Passes & Canyons Blog

You’ve got to love it when you run across a piece of writing that makes you say, “Everyone ought to read this–it’s great!”

I did just that the other day when I paid a visit to Fasthair, a biker blogger in Iowa whose blog I link to in the sidebar column to the right of this post, under “Favorite Links.”

First off, that’s a picture of him, and yes, he’s on a bike wearing a tuxedo. This is a piece of the photo he uses on his blog, and it’s worth it to go to his blog just to see the whole picture. Then, of course, you need to read the story behind the picture. Fasthair, if you have any problems with me using this piece of your photo just let me know and I’ll remove it.

But, back to my main topic, Fasthair recently posted a story, My First Time, where he tells about his first day wrenching for a nitro-powered motorcycle dragster. I’ll quote just a few lines here, to whet your appetite, but I don’t want to spoil the story. Go read it yourself.

It snorted nitro out the carburetor instead of ingesting it the first time Frog whacked the throttle, it did it couple of more time just for good measure a couple of seconds later.

With what I’m sure was a surprised look on my face I said matter-of-factually “it needs more fuel.”

opening the crankcase drain so what oil is there can drain and I drain the oil tank of what looks like a babies diaper on a bad day

“I’ve got a little trick for that” he replies pointing to the little can hanging off the front of the carb.

OK, now go read the rest yourself.

Biker Quote for Today

The nasty little bugger looked like it was going 90 miles an hour when it was standing still in my garage. — Hunter S. Thompson

I am struck by the number of bikers being killed. If you search the web, as I do, for motorcycle-related news items, the reports of biker deaths are endless.

On most days there are several. Of course, today, when I planned to copy in the headlines here to make my point, there are none. Today is not a typical day.

I try not to take it out of proportion. If you did a similar search for automobile-related stories I’m sure you would be buried in accident reports. And being more conscious of these fatalities does not make me feel more at risk, as it might some people. If anything, I feel perhaps less at risk because my awareness keeps me vigilant.

Nevertheless, the daily barrage can’t help but make me think. Why are these people dying? What mistakes are they making? What mistakes are other motorists making? How can these deaths be prevented? What can I learn from this?

I’m not the only one asking these questions. A new motorcycle accident study began recently that promises to update and expand on the understanding derived from the Hurt study of 30 years ago.

In a recent issue of American Motorcyclist magazine there were a couple letters from readers arguing that another study was a waste because thanks to the Hurt study we already know the reasons for the crashes. The AMA responded saying “. . . the traffic environment has changed dramatically in the 30 years since the data were collected . . . a new study of U.S. motorcycle crashes can have far-reaching effects on how we teach motorcyclists and drivers, and shed new light on exactly how to reduce the number of crashes.”

But it will be several years before this new study yields its wisdom, so in the meantime we ought to at least make use of what we know already. And that includes these three points:

• Untrained riders have more accidents
• New, inexperienced riders have more accidents
• Riders who have been drinking have more accidents

Now, there’s only one remedy for being a new rider, and that’s to get out there and ride and gain experience. The other two are simple–get some training and don’t mix booze and bikes.

I’m no pollyanna, I know people will have a beer at a stop on the ride. I’ve done that myself. But don’t have four. We all need to remember that “Live to ride, ride to live” presupposes one crucial point: You’ve got to stay alive or you can’t do either.

Biker Quote for Today

Don’t argue with an 18-wheeler.

We had the opportunity to do a lap at the yet-to-open High Plains Raceway today. Yeah, OK, we were in a pick-up and I wasn’t even driving but it was still a blast.

You may recall my last post about this new racetrack, just a few weeks shy of a year ago. I’ve been checking the website periodically but it had been awhile, so I checked again this morning.

Well, blow me away, they’re set to open! Like in about one month. I had to see this so Judy and I climbed on the Kawi and scooted on out there. We saw a truck going around the course, and the gate was open, but we were hesitant. Then a car came heading out and I flagged the folks down to ask. They said to just go on in, that the track manager would be happy to see us and would give us a ride around the track. We went in.

Pulling up at the office, there were two bikes parked there and the silver pick-up. Doug Shaffar is the track manager and he was telling two other bikers about the place at the end of their cruise around. We joined in the conversation, the other two were ready to take off, and Doug said “Get in. Let’s take a ride.”

On the 2.5-mile loop he stopped frequently to explain the lay-out of the track. Early on you come down a nice straightaway right into what he said is called “Danny’s Lesson,” a decreasing radius right-hander that would get your adrenaline pumping just fine if you went into it too fast. On around and up what he called the “High Plains Drift” and through the others of the 15 curves.

We hadn’t counted on anything like this when we headed out. I just figured I wanted to go see it and shoot some pictures. I had dim hopes that I’d find someone I could ask some questions of, but to actually get out on the track and get a full-blown tour was way cool. And guess what? You can do it, too. I asked Doug specifically if it would be OK for me to tell folks they can come out and get the same treatment and he said absolutely. Now, he’s not always there, but if he is, you’re welcome. If you want to call ahead the number is 303-769-4771.

You might want to do it soon, though because in just four weeks racing starts. This may be a brand new track but their weekends are booked from the first of April all the way through November. This track will host both auto and motorcycle events and the first race will be put on by the Sports Car Club of America. The second is a Motorcycle Roadracing Association event. That will be April 11 and 12.

Maybe I’ll see you at the races.

Biker Quote for Today

Thou shalt explore the outer limits of engine-braking, backfire, and hurl fireballs from thy tailpipe.