June and July 2009

 

June was kinda a light month for the but an exciting one non the less. I had a family cruise so my track days were limited. The TPM calendar was light but TPM had a major event at NJMP. TPM and NJMP are putting on an expo. Track day, stunt show, vendors, race and a bike show. I was sitting on a boat when the event is on. Mike made it for on day and reported that it was amazing the number people there and everyone seemed to have a good time. TPM reported the event drew some 3000 people but too bad the gate sales didn't prove it. Later in June Mike and I did a day at Shenandoah. The weather faired on our side and was clear for most of the day. The track is a technical track so speed is not on the menu for the day. However any time on the bike is good and

 

 

July started at NJMP on the 4th for 3 days. The trend for NJMP has been clear weather but always seems to be on the hot side of the temperature gauge. These 3 days prove no different, when the clock reads 8:30 and you’re on your 3rd or 4th bottle of water. It’s going to be a hot day. With the first call for rider to the grab my gear and suit up. The bike is bit rough to start but fires and is idling away while I get on my gear. Mike’s is helping covering late comers to tech and the helping out in the trailer. First session out and the bike is not quite 100%. Mike lets me take “the hammer” out to do my coaching duties. With some help from Mike, CBRBob, Ken and Dan Heverly my bike sits in the shade. Battery charger on it and later I did try it but still the same issues. When Mike ready to ride we swap and Mike takes the hammer and I jump on the F4 to finish out the day. This is s typical NJMP day were we spend the day talking to riders, try to get them to understand that being on line is real important. We end the day the way we started it and with all of and our bikes in one piece. We got a room at the track so we cook up some burgers and refuel from the days activities. Off in the corner of the paddock we have a mini track setup and some riders and kids are taking advantage of it. We enjoy the cooler part of the day walking about and talking with other in the paddock. As night falls we head in for some sleep.

 

Next day start the same as others, we jump into action and get the day off and running like always. I steal some time and the bike is still not right so it loaded on the trailer for the day. Mike and Andy offer their bikes for me to use. It’s great to have friends like this. Andy’s bike is an older R6 like mine but with Bridgestone’s so it’s a interesting to try a new set of tires. Mike tosses a rear Bridgestone on also. After a few laps we find these tires rather grippy and very stable. Mike battles with Ken for a bike at the end of the day and we add another person to battle with.

 

Late August brought Mike to Summit main with his friend Kevin. Summit main over the years has gone from bad to great to good back to bad again. The weather was in their favor today and mike and Kevin had some fun. Mike took the time to learn the 1000 and is riding it well and now means trouble for the rest of us.   

 

August 2009

 

Early August sends us south to VIR for 3 days. This time we'll be doing the south for 2 days and the North for the last with a special treat at the end of the last day. This time of year in southern Virginia is always hot and this year will be no different. The forecast for temps in the 90's and some rain on Saturday. Well let's just say they are right, for once.

 

This trip started a while with plans of Mike, Jack and I doing all 3 days. As with all good plans in our heads sometimes they don't quite work out. First Mike has to work Saturday and Monday, so he's only coming down on Sunday. Next Jack has some surgery, in very tender place and somewhere you really don't want sharp instruments. Jack recover time is bit longer then planned and can't ride but was willing to make the trip anyways. Jack a real trooper because he didn't want to leave Mike and I out of transportation and a place to stay. Again like all good plans they change. Jack one hurting puppy as we get close and decides to take the time to recover and finalize everything for our winter trip. Which, we are very very grateful for and I'll talk about later. So a quick call to Dave Vega and Andy and I got transportation and a place to stay for the event. Dave and Andy are super guys and great friends to have. Anyways, so my home for the next for days is the TPM trailer with Andy doing all the driving, (thanks Andy) and Dave and I as co-pilots.

 

The days before we leave are busy with me getting my bike from Mike on Wednesday then on Thursday I meet Andy at the TPM shop to load my bike and gear to save time on Friday. Dave is meeting at Andy's on Friday afternoon to load up. Plan is for me to meet Andy and Dave at Andy's place and head south from there. This part of plan goes off without a problem other them me being 20 minutes late. The rain on the PA turnpike turns a highway into a parking lot. With a heavy right foot I make up as much time as I can and get us on the road by 4:45pm.

 

On the road the same weather that held me up in Pa is now moved east and is holding us up in Jersey. With the slow moving traffic we make our way south and into the night. Realize the TPM rig is basically a tractor trailer cab with sleeping and storage and a decent size trailer behind it, so starts and stops are the exact opposite of what we do on the track. So we make good time considering our size and weight. The typical, "Where are you?" and "How's traffic?" calls are made and it look like clear sailing from Maryland down.

 

We arrive close to Danville about 2am, we stop at the Pilot for diesel and to top off our gas cans is a major process. First of the diesel pumps are about a mile from the building with the gas pumps on the other side of the building. So we get some ice and other supplies and admire the other people in the building. After many hours on the road don't look so hot either but some of the locals are well lubracated and look pretty wrecked. Dave and I gather up supplies and Andy fills the rig and pulls it closer. We grab the cans and walk them to the pumps. Andy heads inside and a few minutes later meets us as we are heading back. Seems Andy's adventure in the store was a lot different then Dave's and mine. Seem Andy got offered some personal attention, below the waist, for a fee of $20. Dave and I must have missed that isle. Back on the road and heading to the track we get into the paddock at about 3am and 30 minutes later it lights out and we are fast asleep.

 

The alarms go off in the trailer far too soon but we are up and moving as the sun comes up. All coaches are reporting for duty and hard at work setting up for the day. We see familar faces and say hello. Turnout today is kinda light but a decent number of people non the less. We progress though the morning and get ready to ride. By 9am it pretty hot out already and the forecast is for more heat and it's right. The Herverly's, Ken our new Team Xcedrin member, and his son Dan along with Alison have never been here so we chat about the track. I missed the first session so I didn't get to help them. They are rather track savvy all so they pick up the track pretty quickly.

 

As the afternoon wears on the heat is relentless and as the day ends the heat can really wipe you out. Fluids and food help but AC works the best. Even with the sun down it was still hot. We lock a few things up and take Ralph’s truck out to eat. Ham's makes a good stop for food and some refreshments. A quick stop for some gas, ice and some snacks at the Pilot. No personal attention this time for Andy, and we head back to the track. We hang out and talk with other before getting some much needed rest. Mike is enroute and Gregg White was nice enough to clear a spot on the floor for Mike. AC is far better then outside or in the TPM trailer.

 

Morning comes and we are greeted with some rain but the promise to clear weather after lunch. Since its Sunday quite time comes at 11 and despite the rain it did nothing to cool things off. Basically it turned into more of a sauna then anything. After the break we head to a wet track but drying in spots. A few sessions later Mike, Dave, Andy and I head out for a session. Mike and Andy check out and I chase Vega for the session. Mike takes the win for this session. We do this again later and Mike jumps on the F4 this time and without Andy. I’m left watching the Mike and Dave battle off in the distance. In this session we run up on Dan on Allison bike, so it wasn’t fair but he’s still hard to pass. Later in the day Mike goes out on the 1000 with Vega and I watch from the paddock. Allison joins me on the wall as she watching Ken and Dan battle too. Most times the kid (Dan) gets the best of Ken but not today. After the session was over we all meet at Ken, Dan and Allison pit and we all chat about the session. The day ends with us loading up Mike and sending him on this way home. Dave, Andy, Kenny and I are joined by Cecil at the Mexican place in Danville. We head back to the track for some sleep.

 

Monday bring more hot weather as the last 2 day did. By the riders meeting we are in the heat of the day with no relief in site. First few sessions are done and as lunch time rolls around and I find shade and AC to cool off and from the hottest part of the day. I help out Andy with getting things ready for the race at lunch time. I get the cones out for the grid and flag as I’ll be holding the board and helping Ken with the flags. Also in the race I call out the bike numbers for Jeremy as he scoring the race. The race is a 2 wave start with the 1000 and 600 in separate races. Dave and Andy are in the 600 race. Dave battles we Rob, a fellow TPM coach. Dave takes the lead as they enter turn 1 on the last lap and holds off Rob for the win. Dave dedicates the race to Omar who’s still at home recovering.

 

Glen made a deal with the club on the south to combine the clubs and use the grand course. This incorporates most of the pavement available at VIR. The track is neat with some strange sections and we all try to figure it out. Andy, Dave and I get one session in on this course as we load up the TPM to get on the road as soon as we can. We get it done with some help from the other coaches. We get on the road by 6:30pm and head off into the distance. We stop at Hardies on the way home for some food and Andy takes the helm and point the rig north. We talk about the day and Dave takes the time for nap as I assume the copilot position. We run up and south of DC and Dave and I switch seats. As the clock gets close to 10 I get some sleep. A few hours later I wake up and it now about 4am and we are getting close to Andy’s house. Traffic was really bad after I nodded off and it made for a long trip. We get to Andy job and he jump in a bed and Dave takes me over to Andy to get my car. Dave heads back to Andy and the rig. I head into work and off to a normal day.

 

The rest of the month is a wash for Mike and I as work and family dominate our time. The end of the month has the option of us heading to Shenandoah for a day. Mike might have the chance to ride Thunderbolt on the 24th.

 

The winter plans Jack was home making are taking himself, Mike and I going to Laguna Seca in December. Jack got the flight, hotel, track day and bike rentals all taken care of. Jack you are the man, my friend. Being on the east coast this is a trip of a lifetime, unless of course one of us hits the lottery but the chances are more likely for us to be doing 1:27 at VIR north.                                               

   

 

We add more adventures to tell in our later years sitting on the porch in our rocking chairs to whoever will listen.

 

George Benes

Team Xcedrin Storyteller

#929