US of wahey!
By TMX Archives on 9th Feb 04
IN ANY other circumstances I could easily sit down for 10-and-a-half hours while some honey serves me food and drink - in fact, I'm all for it - but this wasn't any other circumstances. IN ANY other circumstances I could easily sit down for 10-and-a-half hours while some honey serves me food and drink - in fact, I'm all for it - but this wasn't any other circumstances. The excitement of being sat on Virgin flight V7 and heading to Los Angeles had me fidgeting around enough but added into the equation was a screaming child sat across the aisle.I'm surprised that I didn't leap from my seat and knock-out the stewardess with a WWF clothesline manoeuvre in a fit of air rage. The flight had it's share of quality moments though as Doogie had turbulence problems of his own which were also affecting me. If the flight's like that on the way home I'll end up behaving like Courtney Love. Even so, the journey was more than worth it.Nunny, Doogie, Kennett (or meathead as he's now affectionately known), KT and Bubs had also come along for the ride. Once we touched down in LA the plan was to meet Mick who'd already been out for a few days while he collected four brand-spanking 250CRFs, sussed out our apartments and sorted some vehicles.It was like National Lampoon's Vacation when we came through arrivals at the airport. Considering we're out here for a month, I thought we'd packed light but compared to everyone else we looked like a travelling circus. What with all our forks, pipes, handlebars, pistons etc KT and Bubs had more artillery than the Yanks in the Gulf.Even the new mountain bikes that Revs dished out were brought over so 'they' can go training in the hills. I say 'they' and not 'we' because I haven't got mine yet - I bought Revs a fried breakfast to make sure he didn't get mine built in time. Well, I don't want to go too crazy with all this training - switching on the dishwasher is enough for now.It didn't take long for the lads to get out on their treaders and up into the surrounding hills but they wouldn't have been so keen if they knew then what they know now. While they were out riding they bumped into the Crock Star who had a story to tell. Turns out some MX industry guy had been eaten by a mountain lion real close to where they'd been riding. Needless to say, the heart rate monitors and leg burn set in and they got back a lot quicker than they got there.I thought the story was a stonking big turkey but Doc Wob confirmed it when we hooked up with him later that day. Apparently, this bloke's chain had derailed and he was there fixing it when this dirty big beast leapt on him and sunk its teeth in. I think that's happened to us all at some point but it's not usually fatal. Seriously though, that's a harsh ending and since the RTT crew heard that story they've been quite happy pulling skids and wheelies in the shopping mall carpark.Where we're staying is perfect - we've got some very nice apartments in Corona. A load of MX people stay here while the SX scene is West Coast. Tracks like Glen Helen, Lake Elsinore and Perris Raceway are all about a 40-minute drive away and the apartments have a pool, gym, hot tub and tennis courts. I've been in the gym but only to ask the others if they wanted anything from McDonald's.I could do with a hot tub in the Fun Bus - they're ideal to jump into after riding - and Doogie and Meathead are determined to entertain some ladies in the tub rather than trying to drown each other. The tennis tournament we had shone some light on Mick's desire to win as he carried Meathead through to win the doubles - twice!On a serious note, the riding's been going awesome. Our first day was at Lake Elsinore - the main track was closed but we still had a choice of three. McGrath was there and for a while I had him worried - he thought I was going to kill myself as I repeatedly went through the whoops on my front wheel. Riding around with MC, Phil Lawrence and Denny Stephenson in the Californian sun sure beats having your pinkies welded to the bars by the icy conditions back home.If riding at Lake Elsinore wasn't enough, the next day saw us cruising through the gates at Glen Helen. Yet again I've achieved one of life's ambitions. Glen Helen rocks! We weren't allowed up the hills to climb to the top of Mount St Helen but we hammered out laps on the rest of the circuit. The banked first corner is insane - it's like Daytona 500 but made out of dirt. TV just does not show how big or steep this thing is.For our third day of riding we cruised our Chevrolet to Perris Raceway - again in perfect weather. Perris isn't as big but it's still really good with a couple of rhythm sections that even I was bodding over. If there's one thing you do before the grim reaper stands breathing down your neck it's got to be to come riding over here.It's no wonder the Americans are better than us - their practice tracks are better prepared than our championship race tracks. And it ain't because they've got more money in the kitty, it's just common sense and an understanding of what they're doing - their SX series is a classic example.Team RTT Honda bundled into the Mystery Machine with Shaggy and Scooby Doo (aka Doogie and Meathead) in the back and headed down to Edison International Field for the Anaheim SX. Mick's driving was wild - it was pant-filling in fact. I'm sure Mick even ***t himself. It's hard not to keep saying this but the SX was brilliant too - especially when Vuillemin flipped his bike while show-boating for the crowd.Still, I'd rather have looped out in front of a packed SX crowd than sort out the bathroom that Meathead and Doogie have managed to flood. As I write this water is dripping through the ceiling. What those two have been doing up there I'd hate to imagine, although I did hear Meathead say he'd need a chainsaw to cut up one of his logs. Every job has its bad points!Jeffrey