If I Shave My Mustache, Hawaii Will Sink

Time lapse of me at 28 and 33.

Halfway through Movember and I am feeling pretty good.  I mean, at 33 years old, one would think that growing facial hair would be kind of an afterthought.  Keeping in mind I hit puberty around 28, this whole facial hair is new to me.  I had a pretty wicked pisser handlebar stache for the FLY photo in 2010, which is likely why there were no photos of me in the casual wear catalog that year.  That is likely one of the many reasons I wasn't asked back for the two subsequent shoots.  But seriously, my facial hair is a bit sparse, so I am fairly proud of what I have working right now.  I still have a solid 17 days of November left of grooming this baby into something that Tom Selleck would be proud of.

Tom Selleck is my facial hairowin.

I have been working quite a bit this week.  I feel spread pretty thin, however.  I can't really focus on one thing in particular, which is frustrating.  I spent a few hours on the tractor, putting some finishing touches on the new training area.  I am looking for some suggestion on what to name our new training facility, so if you have any good ones please submit to me for consideration.  If I choose your suggestion I will give you some shit that will blow your mind.  Promise.  My personal best thus far is The Moto Asylum, with the tag line "commit yourself".  I know, I am pretty awesome.  I am also upgrading our marketing proposal for Team Solitaire (read: me).  If you have some money burning a hole in your pocket and want to support the oldest guy in the Supercross Series, give me a call.  You may get some free perks from AARP or Good Sam travel vouchers for your next visit to Luby's Cafeteria.

My dog sleeps a lot.  She also smells a lot.  I will bathe her today.

Unamused by your shenanigans.

My kids and I have been having a lot of fun lately.  If you have kids, you can relate to just how amazing the little moments are.  Things like falling asleep while watching a movie on the couch, cuddling first thing in the morning, or cleaning up piss off the toilet seat.  Strike that last one.  They are also a lot more independent than ever, and this only leads me to believe that sooner than I am ready for, they will want to be at their friend's house rather than watch Despicable Me at home.  But for now, they are content playing in the backyard with broken beer bottles and dirty syringes.  Capricious youth.

I will leave you with something my dad used to always say to me, which has been my mantra over the last several days.  "All there is to it is to do it".  I am sure he stole that, the plagiarizing bastard, but it stuck with me.  Tomorrow I am buying a new Kawasaki KX450F from North Valley Kawasaki.  I am working on my Supercross track.  I am finishing this god forsaken proposal.  I am cuddling with my clean Boston Terrier.  I am updating my blog.

 Click this link to be dazzled by my performance in this video. 

I Didn't Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was a Wizard

The last three weeks got away from me.  I am the first to admit that it didn't go exactly as planned.  The important stuff in life is grand.  My girlfriend is amazing (and very pregnant), my kids are the eternal holders of my heart and I am still feeling physically strong.  On the flip side, I am not amassing enough money to launch a serious push for 2012 Supercross or really begin to claw my way out of post-marital-monetary-debt.  I am also in mental purgatory.  I need to get a job to earn money to get to Supercross, but doing so would surely eliminate any chance I have at making Supercross my job.  It's a bit of a conundrum.  At this point I just have to believe in myself enough to go with my gut instinct, which tells me that if I just twist the throttle than all the other things will work themselves out.

My view over the last two weeks has looked like the photograph above.  I have spent many, many, many hours in everything from a Skid Steer to a Skip, a Water Truck to a Rubber Tire Loader.  I have built a new Arenacross track, rebuilt my Supercross track, pounded dozens of T-posts, set concrete poles, strung wire, graded roads and picked up trash.  All of this was done to improve our training compound in hopes of having a better facility to prepare for the rapidly approaching Anaheim 1.  The tracks are all but complete, the fencing is nearly congruent and the concrete for the new gate posts is set.  I am excited for this place, there is much potential.  Potential far beyond what I set out to create.

Vet Rider Clinic participants Chris Kelly and Michael Larance talk lines.

In between all day tractor sessions, I have been doing some group and private training sessions at Speedworld.  It is rewarding for me to see riders improve, especially when they may have been stuck in a bad habit that I was quickly able to correct.  Like anything, it takes consistent training and a lot of repetition to break bad habits, which is why I decided to focus on small group training as much as possible.  For $100 per month, you get two, three-hour small group sessions.  With continued training, we can address issues and keep focused on improvement throughout the year for a much more reasonable cost.  If you are interested in joining either the Vet or Young Rider group classes, please e-mail me at mxculture@yahoo.com.  We meet every other Thursday at Speedworld.

Colonel Clark commands his little sister's attention.

I will leave the best for last: my kids.  Although they wear me out, they also keep me grounded and focused on the future.  I realize how fortunate I am to have them, and how much motivation they give me to succeed.  Three years ago I loved them and enjoyed being their father, but I didn't exactly know what that meant.  Today, a little better for the wear, I understand the things they need from me as well as the things I get from them.  Every day I am thankful to know them and, hopefully, lead them toward their own successes (and failures). I am so excited to add to my family a new baby boy.    

I try to teach my children to reach for the moon.

Monster Moto

Monster Energy Cup Photo by Chris Ganz - Brown Dog Wilson

Well, the Monster Energy Cup has cometh and goneth.  I put down some solid preparation leading up the event, but I wasn't really sure what my expectations were going in.  It had been a while since I have lined up next to the best riders in the world.  I emerged pretty happy with my progress.

Good points: I charged forward in every race, despite taking a spill or two along the way.  I was very in the moment every time I was on the track.  This may not seem like a big deal, but honestly it has been a while since I have been able to focus my mind on racing and racing alone.  I was looking forward to each drop of the gate, where as for the last two or three years I was looking forward to just getting home.

Bad points: I need to pick up some speed between now and January.  I was about a second off from being a legitimate threat to make the main.  It was possible that I could have snuck in, but it would have taken a stroke of luck, or at least a great start.  I want to be to the point where I can pick off riders and earn my way in each week, regardless of my start.  I also had a few little fire-drills with my bike, from a broken fork guard/holeshot device to a small electrical issue.  We were able to deal with them quickly, but you never want that on race day.

Our M.E.C. set up.  Thanks to Kyle Defoe for use of his truck. 

Stunt bikes and drift cars ALL DAY LONG.  Drifting is stupid.  There, I said it.

After the race, we jumped in the truck and pinned it back to Phoenix.  Did I mention we left for the race Saturday morning at 5:30 AM?  It was a very long day for all involved in the Clark program.  We arrived safely back in Phoenix at 1:30AM Sunday morning.  Five and a half hours later, my alarm woke me up.  It was time to head to my soccer game.  I know, it doesn't sound like a great idea, but honestly, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  Plus, I really enjoy soccer and I didn't want to let my team down.  It was a good thing I ended up going because I scored on the best goals of my young career.  Of course, then I rolled my ankle so I probably should have just slept in.

Sunday was a sobering day for motorsports.  We lost four prominent figures in the same day.  Dan Wheldon, the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, lost his life at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a horrific crash that involved fifteen cars.  In addition, Nick Hoffman, who was a fixture on the professional scene as a mechanic for Butler Brother MX, passed away.  He was engaged to be married next week.  Lastly, Rick Huseman (Off-Road Truck Driver) and his brother, Jeff, died in a plane crash just outside Barstow while returning home from the Monster Energy Cup on Sunday.  Such a truly sad day across the board.  It really puts things in perspective knowing just how fragile life can be.  You truly never know when your number might come up, so live each and every day to its full potential.

What is really important in life.

Looking forward, I have a lot of work to do in the next three months.  I hope to have you along on my journey.  It isn't going to be easy, but it is going to be worth it.  RC

Montreal Supercross Part Deux

This is my Friday outfit.  I really like the new FLY Kinetic gear, it looks even better in person than photos.

Well, I made it to Montreal.  You know the problem with being broke?  You have to half ass everything, and it just makes you more broke.  Last time we spoke, I was sitting in the airport in Phoenix feeling all warm and fuzzy about being early, getting to Montreal and having a nice afternoon/evening with my friend Danny Nappi.  Since I have more friends than money, a good friend of mine is kind enough to donate his buddy passes to me so I can get to races.  The problem is, I am always on standby.  My easy PHX to Chicago to Albany flight turned into a PHX to Houston to Newark to NYC via train and then up Albany.  Once in Albany (my train arrived at 1:20 AM), Danny Nappi picked me up and we pinned it in his FJ Cruiser the rest of the way to Montreal.  We checked into our room at 6:00 AM.

The alarm went of at 9:00 AM, and we headed to Timmy Horton's for our morning nomulence.  It only took us about an hour to get the suspension and other parts on the bike.  I was really disappointed to find out that my head pipe was stolen out of my gear bag, so I have to run a stock exhaust instead of my bad ass LeoVince.  I am guessing a stoner somewhere is working on a sick new bong.

We pretty much sat around all day waiting for practice, but when it did finally arrive things went pretty well.  I was obviously a little tired, but I managed to set seventh quickest time in practice.  I am really pleased with the way I felt on the bike, and I have a few changes in mind that I think will help my lap times a bit.  I think my forks were a touch stiff, and as a result I was having a few issues holding a tight line through some of the corners.  Other than that, though, my bike was working great.  Thanks to Honda Canada for supplying me a brand new 2012 CRF450R.

Dinner at Pacini Langelier.  They have a bread bar, or at least they did before I got there.

After practice we grabbed some dinner at Pacini Langelier, a tasty eye-talian joint.  We are now back at the hotel watching the tele and on the verge of passing out.  Tomorrow will be a good day; A day that starts with a solid nine hours of sleep.

Bon Soir,
RC

Montreal 2011 Part One

Back in 2007 I won the Montreal SX.  To date, it is my biggest win.

A look at the very impressive stadium.

I am writing this update from Gate D-7 at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.  Bound for Montreal via Albany, it is only 6:30 AM and I have already been up for three hours.  I am fighting coffee at this point, in hopes of getting some additional sleep on the plane.  This weekend will be my first time racing my dirt bike since basically April.  If you have been keeping updated on my blog, you already know that I have been steadily increasing my training, with Anaheim1 being my ultimate test.  The race this weekend should be a good measuring stick to see where I am at and what I need to improve on.  I am excited to be back on the bike and living my "Peter Pan" lifestyle.

The things in I brought are as follows:
MB1 Supercross Suspension
ASV Clutch Perch
Vortex Bars/Sprockets
Leovince Exhaust
Breathe-Rite Strips
All my gear (hopefully), including the new 2012  FLY Racing apparel.
New Dragon/FLY collaboration helmet
MacBook Pro
Neck Pillow
iPod mini
Clothes
Baby Wipes (The best thing I've learned as a parent)
Camera (for this blog)
Passport

That doesn't sound like a ton, but it took me a while to get packed last night.  As a result, I am at a mere five hours of sleep right now.  I will post some updates over the course of the event.  I don't have too many expectations, but I obviously want to do well.  I could use some of that purse money right about now.

I have to board my flight now.  Peace.  RC

Blood Blisters and Tongue Twisters

Justin Buckelew racing Arenacross a few years back.  Check out his website, www.motocrosscoach.com

The last several days have been a whirlwind of activity.  I don't want to bore you with the mundane shit, but life is comprised of mundane shit.  As I have been saying, most of my training has been off the bike up to this point, but the rain beckoned me to the desert on Wednesday for an impromptu shred session with my little minions Tristan and Tyler.  We had a lot of fun searching for jumps and trying to avoid getting incarcerated by the authorities.  The places we were riding were bordering subdivisions, and I am sure the trophy housewives and didn't want the CCV stickers on their SUV's to get dusted out by my MX71 roost.  Regardless, we traversed the area without incident, all the while finding new and interesting hip jumps, rut tracks and enduro sections to annihilate.

Someday kids, if you are the top privateer in SX and finish 4th in the World SX Championship, all this could be yours.

Early this morning I loaded up the Corolla/Trailer with my trusty steed and my two sleepy-eyed children to embark on this glorious day.  I dropped the grommets off at their respective learning institutions and punched the accelerator (which got me just over 54 mph) toward my learning institution.  Awaiting my arrival was Professor Justin Buckelew, along with two of his other pupils.  The track was pristine, as the recent rain coupled with the previous evenings open practice session left many a line and plenty of moisture.  After a good set of sprint motos on the MX track, we switched over to some off road riding.  Justin's students are preparing for a WORCS race, so they had laid out an off-road course for us to moto.  They were doing an hour moto, but I told JB I was only going 30 minutes.  I was having so much fun and feeling good at the pit stop, so I decided to double down and run the whole jalapeno.  Don't you agree that sounds better than enchilada?  Good, me too.  Anyway, I did it and now I am feeling it.  My hands are covered in blood blisters, but I am really happy to have put in some seat time.  I know I will be thankful come October, as I have some sizable events on my calendar.

Seamless transition from dirt bikes to roller skating...

Tonight I took the family to GreatSkate, an old-school roller rink, for my son's school skate party.  Both my kids did pretty well for their first (and hopefully last) time on roller skates.  Hey GreatSkate, 1982 called and they want their hobby back.  Nowadays we sit on the couch and gorge our faces while murdering people in video games and watch reality tv while complaining about the President and/or the state of the economy.  Oh, is that just me?  Capricious youth, how I miss thee.

Alright, that is enough information for one blog post.  Big days and weeks ahead.  Get to it.  RC