SuMo n00b

Well another season has come and gone and yet again it was a year of lessons. 1) Bigger bike = way more fun. Purchased a KX250 midway through the year and it is fantastic. Previous owners did it up right with the upgrades and took such good care of her. We've named this bike "Lulabell" and redubbed the pink bike "Grace" 2) AMA pro dirt sections are tough but doable! 3) I need to get better in the dirt. As such, knobbies are going back on ASAP. 4) I want to do more... but what that looks like now I don't know. Maybe some arenacross or straight motocross but only time will tell that. I guess to wrap it up, ride hard or stay home :) big things are coming!

I haven't really had much to post about as of late but this weekend was definitely one to remember! Every year for the past three years, the AMA puts on a race in Sturgis and it's literally through the streets. The locals were super friendly (unlike SLC) and the bars even served awesome food. All in all the trip was amazing! The racing for me left much to be desired. Went down 9 or 10 times in the course of two days (in different spots so at least I learned) and learned a thing or two: 1) stay over the back of the bike in the dirt 2) Huckabuck is not a fun place to find yourself with three whoops to go 3) hitting the same elbow hurts even through pads 4) Gear... because walking away in disgust is better than riding away in an ambulance 5) jumping off ramps = scary but awesome 6) definitely going back next year with a new set of tricks! Last colorado race is Sunday and with the bigger new-to-me bike should be a fantastic day with multiple personal bests.

Not moch going on in my moto world except for prepping for the next round....Colorado Supermoto round 4 at Colorado National Speedway :) only two more weeks until I get to go play!

Round 2 complete! Raced up in the high desert this weekend and I think I'm finally over the fear of going back over the bars. I even beat someone! Next race is on father's day on my home track. It's on!

First race of the year was a roaring success! I raced in the women's, beginner and adult mini classes... took 3rd in all three :) took 3 full moto to get comfortable on the asphalt again after last year and an off season of straight moto but we're getting there.

After a long winter of physically prepping, and a spring of seat time and motocross tracks.... it's time to put the slicks back on and see how much I've improved! I learned so much from the dirt, mostly how to recover from scaring the hell out of myself but I'm also starting to jump... like legitimately jump. The confidence is back in full force as well after the last bad get off in July. I also have added a bicycle bell to the handlebars for effect. The old sponsor graphics have been all but covered so it's becoming a vague memory that there ever was one. (Albeit, the bike has been completely revamped part wise so none of the "customizations" are even on the bike anymore) More to come next week as the big day approaches but I couldn't contain my excitement any longer!

Almost to a new season! First race is May 3rd woot! Since I can't go ride (stupid snow) I'll reminisce. These beauties were taken at the cns round from the grand stands. Also in the off season I've been working on my fitness. I started training for a Spartan race which will be the day before my first moto race so I'm trying to build strength, stamina and both physical and mental toughness. Not to mention a 6 pack because why not? More to come but that's my current place in the world.

It may be the off season, but at least there's arenacross to watch! Captured here, kiddos and adult mini. Too much fun!

On to the big deals, points totals. With the race last Sunday, I secured the top spot in the Mini class and Beginner's class. Grand Champion. I'll just let that sink in for a moment. For just having picked up a bike 3 years ago, this feels huge. I finished second overall in points in the women's class behind one of the fastest racers in our series so no shame there. I can't wait to add the big trophies to the collection, and maybe now we can just go play in the dirt!!

After the last race I've developed a new nickname to add to the list. In addition to Drumstick, Crash and Grace we're adding Daisy. As in driving Miss Daisy. Evidently, sometimes on the track if I'm feeling out of my league (and with the dismal showing at cns I got put into a couple of faster classes) I'll just cruise around, try to stay out of the way of the other racers and enjoy myself. According to my fans I look like I'm just driving Miss Daisy out there. On a side note, this season has brought about leaps and bounds of improvements! I'm maintaining corner speeds, jumping as often as possible and have gotten back on the horse after two gnarly get-offs and one in particular that nearly put me in the hospital. I've had to adjust to the new brake system and find the courage to get out of first gear again is one of my proudest moments. One more round and then we begin the dirt experiment!

Back on home turf at last, this weekend I race at IMI motorsports park which is really where the magic happens. The season's over half way through so now is the time to start trying crazy stuff like jumping the double. It sounds like there might even be a mini class for a change to run with. Hopefully be up on the podium Sunday afternoon but that's all for now.

Junction was a success and I feel like I'm actually over my scared, which is a huge accomplishment for me, the new rider. I went deep in the corners and even got brave in the dirt and managed to give some of the *ahem* gentlemen I race with a challenge they weren't expecting! Next stop, Colorado National Speedway. With this race being done with the AMA Supermoto Series, there should be a fair number of bikes spiking the competition level. I caught sight of the track map, and while simple in design, looks absolutely amazing. Banked corners and all! Can't wait for Sunday ;)

After taking round two off for financial reasons, round three is a mere 4 days away! As this round is in Grand Junction, one of my favorite tracks, so we'll leave Denver around lunch time on Saturday. There's usually a friendly but competitive practice session Saturday afternoon and dinner at the local watering hole. I guess I'm just stoked to race again and start to push myself to get better. I'm slowly getting over my scared from the big wrecks in Vegas but I do feel like I'm finally trusting the bike as well as my skills.

Race one = success! Only ran in the women’s class, but my performance in the dirt section showed marked improvement. Next goal- jump the double =] We put new bars on between Stateline and this race so instead of mini bars I’m running grown up vars and it was a night and day difference in the control. Also adjusted the jetting (the oil to gas ratio that goes into the combustion) and set it for altitude. So all in all, high hopes for this season! Next race is May 18th in Grand Junction.

Well, first blog ever which I feel is an important first step! I started riding dirt bikes two years ago, beginning with a shared YZ450 that later blew up (I somehow got blamed for that one). After the Yami I got my very first bike, a Honda CR80 (big wheel) which is essentially a little kid bike that sits almost tall enough for an adult. I looked like a bear on a tricycle, but I was still learning how to ride on both asphalt and dirt. By the end of my second season (the 2013 season to be precise) I was ready for a bigger bike. This year I'm racing a Crf150R that was constructed with me in mind by Sisneros Speedworks, who has since left the racing scene, and I bought my bike from his sponsorship. It's a beautiful machine and I've all ready learned some tough lessons like how to not pull a superman over the bars and how to keep momentum in the dirt so you don't tip over. I race supermoto, which is a dirt bike with racing slicks and the course includes both asphalt and dirt. The idea is a sport for riders with multiple skills and more challenging for the seasoned rider. The Colorado Supermoto series is the league name but that seems to change every few years and races up and down the front range. I guess I wanted to blog my racing adventures through this season and beyond because I'm learning so much and making progress each time I get on the bike. So having said all that, I do race in a tutu that I make myself each year so I'm easy to spot and I've grown to love my moto family and accept that everyone literally knows everyone. More to follow, first race is this Sunday!