Summer is in full swing

HEy yall, Sorry it has been so long since any of us (aka I) have written on here. If you are still reading it, awesome! thanks for coming out and checking out what we are up to.
Things in the house have been all over the place.
Mitch has just spent a week following Phish and having the time of his life. There was a show in Asheville in which they closed off four major city streets in order to accommodate to those that don't wear shoes and always look like they have been swimming in a pool with too much chlorine. After the Asheville show Mitch was off to Knoxville and then off to Bonnaroo where he got super dehydrated and super super tan. I thought he was just covered in dirt when he got home but his actual skin turned a deeper shade of Caucasian. The sun did him wonders until he came down with something awful that wiped him out for a whole week. Thank god the PGA Tour was going on that week or else I don't think that he would have survived.
Sarah's family is town and even though they haven't stopped by the house yet I am sure that we are going to be having an awesome time together this weekend. A big family dinner party on Saturday night to celebrate Sarah's family and Christine's 24th birthday party. Stayed tuned for pictures and hopefully some stories if we can remember what happens that night. Sarah has recently got into App State for a Master program in counseling. She starts in late August and will be moving to Boone sometime around then. And since it is only an hour and a half away I am sure that the boys will be heading there in the fall to crash some football games and sleep on Sarah's floor.
Lateef is "shadowing" a lot these days which makes him sound like a ninja, but in nice dress clothes. On top of spending a lot of time at hospitals seeing blood all over the place and people screaming in agony, Lateef has also been studying his rear end off for his MCATs which just got scheduled for the middle of August. Good luck Teefer! He is also soon to be off on an adventure out to Colorado where he is going to be working as a camp nurse at a summer camp that he has been apart of for the past few years. And I am certain that there will be a large spike in the number of young girls needing band aids when Teef shows up to camp and puts on his nurses smock. Go get em Teef!
As for me, I have been working with trees as much as possible and also spending a lot of time at the track helping Jamie Bravo keep the place running as smooth as possible. I have got a national in two weeks out in Nashville TN. It looks like it should be a lot of fun.

Hope all is well in yall's worlds. Thanks for checking this out.

Morristown Spring National

Every fall and spring Morristown holds a BMX national. It is an indoor venue and the track gets built within a few days before the race and then disassembled that Sunday and Monday after the races. It is traditionally known by the Blue Chip Racing team as a must-go event because the track is always fun and it is also the closest national all year. This spring was no exception. The team was there in full force and everyone was pumped on this year's track layout.
Coming out of the gate was a small roller, a short table top, and then a double into the first turn. The first turn was a tall bowled out piece of work, however it was damp during the first 100 motos on Saturday and people kept on washing out in it while trying to make passing moves. The second straight went double, double, step up right into turn two. It was really inspiring to see the pros and experts land sideways on this step up and immediately rail the second turn. Talk about fast! The third straight was one of the best rhythm sections I have ever hit because it had a ton of flow and it all linked up very well. Roller, camel hump into a roller and then another camel hump. Turn three lacked any definition and was also wash boarded out which made it the weak point in the track. The fourth straight was a step up step down and then two rollers... about a hundred feet pedal space and then the finish line.
Practice started at 2 on Friday and since there was only a couple hundred riders it was an open practice which meant that you could do laps on the track and not have to wait fifteen minutes between runs. Jamie, Josie and I rode like banshees until 6 trying all of the different lines there were and then packed up the car with Jack "I don't need to practice" Ritchie and went back to the hotel for a meal of runny alfredo that ended up more on my chin and shirt than in my mouth. Josie and Jamie wouldn't let me live it down.
Saturday started with an amazing breakfast at the hotel. Real biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, real eggs, bacon, and more bacon. It was time to rock out. We got to the track at 8 which gave the grommits a chance to practice before the old guy practice started at 8:30. A few laps and a couple hours later racing commenced with the Elites going at it and taking each other out in the first turn. If the Elites are wrecking in the first turn you know that it is a tough turn to pick and hold a line through.
My class this weekend consisted of 9 guys which meant that we were split up into two motos; one moto of four and the other of five. On Saturday I was in the moto which had the fast riders in it which meant that I had a chance to check these guys out before it came down to the showdown throwdown in the main. However, it is hard to see how people ride when they are behind you. Oh SNAP!
The first moto started off as a disaster because I came unclipped out of my left pedal on my second pedal stroke. However, instead of sitting up and accepting defeat I clipped back in as fast as I could and went into the first turn in the back of the pack. Picking lines through turns around 200 pound guys is quite a lot of fun when you have confidence in you bike handling skills. By the third straight I was back in first and took it to the line. The second moto was a lot smoother and faster in that I didn't come unclipped and took first from the gate to the finish line. It was shortly after this second moto that my room mates Sarah and Mitch showed up to check out the scene and see what BMXing was a lot about. I have been talking their ears off for months about my bike and it was wonderful to have them there and finally see what I am so excited about all of the time. My second moto started off with a poor gate snap which put my in the middle of the pack. I held my line through the first turn and chased down the race leader down the second straight. I knew that if I didn't make my move in the second turn that this guy would take the moto win and I couldn't handle having Mitch and Sarah show up and watch me lose... and also the embarrassment and brow beating I would get from Mitch and Sarah for the next few weeks would be unbearable. Heading into the second turn I am on the outside and start railing high as the leader takes the inside line and holds it. At the apex of the turn I dive down into the bottom of the turn and start cranking my rear end off. I edge up next to him and from there it is all about trying to be smooth and consistent through the rhythm section. As we head over the first roller to camel I see him backing out of my peripheral. Manual up, manual down, pump, pump and into the third turn. I don't feel him underneath me and I come out of the third turn in the lead and take it to the line. Dang, that was a close one. Can't let that happen again.



So in the main instead of messing around, the gate drops and I am gone all of the way to the line. A "perfect" Saturday. I pick up my trophy and Sarah immediately wants photos of me and "Coach" Ritchie because "your mom isn't here and she needs to see this!"



Saturday went well for the Blue Chippers and we ended up third in the team rankings. So to celebrate (after a pinball tournament back at the hotel in which Josie slaughtered Jamie, Jack and I) the Blue Chippers all met up at a Mexican restaurant for cervezas and some good food. I won't go into detail about how long it took us to find this restaurant but let me say that by the time we got there we were very very very hungry, and very thirsty. "Food will be down!!"

Sunday started early with another delicious breakfast of bacon, biscuits and eggs. Also, since the team got third the day before the Blue Chippers got a free lap around the track in the parade lap that occurs during the singing of the National Anthem; just another chance to check out lines and feel the track out before the motos started at 8.
The way my class was set up on Sunday was two racks of us and this time I was in the slow moto. Sweet! I took first in all of the motos and when it came time to the main I was awake and ready to rock. I was in gate four and the two fast guys were in gate 1 and 2. All I had to do was beat them to the first turn and I would be able to smoke them through the rest of the track. The gate drops and we are off. However, by the table in the first straight I see some shaky riding to my right and two people tumbling off the track. I hold my line through the first straight but the guy in gate three is right next to me. He has the inside line and pushes me high in turn one. We make contact with our elbows, but since my elbow is in front I can get on the gas faster and come out of the turn spinning and take the lead. Manual, manual, jump through the second straight and by now I have a substantial lead and take it all of the way to the line.
Dang! A "perfect" weekend.
Once again, the Blue Chippers take a third in the team points due to some outstanding finishes. Antonio "The Rocket" got his first ever win in his 11 Expert class. And Josie "The Pinball Princess" got a solid second again behind her arch nemesi. All around a good weekend of racing.
And now as the points are standing I am leading my national class which is a good feeling even though this makes me a marked man for the rest of the year.
So it is back to the training room (aka my basement) to get ready for the Freedom Nationals (I think Braveheart with be there to hand out the trophies) in Woodbridge VA in late April. The timing is perfect because I can now take a week off of the bike and rest up a little bit. It also just so happens that I have a case of the "Crud Lung" which is supposedly a rite of passage for those whom race in Morristown due to the dusty indoor conditions. What a great time to curl up on the couch with a good book and hack away the day!

Spring Nationals, McDonough Georgia

Two weekends ago I went to McDonough Georgia which is just outside of Hot-lanta and raced in the Southern Charm National BMX race. The weather both days was pretty much perfect in that it was brisk enough for a hoodie in the morning but come 10 am you could be in your race jersey and feeling fine.

The track was a lot of fun. It had a lot of jumps on it which was fairly disappointing because that doesn't leave a lot of room for imagination and different lines.

The way a national races works is that it is a two day, two race venue. Each day is a separate race, so if you crash and do terrible on Saturday you have a chance to redeem yourself on Sunday... and vice versa. Each class, which depends on your ranking (rookie, novice, expert, and all of the variations of pro) and age (my class being 19-25) has three motos which are three qualifying runs to see who moves on to the "main event" which is known as the main. Depending on the class size there can be quarter qualifiers and semi qualifiers in between the motos and the main which weeds out the slower racers (generally). For example, my class which is 19-25 novice, only had five racers this weekend which means that we didn't have quarter or semi qualifiers and everybody moved into the main.

Alright, sorry for the boring rules and regulations part of the story, but it helps to know how it all works or else the jargon through the rest of this story is going to be a lot like a different language.

So Saturday started off bright and sunny with a three hour practice before the racing actually commenced at 11. The track was perfectly groomed and everyone was looking fast. prior to the races my class all found each other and talked about who the fast ones were and who to look out for and all of that jazz. Since we didn't have more than 8 people, we would all move onto the main which meant that the motos were going to "just for fun" (or so I thought). Saturday's finishes in the motos for me were a 3rd, a 4th, and a 2nd. Not really too good considering I was way faster than the guys I was in the gate with. When it came time for the main though I was ready and completely gameface. I had talked to my coach a lot before the race and figured out a strategy that could work... don't give up first place. Sounded simple enough. Also, the fastest guy out of the other riders was in the far outside lane and I was in the inside lane which gave me a better line down the first straight and into the first turn... if I could just hold my speed and control the lead into the first turn.

So we are sitting in the gate and the cadence starts... "Alright riders let's set em up... riders ready, watch the gate... ... " and we all take off. I got a pretty good snap out of the gate and took off. Out of my peripherals I saw the riders next to me falling away out of my sight. As we come down the backside of one of the first obstacles I just barely see Josh (the fast guy) moving closer to me. But I pump super hard down the backside and he disappears. So now all I have to do is step it up a bit and make sure that he stays behind me into the first turn. Up and over another obstacle and we all fly into the first turn trying to pick and hold our lines for position. Josh is still on the outside of me and I try to hug this really nice bowled out asphalt turn as low as I can. The philosophy is, the lower you stay in the turn the less distance you have to travel. We shoot out of the first turn and head down the second straight which is a lot like a drag race because there is a lot of open space to get pedals until the first obstacle. I take and hold the inside line through this straight as well and pump everything as hard as i can. It is at this point in the race that a song pops into my head... a song which has never failed me and only makes me go faster and ride more aggressively. "Jack of All Trades" by Hot Water Music. It is super melodic and very fast which makes it perfect for an all out 30 second sprint. Thanks to this song I take off through the second straight and hold my lead all of the way through the last turn. The last straight in a BMX track is often a rhythm section which means that you have to stay consistent and smooth or else you are going to get passed. So I am going through the last straight as smooth as I can and I see Josh start moving into my vision as we are coming over the last couple of rollers. We drag race for the finish line and both do a bike throw, but it was way too close to call. I immediately congratulate him and tell him that was an awesome move he made coming for the pass at the finish line. But still neither of us knows who won.
I go back to Jamie, my "coach" and he tells me that they announced me as the winner of the main. i was stoked and went to go pick up my trophy. As I am heading over to the tent I see Josh standing in line to challenge the call made by the officials. The NBL (National Bicycle League, which is the race league I race in) has video cameras placed at the finish line so that when discrepancies like this arise they have video footage from several different angles to figure it out. I stand in line with Josh waiting to see what the outcome is. Our main was main #29. The guy in the booth has the finishes from main #28 and main #30, but the video cameras shut off or stopped taping for main #29. "Ruling on the field stands" and I go to pick up my trophy (which is huge by the way, 3 ft. tall). I was really excited and went back to Jamie with a huge shit-eating grin on my face.
It turns out that most of our team (Team Bluechip Racing) did really well and scored a third for day.
We go back to the hotel and go swimming to celebrate. And then go out for an amazing pasta dinner. Can you say "good healthy food"?

So the next day, after spending the night on a fold out cot that was seriously two feet too short for me, we head to the race track at 7 in the morning to start racing at 8. My class on Sunday was only 3 riders because two of them went home, Josh being one of the two who left. Sunday's racing went by very quickly because there were a number of racers who left after Saturday's racing. My motos were pretty easy due to really good snaps out of the gate. However, in the second moto I jumped the last obstacle into the first turn and did a stylish little tuck, which enabled this guy Dan to shoot to the inside and take the lead for the rest of the moto. I finished 2nd. Upon seeing Jamie after this moto he asked me if I was trying to give away points. I looked at him blankly. I didn't realize that motos were worth points that would affect my end of the year placing. I immediately felt like a "jackass", a word that Jamie is not scared to use for situations like these, and in the next moto powered through the entire course to a 1st place finish. So my moto finishes were 1st, 2nd, and a 1st. Everyone in my class on Sunday transferred to the main and it worked out that we were all right next to each other in the gate. As we are sitting in the gate at the top of the hill, the cadence starts. "Alright riders, let's set em up... riders ready, watch the gate...... ". Two pedals out of the gate and I can't see either of the two riders next to me. I take it all of the way to the finish line. This time no discrepancies and I go to pick up my first place plaque which is now sitting on the air conditioner for all to see in my local bike shop, Pro Bikes.

The race is over by 11 am which is pretty darn quick for a national. Everyone packs up and hits the road to get to wherever home is. About fifteen miles down the high way Jamie sees Mex Mex Frontera. Jamie is a sucker for mexican food. He can also eat a horse if it would sit still long enough. We roll into the restaurant and start looking through the menus. I notice a 16 inch burrito called "El Gigante" and if you eat it in one sitting you get a T-shirt. Jamie puts down his menu and when the waitress shows up, he orders "El Gigante" and a large t-shirt. The huge plate of food shows up and Jamie asks "Is this it?" He throws it down the hatch and is done with the entire thing before I am done with my four fluetas and before Josie (Jamie's daughter) can finish her nachos. Neither Josie or I hear the end of it the entire ride home as he is sporting a shirt that says "I survived El Gigante" with a huge shark on it coming out of the water and looking menacing. The significance of the shark, I still don't understand. But the shirt is destined for the walls of the Bluechip Hall of Fame.

Lexy.

a kick ass weekend

sometimes we rock out

a few photos from the Weaverville track. it is more than fun...

sometimes we rock out

a few photos from the Weaverville track. it is more than fun...

state champ

Today was the North Carolina and South Carolina state finals in Lexington SC. It wasn't a race series that I was really into until Jamie pointed out to me that we both had a chance at getting #1 finishes if we raced the final.
This morning I packed my stuff into Jamie's car and I hit the road with him and his two kids, Josie and Jack whom, I am convinced, are angels in disguise. I had to drive the 2 1/2 hours since Jamie recently broke his collar bone at the Hendersonville race last weekend.
We get to the track and my god it is beautiful. The entire thing is very well kept and is smooth as all gid-up since it was made of truck loads of dirt that are of the same consistency as baseball fields. Practice starts at noon and it turns out that the track is just as fun to ride as it is to look at. We all find our lines that suit our respective riding styles best and the races start.
It turns out that I am in the running for #1 with another guy named Brian who is a really nice guy. We spent a lot of today talking about bikes and family and all of the good and bad things in life. For example, he told me about some very bad burns that he got on his legs while trying to start a fire with gasoline. He hasn't been able to ride for the past four weeks because of the burns. Just another example that the easiest way to do things sometimes isn't the best way to do things.
But anyway, we are racing each other for the state #1 plate and the first moto starts off very heated. Into the first turn I am a wheel ahead of him and he pushes me way up and out almost off the track. But I stay on the pedals and focus on being smooth and pull past him into the second turn and hold the lead all of the way to the end.
The rest of our motos are actually pretty anti-climatic in that he didn't have enough gas to stay fresh for his motos and I pull ahead by sizable leads in every moto and take the W for the day.
So I am the state champion in the 25-29 cruiser class. cool, eh?