Mother nature must be mad at me.  She opened the skies Saturday night.  We had extreme storms including hail and 70 MPH winds.  But we are riding MX so it shouldn't be too big of a deal.  My daughter and I headed out to Azzie.  We were excited.  My goal for this race was to get to 5th place overall.  I wasn't sure if it was realistic or not, but I was going to go for it....until I saw the condition of the track.  Oh MY goodness.  There were lakes everywhere. 

The lakes didn't bother me as much as the rutted corners.  The soil here is clay, but they have added so many woodchips over the years that it gets thick and clumpy.  It likes to collect to itself when it is moist.  I mean you could make a HUGE snowman out of mud, that is how this stuff packs together.  We watched some of the practice sessions....it was ugly.  I mean, the A riders looked like new women riders out there.  (I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just the only way I can describe it)  I told my daughter that I didn't think she should try it.  On her small wheel TTR125, she just didn't have much of a chance.  Well, I gotta love that kid because she wanted to try.  She was excited to get muddy and dirty.  It was awesome.

So we lined up for practice.  I figured one lap.  We were were the third race so we were going to have to run the track as it was.  At least I wanted an idea of what it was going to be like.  The ONLY line off the gate was to the right, and you only had 10 feet.  Go another foot and you would fall into a hole that the tractor left when it turned around.  We got to see first hand a couple of guys going over their bars.  So we were given the go ahead and off we went. 

I made it through the first turn....barely.  The bike was working so hard just to get through the thick clumping ooze that was mud.  I rolled the first jump.  On the pegs I headed for the first lake.   Gave her throttle, felt the rear scoot, but stayed over the rear wheel and made it through.  Rolled the second jump and into what looked like a puddle of cow manure.  If any of you are farmers or know any...you know the consistancy I am talking....soupy clumpy, thick liquid.   Still, up on the pegs I gave her throttle.  The motor was working so hard and just not hooking up.  I could not feel the bike grab anything.  I ended going sideways.  But I was still going forward so I kept on her. 

We finally got through and climbed the tunnel jump.  Again, there was no way I could jump so I rolled over it.  I actually yelled 'holy shit!' (apparantly the crowd laughed at me) as I saw what was on the backside.  It was unreal.  Slick mud all the way down into huge ruts of the thick clumpy stuff.  Staying on the pegs and trying to stabilize the bike, I slid down sideways.  I figured as long as I will still moving forward, it was a good thing.  Got into the first left turn.  I took it on the outside, per advice I had overheard.  Well my front found some hard clay that was super slippery.  Like a cartoon character stepping on a banana peel, my front washed and zoup! down I went!  I have never fell over so fast before!  It was rather funny.  I got the bike picked up but just could NOT get her to kick over.

One guy came and tried to help.  She wouldn't go.  Another guy came up.  I said "I am so sorry.  Thank you for helping.  I swore at her and everything, she still won't start!"  He laughed and said that's wat usually worked for him too.  But he got her going and to the top of the jump.  I decided I had enough.  Found a way off the track and returned to the pits.  It was unreal.

I got back to the pits and saw my daughter was there with a buddy of ours.  Apparantly she made it to the second lake.  She went through the middle, I think, and the mud just grabbed her.  I guess she and her bike were stuck in the mud.  In fact, she pulled one of her buckles off of her boot just trying to get it out of the 'quick sand'.  She was laughing.  Apparantly our friend had to go rescue her.  I am proud as heck that she got that far!!!!  It wasn't easy on the 250F much less say the little TTR!

She was sad when I tod her to take her gear off.  There was no way she was going to be able to race today.  She just was not going to be able to do it.   I think the TTR had a bit of an advantage with the little tires, but my daughter doesn't go fast enough to clean the wheels.  So for safety's sake I pulled her.  I told her she should be proud for getting as far as she did.  I was proud of her for trying!

For the first time ever, the race came too soon.  We didn't draw numbers this time seeing as there were only 10 of us or so at the gate.  I chose a gate towards the middle of 'Lake Aztalan'.  The rest crowded around the 10 foot area to the left.  I figured I would take my chances with the puddle than having someone crash in front of me.  Gate dropped, I clicked into third as soon as I could, on the pegs, over the rear and I made it through the puddle without any problems.  I cut to the inside race line and the bike came to stop.  I quickly pulled in the clutch, dropped her back to first and went on.  I made it though the next to lakes with minimal issues.  At the tunnel jump, my bike again decided to go sideways....but towards the edge of the hill.  I figure my rear wheel was inches from the edge. It took all I could do to not look!:applause: I focused on the other side of the jump, stayed on the throttle, balanced and pushed bars until I got to the top.  Talk about an achievement!  But then I still had to deal with the slick backside.....with a rider down on the right.  So I found the rut, throttled through and made it.

I finally reached where I crashed in practice, did the same thing.  Lost the front and went down.  This time I found the clutch in time and kept her running.  Climbed back on and made it up the hill.

I ended up sliding down the hill into the hard right hander.  I managed to stay on the gas and got through it ok.  In fact it was the best place for me on the whole track!!  I entered the sweeper to the left and saw girls and bikes everywhere.  I wasn't going to risk running anyone over so I slowed down....big mistake.  The mud came up, grabbed the bike and we just stopped.  I pulled the clutch in, down shifted and turned the throttle.  I eased out the clutch and waited to feel the rear bite.  All I heard was the engine going.  'What the heck?'  I verified I had her down into first.  Revved again...nothing.  I thought my wheel was spinning.  So I thought I'd try second.  Again the motor just screamed.  I looked back, expecting to see my wheel stuck in a slick rut, and saw it covered in mud.  So I released the clutch again, to see what it was doing.  Well, it didn't move.  I could not get the transmission to engage.  I was so mad. I looked down and saw her bleeding....radiator fluid was gushing out the tube.  Then I smelled burning.  I turned her off.  I waved to the flag guy and tried to sign language to him that the bike was disabled.

Long story short, it took a quad, myself and two men to get my bike out.  She had at least 50# of mud on her.  The guy on the quad unhooked her and I couldn't get her to move.  I pulled in the clutch to push her, she was locked up.  I began to panic.  I thought for sure I blew up my bike and my riding season was over.  I almost started to cry.  Of course I was dehydrated and exhausted.  I had 5# of mud on each foot and was pushing my mud encased bike around.  So my emotions were less than on a 'sane' level.  The guys were so awesome.  "It's ok hun, she's caked in mud.  You need to get the mud off the wheel and chain, it's locking her up." 

Let me just say, it was one long walk back to my pit spot.  Thank goodness for Matt~The green Kawi girl's boyfriend!  He not only shared gatorade with me, but he got my bike back to the pit....He was so awesome!!!!  Of course Haley helped us at the end too, she actually got enough mud off for the wheel to quit binding up.  Needless to say, I love the dit crowd.   Yeah we compete, but we all take care of each other too!!!

Now I am waiting to find out the damage I did to the 250F.  I am pretty sure I'll just need to refill the radiator.  But I think my clutch burned out.  I won't know until tonight though.  The hubby was racing supermoto yesterday and will not get to look at her until tonight...I am keeping my fingers crossed.  All I know is that it was one hard race!!!!!  I was so disappointed because I wanted to get one lap in.  But the bike said no.  It's probably a good thing.  I am hoping to never see azzie that filled with mud again.....at least I can say I tried.  At least now I know I couldn't get through it.  It's better than sitting here wondering.....Yes it was a DNF, but it was a hard earned DNF!!