Tuesday, June 9, 2015

AHRMA Road America 2015

We had a big time and the racing was good too.  Officially the track opens Friday morning at 7:00 and both J.P. and I were there, waiting at the gate, Steve only a few minutes behind us.

Waiting at the gate and in line.....(5th)


Don brought a couple of his 2-strokes, one for Kathy, one for himself.


Steve brought the Yamaha this time...


It didn't take us long to make a stroll through the pits.


I believe that she's been featured here before....


J.P. was beside himself, both a GN400 and FT500 for sale....in one convenient location.  Dickering was done but no deal completed.


Imagine....Cleaning Products for Men....Hah!!


Two MSF instructors on fine machines.....



These folks are ready for ALL forms of recreation....


There are numerous couples in the pits that share this fun.....






They do it in the rain as well.....



This couple a perennial favorite of mine......


I wonder (not very much and not for very long) about the day I come home, last day on the job and say,  "Peg we need a retirement hobby...."



There were numerous bikes w/o combustion burning engines, this one in the 125 volt maximum limit class.


We got separated and then I saw the guys at the Aermacchi booth....


This one really caught my eye...





They're just so doggone pretty......


Kevin's Ariel is a different kind of pretty......





Saturday was a much nicer, warmer and sunnier day.  I made coffee early, thanks to my Coleman propane unit but we headed into Plymouth for breakfast and more coffee anyway.





  The Minnesota Hiawatha BMW contingent....I saw all of these guys a week ago.



Every year there's something going on in the Motorplex area of the complex; this year it was the Karts.




I overheard part of this discussion, a few things that needed improvement but overall a very successful run.




Will my CB200 ever look this good.....or go this fast??


 He was friendly and very fun to speak with; I learned much........


 His wife and daughter had just given him a Good Luck Kiss......


 ......still he managed to keep the HD running through it all.  Some old and new in this photo.


 The grid for all of Saturday's 12 races.......








Our ride through the Pits towards dinner.....


 On the way back to the track, J.P. requested that we take the scenic route.....I knew of one.



 Presenting the bright pink wrist band.....


 Through the under-track tunnel to the pits.....


 Part of our group after returning from dinner in Plymouth......


 
 We browned some grass Friday night and are just about ready to do it once more.


After a perfect weather Saturday, things weren't sounding as bright for Sunday.  Some sprinkles over night and a threat of rain that later didn't just threaten.  The MN BMW crew was still around, many of our fellow race admirers were heading out, especially so before the rain actually started.


Iowa Rod was there again on his Quota, we'll cross paths again at our next Guzzi event ......and two more after that.  Not that I'm tired of him.....far from it.



Definitely the way to go with bigger bikes.....when you're alone and lifting this far.  His Honda 750 seemed almost anxious to climb in.


 Steve packed up and left......Rod and Mike at that point were headed back to MN.


 Phil and I were sticking it out.  I debated about taking my shelter down while it was still dry but stubbornly gambled that things would clear.  I don't know how many times we checked the animated radar..."almost gone" was heard everywhere but it took forever to "almost gone."  Finally did happen though.


 The KLR definitely could have used more washing and is STILL waiting.  Maybe next weekend.







 No one likes to see this....I heard it and saw it happen.  Two riders went down hard, one taken away in the ambulance and only a few minutes later.....


From Fondy and one passenger short of full.....


Headed back to Fondy and fully loaded.


On the far south end of the pits, Pete and assistant were doing plug chops, trying to get his Sunday morning jet changes dialed in.  Whichever jets he was using, Pete's XS650 sounds and runs way stronger than mine does.



At the end of the Main Straight.......


I made one last pass around the track perimeter......Thursday afternoon I went past the barn and silo on Cty J, outside the grounds and seen here on my left.  Sunday I was inside.




 New Cadillac Cars........




 MN BMW guys headed for home.....


 Loaded up at 2:30 and on the road by 3:00, Race 7 underway, 5 more races to go, the Carousel was getting very quiet.


I had to stop on the way out and take this photo, my 2nd motorcycle looked almost exactly like this one.


I did go over and pay my respects before leaving though.....


My goodness what a great time with friends, an even better connection with the old ones and always a few new ones made.  Our friend Dick never made it due to a confrontation with a dog; our very own J.P. made the trip to Mt. Horeb to rescue bike and rider.  Sounds like most everyone else had a safe and fine trip home.  I'm already thinking about and anxious for next June to arrive.

A really great map of the track and grounds here.  Our spot is right in the SE corner of the Carousel.  A fraction over 4 miles of the most lovely, elevation changing fast roadway around.  The engines stop and the crickets are the loudest sound around.

8 comments:

  1. Nice shots of the side cars. Did it matter in the race which side the car was installed on? Or did they compete in different events?

    Thank you for the virtual tour!

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    1. Richard, we discussed that at length. I'm not sure what the decision process is about which side to hang the car on. The very nature of a looped track that goes clockwise would favor one way wouldn't it? I'm going to ask next year (now I HAve to return).

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  2. You managed to pack a lot into a long weekend. I enjoyed seeing all the pictures and chuckled at the one with the pink flamingo in it.

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    1. Those days seem so long and luxurious on the front end....and then afterwards, it flew by in what felt like a couple of days rather than double that.

      I guess I'll have to get more practice.

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  3. Don's Yammy, that's a nice bike. I like it best in your eclectic collection. What a weekend!

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    1. Don has or at least has had a choice of Yamaha 2 stroke twins from which to choose. This one is what Kathy rides and it sounded as though she would be more than willing to try something different.

      He only recently brought that old Kawasaki back to life.

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  4. Wow Coop, that was quite an event. I loved the mechanic with the smart phone (googling 'how to' no doubt!)

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    1. The AHRMA weekend is just great in so many ways. That Brooklyn couple make a real team, I've been witnessing that now for years.

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