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WORCS Glen Helen: ride report

Brief ride report: I was only able to race then I returned home. This is what I got from my visit. Another successful WORCS race has come and gone. Friday afternoon, I loaded the scooter and headed towards Southern California. I got into the track about 7:30 all the while in an air conditioned truck. A quick phone call to locate my friends camp and I parked. Whoa! The humidity and heat hit me like a wave. September in Southern California is a bit muggy. Think tropical but with heavier smog air. Mull around the camp, bench race over many bottles of water then quick to bed. Saturday morning came with a bright sunrise. It was on everyone's mind. Friday's temperatures were breaking 100, weather report was; it was to be hotter on Saturday. Optimism was there but the early morning heat had everyone thinking what is it going to be like later when we race?



The morning unclassified race - like a sighting lap or four to get your bearings of the track you are going to be racing later with one change. Everyone can ride it. Mayhem was the best way to describe it. The course wasnt hard, just for some people they werent prepared for some of the obstacles. I think they were more motocross people then off road. If a track isnt eight feet wide, they just dont know what to do. In this case they locked it up, went over the bars, stalled it and fell on their buddy. I was looking around for Warren Miller or Candid camera, it was a cluster of people. Now this didn't happen once, about every time the track narrowed or changed from dirt, they just lost their minds and their bikes. Being a good off road mind, I chose to cut to the chase and cut the course with the other errant riders. Around the pack and whoa! Glen Helen Amphitheater? This is in the course? We all turned around to find the Officials are now out guiding traffic back on course.



Once back on course things are looking up. Wait. Stop. A tunnel. OK everyone. One bike at a time. Three can not fit, though it was tried. After that mayhem I am beginning to wonder what will the race be like? Are we going to be fighting like Los Angeles Traffic? After all where better to do this then the Los Angeles stop?



Through the tunnel things are moving again and being recorded for memory. OK, big drop here, lay on the gas here, be ready for the quick turn here, dusty area here. All stop! A bridge? Looks like fun, lets give it a go? But first lets wait for the crowd to stop looping it out up the stairs. Scratch that, cut the bridge I got course to see. The rest of the course was more moto then trail, though it was to my benefit, it seemed many in my class didnt like the river rock and it opened much passing opportunity. This brought us back to the famous National track and Talladega Turn. There is nothing like it. Flat out as fast as you can go, like a rollercoaster. The mayhem had cleared up and the full course was able to be ridden. Two more laps and back to the truck.



The waiting is the hardest part - Thank you Tom Petty. I was able to sit in the shade and the breeze was nice but it was still 90 degrees. My race was to go off at 2:30. Not the hottest part of the day but pretty close. The WORCS people are pretty nice people. They were nice to let the pros practice for an hour before my race. They left the track in the best condition anyone could want, if you are like me and like square edge bumps, 10 wide ruts with g-outs and bomb holes out of the ruts up hills. It was heaven when we got to the track. All those nice lines already pointed out! The race is an hour long. Honestly with the track as long as it is, you dont notice the time pass. Just laps and how many can you get in. The bike ran great, I did better then I expected, mostly I came off the track with a smile as wide as they come and loaded with hours of bench racing; which started as soon as the jersey came off and beer in hand. If you ever get the chance to ride in one of these, dont pass it up, they are great fun.



Thanks to:

Rocks Racing Service, wife and my clients whom without I wouldn't be able to do this.
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