FUN IN THE SUN





Despite the awful Arizona roads nothing has fallen over

 Thursday morning, a little damp after yesterday's rain but time to review where we are for the upcoming
weekend. Ed and Evelyn have been hard at it with 14 sections already taped using the old "tried and
true" locations from previous years. Hugh and Jan Campbell have been toiling alongside so things are
looking good on first survey. Due to time and our new "Checker Rule" we will just go for 20 sections this
year so I'm searching for the final six. Two of these will be the "Graded Hill" which the entry now seems
to enjoy as this is the only venue in the calendar where they get to see it. Only difference is we now have
the "2" boards which of course were not in back in the 60's.

 The graded climb usually starts hard but then with the passage of riders tends to become a bit main
roadish with nearly everyone cresting the summit. What was a graded hill on the first day could easily
be used as a standard section on day 2........ maybe next year ! Two areas are identified side by side so
that will make changing the boards easy for Sunday morning. 





Saturday's Graded Hill 





Sunday's Hill with a "Cheater Line" at the bottom


The area I thought could be used in the rocks has actually all been retained with wire cages to stop
erosion so we had better stay well clear before someone sues us for destruction of property. Well still
sticking with Plan A, I'm looking for two "Sea Of Sand" sections just to test balance and throttle control
and given a couple of turns they could stay nice and loose without packing down.

 The last two can be found in the Asphalt Jungle and in the concrete pile which now has a load more
flooring slabs added, although Ed is very worried about some re-bar.


 I join Ed and the team and we move round the identified 14 sections which all meet with my approval
so work commences with all the split cards and entry and exit boards. I'm on a tight deadline today as
Brenda has big plans for seeing her gardening friends and then we have a visit to Red Lobster
planned as there aren't any up here and we are feeling seafood deprived. 

 I tell Brenda we need to leave about 1515 or 1530 at the latest as its best part of 75 miles to where
she wants to go. With the Beemer all prepped and ready we finally leave about 1545 and arrive amid
rush hour traffic at 1700. A quick tour of Barb's gardens and all her pools some of which are filled with
giant Koi in the 8-12 lb bracket. I wonder what ours would have been like in the 18 months since we
closed down our water gardens.





Barb meets us with new puppy for the garden tour 

 A tick in the box for the garden visit  so off to meet up with her other gardening friends at some Mexican
joint. We are of course not eating so just a couple of pleasant Margarittas to pass the time. 1900 and
another "tick" and off we go to Red Lobster at Metro Center just off I17. Similar dishes and those great
little rolls and in no time its back to the bike for a chilly 70 mile jaunt back to Buckeye.


 Friday morning and I'm busy on pie plates but now the bloody generator won't turn over. Is it those
batteries again? Well not today ..... a bearing has come to pieces and is locking the shaft and no
known solenoid is going to turn that! Not quite so bad when you know what the problem is but now
Brenda is seriously not happy as we have no heat, TV or computer!!!! 


 The Trials School comes and goes and those attending did well soaking up the info like a sponge
and by the end of the afternoon they were tackling sections which I eventually told them were actually
2 line standard. A quick run round the Saturday sections to walk the 4 line and they were very confident
that they could ride and clean everything!

 O'beer 30 and the party begins.





The fire is lit, let the party commence..... 



Line up of Sections for the 2 Days is as follows;


DAY 1

1    The Pit
2    Stumps 1
3    Bunker of Sand
4    Grand Canyon Reversed
5    The Rockery
6    Graded Hill
7    Ditches 1
8    Ditches 2
9    The Asphalt Jungle
10  Slabs

DAY 2

1    The Pit 2
2    Stumps 2
3    Ironwood
4    The Sea of Sand
5    Palo Verde
6    Don's Delight
7    Rockery 2
8    Graded Hill
9    Ditches 3
10  The Cliff

 
TONY DOWN