Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category.

I was sitting at work, looking at all my desk toys wondering what I should do with them other than let them sit there and collect dust. Then I ran into a Gizmodo article about Darth Vader and Billy the Chipmunk, which lead me to Chris McVeigh’s Flickr stream.

And I was briefly inspired.

That’s all.

WMRRA cornerworkers in the morning. Photo by Jason Tanaka.

Ever since I first considered riding at the track, I’ve always thought that I had a grasp of what I was really getting myself into. Whether it was the physical risk I was taking, the expenses involved, or the time required, I was willing to endure it all for the occasional kick in the pants. Even through the incidents and injuries I’ve already sustained since I’ve jumped into it, I haven’t given it a second thought. Until today.

This first race weekend was planned out to be super easy. Saturday, participate in the first race and make it my goal to be in very last place, which would ensure that I wasn’t riding over my head. Sunday would be spent cornerworking and getting some of my Novice graduation requirements out of the way since it wouldn’t be the nicest weather, anyway.

Unfortunately, Saturday was rained out for me, since I didn’t have a set of rain tires to go with the puddle-riddled track. I still went to the track in the morning just to check out how everyone was doing and if there was anything I could help with. The place was so full of volunteers that I couldn’t really add much. I was gone by noon and still managed to make a pleasant day out of it.

Today (Sunday) started out just as expected. Get there in time for the 7am cornerworker meeting, grab coffee and breakfast, get our assignments, and go enjoy the races while performing our duties. The clouds were staying high, the track was drying up, and we had gone three practice sessions without incident. One more and I get to see my one teammate that managed to get out this weekend, Donny, run his first race.

I was assigned to the inside of turn 2 with Karl and Mel, which was freshly paved this year and ridiculously flawless. With such new asphalt compared to its previous, almost cobblestone state, the racers’ lines were smoother and more confident through this: one of the two high speed carousels of the track. It seemed to me like nothing would be happening today at our corner.

That was my exact thought as I watched the exit of turn 2 just moments before Mel yelled “bike down” from half a step behind me as she watched the turn entrance. I heard the familiar crunch and scrape of a bike hitting the asphalt before I managed to turn my head to see the rider and bike fly into the tire wall at what looked like full straightaway speed.

From that point forward, things seemed to come in segments. Running to the track edge and waiting, seemingly for an eternity, for the red flag to be called and the racers to see it and stop. Realizing, as I look across the track impatiently waiting, that the downed rider hasn’t moved this entire time. Finally crossing the track and gravel and having my heart sink at the sight of the situation. Hearing Mel call to him and telling him that we were there, trying to reach him through those distant eyes with comforting words. Wondering what was taking the ambulance, the medics, the Life Flight helicopter so long to get there. Standing back and feeling useless as Race Rescue, paramedics and firefighters all took turns trying to revive him. Things didn’t start gelling together again until I was making a statement to the county sheriff.

Things seemed to be taken a notch down when they got him breathing again and a pulse. Not really wanting to leave the scene until we were sure that the authorities got everything they needed, I watched the helicopter lift off with him strapped to a backboard. I found myself wondering what if that were me? One of my close friends? Family?

Since Bryan, I quit riding on the street. It wasn’t safe. The track became a haven. It was relatively safer, and it wasn’t quitting riding altogether. Just when and where I did it. But for the first time since I first got on the saddle, I’m thinking of quitting motorcycles forever.

Claud Jinks passed away today at Harborview Medical Center. Condolences to his friends and family. Rest in peace.