Skoolie Paint!

It's been a long time in the making, but I've finally reached the point in this project to paint the exterior of the bus! Come along to see the transformation.



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Canaan Valley (West Virginia)

Great conditions this year in Canaan Valley, West Virginia! The snow came down overnight on Thursday, so my wife Rebecca and I completed our drive early on Friday morning to ensure some time in the soft stuff at Timberline Resort. On Saturday, temperatures increased and the snow transitioned to rain. We decided to take that day off to relax, then returned on Sunday to explore Canaan Valley State Park Resort. Temperatures dipped again and the snow returned, ensuring plenty of powder!







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SXCS Hangover Harescramble - Wicomico MX & ATV (Charlotte Hall, MD)

My first experience racing the Sprint Cross Country Series (SXCS) was a bit of happenchance, as a friend mentioned he'd be racing round one a few days earlier. Since I needed to test the new coil and injector I'd swapped onto the YZ, I figured it was perfect timing and signed up immediately.

The temps were low, but the turnout was impressive, with probably around twenty riders in each class, creating an absolute circus as we all headed into the woods to find a faster line around the mass of riders.

I had some issues with stalling a few times, but luckily the bike fired up quickly each time. This did create a yo-yo effect, though, as I had to re-pass a handful of riders again and again.

Eventually, a bobble over a set of roots sent my chest into the handlebar, breaking the GoPro MAX from its mount. A few moments after that mishap, I encountered an increasingly greasy spot on the track which was sending riders sideways. It did the same to me and after picking up the YZ from the ground, it decided it was done playing nice and refused to restart. While I waited for a tow-out, I decided to warn riders of the hazard (after several followed suit and crashed in the exact same spot). Since it was not obvious that the slight right turn was slippery, most had no idea why I was signalling them to slow - resulting in about half of them going down there also.

Overall, the race was great! Some small gripes about marking the course were all I could complain about (taped too low, so one wide rider could wipe it away). I'll most certainly be throwing a few more parts at the YZ (new cutoff switch, maybe?) and registering for the next event.



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VCHSS Don Wise Memorial at Oak Ridge (Arrington, VA)

A fitting end to a great summer, the Don Wise Memorial Race at Oak Ridge Estate was another fast-paced race with plenty to enjoy. This course has got to be one of the quickest, with the 10-mile laps elapsing in record-breaking time. With higher speeds come more risk, but I was fortunate to get through the race without any off-the-bike moments other than slight mishaps getting through traffic.

I did have one issue, though, when my YZ lost high-end power near the end of the final lap. It did get me out of the woods, though, so not all was lost.

I'll try throwing some parts at it (starting with a fuel injector) and hopefully have it back to good running order in no time.



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VCHSS Pipsico Scout Reservation (Spring Grove, VA)

With nearly fifteen weeks passing since the last race and ZERO dirt bike riding in between, my main goal for this event was to survive!

With dirt wheels back on the YZ and compression settings of the front fork dialed out for full squish, I headed east to the sandy destination of Pipsico Scout Reservation. Once at the event, I said hi to a few riders and started readying myself and machine for the extremely dry course.



As per usual, the race line left while I kicked three or four times. Luckily, the group had issues filtering into the singletrack, which afforded me the luxury of zero contact with other riders or bikes. Settling into a groove and adjusting to the six inches of silt on the track, I kept coaching myself to maintain composure and stay upright above all.

Although I did notice a few of the riders I'd passed during the first lap were in my class, I certainly didn't think I'd caught them all. This assumption was corrected as I passed the start/finish for my first of three laps IN FIRST PLACE!



After that confirmation, I again repeated the mantra "take it easy, don't wreck!" and continued on for the remainder of the race. Aside from incidents during passing attempts (resulting in two stalls), I stayed on the bike the entire race and finished over two minutes ahead of the next racer in my class.



After such a fun return to the series, I'll likely have a hard time sitting out the next few races as I return my focus to the schoolbus renovation.



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Trackday @ VIR

Since the SMEC round this season was rainy, I decided to save my money and sit it out. The following month, though, Patrick at the VIR Kart Track announced a trackday for the low, low price of $100.



With that announcement, I was swapping the 17" wheels onto the YZ and loading the Crosstrek up with awning and misting fan to help keep cool in the June heat.



A high-school friend of mine had started riding MiniGP bikes a couple years ago, so we decided to meet at VIR to get in some track time together and catch up on the last 20 or so years since the 12th grade 😁



The day was a success, with only one lowside which resulted in no injuries and a couple runouts while I was attempting to back-in the rear of the bike. All in all, a great day on the track!

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VCHSS Hamtown Peninsula Classic (Isle of Wight, VA)

This summer I'm attempting to focus primarily on the conversion of our schoolbus, so the harescramble races have been few and far between. Although the Peninsula Classic is the 6th round, it was only my second race of the 2024 series.

As fate would have it, adjusting my chain tension minutes before the race was a big mistake. When tightening the axle nut, I felt a release of torque and the immediate sinking feeling in my stomache that accompanies the realization that the threads have just stripped. With little option left, I removed the outside washer and retightened the nut on the one or two threads left unmolested. With that, I told myself to baby the throttle and rear brake during my race.

This decision to "take 'er easy" might have been a blessing in disguise, as my calm pace meant only one fall, which was actually caused by another rider veering into me.

Surprisingly enough, the axle stayed in place for all four laps and I ended the race in second place out of a class of fourteen.

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