And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Heh Heh! You just got to say F@&k it, cause if you give dying too much of a think, you probably will, just got to put that in its compartment. You can die crossing the street, but do you dwell on it? Part of the thrill of road racing bikes is mastery of one's mind, its mostly mental discipline, pushing into uncharted territory. Some courage, beneficially managing fear, calculating your moves, like how much longer can I hold it open, or how much later can I brake on this lap. Its not about crazy, those guys usually end up hurt bad or thy get killed eventually. Heard a fellow racers wife explain it to a T. She told her friend on her first time at the races, when she did similar to your comment about crazy, "these are men today, who say back in Sparta's day, where the men who grabbed their spears and ran towards the sound of battle"
There's Men and there's Warriors, world needs all kinds of Mens. Good ones.
Just go, like the Bonneville Salt Flats, great experience, being there is 90% of it. Do what you got to, sell something even. Great time to be had. Ran a vintage side hack in 96. Coming out of Ramsey, rolling humps, just waiting for some black and white Cow loose crossing as you brake a blind crest. WooHoo! Some sections my wrist got cramps holding it WOT for so long. Not kidding, laying low as possible tucked in, so unless you got a photographic memory or raced there for years, its extremely challenging, some corners or blind humps, it can get pretty hairy, loooong way around, and the really fast guys pass you like your going backwards with the brakes on, thy reach near around 200mph some spots, when all you can do is like 135-145 flat out, my fastest tap time was old Bridgehampton at 169, 173 at Poconos, cant imagine breaking 200 cause its a different world up there, lot of time when you have to keep yourself from worry what is going to give up the ghost on the machine. But its the thrill of a lifetime. Regardless even spectating is incredible, its maybe the last of no holds barred, only rule is there are no rules, racing. If you are able, rent a bike, they have a couple days set up for spectators to ride unrestricted, you can seriously get a sense of the circuit. Its no joke either, always one or two people get killed, usually they get into a corner way too hot not enough braking area, and crash. Couple spots me and the monkey thought we had it, just saved it, then the engine stretched a con rod on a straight, didn't grenade, but we where done, clackity clack piston whacking the cyl head. Too long WOT on redline, regular tracks except Daytona, your at redline for only seconds, engines do strange things held wide, flat out, open for minutes at a time, though the TZ 250 GP bike I raced, got the crank bob weight so well balanced, had no red line, it would push the needle off the tach numbers, engine would stop when it reached all the power it was gonna put out, of all things, one spark plug, its center electrode broke off and that was it. Coast to a good spot and watch the great show the pro's put on. Its just all good, being there is everything.
You guessed correct
ReplyDeleteThank You but I'll do the circuit on a fat-tired bicycle.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to 'research' the course in a Bentley. And then watch from a perfectly safe pub lawn.
ReplyDeleteIsle of Man competitors and Formula 1 drivers in the rain should all be locked up in an insane asylum.
ReplyDeleteHeh Heh! You just got to say F@&k it, cause if you give dying too much of a think, you probably will, just got to put that in its compartment. You can die crossing the street, but do you dwell on it?
DeletePart of the thrill of road racing bikes is mastery of one's mind, its mostly mental discipline, pushing into uncharted territory. Some courage, beneficially managing fear, calculating your moves, like how much longer can I hold it open, or how much later can I brake on this lap. Its not about crazy, those guys usually end up hurt bad or thy get killed eventually.
Heard a fellow racers wife explain it to a T. She told her friend on her first time at the races, when she did similar to your comment about crazy, "these are men today, who say back in Sparta's day, where the men who grabbed their spears and ran towards the sound of battle"
There's Men and there's Warriors, world needs all kinds of Mens. Good ones.
Has anyone out there gone to watch the races? It's on my list & I would not mind advice from someone who's done it before.
ReplyDeleteJust go, like the Bonneville Salt Flats, great experience, being there is 90% of it. Do what you got to, sell something even. Great time to be had. Ran a vintage side hack in 96. Coming out of Ramsey, rolling humps, just waiting for some black and white Cow loose crossing as you brake a blind crest. WooHoo! Some sections my wrist got cramps holding it WOT for so long. Not kidding, laying low as possible tucked in, so unless you got a photographic memory or raced there for years, its extremely challenging, some corners or blind humps, it can get pretty hairy, loooong way around, and the really fast guys pass you like your going backwards with the brakes on, thy reach near around 200mph some spots, when all you can do is like 135-145 flat out, my fastest tap time was old Bridgehampton at 169, 173 at Poconos, cant imagine breaking 200 cause its a different world up there, lot of time when you have to keep yourself from worry what is going to give up the ghost on the machine. But its the thrill of a lifetime. Regardless even spectating is incredible, its maybe the last of no holds barred, only rule is there are no rules, racing. If you are able, rent a bike, they have a couple days set up for spectators to ride unrestricted, you can seriously get a sense of the circuit. Its no joke either, always one or two people get killed, usually they get into a corner way too hot not enough braking area, and crash. Couple spots me and the monkey thought we had it, just saved it, then the engine stretched a con rod on a straight, didn't grenade, but we where done, clackity clack piston whacking the cyl head. Too long WOT on redline, regular tracks except Daytona, your at redline for only seconds, engines do strange things held wide, flat out, open for minutes at a time, though the TZ 250 GP bike I raced, got the crank bob weight so well balanced, had no red line, it would push the needle off the tach numbers, engine would stop when it reached all the power it was gonna put out, of all things, one spark plug, its center electrode broke off and that was it. Coast to a good spot and watch the great show the pro's put on. Its just all good, being there is everything.
ReplyDelete