From: baxter@epcot.spdc.ti.com (Mike Baxter)
Subject: Sand Hill kills bikes (2nd place)
Summary: sandy, dusty bung-hole race
Organization: TI Semiconductor Process and Design Center
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 01:19:28 GMT

Well I'm proud to say that I finished 2nd place in this weekends X-country
race.  The race was held outside of Gholson, Tx.  The race was called Sand
Hill.  They definitely had the sand part right.   More than half the track
was deep sand, about a mile of woods and the rest was high speed straits on
really rough hard terra.  Well needless to say, I recessed my fork tubes
into the triple-clamps to be completely flush.  I hate that WFO in 5th crap.
Also I cleaned my HPP power valve that I had been putting off.  It seems that 
I have been riding with it disengaged for a while.  I had forgotten how much 
power my bike had up on top.  I was able to pull off the hole shot.  Man what 
a great feeling.  Being out in front not having to contend with the dust.  Oh!,
and when I say dust I mean "put patches over your eyes and ride blind dust."
Things were going great and then one of the straps on my camel bak came loose.
This really annoyed me, and took away my concentration and I stalled my bike.
Seeing as I was stopped I went ahead and took the time to take it off and was
passed by 2 riders in my class.  I took off and shortly came to the sand.  Of
coarse all I saw was dust so tried heading for the outside into the peanut
field to get out of it.  My bike bucked with disapproval and I ate dirt.  Here
came 3 more bikes by me.  Well up and off I go through the curtain of dust.  
I was finally able to get to the outside of the dust and the CR was WFO.  I
was able to get back into 4th by the end of the first 7 mile lap.  I battled 
for 2nd with number 028.  This guy is great to race with.  We played the "who's
going to back out first" game.  Eventually I won the game.  I even caught up 
to the first place rider and played the game with him.  He won by default when
I did an endo face-plant in a rather deep sandy whoop section.  Thank god I was
going slow when it happened.  How about that, my first endo.  Well I never saw 
first place again.  Oh well!?  

This race claimed alot of bikes.  Andy's KX now needs a new top-end.  But what
sucks is that we just replaced the top-end before this race.  I also took 3rd
from a guy with a new '93 YZ250 when his bike nuked.  He blew a hole in his
piston.  Before that happened he said that he liked his bike.  I saw and talked
too a bunch of people who did not finish this race.  One more race to go and
then a new top end, clutch, chain and sprockets for me.  Brakes too if need be. 
Donations are welcome.  Send any and all donations to:

                                             

_____________________________________________________________________________
DoD #359         '91  CR250            |         Mike Baxter   
AMA #607249                            |              
TCCRA  #061    250cc int. class        |      baxter@spdc.ti.com
Texas Cross-Country racing series      |   
50 miles of off-road Hell              |   Texas Instruments, Dallas Tx.
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