What a day!

DISCLAIMER: Kids, the following story is in direct conflict with the well-meaning, safety-minded folks who host and moderate this site. The acts depicted are not suggested and are in most cases illegal.

My friend Steve has an XL he's in the process of Motarding and while it's jigsawed he's put together a Honda Hawk GT. I smoked him on the DRZ last time out, so he was looking for a bit of revenge today.

He didn't get it.

I didn't get a chance to do the 3X3 and jetting, but I did slap the 14T CS sprocket on in place of the 15T stocker and I can say it made the motor more....um....useable? Anyway, power was more readily available and topend was still in the upper 90's. It made me much more aggressive.

We were on Louisiana country switchbacks and twistys doing stupid things in traffic....with ease. I didn't get a chance to wave to the Harley rider I met during the run, but he knew I was there as I passed him on the right in a left hand turn.

It impressed the cop who says he hit me in the brisket with a laser which told him we were in the 90's in a 40mph zone of curve after curve. He told us it took 5 miles to catch us and was glad we had backed off.

We were impressed when he called us in, ran our priors and let us off with "the only break you're going to get in these parts" as he rode a Harley (off duty) and said he understood tuning runs, but to recognize the danger to others and to pull our heads out of our asses, which we did....a bit.

Man, I dove into some corners ALOT faster than I ever intended and this bike saved my ass squealin' rear rubber so many times, I came to count on it after a while and actually welcome the sound. I read here or on Thumper Talk about the "lead with your face" style of riding and I am officially an advocate. This is a dirtbike in riding config, so ride it that way. Got it.

For 2 hours, I was no longer 40 years old wanting to get my moto legs back. 6 years ago, I was teaching myself how to walk again after multiple open reduction surgeries. Now I've jumped this bike 30 feet and looking for a better place to jump for more air and have been "the guy on the side of the road" busted for grab-assing on public roads in excess of 90mph on a 400cc bike.

It was the stupidest thing I intend to do on this bike.

...until I find a better place to jump it.

Those of you who smile at poetic justice can sleep sound in the knowlege that when I swung a leg after Johnny Law turned the other way, I picked up a 4 inch long nail in the rear that went in tangentially (like a splinter). Yeah, I picked up a nail, but luckily, I pulled it and there's no leak. I'm a lucky son of a gun.

I'll plug the tire if the tool will go in, otherwise I'll leave it. The tube's seemingly good to go.

I need to find a local track so I make it to 41. More experienced racers will help keep my humility to appropriate levels, too.

What a day!!!