Blog Post

Rupert X Ruport: Texas Or Bust

I didn’t know THE Dag Boyesen was going to be at the Dallas Supercross. In fact, I didn’t know I was going to be in Dallas, either, for that matter…

My regular traveling companion, moto-photo-artiste-extraordinaire – “Kardy”– lured me out of hibernation and, my chilly slumber in the frozen–foods section of America (Ohio) - by mentioning that the East Coast 250s were erupting at this Texas-sized round of your Monster Energy Supercross series. Of course, that raised my weary eyebrow. Then, he whispered that it was about sixty-five (65!) degrees warmer in Dallas, than Central Ohio, which made my puppy-head twist and look to the stars, cautiously. Then, he dropped his final bomb, he was going to try out a new car-rental service, something called “ SILVERCAR”, a phone-app based rental-ride dealio that offers a trendy new way of getting around, including a unique approach, by solely offering Audi A4 A Quattros. You can guess the color. www.silvercar.com. Anyway, the service worked out fine, the car was superb, even at reckless speeds and, before you know it, we were parking the German thing at Dealey Plaza, to see the location of an assassination that went down, long back in 1963.

I’d flown through DFW before, spent hours strutting about, watching men in cowboy hats board planes whilst I nibbled beers and sipped bbq. This time we’d flown into Dallas’ Love Field and, I was marching around downtown – as if I was working a fluid, ongoing investigation into matters I knew nothing about. Pretty heavy seeing firsthand the location of such history; the Dallas Book Depository, the location where Zapruder filmed from, the X marks on the road, the Grassy Knoll, all of it rekindled memories of books, movies, documentaries – all centered around our President JFK and this Dealey Plaza location. I was, but four, when he was murdered, “The Day The Music Died.”

On to AT&T Stadium, about twenty minutes from downtown, in a different world – this mammoth-sized home to the Dallas Cowboys- will hold some eighty-four thousand humans, has a TV the size of an apartment building and, recently, played host to my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes, in the NCAA National Championship football game. So I was keen to visit this behemoth facility.  A sunny, seventy-five degrees of fahrenheits, as it turned out, with a Texas-sized pits and fans-a-plenty doing the Texas two-step whilst awaiting practice.

The WHOOPs were SOOOOO gnarly in early practice sessions, that many of the less experienced racers, Vicky Golden amongst them, totally detoured around them and rode on the concrete stadium floor, to avoid going buttocks-over-teacups.

First time ever at a race that I was able to Tweet and send pics out, throughout the entire event. Technology. Dig it.

Saw Robbie Reynard running around. Met Dag Boyesen in front of our 100% hospitality area. Reminded him of that wonderful print ad they had where he was blasting up a farm road on a YZ250.

Sighted AX announcer Wes Cain and SX Live presenter Andy Bowyer chatting in the pits…

Say what you will about Miss Vicky, she will nail triples most of us would never dream of launching.

Talked To Brock Sellards, he’s helping coach Martin Davalos, when he’s not buying Volkswagen Things, heavy equipment and Ultra-Lites.

Witnessed EZRA LUSK, (yes, the Ezra) sprint out of the stadium after practice, dude appears very fit indeed…

Somebody said LYLE LOVETT was there, I never saw him and, I’ve never listened to his music, but, when he tweeted that he liked my pic of Kdub & daughter, he had me as a fan. Yeppers.

Red Bud’s Tim and Amy Ritchie were in attendance at this Arlington, Texas, affair, Tim was glad to get away from his Michigan snow-plowing duties and, when I asked him about any BIG things happening at Red Bud he nodded “Yes,” yet was mum about details. Dammit.

Lots of talk about the upcoming race at The Meadowlands, April 25th, Yes, it’s going to be an afternoon affair, LIVE TV dictates this, apparently.

Blake Wharton’s band was playing out front of the stadium. Why isn’t he racing ? Because he’s playing music - damn good music, actually.

KTM won both the 250 and 450 mains, both riders are married and, both busted out heel –clickers at the finish line. What’s this all mean ? Roger smiling.

Ran into PJ Larsen, Josh Demuth with dad, Randy, Erka and her puppy, several beers and a Texas-sized headache.

Arnaud Tonus #200, was competing in his first U.S. Supercross race as a Mitch Payton employee, the stylish Swiss racer had terrible luck and crashes, yet still somehow ended up eighth overall in the 250s.

Never seen a pro motocross racer from Vermont before. Dakota Alix is from Jay, VT. He finished 20th. He’ll be doing better than that.

Somehow, I ended up stranded at the Nashville Airport for twelve (12!) hours on the waaaaaay back home. Thanks Southwest. Gave me time though, to pause and rethink my life, practice backwards walking on those people-mover horizontal-escalator thingies, sample the nine (9) airport-bars at this Tennessee aerodrome and (in my mind), knit a fantabulous, retro, camo-themed, cashmere overcoat for one of Prince’s background singers.

Cheers, my Moto-Freaks.



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