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
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
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
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
On the road the same weather
that held me up in Pa is now moved east and is holding us up in
We arrive close to
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
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
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
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
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