Dead Tadpole Junior and Ladies Cross country Race August 15 2009

[L Rider]

If they're happy with it as it is then leave it as is. When you mentioned about possibly changing the rear sprocket i thawt they still weren't happy with the gearing.

[cheese]

How do you hang on when you're hitting a tree? I'm surprized he even got up.
His technique will come with time. The bike seems very, lets say, harsh.

He will get there though as we all do.

Oh I thought he saw the downhill and panicked. Yeah not much you can do for hitting trees. I am quite good at it though.

Riding in the dark and falling in ruts and then spraining wrists, not that's something I don't want to do again.

I wonder if a flywheel weight would help that bike much?

[oldskool]

I think the bike is fine. It's a fun machine to ride. I enjoy riding it. Considering he's only been riding since probably last November(ish) and he's only ridden it about 4 times I think he's doing fine. His last bike was an XR100 and he way way much much way more prefers his "new", superior, light and quick RM80 over the hundy.

[A&R]

awesome vid. 2 questions bit but here goes . 1st- is Indy up for the two man with peter now ? looking at that vid would have said he would be.
2nd - what sort of video camera you using? - looking at getting one myself.

[oldguy]

just till him on the first loop to ride with a little caution, he can pickup the pace on the following laps, more likely to nummer yourself on the first lap.

[billaroo]

Here's some footage of the Tadpole with Indy starring in his first race event.

Wow- I rode behind him for a fair bit of the first lap( thats me walking his bike down the hill & des riding his bike up a hill (poor bike))- 10 points for guts and not showimg any sign of the bottom lip- the technique will come with seat time.
He needs handguards- I'm surprised his fingers survived the first crash.

[oldskool]

awesome vid. 2 questions bit but here goes . 1st- is Indy up for the two man with peter now ? looking at that vid would have said he would be.
2nd - what sort of video camera you using? - looking at getting one myself.

Hey Andy.
I had a chat with Indy and he is keen as. Hopefully we'll get there earlier so we don't have a repeat of last time hey!
Am I reading this right? Round 2 at Rimmers Rd? ain't that the Sandpit?

Headcam is the GoPro Wide. Don't get the Standard. For the extra few more bucks for the Wide it's well worth it.
The gopro's are waterproof to 100ft and have a shockproof outercasing. The shock proofing is proven!!!

[krad_nz]

Sweet vid oldschool.
I know I shouldn't have laughed but when he went off over the brow of the hill I was just waiting for the guy he had just passed to bail off too, and he did.

Looks like he's moving a long at a fair rate too!

[Ktmboy]

Hey Andy.
I had a chat with Indy and he is keen as. Hopefully we'll get there earlier so we don't have a repeat of last time hey!
Am I reading this right? Round 2 at Rimmers Rd? ain't that the Sandpit?

Headcam is the GoPro Wide. Don't get the Standard. For the extra few more bucks for the Wide it's well worth it.
The gopro's are waterproof to 100ft and have a shockproof outercasing. The shock proofing is proven!!!

Entry via Rimmers Rd! No mention of sandpit in there.

[buffstar]

Regardless of the gear ratio, Indy is very happy with his bike and Tracey enjoys riding it too.. and that's the main thing! ... keeping the mrs happy

LOL !!!!! Nice, I like it

[buffstar]

Geez I was one of those drongos! Thanks mate!!! Yeah great day. I'm with Buffstar on the start! I guess I'll just have to get the starting under control! Watching the 2 man, they had a staggered start, engines on. I'm more looking forward to that kind of start for sure!

:slap: ! ! ! ! !
lol thats my version of the start using pictures as a medium....... but there aint no pic for the eff word

can understand the safety aspect, but Im quite selfish and narsassistic (spelling be buggered) and quite frankly think I should have been allowed to have a running engine start coz im special

[Henk]

next year suggest to the organisers that since your bike is a bitch to start that you should be allowed to have it running. They might let you if you offer to start 50m meters behind the rest of the feild and facing the other way

[Dutchee]

Dead last drongo here. thought I might be in neutral before the start, but wasn't convinced. I wasn't. The way the kdx was being a bitch to start, I thought I might have to try finding neutral (first kick gave it away, so clutch in), but then she fired on up.

Naturally, I was taking the racing very seriously. Last year someone dumped her bike early on, so I stopped to help her pick it up. This time someone was lying on the ground, and as I was dead last, very serious about the racing, knew where I was, I thought TJ might want me to head back as well to get the St Johns folk.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, figured out just because 3-4 folk were lost and I'd come across them, it didn't mean I was the one lost. I doubled back on myself to figure out it had been them lost and I hadn't cut the trail. (It was safe as an open area and could easily see anyone coming).

Lap 2, I did get lost, along with Lulu and others and had a more dodgy ride back to where we'd got lost. Still not sure what happened, as I'd pulled over to let faster riders past (not sure they were after all that, but hey, no matter). Found where we'd gone wrong, plodded on, then went wide on a corner to let Lulu past (she then followed me, not realising I'd gone wide on purpose). I then stalled going through a toi-toi bush and Lulu went past.

I was thrilled they let me go for a 4th lap, even though I shouldn't have been able to due to me being over 1.5 hours, but from what I got told, it was stopped when Natasha came in again and the 1.5 hour limit wasn't enforced for us slower riders. I'd not seen the time for my first lap, but had seen the 2nd and thought the 1st would've been similar, so was bummed at the thought I'd only get 3 pathetic laps in.

I couldn't believe on lap 3 when I grabbed a handful of front brake in soft sand and went down. What was further beyond belief was me grabbing the front brake on the 4th lap at the same place, but thankfully that time I didn't dump it.

I enjoyed the ride, the trail and the chicane (thanks for not having it as tight as last year's). I spent many minutes before heading up the forest visualising not dumping it each lap in front of everyone (I really was taking it all very seriously honest).

Next year my goal is to a) not get lost and b) not spot someone who needs help on the first lap. Big ups to the woman who stayed with the injured girl until the sweeps arrived and glad she's okay. Oh, if I get really keen, I may even bother to try to find neutral before the start. I dunno, some of us just aren't made for racing, but even so, these events have been fun.

What made the day better than last year, was having the juniors race after ours. Thanks to the WMCC crew and thanks to Kate for putting the event on the calendar initially. A big thank you also to those like Tracy who doesn't ride, but helped with sign-on and lap scoring. I'm actually looking forward to the next family day - wow, I'll have ridden more than 3 events this year.
Michelle Z

[Midget200]

Dead last drongo here. thought I might be in neutral before the start, but wasn't convinced. I wasn't. The way the kdx was being a bitch to start, I thought I might have to try finding neutral (first kick gave it away, so clutch in), but then she fired on up.

Naturally, I was taking the racing very seriously. Last year someone dumped her bike early on, so I stopped to help her pick it up. This time someone was lying on the ground, and as I was dead last, very serious about the racing, knew where I was, I thought TJ might want me to head back as well to get the St Johns folk.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, figured out just because 3-4 folk were lost and I'd come across them, it didn't mean I was the one lost. I doubled back on myself to figure out it had been them lost and I hadn't cut the trail. (It was safe as an open area and could easily see anyone coming).

Lap 2, I did get lost, along with Lulu and others and had a more dodgy ride back to where we'd got lost. Still not sure what happened, as I'd pulled over to let faster riders past (not sure they were after all that, but hey, no matter). Found where we'd gone wrong, plodded on, then went wide on a corner to let Lulu past (she then followed me, not realising I'd gone wide on purpose). I then stalled going through a toi-toi bush and Lulu went past.

I was thrilled they let me go for a 4th lap, even though I shouldn't have been able to due to me being over 1.5 hours, but from what I got told, it was stopped when Natasha came in again and the 1.5 hour limit wasn't enforced for us slower riders. I'd not seen the time for my first lap, but had seen the 2nd and thought the 1st would've been similar, so was bummed at the thought I'd only get 3 pathetic laps in.

I couldn't believe on lap 3 when I grabbed a handful of front brake in soft sand and went down. What was further beyond belief was me grabbing the front brake on the 4th lap at the same place, but thankfully that time I didn't dump it.

I enjoyed the ride, the trail and the chicane (thanks for not having it as tight as last year's). I spent many minutes before heading up the forest visualising not dumping it each lap in front of everyone (I really was taking it all very seriously honest).

Next year my goal is to a) not get lost and b) not spot someone who needs help on the first lap. Big ups to the woman who stayed with the injured girl until the sweeps arrived and glad she's okay. Oh, if I get really keen, I may even bother to try to find neutral before the start. I dunno, some of us just aren't made for racing, but even so, these events have been fun.

What made the day better than last year, was having the juniors race after ours. Thanks to the WMCC crew and thanks to Kate for putting the event on the calendar initially. A big thank you also to those like Tracy who doesn't ride, but helped with sign-on and lap scoring. I'm actually looking forward to the next family day - wow, I'll have ridden more than 3 events this year.
Michelle Z

Your rock! Yeah I was the other 'Drongo'! No matter, it was fun! Good on you for stopping! I love your narrative on the day! Yeah I think a few people got lost. I learnt from the day to follow the arrows, not the other riders. Good tip for next time. I'm keen on doing the next family day ride, liked the terrain!

I think it was a great plan having the juniors after our race as well, the track was mint when we went out, bet it wasn't so great later in the day!

Once again, thanks for putting the post up, I remember all the places you talked about! See you at the next family day then!

[Lula]

Lap 2, I did get lost, along with Lulu and others and had a more dodgy ride back to where we'd got lost.
Still not sure what happened, as I'd pulled over to let faster riders past (not sure they were after all that, but hey, no matter).
Found where we'd gone wrong, plodded on, then went wide on a corner to let Lulu past (she then followed me, not realising I'd gone wide on purpose). I then stalled going through a toi-toi bush and Lulu went past.

Michelle Z

Getting lost made the day even funnier and it was great playing tag-team with you!