Wednesday, May 25, 2005
damn damn damn
it was one of those games that had everything. the evil queenslanders got up in the first half. kicked more goals than you can poke a stick at, then, after a rousing half time chat (inferred seeing as i wasn't listening) we bounced back to be in front 20-19 or something like that. of of them miserable cane-toads scored a field goal to make it 20-20. next thing we know, it's full time.
and we go into extended time for a golden goal. we're our own worst enemies and throw a cutout pass to yet another miserable cane-toad who hops away and wins the frikken game. drat
however, in reality, it was a great game. miserable cane-toads deserved the win. it was only sheer bloody mindedness and a big helping of "diggin in deep" that brought us back. they won the first half, we won the second, but at the end of the day, they won the game.
in other news...
a great day at eastern creek. both our riders have sped up a few seconds a lap, and despite being very unfit and out of shape, even when totally worn out and the end of the day and supposedly going out just to practice lines and stuff, they are still circulating at around the same lap times. one of our riders was suffering from pumped up forearms, so he gave up using the clutch, picked up a second a lap, and he was already worn out from the first 3 session.
our other rider was having a better day, until i was watching him go slower and slower, chasing this guy in dark leathers on a red bike. he eventually got past, then they played pass and re-pass a few times (oops, very naughty, not allowed on ride days) until my rider had a brain fart on turn 9. it's the second of only 2 right handers (if you don't count a bit of a bend) and he was going around the outside so as not to be rude. and the guy he was trying to pass stayed wide so as not to be rude. woops. so they waved and my guy went round, and took off, and picked up about 10 seconds a lap (no shit) to get back to where he should have been. and the guy following let him get about 100 yards ahead, and picked up the pace to stay the same.
i thought that was interesting and mentioned it to one of the other guys. he thought that maybe the guy could follow but not lead. but i thought he was too far back to be gaining anything by following. but i know stuff all so i kept my mouth shut.
turned out the guy on the other bike was Wayne Gardner. he was mostly just playing, plus on a slower bike. hellow reality check.
my timing notes (i mean, uh, randomn notes as you're not allowed to time your laps on these track days) have a few other interesting notes from today.
one rider didn't pass on the main straight on the first lap when i'd expected him to. i figured i'd stuffed up and eventually he came around. turns out he went bush. his comment was: let tyres warm up for AT LEAST two laps when you put on new slicks. oops.
then the other rider went bush on turn 4, got away with it, and later went straight at turn one. as we're talking about it in the garage, plus OVERTAKING Wayne Gardner! (hell, sure he was on a slower bike, and he was taking it easy, but we'll milk it for all it's worth, and more hehehe) and my more aggresive rider casually lets slip that he bashed fairings with one of the other riders (you're meant to overtake with 6 foot clearance on these ride days). then my more conservative rider says, yeah, happened to me too! hehehehe
when i took the bike up for scrutineering in the morning (with loose rear axle etc...) the scrutineer told the guy to push his bike back to the pits or put his helmet on and ride it back. oh&s and all you know. told me nothing. i'd just ridden it the the scrutineering bay sans helmet, and after he gave me my sticker, back i went. too far to push baby. engines are for pushing. gees, it's the pits. i'm not gonna get out of second, nor above about 50kph. maybe i was just ugly enough to ignore. maybe team pig's reputation has preceded ourselves ;-)
it was one of those games that had everything. the evil queenslanders got up in the first half. kicked more goals than you can poke a stick at, then, after a rousing half time chat (inferred seeing as i wasn't listening) we bounced back to be in front 20-19 or something like that. of of them miserable cane-toads scored a field goal to make it 20-20. next thing we know, it's full time.
and we go into extended time for a golden goal. we're our own worst enemies and throw a cutout pass to yet another miserable cane-toad who hops away and wins the frikken game. drat
however, in reality, it was a great game. miserable cane-toads deserved the win. it was only sheer bloody mindedness and a big helping of "diggin in deep" that brought us back. they won the first half, we won the second, but at the end of the day, they won the game.
in other news...
a great day at eastern creek. both our riders have sped up a few seconds a lap, and despite being very unfit and out of shape, even when totally worn out and the end of the day and supposedly going out just to practice lines and stuff, they are still circulating at around the same lap times. one of our riders was suffering from pumped up forearms, so he gave up using the clutch, picked up a second a lap, and he was already worn out from the first 3 session.
our other rider was having a better day, until i was watching him go slower and slower, chasing this guy in dark leathers on a red bike. he eventually got past, then they played pass and re-pass a few times (oops, very naughty, not allowed on ride days) until my rider had a brain fart on turn 9. it's the second of only 2 right handers (if you don't count a bit of a bend) and he was going around the outside so as not to be rude. and the guy he was trying to pass stayed wide so as not to be rude. woops. so they waved and my guy went round, and took off, and picked up about 10 seconds a lap (no shit) to get back to where he should have been. and the guy following let him get about 100 yards ahead, and picked up the pace to stay the same.
i thought that was interesting and mentioned it to one of the other guys. he thought that maybe the guy could follow but not lead. but i thought he was too far back to be gaining anything by following. but i know stuff all so i kept my mouth shut.
turned out the guy on the other bike was Wayne Gardner. he was mostly just playing, plus on a slower bike. hellow reality check.
my timing notes (i mean, uh, randomn notes as you're not allowed to time your laps on these track days) have a few other interesting notes from today.
one rider didn't pass on the main straight on the first lap when i'd expected him to. i figured i'd stuffed up and eventually he came around. turns out he went bush. his comment was: let tyres warm up for AT LEAST two laps when you put on new slicks. oops.
then the other rider went bush on turn 4, got away with it, and later went straight at turn one. as we're talking about it in the garage, plus OVERTAKING Wayne Gardner! (hell, sure he was on a slower bike, and he was taking it easy, but we'll milk it for all it's worth, and more hehehe) and my more aggresive rider casually lets slip that he bashed fairings with one of the other riders (you're meant to overtake with 6 foot clearance on these ride days). then my more conservative rider says, yeah, happened to me too! hehehehe
when i took the bike up for scrutineering in the morning (with loose rear axle etc...) the scrutineer told the guy to push his bike back to the pits or put his helmet on and ride it back. oh&s and all you know. told me nothing. i'd just ridden it the the scrutineering bay sans helmet, and after he gave me my sticker, back i went. too far to push baby. engines are for pushing. gees, it's the pits. i'm not gonna get out of second, nor above about 50kph. maybe i was just ugly enough to ignore. maybe team pig's reputation has preceded ourselves ;-)
