MX101 in Epping, NH

[towman910]

Took my steelie to check out the new track up there on Saturday. For anyone from the area, it's out behind New England Dragway in Epping. $30 for riders, 10 for spectators, open practice 1-5 Wed, 8-5 Sat/Sun. It was the first time I've really ridden in about 7 years, and my first time ever on a real track, so I was a little nervous. Some buddies told me that they're really laid back up there, nobody's gonna care if I'm slow, so I gave it a try. Wicked good time. I should've tried that shit a long time ago.

I guess I was faster than most of the quads and little kids on 80's and one girl on a KTM that never got out of second gear, but other than that I was getting dusted. By the end of the day, I was clearing some of the smaller step-ups and keeping my speed up a bit better in the corners.

I did find one thing, though. When you show up a bike that's 20 years old in good shape, you make quite a few friends. When that 20-year-old bike in good shape is a 5hundy, EVERYONE wants to come talk to you at your truck. I got the same story five or six times, usually along the lines of "I used to ride with a guy who used to have one of those... it was fukn SICK!"

All in all, a great time, and I'll be back for sure, maybe even next weekend. Even though I'm never going to race for real, it's a blast to run a track like that and I think it'll make me a better rider everywhere else when I'm play-ridin around, too. Just gotta start doing some grip and wrist curl exercises during my gym workouts so I can hold onto that damn bike for more than four laps at a time.