Well, unfortunately we had another muddy race for the season finale at Azzie on Oct. 14th.

I figured it wasn't going to be too bad.  I made it through practice without any issues.  In fact I was rather looking forward to it.  My daughter was going to race the YZ80 for the first time, so I was pretty nervous about her getting through it all alive.  But she managed practice ok, so all was well....until it continued to rain all day.

It was freezing on the gate.  When it finally dropped I think I started out pretty good.  The first turn was like ice but I somehow managed to keep the bike on the track.  Someone in front of me goosed their throttle and managed to nail me with a big old plug of mud that  covered all but one little corner of my goggles.  I had tear-offs on but there was no way I was going to take either hand off my bars!  So by some miracle of the motocross gods, I got all the way through to the tunnel jump.  Apparently I was doing well, not that I could see, because the group where I pit was just going nuts!  I laughed and focused through the penny size area of my goggles that I could see through.  I know I finally pulled off a tear-off, I just don't know when.  I can only remember finally being able to see and it was amazing.  I can't remember how many riders were down in front of me.  But I just kept tooling along on my big fat pig of a 250F.  Working the clutch and staying on the pegs kept her in line pretty well.

I made it through the ledge jump, around the hairpin and over the peristyle.  I was GEEKED!!!  The area that used to be whoops was easy and all the way to the plateau.  I just went slow and tried to be one with the bike.  I really felt my chi going on.  The only thing that kind of wigged me out a bit was the sound of the mud as I went through it.  I could not believe it.  Of course, I never thought mud would sound like really wet dough on a beater...but that's what it sounded like.  Kinda gross, but not to bad.  There was another girl that crashed on the double just before the plateau and trying to avoid her kind of messed with me going up to the plateau.....so we (me and my bike) kinda did it side ways, but not.  Managed to get up and over, through the scary (for me) turns into the gator pit.  In reality I was elated!!!!  I made it through the worst part of the track and still on two!!!  WOO HOO!!!!  The sand by the barn and freeway section were all seeming to be so easy.  I just stayed on the pegs and on the gas.  I dare to imagine that I was close to, if not actually, first as I came over the last tunnel jump and down the hill.  I knew I needed to be careful going down.  I was just unsure of how to get through it.  I went for it and then my survival reactions got the best of me.  I hesitated.  I let off the gas ever so slightly.  The mud reached up and kicked my arse right over.

I tried to get the bike up.  The mud was like quick sand and seemed to have "suction" on the bar end. There was no way I was going to be able to pull it out.  I actually found myself saying profound things to the guys who finally felt bad for me and helped pull the bike up.  Things like "it got stuck in the mud".  The guy said "yup, that's what will happen".  Then I saw the bikini babe go past hooting and hollering.  Finally got my bike started.  And as I went over the first jump I though "no!  I didn't mean that, I meant the bar got stuck in the mud and I couldn't get it out!!!"  I am sure that guy thought I was a real idiot.   :lol: In reality though, that crash pretty much ended my race.  Getting the bike out of the mud and started again took all my energy.  Again, if I had just stayed up on two I would have done very well and finished....which was my goal.  I just wanted to finish a mud race for the first time.

Alas, that was not to happen. On my second lap, I crashed a bunch of times. At one point another guy was helping me and said "I assume you want out." I replied with a "HELL NO!!!! I am gonna finish this race!" He didn't seem all that impressed. Finally, I crashed out in the sand by the barn and could not get the darn bike to start. In fact, my husband finally found me and we were still trying to kick it over while the 65's were burning through and finishing up. So sadly I have to accept my DNF....again. There's always next year.



My daughter made it to the Plateau on the 80. She said she did not have any fun at all. I told her she should be proud of herself for making it that far. My husband now officially hates motocross. I am not sure if I will ever get him out again. He is ready to head back to supermoto and never return.......



In the end, I had fun and am a better rider than I was in the morning. To get as far as I did was a HUGE accomplishment. It's all about the little personal victories. Of course, having the bikini babe come by me a second time and cheering me on to finish this thing was just an added bonus! (Thanks Kirsten!) I still say had I stayed on two, I'd have had so much fun....darn survival reactions! I'll get it next time!