Bultaco Blog

Snowman Cometh

Mon, 5 Oct 2009 20:30:01 -0700

Despite the threatening weather forecasts we packed up and headed back to Klamath Falls. The Bodner Ranch event was last in 2007 and was not on last year. The trials was so grand we had to go back. I took the Pursang on the off chance we wanted to stay on Sunday.

Just Uncle John and I went. Which was pretty decadent considering we had the 600 ft motorhome to ourselves... but sometimes that’s all that’s available. Uncle John had missed so many events this year I think he was just excited to get a full event in.

Leaves starting to turn along the Santiam Pass (Hwy 22)

We left Friday and had a nice drive down over the Santiam Pass, through Sisters and Bend and down 97. It was uneventful aside from a delay as they cleaned up a deadly motorcycle accident north of K Falls. Both the rider and passenger were killed when a SUV tried to pass and pulled into their lane. We got there well after the accident but the highway was shut down for quite a while.

We got to Bodner Ranch around 5pm and set up, had some dinner and talked with some folks.

It was about 25 degrees Friday night, plenty cold enough. It was going to be interesting to see if the bikes started in the morning. We sat them out in the sun for a bit before firing them up. It turned out to be little drama. I did fiddle with the carb to compensate for the 4000 ft elevation. It seemed to help a little.

The happy face is because it didn’t take 50 kicks to start the Bultaco on a cold morning. The smile was soon wiped by an atrocious first loop.

Section 2, the three line was about the same difficulty as the two line the last time. I didn’t make it pretty either.

Luckily Section 10 looked challenging but it really wasn’t. Which was good because after the extensive loop it was nice to finish with an easy one.

Vince Witman rode the two line with John. Which is why there are photos of them and not me.

Uncle John cruising through one of the lakeside sections. It was hard not to get distracted by the scenery...

Uncle John picking up his First Place medal from Rob Poole

Snow along Hwy 97 north of Klamath Falls. It snowed much heavier over the McKenzie Pass but wasn’t too bad.

It was a great trial. A bit challenging but still fun. Uncle John and Vince headed out with the rest of the intermediates and I took off by myself. I had a bit of problems with the first to water sections which didn’t set a good tone. I then proceeded to mostly swap Cleans or Fives.

It’s quite a long loop with some extremely challenging trails just getting to the sections. I needed to rest after getting to some of the sections just from the effort.

It ended up being a clear, sunny but cool day. Nothing to complain about there. The was a nice dinner Saturday night. We managed to get a table that caught the last sun of the day but that only made it tolerable. The rest of the time was spent in the comfort of the heated RV. I was not complaining!

We packed up and left Sunday morning as they were getting ready for the motocross. It was very cold and snowing lightly. A perfect time to exit.

Uncle John ended up taking the Intermediate class. After all the challenges this year it was a great way to finish.

I had the flat tire in Crooked River but even with that I will have 6 events in this year. I think they throw out the DNF from Crooked River so I will have 5 qualifying events for the series. We’ll see if that is enough to place.

Lakeside panoramic

The Classic

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 20:35:48 -0700

John, Grant, Dave

With well over 100 riders at the National we were interested to see how many were going to show up at the Premier & Classic. It turned out there were more than 60. We had John, Grant and myself.

63 eager trials enthusiasts

Once we got back from the riders meeting, John’s bike wouldn’t run and Grant discovered he didn’t bring his helmet. Grant decided he would check and John had to watch. So that left me to represent the UJVR team.

Grant checked the infamous “barb wire fence” section. Ironically after years of fear this section doesn’t bother me what so ever. I just balance the brake and sometime clutch until I get to the bottom then let the big Bultaco pull me up the hill. Grant had not much to do on this section, just punch the “0”.

This section on the other hand was my nemesis. The first time I cleared it. Alas the next couple times was weren’t so nice. I stalled or crashed at this exact spot. Hmmm.

This stupid log caught me the first time. I was too cocky and thought I’d roll right over it and didn’t have enough momentum and had to dab. I didn’t have the same problem the next two times!

It was raining pretty hard when we showed up but cleared up quickly. There was a shower during the event but it wasn’t too bad. Some of the muddier sections got me and I had more 5’s than I wanted. I think I ended up about 9th. I guess I need to keep riding so I can actually have a decent finish one of these days...

Last man standing

The Farm 2009

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:04:16 -0700

Once again we loaded up and headed to The Farm. This time Jenn and Sophie came out on Friday to go “camping” (well, a tent was involved...). I had assumed that due to the economy The Farm might be a little smaller this year, that turned out to be false. One report I saw said trials entries were actually up to a new record (new records being broken each year) with 105. Last year was 95. This has to be the largest vintage trials in the country. Another record we had broken was highest temperatures recently, luckily we hit a cooling spell right before the event. Aside from a few very light sprinkles the weather was perfect.

The trials went great for me... for a while. I made it through the first loop with only 2 points. I’m pretty sure I had never done that before. One of the last sections we had was a huge mud puddle, the water/mud was over my ankles (with my feet on the pegs). We had never seen a section like this and I’m pretty sure the ignition side was not ready for this. Afterwards the bike wouldn’t run right and the next two loops were disastrous. I did manage 14th in the end.

Speaking of disastrous... all of the Yamahas refused to right right. They may have taken too much abuse at Donner. Brad, er Jeff, was able to get out for a few sections beore retiring. John didn’t even venture out at all and Grant did his best with a poor running bike.
 
Grant on Section 10

Keith managed somewhat better on the Green Beast finishing somewhere near the top of the pile in Intermediate Modern Classic. The Modern Classic classes were so huge that awards went into the teens. He was just outside that.

Dave on Section 9

Jenn and Sophie went home Saturday after the trials. I think it was enough “camping”...

It took a while to get the Bultaco started in the morning. Once it did start I never had another problem. I think after 3 years of racing I should probably put at least some new rings in...

Dave on the starting line

Keith had signed up for two classes. I should mention that although he rides a LOT, he had never raced motocross. He had ridden his Kawaski around his yard but that probably isn’t the best indication of what it could do.

Keith coming around to the start/finish

I went out for one lap at practice. One, so I didn’t get too tired and two, so I didn’t get run over. Open practices are a wee crazy... and dangerous.

I was up first in Heat 3. I got a good start but still couldn’t keep up. Didn’t help when I got stuck on an uphill. Luckily I managed to keep it running. That spot caught a lot of riders that day, not all of them managed to keep their bikes upright. Keith wiped there once or twice.

Dave about to get passed...

Keith coming out of the riverbed

Keith went out in Heat 5, and made it around the first couple corners before the bike died. Back in the pits we found a flopping carb. Massive air leaks are not conducive to a successful race. The carb was tightened up and off he went again in Heat 10. We kept asking Keith what he thought of racing and he kept muttering something about the vintage bikes having no suspension travel. It’s too easy to get soft with the new bikes.

This is what it looks like when your petcock comes loose and pours gas on your engine and exhaust

John went out in his heat (12). I think this was his first race in 3 years. I think he’s hoping for a shot at the 70+ class in three more years. :-)

John on the back side of the track

We wrapped up the afternoon heats with no more drama. It was time to pack up and go home. Once again we survived The Farm. We’ll be back in a few weeks for the Premier & Classic trials. I really need to get an older bike together so I can race at that event. Maybe one day...

Donner 2009

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:00:54 -0700

We headed down to Donner again. Mike and Deb (and Emily) also went south to Donner on their long journey around the country.

Grant and John in the RV

As Grant had never been to In-N-Out we had to make a stop. Well, actually we had to stop there regardless. :-) I had my first Animal-style Fries. I’m glad I don’t live closer to an In-N-Out... I’d be keeping a cardiologist busy.

When we rolled in the parking was much emptier than previous years. There weren’t as many big motor coaches. By Saturday the lot had filled up and the final number of participants was the same as before.

For those of you keeping track this is NOT what you should look like when riding trials

It should be more like this...

Or this

Slightly better but again not the greatest form

Uncle John around some very close trees

Up and out

Trying not to get crossed up

This is what happens when the rocks win

Winners always get the women

Mike took first on Day One in Novice. I think he had less points all day than I would have in one section. I also had a bad get-off and managed to bang myself up. But we cleaned things up and got ready for the second day. John decided to observe on Sunday.

It might look like I’m in control... but I’m not

Grant through one of the easier sections

Grant up and around the marker

Mike strolling through the section

Customary scenic shot

I should probably be looking at the big rock I’m about to hit

Grant cruising through the granite

Perfect decent

One more turn

Mike again took First the second day, but just barely. Which wasn’t a bad 40th birthday present. Grant talked him into a strange path through one section and he Fived. Otherwise he would have had 2 points the whole day. He tied but won because of the number of cleans. Grant managed a Third.

We packed up and headed home. We once again got caught in traffic heading into Reno, at least this time it was construction and not a dead body. We were so delayed because of the construction we didn’t get as far as we would have liked. We did stay in a nice RV park in Susanville, CA. The next day we cut across to Mt. Shasta and rolled up I-5.

It was a blast and I’m sure Mike had a great time. He’s already planning on coming out for Chehalis next year.

Hog Hollow Weds Nite

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:18:45 -0700

The Uncle John’s Team descended on the fabled Hog Hollow to dominate the Vintage B class. Everyone was properly attired aside from the renegade Bultaco rider (who also viciously shuns the other non-Spainish steeds...).

Keith dragged one of his boys out for his first trial. He was very game considering the 600 lb. Kawasaki he was burdened with. The good news is that the mosquito population was properly decimated in the wake of the KT.

Keith and Andy

That’s the look of, “What has my dad got me into?!?!?”

Being a Wednesday nite event for the COTA folks, it’s always a fun event, 4 rounds with 5 sections. Not knowing of the arrival of the huge contingent of creaky old bikes (and some creaky old riders) some of the sections were more challenging that others.

Keith’s son Andy not realizing that the section doesn’t go UP the tree

Two of the sections were more trouble than I liked. Maybe once I learn to ride a little better (i.e. get the whole braking and turning at the same time thing down...) they won’t be so bad. While Keith waddled through Uncle John’s Section 5, my first foray through the rocks and boulders was less successful. I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and declined to attempt the rocky path again.

This is the only time the feet were on the pegs during the whole section

And to show that a fiver to each of the checkers brings the proper rewards, the scoring was “adjusted” to allow me to edge out Grant for second, but just barely. I still have a chance to defend my Wednesday Nite Championship (assuming that I don’t tell Keith when or where the next event is and I once again sabotage Grant’s carburetor).

Keith through the poison ivy

Exiting with style

Just happy to get up the hill

I’m not sure I’ve ever been so tired after an event for a while. But it sure was fun.

Grant angling for the exit

My bike also ran like crap during the second half, but I went home and later sorted the Amal properly. And a new spark plug didn’t hurt. The bike is so finely tuned that now the briefest hint towards the kickstarter and it leaps alive. Enough to scare the unprepared.

Up next the spectacular Donner event.