Hollister
2003 AHRMA National
Vintage
Motocross and Trials
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I really had a good weekend at Hollister this year, not that I don't always have fun, but last year was such a crash fest it spoiled the races. I didn't win anything of course. I am at the tail end of the novice classes. But I had a lot of fun, finished all my motos, and actually beat one or two riders. Actually I did not race my last 50+ moto as it was the very last race of the day and I wanted to get a little head start going home. Besides, the 50+ novice class riders always run away and hide from me. I think some of those guys have been riding novice for 50 years or something. I don't know how they can be so fast. Where are the real novices? Or maybe I am confusing novice with beginner? At least with the Sportsman 250 novice I can keep them in sight. I had a real good dice with one rider and actually beat him. I am just starting to feel like I am getting up to speed, and maybe in a couple more years might even be competitive. My friend Dave rode his first motocross ever, and did good, improved a lot, and had a great time. Hollister is really not the place to race for the first time, but it worked out ok. Not only was he trying to get the hang of mx, but also unfamiliar bikes. He is a road racer, so he had to change a few habits.
And the trial on Saturday was a lot of fun, even though I had some water in the float bowl problems which got me off to a real late start. Thanks to Michael Moore, who suggested looking for water in the float bowl and also loaned me a wrench so I could drain the bowl out in the middle of nowhere so I didn't have to push back to camp. When I finally got going, the carburetion problems wore me out kicking the old 348 Cota, so not only was I way behind, but also out of energy. I blew a bunch of sections just because I didn't have the energy to muscle the bike around, and blew a bunch more because I didn't have the time to study the line properly. But I did finish and had lots of fun.
I was camped in the pits all weekend and saw lots of really nice bikes, and lots of bikes for sale for some really big prices. I watched the Post Vintage races some on Saturday and they looked kind of fun. Maybe next year I'll try that. I talked to a couple of riders that did the Jim Pomery class on Friday and it sounds like it was the real deal, so that is also on my list for next year. The pigs woke me up about 5 times Friday night, and after chasseing them out of camp several times, I marked our territory and I think that did the trick so I got a little sleep.
All of
my bikes ran great except for the water in the carburetor in the 348 and
a flat tire on the 125 Penton.