Life is Grand

Isn't it?  I don't care to ponder its meaning or get philosophical or anything, just wanted to say how great life is.  I hope it is treating everyone reading this equally well.  Not to say I don't have financial, family or other issues or that I am not stressed beyond belief at points throughout the day or week, but regardless of all that life is amazing.  I see people way too caught up in possessions or perceptions (especially in Arizona for some reason) and it just makes me sad for them.  Don't be those people.  RC

A New President

Tonight was pretty historic.  i think it will be one of the defining moments of our generation, one that will be talked about in history books and classrooms around the world for a long time.  I realize that people in this sport tend to skew Republican and think that a Democratic President would shut down all of our riding areas.  So while many of the people who read my blog may be disappointed with the outcome of the election, I feel that it is good direction to be going in America.  Under Clinton, we had a huge budget surplus, a healthy economy and even places to ride our dirt bikes.  So what if he ran an intern in the oval office?  He is married to Hillary, so can you really blame him?  I hope that we experience equally prosperous times under President Barack Obama.  I, for one, and hopeful.  RC

The Anniversary

Not only a good band from the midwest, but also the event of the day.  I have been married for four years to the most amazing friend, wife and mother I have ever met.  She has given me the two gifts that I cherish the most in my life, Everett and Audrey.  She has also given me about a million smiles, a few tears and a lifetime full of memories.  Happy Anniversary to us.

Yesterday, Anniversary Eve if you will, Jesse and I flew up to Idaho to meet with Terry, Max and Craig from FLY Racing/WPS.  They have a first class operation all the way, and I am pleased to be aligned with them for the ninth straight season.  Oh, and Idaho is such a great place.  I love it up there.

With some time to start anew, we are all excited about the approaching season and getting ourselves into the best possible place before the gate drops in Anaheim.  We are busy, busy, busy right now building bikes and getting schedules set.  We have a few race bikes and several practice bikes for sale if anyone is in the market.  You can always reach me via e-mail (team@teamsolitaire.com) for this or any reason.

Hope everyone is having a great week!  RC

The Perfect Day

This may be mundane to those of you without kids, but any parent will understand.

Today was the most perfect day I can remember.  I woke up with my daughter at around 6:00 AM (okay, so it didn't start of perfect as I like to sleep in).  I spent almost two hours playing trains, reading books, eating breakfast and just loving on my little princess before she was ready for a nap.  About that time my son work up, so I put her back to bed with my wife and Everett and I played golf, soccer and baseball in the front yard for an hour.  

At ten, I took Everett to soccer practice and we had so much fun.  At his age, I still get to participate (bonus!) so I have as much or more fun than he does.

When we got home from that I took a nap, as I was sleep deprived from a recent trip.  This afternoon the whole family went for a hike, along with Jake Marsack who has been staying with us for about a week.  Now I am in bed and ready for a week of preparation leading up to the US Open in Vegas.  But today was probably about as perfect as they come.

NOFX CONCERT

NOFX from stage right.  Don't Call Me White...

Jesse, Eric "The Intern" and I got an invite from Erik Sandin to check out NOFX last night.  Erik is the drummer of the band, and they were playing at a festival-type show called "Edgefest".  Basically, pile about ten thousand people into a field in, get them drunk and play loud music is the business plan of the promoter.  It just may have been the best people watching I have seen since two weeks ago at Newark Airport.  

Anyway, we got to hang out on stage for the show, which was a good thing because I could still smell the B.O. and beer from there and I was a good twenty feet away.  Plus, we got to watch all the kids trying to crowd surf that got flung on to the ground when they reached the front of the crowd and there was no security there to catch them.  But most of them were drunk enough that they didn't feel anything anyway, even the eleven-teen year olds.

I like NOFX because they stand for something.  I really applaud Fat Mike for being a voice, probably an unpopular voice to most people in the motorcycle industry, and he doesn't seem to be afraid of criticism.  I kind of struggle with that because I recognize that a lot of people (sponsors, fans, etc.) that might disagree with me may be less supportive of my program (and I need all the help I can get).  But as I age, I have begun to realize that I have to just be myself whether people like it or not.  This blog, since it won't be through RACERX anymore (I have a new one on their website) will be more of my personal voice.  I am also going to try to update more often with inside stuff on the team, etc.  Kind of a real behind the scenes that doesn't have to be so "PC".  I hope you like it. 

Politics as usual...

What does that even mean?  I mean, politics are everywhere.  Everything you do in life is in some way influenced by the people you know who either like or dislike you, support or oppose you, agree or disagree with your ideas or plans.  Other people's thoughts or objections should have no bearing on the decisions you make, but inevitably those outside influences factor in.  Frankly, it sucks!  The older I get the more I just want to tell the naysayers (especially the ones who don't have the intelligence, fortitude or even the slightest idea of how to do what I am doing) to go straight to hell.  I mean, do you look back at life from the porch on a rocking chair and give a second thought to the people you ignored along the way?  F them.

Politics on a larger scale are equally as frustrating and annoying.  After watching the GOP convention tonight, I can honestly say that I have never seen a more tired, obese, genuinely uninteresting group gathered in one place.   I mean, seriously, this is the best we have to offer?  I wouldn't trust a 72 year old man to drive my kids to school or even drop off my dry cleaning, let alone become the next president.  It is mind-boggling that this is the best we have to offer.  At least Obama is a great spokesman, which let's be honest with ourselves, is 90% of success.  I mean, these are the people that voted for George W. Bush - TWICE.  Let's keep going down this road, the last stretch was so smooth.  Either way, I am over all the political advertising interrupting Family Guy.  

RC

  

Stuff and things

2008 Hare and Hound Champion Destry Abbott

My attempt at a scrub

Taylor Roberts is fast.  Lookout for this kid in the very near future!

Hello world wide web.

One thing before I get started on my things.  Josh Morros, who is one of the most naturally talented people I have ever witnessed ride a motorcycle, is in bad shape right now.  He crashed hard while running second in the National Hare and Hound last weekend and was injured very severely.  Destry went for help upon finding Josh, but being out in the middle of nowhere, it was some time before medical attention arrived.  He was airlifted to the hospital where he remains.  Please keep Josh in your thoughts and hope for the best possible outcome.  This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder about dirt bikes.

I have been working pretty hard this week, trying to get my shit together and finish out the season with a couple of decent finishes.  I sit here wondering what happened to this train wreck of a season I have had, and I can trace it back to a lot of mistakes made.  But I can either dwell on that or do something to fix it, and I have been trying to fix it.  I will go into Southwick with a better attitude, as I worked on my technique with Destry Abbott this week and feel confident I will be better that Millville.  Thank you Destry for helping me out.  Us old guys need to stick together.

Below are a few photos from riding today.  Check out this new track in Arizona @ www.grindingstonemx.com.  The track is amazing.  It doesn't feel like an AZ track, as they brought in sand for the entire track and picked almost every rock that did make its way through the thick sand.  Kudos to them for a great new place to ride.

Preschool Blues

My son started pre-school on Monday, and my wife and I were really sad not to have him around for five mornings a week.  He, on the other hand was excited as could be at the idea of going somewhere with a lots of kids, a train table, a sand box, and an endless array of books.  He waved goodbye to us and thus began the next 20 or so years of his life spent in a classroom. 

Day two did not go so smoothly.  Mom and I were actually okay with his leaving, as we accomplished more in those three hours than we did in the other 21 that day.  Everett, on the other hand, became "that kid".  You know the one.  The one who is screaming his head off while all the other kids and parents comment, "they need to get their kid under control".  Eventually we did, though it was slower than the beginner class at Perris. 

Thankfully, we are all getting into our routine and things are back on track.  I even got started on finishing (does that make sense) the bathroom remodel begun out of sheer frustration after Budd's Creek last season.  My wife is pretty happy about that.  

Off I go to paint the bathroom.  Type at you soon.  RC

X Games Cliches

On my way back from stuffing my pockets full of Powerbar Gels at the athletes lounge on Friday night I walked by the Team Faith pits and they were having a prayer circle and singing songs about Jesus.  Next, I passed the Rockstar pits and they were snorting lines of cocaine off a prostitutes backside.  Okay, so I made the second one up.  It was speed.

RC

X Games 14

Just returned from X Games 14, which is the most fun event of the year by a long way.  The athlete's lounge is awesome.  Free food, free stuff, a ton of things to do and getting to hang out with guys like Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi and the GOAT.  Very cool.

The race went pretty well, but I missed qualifying by one position in both the heat and the LCQ.  Not very cool.  

I am home now and have a weekend off, unless I find a good money race or something of the like next weekend.  Maybe I'll just mow the lawn.

RC

Stuck in Phoenix

What would they say on the Carmax report?

There are a lot of things that suck about living in Phoenix in the summertime.  The heat, the fires, the snakes and brown air come to mind.  For me, trying to ride a dirt bike during the day, it is especially tough to keep any bit of moisture on the track or create conditions that would replicate what I will be riding and racing on the weekends.  

In an effort to improve my tracks, I have been going out early and watering with a 1000 gallon water wagon hooked up to my van.  It has been working alright, but yesterday the intern and I ran into a major problem.  When you have a 1/4 ton and about 8000 pounds of water in a trailer, let's just say it takes a bit to stop.  I came upon a water mane break on the property where I have my outdoor track and before I could shut it down front wheels of my van were buried 3/4 of the way in the mud.  After two hours of digging with a broken shovel, pushing, creating water drainage sytems and stuffing miscellaneous pieces of building material under the tires, Eric the intern and I became "unstuck".  Another day, another adventure.  Welcome to Phoenix.  RC

Riding today

I rode for the first time earlier today at the Brawndo test track.  My cousin, Steven Stultz, and I did a bunch of prep work and actually cut in some new sections.  We watered for a few hours and then got to business.  My ankle felt better than I anticipated, but it was still pretty tender if I dabbed it in a corner.  I think it will be good for the weekend, but I will get the chance to test it out again a couple more times this week.  

I want to thank a couple of people for helping with my rehab.  First off, Dr. Steve Navarro has long been a huge help to me at the races.  Also, Glenn Micheels from Parkway Chiropractic in Phoenix has been doing everything he can to get me back on the bike as soon as possible.  Thanks to both for all of your assistance.

Who moves to Phoenix...

Besides me?  I mean, honestly, this place is borderline uninhabitable.  It is 9:15 AM and already 102 degrees.  And I am the moron loading up my motorcycle to go riding in it!  My wife better realize how much I love her for me to move here.  

Last weekend at Mt. Morris was a good one for the team.  Bob ran a solid 12/11, and I had a good first moto before injuring my ankle.  Ryan Grantom also stepped it up and picked up his first national points with an 18th place second moto finish.  Congrats to RG.

My ankle is still jacked up over a week later.  I did some ligament damage and the swelling is just not going away despite my ankle residing in a bucket of ice for the last seven days.  I am going to attempt to ride today and see how it feels.  I will keep you posted, but regardless I plan on being at Colorado even if I have to bring a syringe or a medicine cabinet full of pills.  Okay, maybe not that far.

I am off to ACP to ride, so have a great day.  

RC

Hello Again

Sorry for the lapse in coverage on the old Blog.  No excuses, just didn't really feel like writing between all the things going on, and honestly just didn't want to write about the things going on.  We had some changes in the team since I last wrote, but it has been a catalyst for the team and things are looking really good on that front.

I am writing from my hotel in Morgantown, WV.  Tomorrow is the High Point National MX, and it is looking to be a muddy one.  It seems that more often than not, we have mud to contend with at this event.  But you never know, maybe the track crew can get it decent before tomorrow.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I am not going to get too long winded here, but I will leave you with some photos from the past few weeks.  Enjoy.

Hunter Ashton and I as dads.  Who would have guessed it?

Brandon Johnson hitting some huge dirt jumps in San Diego

Destry Abbott can whip it better than you.  And me.

A New Day

Glen Helen was a rough start for the nationals for me.  In a nutshell, it went like this:

Saturday I missed the first practice due to a bike problem, so I hit the track for timed qualification (five laps) with no prior track time.  I managed to run a 2:50 lap time, which was about 20th quickest, but since I was in the B practice with more fast riders, I did not qualify and had to run the consi race.

I got fifth in the consi.

In the first moto I had a typical horrible start.  I was around 35th, but moved up inside the top twenty by the second lap.  I kept rolling, moving up to the rear fender of Vuillemin for 15th on the third lap.  I tried to get aggressive in the sand but crashed in the process.  I got up quickly, took off and promptly went over the bars due to a stuck front brake caliper.  I returned to the pits for moto two.

I was packing my gate for moto two when my mechanic mistakenly left the start gate area.  The AMA would not let me race and DQ'ed me for my bike leaving the start area.  That rule is stupid and is set up to watch people fail.  No signs, no warning from the guy standing at the gate, just a quick DQ.

I drove home.

That was my weekend.  I hope Hangtown goes a little better.  I am not in too much of a writing mood right now, but will catch up with this blog again soon.  Thanks for reading.

Ryan

Dry Run

Hello big, big world.  It has been a very full week of preparation leading up to Glen Helen.  After the SX banquet, the family and I headed back to PHX for a little R&R.  That lasted a day or so, before going back to my hometown of Albuquerque to visit family and partake in my mother's belated birthday party.  Unfortunately, I had to leave ABQ in the middle of my trip to attend the 2009 FLY Racing photo shoot.  I left late Thursday and returned Friday afternoon.  The party was on Saturday, and it was great to see my mom enjoying herself so much.  She is always glowing when her grandchildren are around.

The Clark family returned to PHX on Sunday, just in time to celebrate mother's day with my mother-in-law.  Actually, I watched the kids while they all went to a movie.  The way I see it, every day is mother's day.  Just kidding, honey.

This week was more moto related.  Jesse and I drove to Glen Helen for testing and I also did some riding with Steven Stultz, Destry Abbott and Taylor Roberts.  My bike is working GREAT.  At Glen Helen, my lap times were a click off the top guys, but I think it is time I can find over the next week.  I am hoping for a great start to my motocross season.  

That is about it for now.  I am trying to do a sprint triathlon in the morning on Sunday, so I will update if that comes to fruition.  Thanks for reading and have a stellar weekend.  And congrats to Mr. Nappi! (I'll call him that so he doesn't whack me Danny).

Leaving Las Vegas

The final SX of the year took place tonight at Sam Boyd Stadium.  Things started off rocky as Kyle Partridge knocked himself out in the second practice session.  It turned around later, with Kiniry pulling a huge holeshot in the West Coast Lites heat and finishing a strong fifth.  

I crashed in my heat, leaving the LCQ as my only route of main event entry.  I had a horrible start, but worked through the pack to pick off Jeff Gibson with two turns left for the second and final transfer.

In the main I was railing.  I was literally feeling better than I have all season, moving up through the field steadily and finding myself in 12th at halfway.  I clipped a tuff-block and bent my brake pedal around lap 14, which caused me to take about a 35 second pit stop to kick it back into a usable spot.  I ended up 15th at the end, but I rode awesome and gained a grip of confidence tonight.  I am really looking forward to outdoors!

RC

Starting a garage band

Bob Kiniry holeshot the main event!

Just kidding.  But the idea crossed my mind several times being in Seattle, the birthplace of so many grunge mega-bands.  Kurt Kabang is alive as ever on the airwaves of radio stations throughout Seattle.

Being an uncovered stadium, in year's passed this would be the point where I explained just how bad the mud was and how miserable the relentless rainfall felt.  But this year was different.  The weather was absolutely beautiful, and the track was actually a little hard-packed in spots.  

The event was great for Redux Beverages/Brawndo Honda.  Bob Kiniry was riding better than he has all year, battling for the lead in both his heat race and the main event.  He ended up crashing in the whoops about halfway through the main event, but he provided some great moments before he hit the deck.  I also had a solid weekend, qualifying ninth in my heat and finishing 12th in the main event.  

I am waiting at the airport now for my flight home.  When I get there, I have to pick up a new (to me) swing set for the kids.  Everett is going to be pleased.

Thanks for reading and here is wishing you a great end the weekend.  RC

Thursday Update

RACERX Wallpaper by "the" Steve Cox

I got back on the bike today for the first time since my crash on Saturday.  I felt so-so, just a little tentative.  My knee wasn't so bad, but my hit wouldn't take much before succumbing to the pressure.  I think that when the gate falls, I will be fine.  The adrenaline cures most wounds, so we will have to see how things go.

If you are in the Seattle area on Friday, be sure to come by Lynnwood Cycle Barn for an autograph signing with Bob and I, along with the Cernic's Kawasaki riders.  We will have the Brawndo girls there, along with plenty of tasty lime green goodness to drink.  If you want to try some yourself, you can order it at drinkbrawndo.com.  

Talk to you soon.  RC

Living in the airport

I am back at Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) today, just heading out on a day trip to California to meet with some sponsors.  My realization this morning is that I spend entirely too much time at the airport.  I don't know them all by name, but for sure by location.  You know the guy at El Bravo that sings your order back to you?  You should, that is some good shit.  Plus the repeat flight attendants get a little odd after a while.  I think I should help out with the drink service and enjoy some of the employee benefits.  Travel is good, but too much of a good thing is, well, taxing.

I am feeling pretty good today.  My hip and my knee are much better, not 100% by any stretch of the imagination, but good enough to ride a dirt bike on Saturday.  I am planning on riding tomorrow, so I will post an update after I get back from that.

Have a great day!

RC

Hit the wall

I literally did tonight.  I am laying in bed, but having a tough time sleeping as my knee/hip are very sore.  In the LCQ, on the final lap, I was trying to catch Voss and Vuillemin when I clipped a table-to-single and rode my front wheel over the berm.  Fortunately, aside from the soreness, I am okay.  Considering I hit the cement and slid into the wall I am very fortunate.  

Vital Photograph

From the Navy Moto X World Championships.  

Check out the new graphics.

Something New Forum

The Team Solitaire forum is no longer linked, as you have probably already noticed.  Due to not that much activity and the fact that I just can't moderate or take the time to post on there much anymore, we have combined our forum with AZDirt.com.  Austin White, a fantastic designer, web master and dirt bike rider, runs the azdirt.com website as well as the Team Solitaire website.  He will do a much better job keeping you informed and running contests than I could do.  So I encourage you to take the time to join up over at www.azdirt.com and get active in a positive way.  The team is growing, and we are looking for marketing ideas, street teams, volunteers, etc. to spread the gospel of Team Solitaire.  

For those of you that already had screen names, you will have to sign up for AZdirt but you should be able to keep your screen name the same as on the previous board.  Sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you sign up again and continue supporting the cause.

RC

Stay Classy San Diego

View from the cheap seats at Jack Murphy.

Practice was great today.  The track was amazing, leaps and bounds better than anything I have ridden on this season.  The attention to detail was second to none, the layout was continuous and flowing and the obstacles were just fun.  I rode pretty well, logging fast lap times and feeling comfortable on the new bike I broke out for this weekend.

Dostal prepares to unleash a 3 iron.

After riding, Jesse, Jiri Dostal and I hit up Wahoo's for some world famous fish tacos.  Actually, only Jesse had fish.  Dostal and I worked in nine holes this afternoon on the golf course in Murietta.  I shot ten over on nine, which isn't bad considering I haven't played golf since last May.

Tonight I am staying with Steve Cox of MXi/Racer X fame.  I have some meetings in the morning before heading back to PHX mid-day.

Not a Morning Person

At least not a 4 AM person.  I am sitting in the boarding area at gate D3 heading to San Diego for the day.  I have practice at Jack Murphy Stadium (okay, Qualcomm - but I like the pre-corporate stadium era) for the Navy Moto X World Championships.  Practice goes from 8 AM to noon, and I want to take advantage of this not only in preparation for the race on Sunday, but also just a chance to get on an unfamiliar SX track.  I will be making the flight home later, so it is just a quick, but taxing, day trip.

I bought a new digital camera in hopes of getting you some more visual aids to my ranting.  I hope to post some later today of the practice session and event set-up.  

Make it an okay day.  RC

Family Ties

Today was such a great day.  I was on wake-up duty, so my day started around 6:15 AM when my daughter was ready to wake the house up.  Around 45 minutes later my son joined us, and we played guitar, ate breakfast, watched Sesame Street.  Just the normal routine.

My wife joined us a few hours later and my son, Everett, and I embarked on a father/son day.  We ran a few errands while we were out, but the day centered around lunch at the park and just playing on the playground.  I feel guilty for not having as much one-on-one time as I used to with him now that training and travel consume most of my week.  But today was just a blast.  I also ride him around the front yard on my motorcycle, which is as much for me as it is for him.  I guess the "trying to steer him away from motorcycles" plan has some gaping holes in it.

Tomorrow I am back on the bike riding motocross.  I am looking forward to the change as SX has not been so good to me this season.  The outdoors will be a fresh start.

All the best,

RC

Thirst Mutilation

Thirst Mutilation Begins

This weekend will mark the maiden voyage of Team Solitaire with our new title sponsor.  It has been a lot of fun putting things together, and I am looking forward to this weekend so I can see the fruits of all of our labor.  

Redux Beverages and Brawndo: The Thirst Mutilator have signed on as primary marketing partner in our racing efforts for the remainder of 2008 and on into 2009.  The great thing about this company is that they are anything but typical.  They have a great attitude that fits right in with our program.  We are looking forward to a long and prosporous relationship.  If you are looking for some background on how this came about, rent a movie called Idiocracy.  You can also check out their websites at drinkbrawndo.com and drinkredux.com.  

The other thing I am looking forward to at Dallas is getting the monkey off my back and putting in a solid top ten.  I had a great week, aided in part by Eric the intern and Jesse the mechanic.  Thanks guys for all of your help at the track, in the trenches and at the shop.

RC

Playing catch up

Hey guys.

Sorry I took a few weeks off.  I needed to step back from riding, racing and pretty much everything moto for a week or so.  I am feeling better now, and ready to start back up where I left off.

To catch everyone up, I had a really early flight back from Minneapolis two weeks back and ended up getting rundown, which may have been a catalyst for the flu that has been going around.  After a week in bed (on my one week off since SX started) I was feeling better.  I did some riding last week to get ready for Toronto, but felt pretty sub-par to say the least.  By the time the race came I was feeling good and riding pretty well.

The weekend started off fun.  I had a direct flight from PHX to Buffalo where my friend Danny Nappy picked me up.  He is staying in Buffalo long term for work and had a hotel right downtown.  That night we went to a Buffalo Sabres/Montreal Canadiens hockey game.  It was really fun, but the Canadiens ended up winning which was kind of a bummer.  The highlight of the night was not the fights at the game (unfortunately there were very few) but the fisticuffs flying on the street outside the stadium between rival hockey fans.  With cops on every corner, these guys brawled for a good five minutes without any intervention.  I LIKE NY.  The next morning we loaded up the Toyota FJ with a few pink Ogio bags, destination Toronto.

At the race, I had a good start in the heat and was running solid until the last lap.  I had Reed behind me and Marsack in front and tried to get by Jake in a tough rhythm section.  I cross-rutted and threw away an easy transfer.  In the LCQ I crashed in the first turn and never game myself a chance.  End of race for me.  So I went out with the crew, including my old friends Rojay, Kevin Strickwerda, Jiri Dostal, Nappi and my mechanic Jesse black.  We had some drinks and kicked back before returning to Buffalo, NY late Saturday night/early Sunday morning.  I slept in for my late flight (learned from Minneapolis) and got home around 9 PM Sunday night.  

Today I had the guys (Jesse and Eric the Intern) help me dig ditches.  Literally.  We had to clear out an irrigation canal so I can get water to the new MX track I am constructing a few miles from Casa Clark.  It should be great fun to ride, but digging ditches is absolute hell.  Need some laborers on the crew next season.

That is pretty much it.  I am riding with my old teammate Justin Buckelew tomorrow at my SX track.  He is coming out of retirement for Dallas this weekend, riding for Chaplin Kawasaki in place of the injured Robbie Marshall.  I am interested to see how he is riding SX having taken well over a year off.  I will let you know after the ride how things are stacking up.  All the best!  RC

Sick Boy

Sorry I have been out for a bit.  I am battling the Flu right now and it is winning.  I will get back to you when I can see the keys on my computer.

RC

Wednesday

This week has been a little rough.  I have been battling sickness back, basically just a sore throat and feeling a bit lethargic.  Monday and Tuesday were rough, but this morning I got up early to meet my friend Cody for a mountain bike ride before he had to go to work.  All was going well, until about 1/2 way I lost my front end and high-sided.  I am good with the exception of a sore elbow and some cactus in my @$$.  That sucked...

I am hoping to have a good day tomorrow riding and swimming.  I look forward to Minneapolis this weekend and even more so to a much needed weekend  off.  

On the home front, the bathroom is coming together nicely.  It is completely gutted right now, but I have the electrician and drywall guy coming out next week to get things going.  The wife is getting impatient.  I am also locked into battle with my son about our sleeping arrangements.  He has decided that he is not sleeping in his bed anymore, and this is a point of conflict.  My two-year-old has a strong will, but he gets it from me...so I will win this one.

Peace on Earth,

RC

Daytona SX

Tonight was wet.  One of the wettest nights of racing I have ever been a part of.  I wouldn't put it on par with "The Rain in Spain" fiasco of 2004, but worse than anything we have had here on the continent of North America for a while.

My night was a bit frustrating.  I had an off-track excursion in the first corner of the heat race and thus started near the tail end of the pack.  I moved up slowly at first, but started getting a grove near halfway and closed the gap on the transfer position.  On the final lap Andrew Short was about six seconds ahead, and although I was able to close up to around two seconds, I fell short of the transfer and moved on to the LCQ.

In the LCQ I thought I had the holeshot but just couldn't stop in the first turn.  I came out sixth, moved immediately into fifth where I would stay.  I battled with Troy Adams to the checkered.  

I am off to sleep.  Early flight in the morning...

RC

Travel Daze

It seems like a broken record anymore.  Not that I dislike travel days, as they are pretty relaxing when compared to the rest of the week.  Last night was especially trying with my two-year-old deciding to beat his old man at staying up the latest.  I don't know where he gets his persistence.  Anyway, a little sleep deprivation is nothing a strong cup of joe can't cure.  

This morning, before I was herded on the my airplane, I did a workout with my wife.  She teaches an exercise class that helps mom's get back in shape after having children.  It also incorporates the kids, as they sit in their strollers while the moms push them around and do all kinds of squats, dips, runs and whatnot.  I think I am the first male in the history of the Stroller Strides program to partake.  I have to say, though, it was a good workout.  

I have noticed lately that I am not that social anymore.  I used to talk to people on the airplane or strike up conversation in the gate area, but now I just avoid eye contact and listen to my iPod or work on my computer.  Technology isn't really helping the social aspects of our society, and it is making us (myself included) more dummerer.  

The weather report for Daytona is calling for 50% chance of precipitation.  What is Daytona if not a dirty, gritty battle to the death that pits man and machine against Gary Bailey.  Wait, thankfully he doesn't build the track anymore.  Rain or shine, I look forward to riding here again.  It is one of the few Supercross races that offers up something different.

Well, I best get some rest.  Tomorrow is going to be a long day regardless of the weather.  Don't forget to check back after the race for a summary of the day's events.  Thanks for the good time.  RC

INDYnial

Just before the final turn of the LCQ. Photo: vitalmx.com

My weekend in coming to a close as I sit on my couch and punch keys late Sunday night.  To get things started, here is a quick recap of my race at Indy.  

The heat started poor and just got worse.  My start was dismal, and although I worked through some guys quickly it all ended when Cole Siebler and I collided and I broke my toe.  His bike and mine just kind of crushed my foot and it immediately went numb.  I don't know what you call toes, but it is the one next to my pinkie toe on my right foot.  Anyway, not a necessary digit for riding a dirt bike, so after a few choice words and rolling two straight-aways of obstacles I tucked in my skirt and rode the rest of the race.  My earlier antics put me too far back to make an impact so I was headed to the LCQ.

I gated decent in the LCQ, probably fifth (although I think there were only 12 or 13 guys in it).  I moved into third on the opening lap and hounded Antonio Balbi for the next several laps.  On the final lap I made the pass in the sand section and pulled out a couple of bike-lengths.  In the next turn, however, Balbi decided to go for the blatant take out move on me.  We collided hard, though I somehow managed to stay upright while he lay in a heap on the ground.  The impact, however, snapped my clutch cable in two and rendered my clutch useless for the remaining two corners.  Unfortunately, Jake Marsack was right there behind me.  I tried to ride a super-wide bike, but with no clutch I had no ability to pivot for the corner and Jake made the pass look easy.  I ran off the track trying to keep him at bay and crossed the finish line in third.  RacerX Gas Cards are piling up here...

So the race was not so good, but my flight home had Direct TV.  And when I got home my wife, Jesse (my mechanic) and I drove to Chandler to pick up a claw-foot cast iron freestanding tub that she bought on Craigslist - so long gas card money.  I did get a date with my wife tonight as well, so all in all it was a good weekend.  I can walk (with a limp) and my feet are now about as attractive as Lisa Lampanelli, but the gate will drop again in Daytona...and I will be there.

RC

Standby.

Team Solitaire Rider Ben Evans

I had to catch up on sleep this morning, namely the sleep I lost on my return from Atlanta.  I was booked on an early evening flight, but my wife convinced me to go to the airport early and go standby on the morning flight.  So I woke up early, checked by bags, wait bag (I'll get to that), and proceed to gate 1,467 at the Atlanta International Airport.  I didn't get on the flight, so I waited and waited and waited some more.  The end result was that I got home two hours earlier than I would have but spent six extra hours in the airport.  Thanks, honey.

If you can help it, don't fly Air Tran.  I have the run-of-the-mill 9800 Ogio gearbag, the one I travel with every weekend without issues.  But the pleasant lady at the Air Tran ticket counter would not let my "oversized" bag go without collecting $60.  Based solely on principle (and the fact that my bag was hammered and I have a new one at home), I took everything out of it and threw it away, citing that it was my wife's bag.  The lady's face was priceless as I took out my boots and dirty gear and transfered them to my smaller OGIO bag.  It was just the principle of the matter, because I know that bag is not oversized.  I felt like Captain Chaos.

On to this week.  I am at home but Jesse and JR are meeting our new team rider Ben Evans and his father, Dave, in Corona this evening.  Ben is suspension testing with MB1 tomorrow and riding his Oak Hill race bike on Thursday.  Ben is a great kid and an excellent addition to the Team Solitaire family.  He will be racing the amateur nationals before joining the pro team at Millville in late August.

That's a wrap.  RC 

ATL

Greetings from room 445.  I am back at the hotel in Atlanta after a solid night for myself and my teammate Kyle Partridge.  I had some trouble in my heat race, crashing in the first corner and remounting quite far back.  I came through the pack quickly and had to make some very rough and tough passes, culminating in the final corner, to pick up ninth.  

The main was solid, as I started a bit back but came up as high as tenth.  With a few laps to go, I made a mistake and lost tenth to Jason Thomas.  I picked it back up and applied some pressure but ultimately finished 11th.

I head home first thing in the morning and look forward to getting back to AZ.  It is going to be a good, hard work week.  RC

The Daily Show

It has been a good week thus far.  I did some riding on Tuesday, and I felt very good.  I am getting ready to go riding again this morning to finish tuning up for Atlanta this weekend.  I really need to concentrate on my starts, so I will burn up a clutch today  no doubt.

Yesterday was great.  I don't usually ride my motorcycle Wednesdays, so it leaves the day open for lots of other fun stuff.  I went on an early morning mountain bike ride at the White Tank State Park competitive trail.  My friends Cody Conklin and Matt Frye were also pedaling along for the ride.  All in all, we spent well over an hour on the bikes navigating some very treacherous terrain.

After cycling, I drove to Peoria to meet with my chiropractor/accupunture therapist Glenn Micheels.  I just started doing accupunture a few weeks ago when I injured my finger, and it has proven very beneficial.  I prefer Eastern medicine to Western in most cases, but both have value obviously.  

The last stop of the day was at the park.  My son and I hit up the slide, the swings and even dabbled in the monkey bars. Crazy.  Anyway, that was my favorite part no doubt.

I need to get going and put down a couple of motos this morning.   All the best.  RC.

Rowing Rowing Rowing

I enjoy Monday's during Supercross season because there is not too much going on.  I get to spend most of the day at home with my family, which is good right now because we are launching "Operation Toilet Training" with my son.  So far today we are one for three.  Not bad if we are talking baseball stats, but in the real world it's a lot to clean up.

Anyway, my trainer Seiji Ishii (www.coachseiji.com) had me get a rowing machine to use at home for cardio training.  The good folks at Concept 2 rowing hooked me up with a sweet machine which now resides only feet from my desk in my office (a little cramped for space right now).  Anyway, today I had a heart rate test on the rower and I can honestly say that I suck at rowing.  My @$$ hurt the whole time I was exercising, but I am sure once I get more accustomed to it the pain will subside...like developing a callous I suppose.  This rower is trick though, it has a full on interactive computer that I am just beginning to use.  Pretty soon I will be virtually racing people on the internet from the discomfort of my rowing seat.  And since I am a racer, that is good.

The other project going on at CTF (Clark Training Facility) today is that pavers are being put in as my driveway.  This is super exciting to me, probably not so much to you.  I have been waiting a while so I am pumped to have a real driveway instead of just dirt.  Welcome to civilization.

Tomorrow is a ride day so I will be out early and home late.  Talk to everyone soon.  RC

Houston Supercross Results

Hello from Houston.  Tonight was a better night for me, and Bob also posted a solid result.  I posted eighth quickest qualification time, finished sixth in my heat and 12th in the main.  Bob finished fourth in the heat race and seventh in the main.

The story of tonight was the weather.  It is a good thing that Reliant Stadium is covered because it would have been dirty.  It rained harder than I have seen in a long time.  It rained sideways, as the wind was relentless.  Then, around eight o'clock a tornado touched down less than a mile from the stadium.  The winds in the pit area wreaked havoc on many teams, including ours.  We lost a 10 x 20 canopy, but Factory Connection, Wonder Warthog, Pro Circuit Kawasaki and a few others lost their full canopy.  Those things cost over 20K...I know that because I have an old one and have priced a replacement.  

Anyway, I am back at the hotel and need to get some sleep before I head home early tomorrow morning.  Thanks for reading my rants.  RC

Kiniry Smashes Em

Bob likes to smash things.  Seriously, his favorite thing to say is "I'm going to smash it".  You can substitute "it" with "him", "them" or other suitable noun.  Well, last night Bob smashed it for sure.  Going through the first corner he smashed his way from a mid-pack start all the way up to fourth.  He made a quick pass into third in the next turn, a spot he would not relinquish for the duration of the main event.  Despite pressure from the likes of Dungey and Metcalfe, Bob pulled off the first podium of his career and gave Team Solitaire our first as well.  In the process, he earned $1000 bonus in $2 bills from Rich of KingdomCrown.com.  Happy smashing Bob!

RC

Mayday, mayday.

I was minding my own business, riding with my newly acquired Amateur rider Ben Evans, when out of the corner of my eye I saw it.  It was a plane that appeared to be in distress.  It was shaking violently, kind of convulsing if you will. Moments later it hit the ground and came apart in about a thousand pieces.  It wasn't a real plane, at least in the sense that it was carrying passengers or cargo.  It was real in the sense that I could touch it and it flew, albeit not very well.  It was a remote control plane, according to the owner worth over $20,000.  

We all ran to the scene of the crash to see if there was anything we could do.  You know, pick up the pieces, search for the black box, maybe put out a fire or pillage the wreckage.  I couldn't resist but cracking jokes about driving up a remote control fire truck or calling a remote control helicopter to help with the victims.  We looked for the fictional black box before wearing out our welcome with the owner of the previously pricey plane.  And I thought motocross racers wasted money on toys...

RC

The Two Utes

Greetings from Utah. My family is up here this week enjoying some winter weather. We don't get too much snow on the face of the sun in Phoenix, so here we are in Park City introducing my son and daughter to old man winter. It is bitter cold up here, but now that I live in Phoenix 50 degrees is freezing to me. I am spoiled.

Last night I stayed with my friend and life-long Team Solitaire supporter Rich Eggett and his family. He owns Kingdom Crown, the clothing company that sponsors our team. You can check out their product offerings at www.kingdomcrown.com. He also has a watch company called Rockwell and a shoe company called DUS, both of which will be coming to market very soon. DUS is in the process of making a Team Solitaire signature shoe, as is Rockwell with a watch. We should have some very unique co-branded products available very soon. I will keep you posted on the progress.

San Francisco went much better for me than the previous week. I struggled in my heat but picked up a holeshot and win in the LCQ. Then I rode pretty horrible in the main event, but it was nice to be out there and I have set a mark to improve upon every weekend.

The track was fun, despite the rain. I couldn't believe how much precipitation fell over the weekend, and how good the track held up despite the standing water. I am looking forward to the East coast rounds that are in domes so that there are less variables to contend with.

I am off to make snow bunnies. Talk to you soon. RC

Rainy daze

Greetings from San Francisco.  I caught the early flight this morning and was in Oakland early enough to grab a few scrambled eggs and a cup of joe.  

They say "when it rains, it pours".  Sounds a little redundant to me.  Well it isn't pouring here, but it is certainly raining. All day long it has been raining.  All night it will be raining.  I am wondering what tomorrow will turn out like, because the mud-wrestling pit that used to be a Supercross track in the stadium will not do much to keep a crowd with rain-soaked clothing entertained tomorrow evening.  When the gate does drop tomorrow evening, I can honestly say that everyone on the gate will have a chance of winning the race.

I had a good week of riding coming off another disappointing event at Anaheim last weekend.  Bob Kiniry did hold it up strong for the team with a sixth place finish in the lites main event.  Check out this Steve Cox photo of Mr. Kiniry in action.

 Thanks for your continued support.  See you at the races!  RC

STEVE COX PHOTO

Happy Birthday

...to my brother-in-law Ryan.  You are 21 now, old enough to make all kinds of bad decisions legally.  You can even rent a car for an inflated price through about 1/3 of the rental car companies.  You think you are old and wise, but really you are still young and green.  I hope you have a great birthday and get all you are wishing for.

Ride Day

We did some riding this afternoon at our private track.  A lot of friends of the team came out to ride the pieced together motocross track.  I didn't actually ride, but JR, Jesse, Phil Nicolletti and others took to the track for some perfect conditions.  My trainer was here this weekend along with Gary Bailey, who are both working with Phil.  He looked good on my supercross track and I think he will be a top ten rider on the East region Supercross Series this year.  He is working with some good people. 

Check out my trainer, Seiji Ishii's website at www.coachseiji.com to read up on the do's and don't of training for moto.  He has a very informative blog there as well.

Night falls on Phoenix

That was going to be the name of my old mechanic Craig's band, but it never came to be.  It just so happens to make a catchy title for a blog post as well.

I just got home after another completely frustrating day at the races.  It was all my fault again, just like last week, but that doesn't make it any easier to take.  In fact, I am looking for someone else to blame at the moment.  No one takes responsibility for themselves anymore, so why should I?  I think it was the lyrics to the song I was listening to prior to the race that made me suck.  Wait, maybe it was all the violence on TV or the political name calling of late.  Come to think of it, it had to be the fact that my parents divorced when I was 22.  Whatever the case, I am not going to man up and say that I had anything to do with the fact that I rode like it was my first race ever or that I am amazingly prone to first turn pileups.  

Or maybe it was just me.

Press Day

It's 11:30 Pm on Thursday prior to Phoenix Supercross.  This week is usually pretty crazy, as everyone I have ever met in my life seems to be looking to score tickets or pit passes to this event.  This time things have been good and I have kept on my training regiment and in my normal routine.  The only thing that threw me off a bit is that I did press day at the stadium this morning at 4:00 AM.  It was worth it for some track time and getting good publicity in the local media.  

Last weekend went, well, shitty for me.  Since this is a blog I am not going to sugar coat things like I had to in the magazine.  It was pretty frustrating to have a poor result due to some very rookie mistakes on my part.  It kind of sucks that after as long as I have been doing this I still have issues that hold me back from performing at my highest level.  I felt that my speed, bike and conditioning were all good, so I am heading to Phoenix hopeful and looking to redeem myself a bit.

I have never done well at Phoenix since I moved here.  When I lived in ABQ I always did well at this race.  I think I can turn it around but I just need to approach it a bit differently.  At this point I am just concentrating on having fun and letting the results fall where they may.  If you are prepared and you try your best, that is kind of all you can do.  Otherwise you just go insane (like I did last year).

Anyway, I need to get  some sleep to catch up from last night.  I hope to see a lot of you over the course of the year, and if I do please let me know what you think of this blog.  As long as you enjoy reading, I enjoy writing.

Goodnight.

RC