two students.  There was a lot of track time and chalk board time to learn new things and try them out on the track.

Lining up for the start of Lapping Day at High Plains Raceway

Roger had lots of one-on-one attention and his instructor, Montana Jeff, helped him see the track better and gave him a better understanding of how to gauge the lines around the track.  Racing at our age really boils down to three things: 1) did we get hurt; 2) did we get lost on the track, & 3) did we have fun.  Roger's background in dirt racing and drag racing helped him out but there is a lot to learn when you transition from dirt and drag to racing on these courses.  To keep things interesting for Roger we switched the gearing on the bike from stock shift to GP shift, which he quickly learned and mastered.

I get to do the pit duties and when Roger is out on the track I like to wander around and talk to the other folks who are there as support crew for their riders.  While we lack sponsors and dollars to fund our operation, I got the sense that anyone out there would be more than willing to help us out and get us back out on the track if we ever got stuck.  That's really comforting for a couple of old farts like us who just want to have a little fun on the weekends!

Pre-Season Lapping Day is also a great way to figure out what you need or what you are missing.  In a couple of weeks Roger and I are heading out to pick up our new racing trailer so I've started a list of the little things we're going to need.  I'm thankful for the support crew folks who showed me around their setups and answered my questions.  We're newbies when it comes to this style of motorcycle racing but I know we'll have fun this year no matter how we do on the track because of the friendly folks associated with this great sport.

Next up on the schedule is a bit of spring turkey hunting, then a trip to pick up the trailer, and then before you know it we'll be back at High Plains Raceway for the start of the 2015 racing season.


See ya at the track!

Pops

And So It Begins......

Typical Colorado weather - we had snow last night and this morning.  Thankfully it's supposed to blow out later today, which is good because tomorrow is Lapping Day at the High Plains Raceway.  I'm hoping that the track will be dry and gravel-free so Roger has a good day on the track.

Lots of bike modifications on the bike this year.  In the last blog I posted pictures of the new racing plastic but what I didn't mention is that we switched the gearing from the stock bike to make it easier for Roger to shift on the race track.

I've been reading over the Motorcycle Racing Association's 2015 Rule Book making sure I've got a handle on the bike specs and the pit rules (still no wolverines allow in the pits according to Section 11 Rule D. ), so all I have left to do is make sure the fire extinguisher is still charged.

Our team rider, Roger, has been running and bicycling this off-season to get himself into racing shape.  Not easy to do at our age!  He rode his KTM to work about a week ago in the snow - now that'd dedication!

Still lots to do on the bike before opening weekend (May 9th & 10).  It looks like Roger and I are off to Mesa, Arizona to pick up a new racing trailer for the season so hopefully we'll get good weather for a long weekend sometime between now and then.

As always, you can follow our hijinks on Twitter ( #geezergears ) or you can find us on Instagram.  I'll be keeping you updated as to our progress at the track tomorrow so stay tuned.


See ya' at the track!

Pops