Roys Hill report

[Dutchee]

Thanks to the organisers and even the one who booked the weather - it could've been warmer, but driving back home, we had some damned awful weather to contemplate, so the cold was acceptable.

I know I don't have what it takes to race, but I am having fun circulating at the back of races. I do set myself realistic goals, taking into account my age and total inability and lack of confidence. Roys' Hill, I started wondering what the hell I'd been thinking when we worked out we could head down there to play. All I was doing was getting frustrated with myself and not really enjoying it.

When it was decided to run a C grade as well as A and B, I figured that C grade would be a bit quieter and I'd not get so intimidated with all the other riders heading past and might enjoy myself more. It was disappointing for the other 3 riders, as there wasn't so much racing happening, more 4 people circulating on the track at their own speeds.

Race 1 I was stoked that I could almost hang onto the guy in 3rd, but backed off when I spotted first coming through (didn't want to get in his way). Then when I saw either the white flag up (or coming up) I looked back to see if I could get away with not being lapped by #2 (I made it).

Race 2 and 3 were pretty much the same thing, but without me being able to almost keep up with #3. I'd said to whoever was coming first that my goal was to not be lapped by 2nd and he told me to aim for him not lapping me in the last race. I just couldn't manage that.

It was wierd to have been so intimidated by the riders, in some ways, as up here I guess I'm used to who's riding and even though there's some close overtaking, I'm comfortable with it (I do get visions of being taken out, but know it won't be malicious, and that's just racing).

A lot of the track I just can't work out how best to line up the corners, so spent a lot of time in both practice and racing, watching those ahead and trying different things, with some crappy results.

But it was a huge amount of fun, there was plenty of cackling happening, lots of shaking of the head as I was figuring out that wasn't a desired result. Helmet on - brain switched to total concentration, was something I seem to struggle with. I was noticing things that really I shouldn't have even seen, as it wasn't anything on the track. Funny as hell though working out how pathetic I am. (no, that's not a cue to say something decent, it's just a fact). I am sure that the birds flying in the air are not meant to be watched, nor should I be trying to figure out if they're doing lapscoring in the start/finish tower, or pitying the people who'd come down to watch some racing, having to see 4 people circulating at different speeds.

We will be back in a few months for the next round of the NI series, and I hope I'll see some improvement in myself by that stage.

Thanks again for a fun weekend.
Michelle

[Str8 Jacket]

Awesome, just keep at it until all of a sudden everything will fall into place and be awesome. At the very least you're going to have massive fun while you learn to become confident!

I love Roy's Hill, its a real shame that we couldn't make it!!

Should be there for the NI series though..... Henk wouldn't mind if I borrowed his bike again eh!

[Trudes]

Good on ya for getting out there and doing it, even if you feel like you're just "circulating" you're still learning and practicing, everyone starts somewhere, just some of us start a bit later than others eh
Remember at Taumarunui you asked me if I "was really actually enjoying myself" even though I'm always trailing the pack and getting lapped, and I said "yep, just enjoy being out there doing my own thing" or something to that effect..... now you know what I meant. Every track offers some new experience and something new to learn, and although you probably don't feel like you're getting anywhere, I bet you are!
Keep up the good work.

[Dutchee]

Awesome, just keep at it until all of a sudden everything will fall into place and be awesome. At the very least you're going to have massive fun while you learn to become confident!

I love Roy's Hill, its a real shame that we couldn't make it!!

Should be there for the NI series though..... Henk wouldn't mind if I borrowed his bike again eh!

He's not to keen on lending his bike at the moment (but will still do it), but would rather trolley his bike himself, rather than someone else trolleying it for him - I dunno, no sense of adventure these days.

Trudes, it is because of talking to you that I decided to give it a go, and to try to persevere with it. Henk had been trying to get me keen since he started last year, but even though I'd had a couple of goes, it just wasn't happening for me. I'm pretty hard on myself (my worst critic, definitely), and need to compare myself to myself, rather than getting down about being lapped and how slow I am. Once I get that headspace locked in, I have a ball riding. I do the same on the road bike, I get frustrated when I am slower than I should be, and then end up focussing on the negatives.

hehehe, it is funny watching the racing down there, when you're riding the track and the guys in front (but coming up to lap) are having a good scrap. Bit hard to concentrate on where you're going, especially when one overshoots a corner and seems to be coming cross country to join me (I then spent a second or two trying to work out if the track had changed lol).

Definitely another addictive game.

[Str8 Jacket]

It's all good chick, I was kidding!

[Henk]

Awesome weekend, I love that track, well organised and friendly bunch as ever.
A huge thanks to the unknown guy who let me have a blast in his Kart before the Saturday practice,what a ball. Also thanks to Pumba for getting some photos of it.

A few pics of saturday
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hz13/se...7624634696446/

and Sunday
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hz13/se...7624509988955/

[Dutchee]

It's all good chick, I was kidding!

I know that. I was wondering if you were planning on letting Malc out on your bike (to trolley it hehehe), or you blow your one up, or you just wanted to get the back pressure blast happening again hehehe
I reckon you'd be better taking my bike out, teaching her she can go faster and not have to worry about changing down/up instead of up/down (just ask Grant about why he crashed twice on the same corner lol).

[grantnz]

http://picasaweb.google.com/robertyd...Hill2010_08_01

Rob takes damm fine photos. The one with the 3 'tards at turn 1 is the pic of the bunch...

[Dutchee]

http://picasaweb.google.com/robertyd...16807080976418 explains a lot of the conversation we had on the way home (Carl just behind Henk)
There was some great racing happening, that's for sure.

[froggyfrenchman]

Thanks heaps for the photos guys! Everyone is looking great out there in a little kind of way

[Henk]

Should be there for the NI series though..... Henk wouldn't mind if I borrowed his bike again eh!

Turn up for the Auckland round and two hour in November and we'll find you something to ride.

[Str8 Jacket]

Turn up for the Auckland round and two hour in November and we'll find you something to ride.

It's all good, I have a working bucket. I just like yours better!

[Shorty_925]

A few of Dutchee..

[Shorty_925]

And a some more from the weekend..

[Kendog]

A lot of the track I just can't work out how best to line up the corners, so spent a lot of time in both practice and racing, watching those ahead and trying different things, with some crappy results

Next time try walking the track first, even better with someone that knows the lines that can tell you where to be and what to look at in each corner. It helps a lot, especially on a new track.
It probably won't all stick in your head to start with, but you can work on it one corner at a time.