THE BUCKEYE BONANZA DAY 1


 

The Sections are ready!  ...... are you ?


 Warm and sunny with no wind, so all is looking good for the planned 1100 start. During Friday evening
riders from all manner of places have been arriving, the Wyoming group is here minus Fred who is
working, Eugene from NM along with Jimmy and son in law John. California has all the usuals, some
new in the form of Rick Daniel on the Ossamaha recently purchased from Mike Buchholtz, some
unexpected players namely Derek Belvoir who said Casper was his last event ! Some missing, Mike
Salsman, Ralph Foster, and Nick Turner. Some who were planning on coming may have given the
weather best as indeed I nearly did. A new fun group from CA  are here and tonight I'm sure will be a
riot.

 We finally make our 10 checkers and they are briefed and on their way and now the normal problem
of trying to keep the "MotoMouth" MX announcer quiet for more than 30 seconds to have the rider's
meeting. 1 & 2 will start on 9, while 3's can open on 10 and 4's and the PI contingent can go to
section 1.

 Some squirrelly rides on the 1 line of 9 from Jim and Rick  but they are through unpenalized. The 2 line
has been marked a little easier than I wanted but it rides well enough although it could break down
towards the exit.  Over at 10 where Debbie Benson is in control, things look easy enough for all lines
but I manage to put the rear wheel on something which dislodges and takes me for a silly dab.


 

Ossamaha makes tight turns easy in the hands of Rick Daniel





Jim makes it look hard, but a clean is a clean

 Section 1 in the Pit rides easily enough and round the top of the motorcross track to section 2, Stumps.
A few tight turns to line up on the big log crossing but there is plenty of grip and a good recovery zone
on the other side so it also rides better than it looks.

 The first of the major sand sections has already packed in to a "main road" when I arrive which is very
annoying...... thinks I must throw a "S" turn in this next year to keep it really loose. Oh well, they can have
this one as a confidence builder or the Ahrma "gimmee".

 Next up its the Grand Canyon which this year we have reversed and is a good section for all 4 lines. I
see a collection of marks going out the window here caused by not staying bang on the line.  A steep
and tight drop down into the chasm, then around the island for a squirt up the bank exit onto the upper
plateau before lining up to drop back in at the steepest part before a sudden uphill onto an off
cambered downhill turn to the left. Run wide here and you are toast as you won't get a line up for the
up/down right hand exit. A choice here of high up the bank and a later turn or turn early at the bottom
for an easier line up on the ends cards. I take the latter option and it works well.


 A little cross country and back across the deep sand tank slapper wash to Section 5, the Rockery. This
is a mixture of very soft sand and loose rolly rocks. 3 liners and PI's have what looks like a simple turn
but it is catching most people for a dab or worse. 1 & 2 enter and stay right on the tape before lining up
for a gentle uphill into a soft sand turn around a big boulder before entering the rock jumble and making
a 30 degree cut at the ends cards. I'm going well but a roller takes the front while I'm concentrating on
the upper turn and a tippee toe dab is recorded much to my annoyance. The upper turn rides well and
the front creates it's own berm and holds the line.


 

The Rolling rocks and deep sand are not to Rob's liking

 Over to the Graded Hill and as expected there are some centipede rides as riders struggle up the hill
using max leg power as the only score is defined as when the front wheel stops moving forward.
Several out of breath riders crest the top with big smiles and red faces.



First trial ever for Jan but the Trials School helped 





Steep and tight on the first turn by the 5 boards 






Lots of leg work en-route to the top



 

Onward and upward !



 

Don't give up now





At last, the End cards come into view



 I'm assuming it was a joke but someone in the waiting group challenged me to do a "clean demo"
Well as I laid it out  I had to accept ........ here is the result.........




 One more look at the section. Bumpy slow entry into steep uphill right
hander in loose crumbly dirt by the "5's", long climbing wiggle to the "3's"
more wiggles and steeper to the "2's" & "1's"........... OK !


 

Accelerate and throw her up right with inside weight coming back





Bit of "Body English" after the turn at 3, weight forward to stop the front
lifting





Straightening up by the "2's"




Up to the "1's" controlled run out to the Ends


 Well after the "demo" I'm pretty cock a hoop and clean  Ditches 1 & 2 to complete the loop. The Ditches
sections seem to be riding well unless you go the wrong way!  Steve Richardson please note !  A first
loop total of 2 but well possible to go clean with a bit more thought and application.



 

First turn in 7 "The Ditches"


Back at the start first loop totals are not yet up so out on loop 2 sailing round clean until section 5 the
Rockery where I lost a dab last time. Walk it again and can't see the problem where I lost the 1 so
press on and go clean to the upper turn but the front skips over the berm and I can't hold it and have to
take another annoying safety prod. 6, 7, and 8 all clean so back to Rich Palmer in the Asphalt and see
what is new here. 2 lines have developed here at the exit  but I stick with my original line and all is
well.





The exit of 7


 

The big handful Triumph 500 twin on Ditches


 

Another shot of a pretty Big Banger


 Over to 10 where I lost my first mark of the day and things look better and have settled down with a
new simpler line established where I lost the dab last time. Debbie tells me there have been a lot of
marks lost but I don't really see anything that looks like a problem. As the front wheel crosses the final
ridge and I set up for the exit the bike comes to a sudden and unexpected stop and despite a lot of leg
work she gives me a 5 !! Damn it ! thats 6 for this loop and 8 for the day and really I should still be
clean.



 

Very close to the win in MC Int, Shawn Warner on Slabs, Section 10

 Off on the final loop and this time all is well and no mistakes through the first seven. At 8, the Ditches
the Cub spits badly on the final turn and whiskers a plug dropping me yet one more. A fresh plug and
sail through 9 and the troublesome 10 for good cleans. One of those days I suppose and once back
at the table and waiting for the MX men to take out as checker I see Eugene Waggoner has had an
inspired ride and finished on 1. Well I don't know what he was drinking last night but I would have to
had a clean card as he is older than me ! Last year when I lost 6 he and Rick Wolff both lost 33. 

 By 1600 we have all the results in and Eugene really has put it over everyone on the 2 line with the
loss of just 1 which would have meant a clean card for me to take the win. John Dowson having
moved up to MC INT after winning the MC Novice Championship last year had a great ride to finish on
5 just ahead of Shawn Warner on 6 and visiting Canadian Steve Richardson on 7. Jim Wagner took
Eric's "beaten but proud" trusty Yam to the win in MC Experts for the loss of just 2 way ahead of Rick
Daniel on 21. Hugh Campbell had an uncontested win in Prem Lt Experts although was not happy
with the Cub. Dan Straka and Bob Strohman won their Int classes with ease and Derek Belvoir took
another win in the big Heavyweight Expert division. Jeff Latimer won MC Novice with the loss of just 3
and both riders in the Beginners class finished after attending Friday's School.


 Time to light the fire and open something refreshing and get ready for the Irish contingent to entertain
us, which they do until the evening cool sends us all home. 


TONY DOWN