* One Excellent Weekend

Updated after some much needed sleep.




I'm doubting many of you care, but I had one excellent weekend. While Noel was at the Isle of Man with Patrick competing in the Trials de Nation - International world trials team event for the Untied States, I took Phillip to Denver, as we tried a totally new sport. Endurocross.

It's a bunch of different forms of off-road racing - tossed in a tight indoor arena. The promoters throw in a bunch of prize money and this attracts the worlds best off-road riders. Then they throw a bunch of boulders, rocks, stones, logs, tree stumps, sand, a man-made water pit and tractor tires in the arena and let riders ride as fast as they can over them.

Well, I convinced Phil he could actually compete, or at least try. So, I told him I'd sponsor him for the new three round series in Denver, Oklahoma and Las Vegas. I had one stipulation. He had to set-up a prototype course on the farm and practice. That he did.

So our weekend began at 7 a.m. Saturday. Being a qualifier, which meant Phillip doesn't have a national ranking in any of the AMA sanctioned off-road disciplines, we had to work our way through up to 6 races and 250 riders from around the world to qualify for the evenings main event. It didn't take long for Phil to catch on. He instantly won his first heat race of the day, earning a automatic spot in the evening show. What a relief that was. All I kept thinking was how many times I had to fix the bike after each race.

That set the stage for one of the most unpredictable evenings of our life's.

The arena was a sell-out and the crowd was insane. The first heat race against the worlds best, Phil got munched, sending him into a semi-final. We both were seriously bummed, but knew he had two more chances.

In the semi's, they only take one rider to the main event. Phil didn't qualify in this race either. But he did manage a forth place, allowing him a chance to advance to the all dreaded, 'last chance qualifier'. The fifth place through 10th place riders, well, they pack up and go home for the evening.

Everything is fast paced, you only get five minutes between races. So each time back to the pits, I had to work on the bike quickly. Changing tires (flat tire after the 3rd race) or keeping the pressure just right. Fixing every broken part and bent handle bars. Tightening all the nuts and bolt, cleaning air filters, pumping gas, the works. We were the only privateer team in the final 36 riders, so I was doing what a team of three mechanics were for the other riders.

When the last chance qualifier came, it was three laps of madness. Only one guy makes it to the main event. Again, you lose and you 'pack it in' for the evening. By now, all riders are totally shot - and they're going balls out for the last position in the main event. Crashes were at every corner. Basically, if you got through with-out crashing, you'd win. Well, low and behold, Phillip dialed in a three lap race of his riding career. He smokes a 2 time enduro champ, a Super-cross champ, a Hare and Hound champ and our our recently retired ten time trials champ Geoff Aaron. Not to mention a bunch of really fast nationally ranked riders.

The crowd of 6000 were screaming and going nuts for Phil and his little trials bike. I about jumped out of my shorts, hopping up and down in excitement. Phillip's girlfriend had tears of joy in her eyes.

When it was the main event, we both knew Phil had a chance. Ten riders, anything goes. We both wanted a top ten finish for points purposes. My three lessons, have fun, learn something and score championship points. I told him to be 'steady Eddie' and not do anything dumb - like dicing with any of the pros. I told him to let them take each other out and for him to just ride over them like they were part of the track, and not finish last. A top ten would be a huge accomplishment.

Well, Phil listened and wound up sixth. A incredible sixth place.

The photos above are of Phil in a big lead during his afternoon qualifier heat race (that was the last time I had time for the camera) and after 16 long and tiring hours of racing and working on a bike. We didn't get out of the arena until 11 p.m. That's Phil's wonderful girlfriend who kept all the riding gear clean and kept Phil fed (among other things) this weekend.

The other photo is what happens when you 'do it' wrong. This guy got carted off with multi-broken bones.

Here's a incorrect write-up of the event. The writer states we were with the European Scorpa team, which we weren't. We were cramped behind them in the paddocks and the reporter caught us there after the race and thought we were with them. The rider was was from France, he had a cool bike and we thought that spot to pit was as good as any. After all, it was nothing more than a huge parking lot. Plus after the event, they had some killer wine for our celebration.

I guess going in as a unknown sure causes massive confusion. Cycle News coverage screws up too. Unbelievable. This guy even botched the spelling of Phil and Pat's last name.

All in all, Noel and I can take stock in the fact we've done pretty good raisng these moto-crazy kids and keeping them out of trouble. Two 6th place finishes against the top international, off- road motorized two-wheelers. Not a bad weekend for a couple of 'hicks from the sticks'. A far cry from toiling years and years in the small Wisconsin Trials Series. The fact years later we can enjoy the fruits of their labor with them makes it all that more special.

Excellent AMA coverage of the TdN team.