Wheelie-time

When Cade came to me earlier saying he had learned how to pop a wheelie, I wasn't sure what he was talking about because I had been watching him ride for a half hour and hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. He told me where he had been doing these so called wheelies. He was getting the front tire off the ground a few inches.
So as any mom cheerleader mom would I got my camera out and Cade performed by doing wheelies like this over and over. I am happy that he is getting this comfortable with the bike but at the same time I think we need to look into knee guards and maybe a kidney belt.

-moto Mom

Videos of practice at Tomahawk

     Fun times were had at Tomahawk. We went with out Moto Mom, Moto Sister, and Moto Brother. Just the two of us hanging around between all the activities. We decided to add an extra practice, one with the Junior Minis. The extra practice seemed to help. Enthusiasm increased, confidence boosted, more seat time and more gas was burned! We were ready for Race Day on Sunday.
    Trying a new launch technique for the first moto proved more practice was needed. Going sideways out of the gate is not good! Ended up third to last to the first turn. Moved up to mid pack before wiping out. Not remembering to pinch the bike was the answer to why the wreck happened, finished 15th. Moto two went better. Good start with good performance yielded a ninth place finish. With 16 riders, a good finish for this season.  Spirits were high when we packed up to head home.
     The new chain made it on before first practice and the RK Racing Chain performed flawlessly. No problems with the bike or the truck to report. Everything made it home in one piece without drama!

     The weather was good for the track, but hot and humid during the peak of the day. Wanting some a/c was on everyone's mind. Glad to have snowballs on hand at the concession stands. This provided some needed relief. Our water cooler packed with ice worked wonders even sitting in direct sun. A camper with working a/c would be nice! Tents do not provide relief from sun and humidity.

Tomahawk again

I was glad that I was able to go to the same track twice in a row. This time the track was a lot more firm. I definitely felt more comfortable. I practiced with the Junior Minis this time too. I wanted to race with them too but my Dad said not this weekend.
Moto 1 - I came in 15 out of 16 because on the 2nd lap because I pushed too hard when I jumped the step up and I landed wrong. Before that I was running in 7th or 8th.
Moto 2 - I was 2nd into the hole shot and I came in 9 out of 16 to finish.

When I came home I asked my mom if we really could make some whoops in our yard. I wish I could ride all day, every single day.

The heart of motocross

This is one of the best videos on motocross, or anything else I have seen. It is worth sitting for the 21 minutes to watch.

Weekend at Tomahawk

      Tomahawk was not quite the drive that VMP is for us, but there is pretty much nothing out there. So bring everything you might need or hope that you can borrow from someone or buy it there. It is beautiful and quiet. The ground is very rocky.  If you are camping be sure to bring a hammer and extra tent stakes.
     Cade wants to get the holeshot. He had 3rd, and 2nd. He is one of the first off the line and quick to get his feet on the pegs. With every race he gets more and more confident in his riding.

      This track has deck platforms where you can stand to watch from different areas of the track, which is awesome.  The track gets very deep ruts. The first practice only 5 of the 12 racers went out for practice. 9 went out the second time. 

     We met John Barto of Foundation 529. We thought this was a great cause and John was very knowledgeable about helmets and neck braces. We had John rate Cade's gear, and he said that his is pretty good. The only thing is that the padding inside his helmet has been compressed some and is at approximately 90% but that was still pretty high for wearing it for the past almost year. If you happen to see Foundation 529 make sure to stop by their booth!
     They also had a $5 charity lap for the foundation, to help supply more racers with proper protective equipment. We all hope that what happened to the Barto family never happens to anyone else. Supporting them in their cause is a great way to help make that become a reality.

Great weekend at VMP

The truck had a fuel issue only 18 miles from VMP and we had to get a tow to the track, thanks to the AMA roadside! I almost didn't get the roadside. My personal opinion is GET IT! It was totally worth it. We broke down around 11pm and were at the track by 1am. 

The track...Cade said it was his favorite track so far! It is only between 4 and 5 hours away. We will most likely only visit this one on race weekends because the VA traffic is killer. The track has a bathroom with showers in it, which is a plus for those who stay in tents. The food is a bit more pricey than some of the other tracks, though everything tastes good. 

Cade scored some Lucas Oil and also bought a MyLaps transponder. It made more sense to buy one since he wants to keep racing.  

He finally had the chance to try out the new SteelMX hand grips. We ordered them on a Sunday. Thursday afternoon I started wondering about the order because we had to leave on Friday to get to the track.  I called the company and left a message. Friday early afternoon I still hadn't heard anything so I sent an email.  Around 3pm I had still not heard anything so I called again. No one answers or returns emails. When we got home on Sunday they were in the mailbox with a shipping label that had been printed Thursday afternoon.  Either they got my message on Thursday or they take 4 days to process and package shipments.

Cade's review was that they felt good while he was riding. His hands didn't slide around at all. He would recommend the hand grips to anyone who needs a pair! They come in tons of different colors to match whatever you want.

-moto Mom

Green grips from SteelMX

      A couple days ago I posted a picture of a very sad looking break lever, and in that picture you can see a very sad looking hand grip. Even worse is that the other very sad looking hand grip doesn't even match the one in the photo. While rebuilding the engine, hand grips were the last thing on the list. After this past race weekend they are turning into a necessity.
      A couple hours after I posted that picture we received a message about sponsorship from SteelMX who has these awesome looking hand grips, and guess who should receive a green pair this week! Check back for a review after this weekend. They will be making a trip to Blue Diamond MX Park.
      Now, if he could get a hook up on some new handlebars from Renthal or Outlaw.


-moto-Mom

The little things

http://instagram.com/p/YQucVXPyUx/
I just realized that the brake lever was not in the same shape as it was before this past weekend. I asked Cade about it. He said he remembered when it happened but it didn't matter because he could still brake.
Looks like we need to get some spares to have on hand.

-moto-Mom

Motocross crash course

    This was Cade's second time to Budds Creek He went to Budds Creek at the very end of February and killed his bike.  He tried all day to make a full lap.  After his second time out and not finishing a lap he was very discouraged.  The track is pretty brutal in my mom-opinion, but he practiced until the last time for the day when his bike died going up one of the larger hills.  It would not restart so we just brough it home. Once it was home it did start but sounded horrible and 'moto-Dad' will have to fill you in on the greasy details.
    After many dollars were spent on parts and tools and many hours put in to rebuild the bike it was alive again but not until after the first MAMA race. It was finally together the week before the second race of the season.  He did a few laps around the yard and wasn't able to get back on it until Saturday, April 13 for practice.
    On April14, the first moto for his class ended in a restart due to a few kids piling up on the first lap.  From what I heard, everyone was okay.  Cade got a warning for passing on a red flag but we weren't sure when or where that happened. Note to self, go over flags again before the next race.
    The moto 1- He got to the staging really early because we were not sure how long the races were or how long it would take him to get back to camp and get geared up.  The moto 2- He was still the early but not as early.  He only fell one time but he was able to get out from under the bike and someone was able to come help him restart it.
    He ended up finishing in 9th the second race. I was proud that he was actually doing laps on his second time to the track.  The track seems built for bigger bikes.  It was awesome to watch some of the more experienced guys tearing it up! Even if you don't ride a dirt bike, it would make for a great weekend with the family.
    When we heard that everyone camps at the track, we imagined how we camp. I guess that is considered "roughing it" because our only upgrade has been an air mattress for our tent.  Everyone was great. The kids had fun, started making friends, and everyone was friendly and helpful when we asked questions.  It is very much like a community.  We had a great experience for our crash course in mx racing and look forward to seeing everyone again in 2 weeks!

-moto-Mom

Ready for this weekend!

I asked Cade to get his mx gear together so they can leave for Budds Creek tonight. 
Boots..check.
Chest protector..check.
Gloves..check.
Neck brace..check.
Helmet..check.
This is what I saw when I went into the garage!
http://instagram.com/p/YBMEGCPyTw/
Gotta love it!

- Moto-mom

The Leatt neck brace

After a lot of research, watching videos on YouTube and reading reviews, we decided to purchase the Leatt GPX Club II from Motorcycle Closeouts.
What sold us on the Leatt Club was the way it goes on and off. It seemed the most sturdy, yet comfortable and had the most adjustments. The padding looked streamlined and durable, and also said to be removable and washable, which was a plus. The same day the box arrived we put it together and had to test it out. Cade said "I can't even tell I'm wearing it. I felt more confident riding faster because I knew I was safer when I am wearing the neck brace." It was a little tricky to get it off with the chest protector on, at first. Other than that, it is pretty simple. The tight fit might have to do with the chest protector being a Thor. It has extra pieces to extend the neck brace, so I can see it fitting for a long time. He just turned 9 and is average stature. We had to use the smallest pin, as well as the wedge in the back to make it more narrow. When the time comes to adjust it, I am sure that he will have no problems doing that himself.
Motorcycle Closeouts had some great reviews and a few not so good reviews. I was a little leery because I had never heard of them before but they ran a flash sale, which if you have never checked out the site DO IT! The sale was only 2 days, and they run sales like that a lot, so keep checking back. We qualified for free shipping and the shipping time was quick! I would definitely purchase from them again!

-Moto Mom

Registered and ready to ride

The beginning...

When Cade was three, he was jumping hills and doing tricks on his little red 12" bike. He would stand on the seat and attempted to ride with no hands. Cade has always been persistant with everything he does and will try and try again until he has mastered it. One day, he must have seen a motocross race on t.v. because he began asking for a dirt bike. When we asked why he wanted a dirt bike he simply replied "I want a dirt bike so I can jump it over a pit of fire!" The animated arm movements, and the seriousness in his voice let me know that he would eventually jump a pit of fire on a dirt bike. I would just be the moto-mom waiting in the pits with a water bottle.
That was almost 6 years ago. I am finally ready to send him out on a machine that weighs more than he does so he can try to attain his dream of being a professional dirt bike rider.

-Moto-mom