Author: team77racing

SeaTac SCR and GOLD CUP QUALIFIER

Today was the SeaTac SCR and Gold Cup Qualifier! This was the girls’ first time racing this track – and we, unfortunately, weren’t able to make it out for practice earlier this week. It was a BIG track with many ‘imperfections’, so we were not sure how the girls’ would do.

We arrived about 9:30ish, and practice/sign-ups both started within a short while. Both girls’ got in 5 or so practice laps before motos were posted, and two or so afterwards. Nelly seemed to be progressing on her peddling and speed, while May was just ‘coasting’ the track lap after lap.

Penelope’s class had 2 racks of 6, totaling 12 riders. She needed to get 1st or 2nd in either of her first two motos to move on to the main. Her first moto, she was a bit slow off the gate and was holding third through the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stretch. Coming into the 3rd and final corner (in midst of the ‘rhythm section’), she stumbled off her seat and struggled to get back onto her peddles while most of the kids passed by her. She finished last (or next to last). Her 2nd moto, she shot out of the gate first, and held it all the way to the finish line (qualifying her for the main, YAY).
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Maybelline’s class had one rack with a total of 6 riders. She, too, needed to get 1st or 2nd in either of her first two motos to move on to the main. Her first moto, she got out of the gate pretty quick and settled into the 2nd position. She held 2nd the entire race, and finished 2nd. Since she qualified for the main, she was able to sit out her 2nd moto.

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Between the 2nd motos and the main, we took some time to have lunch and goof off. Both girls’ were in a pretty good mood today – and Poppa Wheelie was able to join us, so that always makes things fun!

By the time mains rolled around (2:30ish), both girls were ‘PUMPED’ and ready to RACE. Penelope’s moto was first! She was slow out of the gate, and peddled at ‘half effort’ the entire lap – finishing last (other than a lil’ guy who crashed on the first stretch). She took 7th place. Maybelline’s moto shortly followed! She was pretty quick out of the gate, taking 4th into the 1st turn. She held 4th until she hit the last stretch…and then…she REALLY started peddling! Within the last 150ft or so, she managed to catch up with and PASS the kiddo in front of her, stealing a 3rd place win for the day…

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So proud of these girls’ today! There is no way to describe them individually, or to even begin to guess what they have up their sleeves next. Sometimes they are ON FIRE, and sometimes they are in ‘outer space’. Going into competitions like this, it’s usually a mix of both. Today was definitely one of those days! Each of them displayed moments of pure determination and effort (Maybelline qualifying for her main in her 1st moto, and Penelope coming in 1st on her 2nd moto)…then, at other moments, you can’t help but wonder what the heck they are doing (Penelope ‘cruising’ the track in her main). Either way, it just makes me proud to see them having fun, making friends, and getting exercise…and I just LOVE how much they LOVE racing =).

Now, it’s break time! Can you believe we are ACTUALLY taking a break from BMX and quads/dirt bikes? Okayyyyyy, it’s only 2 short weeks – but still… {Upcoming: Annual Fishing Trip and ‘Glamping’ at Cedars RV Resort with our Canadian friends!}

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Moto Mom ‘Shout-Out’ {aka giving credit where credit is due}: Thank you to the TO {Track Operator} at SeaTac BMX for immediately addressing the parking situation at the track! Upon leaving, we discovered that people were double and triple parked, blocking many people in from several angles (including us)…SO FRUSTRATING! I appreciate that after a brief chat with the TO, he IMMEDIATELY addressed the situation (having the announcer mention it) – AND THEN, followed up on it {walked into the parking area and saw that no-one moved}, AND THEN came back in and had the announcer mention it again (this time, he described car/color/plates). Within seconds, I saw the ‘driver’ of the vehicle blocking us running out to move his car. We followed! We hopped in the car, and exchanged spots (so he was no longer blocking other people too) and waved. I appreciate this guy (the TO) was willing to take 5 minutes out of his day to solve MY problem that was otherwise only going to be solved by a tow truck (in a matter of an hour or more). KUDOS to you TO for ‘making $h!t happen’! And to the people double and triple parked: you are a$$hole$! If you show up ‘late’ – expect to park a decent distance away, and have to walk and pack stuff in. You are not new to this are you? Don’t BLOCK people in, it’s SOOOOOOO RUDE!

#MotoMom

 

Throwback Thursday!

‪#‎TBT‬: Just one year ago today, Penelope decided to give dirt bikes a try!

Less than one month later, she ditched her training wheels; and six months later, she won 4th overall in the 50cc Beginners Class at the NW Flat Track Series!

 

To read more about Penelope and her racing/riding adventures, check out her rider bio at {http://team77racing.com/rider-bios/penelope-peterson/}.

‪#‎MotoMom‬

There is no place like HOME {even though we LOVE Spokane}!

We arrived home late last night, after 5 days over on the east side of the mountains in Spokane! Overall, it was a great trip. But as usual, it also came with a few minor hassles…

We left our home in Lynnwood about 1pm last Thursday (about 5 hours later than planned; last minute schedule change). We made sure we ate before we left (lunch date with girls’ bestie, Kenzie); as the late departure meant we were on a mission and making NO stops on the way over. Spokane is roughly a 5 hour drive from our house, so leaving at 1pm would put us at the track about 6pm…and racing started at 7pm that night. Cutting it soooo close!

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About an hour into our drive (headed up I90 on Snoqualmie Pass), we blew out a right rear tire – DAMNIT! Luckily we do have dual tires in the rear, so we were able to ‘limp’ it (30mph on the pass, YOUR WELCOME FOLKS) to the nearest Les Schwab in North Bend. As soon as we pulled in, we got IMMEDIATE assistance (BEST customer service EVER). With luck on our side, they had 2 tires in stock – and had those both changed and us back on the road within an hour! We only actually blew out one tire, but within the last month – we had also already replaced 4 of the tires due to being ‘weather checked’. So leaving just one solo ‘old’ tire on the bus didn’t make sense, so we just replaced both. Now, the Team 77 #MotoHome has ALL NEW RUBBERS all around…(Cheers! But sooooo hard on the pocket book)…

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We got back on the road, another 2 hours behind schedule. At this point, we had recognized that it was very unlikely we wouldn’t make it in time for racing that night. We set off, slow and steady, SPOKANE bound!

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It was 7:07pm when we hit the exit to the track, off I90. The track was still another 20ish mins from there – so we were too late. We cruised through town, stopped at a local Mexican Restaurant for dinner, and arrived at the track (racing was just finishing up) by 8ish. A track volunteer immediately flagged us down, and offered to let us park ANYWHERE (and this place was HUGE and empty). Being that it was pretty dark out already, we posted up not too far from the track, but away from regular ‘car’ parking – and got bikes and gear unloaded immediately. They opened the track back up, and ran a few hours of practice sessions under the lights. Great way to start the trip!

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Friday was also such a great day! Racing wasn’t until 6pm that day (thankfully, because it was HOT HOT HOT outside). The girls’ ran a few practice sessions on the track throughout the day, we went on a hike down to the river, and spent an hour or so at the ‘splash park’ next door. By 6pm, the girls’ were READY TO RACE (and Dan & I were exhausted from trying to keep them busy all day in the 95ish degree heat, LOL). The track operator, again, had told us to feel more than welcome to put our ‘team’ pop-up tent anywhere, YAY! We were able to snag a great spot on the finish line, under some shade, with a sweet picnic table.

For being a Friday night race, I was shocked at the turn out! Both girls had full gates; and they had 97 riders and 25 motos total. Fun way to spend Friday night ‘racing under the lights’…

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Penelope finished 3rd overall, and Maybelline finished 5th. Even better was a surprise visit from Dan’s great aunt and uncle who live in Spokane. This was the first time they have ever seen the girls’ race, and they REALLY enjoyed it. Was fun to chat with them =).

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Saturday was the ‘BIG’ Triple Point Race that we initially came over for. Not only did the BMX track bring in 53 Motos and 229 riders; but there was also a HUGE volleyball tournament right next door that brought in THOUSANDS of people. That made for some interesting camping! We woke up to being blocked in from every angle by cars, trucks, travel trailers, and motorhomes. There were people ‘tail-gating’ everywhere, and music blaring from every stereo around. Luckily, by 7pm (just a few hours after racing was over), the place emptied out.

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Saturday’s race started at noon-ish. Both girls’ had FULL classes, and had to qualify for their mains. Nelly got 3rd in here first moto, so she was automatically transferring to the main. Mayhem got 5th, so needed to try again to qualify in the 2nd moto. Sure enough, she took 3rd in the 2nd moto – and moved on to the main.

Both girls’ rode so hard in their mains; peddling their butts off! May ended up taking 3rd overall, and Nelly took 4th. So proud of these girls!

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Sunday morning’s race (a double point race) came around pretty quickly (10am-ish). The track brought in 26 motos and 98 riders! For both girls’, it was a total point race (meaning they automatically go to the main; they don’t have to qualify for it). They, once again, peddled their butts off the entire time – and Nelly took 2nd, and May 3rd.

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We also had another surprise visit, but this time from MY great Aunt & Uncle. They, too, had never seen the girls’ race. Was such a pleasure to visit with them!

This was the last race of the trip, so after racing, we packed things up – and got headed to our next destination…

Spokane RV Resort (at Deer Park Golf Club)!

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We arrived to the RV Resort on Sunday afternoon. Prior to this, I had procrastinated in making reservations for this ‘R&R time’ in Spokane after racing. By the time I got around to doing so, most of the ‘legit’ places were full/booked. Deer Park had an opening though, and was only 20mins from the track. So we booked it! Having looked over their website, and reading some reviews – I knew that this full service ‘luxury’ resort would work out great. They offered a pool, on-site laundry, club house, golfing, paved roads (for bikes or skateboards), playground, and restaurant – and had great views onto a beautifully landscaped golf course!

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We spent two days at the resort, departing on Tuesday. We got another surprise Tuesday morning: our good friend Brett brought his son and nephew out for the girls’ to play with. The four of them played kick ball, raced each other around, and had such a blast. Thank god for awesome friends!

We were on the road by noon-ish on Thursday, headed home. As soon as we jumped on I90, it was apparent that wind was going to be an issue, but we had NO IDEA how bad it was going to be. We traveled 45ish MPH almost the entire way home, being blown all over the road…sooooo scary (and I am the WORSE ‘back-seat driver’). As we went through Moses Lake, you could barely see the highway as a gnarly dust storm was rolling through. As we were heading down Vantage, the high winds busted off a mount on our awning, and sent the thing flying off the side of our motorhome. We pulled over, and up behind us came gentlemen who just lost his awning too. In front of us, were another gentleman and his son that ALSO just lost their awning. How bizarre is that? Anyhow, everyone helped everyone – and within a half hour or so, we were all back on the road.

We stopped in Ellensburg to check out Webb Powersports (KTM dealer) and have dinner. By the time we left Ellensburg, the winds had died down a bit. We were able to pick up speed near Cle Elum, and booked it over the pass. Coming into North Bend, a lady about 10 cars up lost control of her car, shooting her from one side of the highway, back to the other side, and up a bank off the shoulder. Of course, that caused all 4 lanes of traffic to lock up their brakes and start swerving to avoid her…which meant us bobbing & weaving while skidding to a quick stop. We pulled over for a few minutes, as both Dan and I were shaking and still trying to take in what just happened (both girls’ were sleeping through this thankfully). Dan went to check on the gal who wrecked her call, and called 911. After a short while, we jumped back on the highway and made for home. We were home by 8, showered and fed by 9, and in bed by 10 – what a crazy day of travel!

The kids and I are spending today and tomorrow getting the bus cleaned out and everything put away. Dan is back to work. Poppa Wheelie will be coming down on Friday and Saturday – as the girls’ are going to be racing the combined State Qualifier and DK Gold Cup Qualifier this weekend at SeaTac BMX. Luckily, this track is only 30ish minutes from home – so we will be making a ‘day trip’ out of it. Following that race, we will be ‘off’ from BMX for 2 weeks – as we head to Chinook for our annual fishing trip with Dan’s grandfather (our FAVORITE vacation of the year)!

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I want to take a moment to give credit, where credit is due: A HUGE THANK YOU AND KUDOS to the team out at Spokane BMX! We have been to 7 tracks here in the NW this year, and Spokane BMX was BY FAR was the BEST venue, with the BEST people, and the BEST ‘program’. From the time we got there, to the time we left (4 days’ worth) – there was ALWAYS someone available for questions or to help. They kept their track open to the ‘public’ 24/7 – meaning we could practice anytime we wanted. Registration, practice, the posting of motos (and the 5 minutes given to dispute changes), the intervals between races…EVERYTHING was always right on time (meaning no waiting around/dead time). In the 3 days of racing, not once was there a ‘moto re-post’ (which is next to un-heard of; they seriously had their program together). The awards/trophies for each day were all different, and well thought out…we LOVED the plaques from the SCR! The facilities were kept SO CLEAN – and had ample parking and areas for camping. The track operator (who I believe was also the announcer) was always VERY CLEAR on details (personally introduced the ‘official’ for the day, gave credit to each volunteer individually, and had a GREAT sense of humor). During break time, they brought out hula hoops and other toys and let the kids put on a great show; so fun! Their photographer was TOP NOTCH – best photos of the girls’ yet, and they were usually posted/shared the SAME DAY! I could keep going on & on; but I am sure you get the general gist: SPOKANE BMX ROCKS! Too bad this track isn’t closer to home =(. We can’t wait to go back! Side note: Rumor has it, concrete corners go in this week – WOW!

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#MotoMom

Ready, set, GO {to Spokane}…

As we begin to recover from the chaos at Saturdays’ race – we prepare for another adventure for BMX racing. We are taking our motorhome (usually referred to as the ‘bus’) over to Spokane, ‘dry camping’ and racing 4 days in a row at their local BMX Track. We will then leave the track, and spend a few days of enjoying some R&R at a RV Resort and Country Club before heading back home.

In order to make this journey happen, we have had some serious chores to get done! We have been storing the bus over at the grandparents’ house. Yesterday, Painter Dan picked it up and brought it home. We’ve since then, we got 2 more new tires on it (in addition to the two new ones we got over ‘Nationals’ wknd), cleaned and washed it inside & out, filled the propane, emptied the tanks at a local rest stop, filled the bus with diesel and the generator with unleaded, filled the water tanks, got a few little repairs/fixes done, and now I just have to re-pack it! We are sooooo close; I can taste it 😉

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Now, I’ve just got to get caught up on laundry, and get everyone packed! Although this may seem be a daunting task, we are fortunate enough to have a ‘clothes room’/XXL walk-in closet in our home that I sort EVERYONE’S clothes in when they come out of the dryer – making packing fairly easy. Riding gear (jerseys and track pants) are in one section, summer clothing in another – and shoes are sorted by season. This shouldn’t take too long; in fact, it will likely take longer to pack it and get it out to the motorhome than it will to find and select the items.

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And food…now that the fridge is ‘on’ in the bus – I will get grocery shopping and food prep done here soon. I hate loading food from the grocery store, into the house, and then back into the bus (it just seems like too much unnecessary shuffling) – so I try to avoid it at all costs. Sometimes we will even plan our grocery shopping to be at the start of the trip, and just load from the grocery store right into the bus. Anyhow, I plan to boil a carton of eggs, make ‘protein balls’, prepare some raw veggies and salads, make some meat & cheese trays, etc. ahead of time – to make sure healthy snacks are just a reach away!

The lists go on and on. But I am feeling accomplished – we are soooooo close to being READY! Onward & upward. The count-down in on until we hit the open road!

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{{PS- Received this AMAZZZZING photo of Penelope, from Lee Cejalvo Photography, at Saturday’s SCR/ProAm. Love the determination that shows through her ‘race face’…}}

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Stay tuned for updates as we ‘get the show on the road‘…

#MotoMom

A tough day at the track!

Oh well, I may as well just vent it all out – right here and right now! What a sad day for Team #77 Racing…

Today was McCollum Park BMXs’ SCR. This is our home track, so we’d like to think that may play an advantage considering we practice and race here, like all the time. That wasn’t the case today.

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We showed up right at 10, set up a few items, and headed over to registration. It wasn’t quite open yet, but one window opened within a few minutes. 45 minutes or so later, the girls’ were ready to go. They both got a handful of practices in, and then we waited. And waited. And kept waiting. Racing was to start shortly after registration ended (noon), but the ball didn’t get rolling until about 2pm. By that time, both girls were anxious to get on the track.

Penelope’s moto was first. Her class had 2 racks, totaling 15 kids. To qualify for the main, she had to get 1st or 2nd in either of her first two motos. In her first moto, she asked me to go up to the gate with her (which she rarely ever does, usually she asks one of her team-mates to assist) – and she balanced really well and was standing on the gate (with my two feet holding her back tire up) – PROGRESS! The gate went down, she got about 3ft, and the rider next to her went down and took her out. It took her a minute or two to get up, and she finished the race (2nd to last). She was pretty darn bummed.

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Mayhem’s moto was up next! Her class also had 2 racks, with a total of 12 kids. To qualify for the main, she had to get 1st or 2nd in either of her first two motos. In her first moto, she got out of the gate first but slowly lost momentum throughout the track. She ended up finishing 4th!

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The second set of motos came around fairly quickly, and Penelope was up first again. She had her team-mate, Ty, take her up to the gate this time. She got out of the gate pretty well, and rode 2nd place most of the track. As she came into the finish line, another little guy shot right by her – essentially a tie for 2nd place. We heard the announcer call #41 as the winner (which is Penelope), but know that is it up to the ‘finish line officials’ to determine. After a few motos went by, we went up and asked who was marked 2nd, and they said Penelope was. Yay, great – she is moving on to the main! (Meanwhile, friends visiting at the races took photos at the finish line, and had shared them with us! Wow, it was SOOOOOO CLOSE! Tough call…)

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Mayhem was next! She fought hard from the start line to the finish line, taking 2nd place – advancing to the main, YAY!

Then came the mains! Between the 2nd moto and the mains was over 2 hours of waiting and anticipation – BOTH GIRLS MADE THEIR MAINS AT A STATE RACE (pretty exciting, eh?). They had lunch (killer Taco Truck the track invited in) and hung out with team-mates and friends.

Nelly’s main was first. Again, Ty took her up to the gate. I headed over to the opposite side of the track from where we ‘pit’ (but near the start line where Nelly was). Within a few short minutes, Nelly came up bawling (with her helmet still on) that ‘they’ wouldn’t let her race because she didn’t qualify for the main. The next few minutes where full of chaos and disturbance – as I try to work through the 50+ ppl staging to race on bikes, inquiring with every volunteer (aka track official) in sight on what to do to get this corrected, all while still trying to deal with a 5 year old who is in an emotional breakdown because she just wants to race. Several motos go by, and all we get in response is: Our paperwork says she didn’t qualify – there are only 8 gates, she can’t race. Extremely frustrating! By that point, I realized it’s a lost cause. Nelly missed her moto, but we made it back to our team tent just in time for Mayhem’s race!

Mayhem got out of the gate first again, and fell to the back of the pack in the first corner. She made up for it in the 2nd and 3rd stretch (meanwhile 2 kids go down and she passes by them), coming into the 4th stretch 3 kids deep, all fighting for 3rd. All 3 kids crossed the line just about the same time – but the one who shot ahead the most ‘got the stick’ (meaning he could go exchange the stick for a trophy). We inquired at the trophy tent to find out where she actually placed, but they had no idea either. Such a mess!

By the time we left the track, we were all an emotional mess. I try so hard not to involve emotions in these ‘fun activities’ for the girls’ – but at times, it’s next to impossible. Penelope has been working SOOOOOOO HARD at improving her skills and applying them with BMX; it makes me sad to see her sad that she ‘didn’t make it to the end’ even after she was told that she did. I wish we could have prepared her for that! Maybelline always fights hard, and I am always so proud to see her so happy about her accomplishments. She felt shafted today, and I felt that as her mom. As I have mentioned before, BMX is extremely different than flat track. In flat track, no matter where you place in the ‘heat race’ – you will always still qualify to race the ‘main race’… it’s an adjustment, and we are still getting used to that. Either way, I am proud of both the girls – and their ambition to hit the track any day, anytime, any circumstance. Today wasn’t their time to shine, but there is plenty more time for that. We’ve got 4 days of rest ahead, and then we hit the road for a 4 day ‘marathon’ of BMX racing, followed by a few days of R&R. Onward & upward for Team #77 Racing!

On a positive note: I am sooooooo happy to announce that our team-mate and the girls’ BMX coach, Ty Pellham, became EXPERT tonight! We are SO PROUD of you Ty, and can’t wait to see what you conquer next buddy…

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Stay tuned! More updates to come as we prepare to hit the road…

#Moto Mom

SCR/Big $ Pro Am at McCollum Park BMX Track

It’s a typical Friday morning – except that it’s summer, and raining out. We weren’t able to make it out to McCollum for any practice this week, so planned on hitting the track this evening. Well, I think the rain may have another idea in mind…BOO!

Today is the day, the kick off of the SCR/Big Money Pro Am at McCollum Park BMX Track {our ‘home’ track}! Tonight is practice and time trials from 6-8pm with lots of live entertainment. Tomorrow sign-ups for the big race are 10-noon and first round of racing to soon follow.

Come on out; it’s free to watch, there will be an array of food trucks, and it will be an action packed event!

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The track operators and volunteers have been pouring in several weeks of hard labor to get the track ready – we are so thankful to all the people out at McCollum for making this event happen! Can’t hardly wait…

#MotoMom

Sometimes ya’ win; and sometimes ya’ lose {at least we are having FUN}…

Last week was full of adventures: Picking Mayhem up at the airport, swim lessons, fishing, play dates, a picnic, dropping Poppa Wheelie off at the airport, and THREE DAYS of BMX =).

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Friday evening, we headed out to our home track (McCollum) for some BMX practice. This was the first time Nelly has been back on her bike since the ‘sitting down and lack of peddling’ incident at the LumberJack Nationals. As much as she always wants to win, she is definitely just now starting to realize how much effort it takes. Anyhow, she was ON FIRE at Friday’s practice, which was a good sign of things to come. Maybelline, as usual, was taking each lap as hard as she good – progressing her skills and knowledge one day at a time. Her determination sure makes me proud!

We woke up Saturday morning, had breakfast, and headed back to McCollum for a single point race. The turn-out at the track was pretty good; Nelly had 3 kids in her class (all 5 and under) and May had 5 (ages 7-9). Nelly fought hard and took 1st in all her motos – taking home her 1st ever win {and a SWEET plaque to remember it}. Maybelline also rode very well, and took 4th in all here motos!

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We had earlier agreed that whoever got the best win of the day would get to choose where we were going for lunch after the race. Both girls had different choices; but in the end, settled on their favorite Mexican restaurant (Todo Mexico). We had lunch, Margaritas, and went home to rest for the remainder of the day.

We were up bright and early Sunday morning, heading north to Mt. Vernon for the Bakerview SCR. This was a track the girls had never raced before. We left early enough that we had time to stop and eat breakfast on the way at HopJack’s in Smokey Point. When we arrived, we were the only people in the restaurant (other than staff). When we left, we were the only people in the restaurant. None-the-less, we had some great food and even better service!

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As we arrived to the track, our team captain had a Team Diablos ‘pit-area’ ready right next to staging, and a place for us to park right there. Great set-up! Things at the track were moving quite slowly for the day – so both the girls were able to get in 10 or so practice laps with long breaks in-between. By the time motos started, they were both feeling excited and confident.

Nelly’s class (5N) is a TOUGH one – as at double or triple point races, they will get 3-5 racks full of kids under the age of 5 all fighting for a chance in the main. At this particular race, they had 3 racks of 5, and only 1st and 2nd place would advance to the semi qualifier; AND THEN you had to qualify in the semi to advance up to the main moto. Penelope took 3rd in her first moto (so she didn’t yet qualify), then took 2nd in her second moto (qualifying her for the semi); but then took a tumble out of the first corner in her semi (dis-qualifying her for the main moto). She got right up, hopped on her bike, and finished out the semi with just a bruised ego. It was clear that these past few days of racing, she had really been progressing and riding her best – she knew it, we knew it – so a little crash isn’t going to stop her.

Maybelline had 2 racks of kids in her class (8N). She took 3rd in all her motos, automatically advancing her to main. But in the main, she also took a tumble in the second corner – taking her from 3rd to last. She got right up, hopped on her bike, and finished out race in tears. She is a strong girl, but is often too hard on herself if she isn’t ‘winning at everything’ (which is usually the case, so losses are just that much harder for her). It took some chatting and ‘ego-boosting’ to get a smile back on her face – she has forgiven herself, but will never forget.

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By Monday, we were getting back into our ‘normal’ summer routine of chaos and even more chaos. We plan to get to McCollum a few times this week for some practice, as Saturday is their ProAm/SCR event, and both the girls are planning on competing in it.

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Meanwhile, we’ve got play dates, a birthday party, and many chores to get done; adios!

#MotoMom

The longest week, everrr…

Oh my, what a long week it has been! I tend to be one who plans and prepares for everything. But when things come up unexpectedly, I easily get stressed trying to juggle it all. Anyhow, the week is FINALLY over – and I am extremely happy to have a weekend at home with no plans in sight.

This last week was the first week of swim lessons – and the girls LOVED IT. Both of them swim rather well, but with all the fishing and other water activities we do – it makes me feel a whole heck of a lot better knowing that they have the basic skill-set needed if any emergencies were to arise. Not to mention that I can’t swim (well, barely) – so they would need to save me, LOL. Anyhow, the weather was crummy all week, and lessons were in an outdoor pool, but neither of the girls even seemed to notice. We will be headed back Monday for week #2!

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On Tuesday, Penelope’s ‘adopted dog’ Shyanne (Grandpa’s retired hunting dog) got hit by a car, and broke a foot, a leg, and has a severe laceration on her one leg. Tough lesson for a 5 year old! Nelly had thrown her ball across the street, and Shyanne took off to retrieve it. A work van speeding around the corner tagged her (right in front of Penelope). Penelope has spent most the week nursing Shyanne’s wounds, and doing her best to help her recover. Sure breaks my heart for both of them!

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On Thursday, Maybelline and I headed out to meet Poppa Wheelie at EMXP for some practice on her new KTM Pro Senior. Although she has ‘talked the talk’ for many month about this KTM – she is actually pretty scared of it. It’s by far the fastest thing she has ever ridden! It took some coaxing and several laps before she became completely comfortable with it – but in no time, she was rippin’ it up. After an hour or two, she decided she wanted to go hit the big track. Ummm, we weren’t quite sure about it – but let her do her thing. Within the first lap, she was ‘rider-down’ between a jump and the tabletop. By the time she rode up to us after the crash, she was balling her eyes out. Come to find out, she wasn’t actually so hurt (a small bruise and scratch) – she was just so upset because the guy who helped her on the track never asked her if she was ok. He just picked up her bike, started it, and told her to go. Well now, lesson learned for Maybelline: If you are going to ride the ‘big-boy’ track on your ‘big-girl’ bike, then there ain’t no time for crying over crashes, LOL. She quickly exited that track, went back to the kids track, and finished off her evening doing practice laps there.

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Yesterday (Friday), after finishing swim lessons, Maybelline and I headed off to SeaTac Airport for her first solo flight (headed to Boise for bonding time with her Auntie Chandra). What a task that was! 5 hours later (between Friday traffic through Seattle, parking at SeaTac, unoccupied minor check-in and paperwork, security, dinner, etc), she was finally in the air. Ironically, as I pulled in the driveway at home – I got a text that she had just landed, and was safe with her auntie. 5 hours’ worth of work, for her 50 minute flight, LOL.

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This morning, I slept in – and it felt sooooooo good. As I slowly woke up, got some coffee, and checked my phone – I found this gem:

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Maybelline and her auntie completed May’s first 5k in 43 minutes! So proud of these ladies♥♥♥

Now, I am off to get a pork roast and some ribs in the smoker! Somehow, my husband convinced me to ‘buy a whole pig’ (in which we had no freezer room for anyhow). So, mission ‘SMOKE PORK’ is in session…

#MotoMom

BMX LumberJack Nationals: Day #3 & #4

We are home from the LumberJack Nationals! We had such a great time, but are all sooooo exhausted. There were some up’s, and some down’s, but overall – it was a huge success…

The 2nd day of racing (Saturday, which was our 3rd day at the track) began with 8:50am practice. The girls’ had to share a bed in the motorhome the night before because Poppa Wheelie was staying with us and stole the couch. Although we began our bedtime routine about 8pm, the girls bickered and fought with each other until 11:30pm (when they were finally separated and May ended up sleeping on the floor) – none of us getting to bed until midnight. Well, as expected, 8am came VERYYYY early for them (both of them struggled to get out of bed and dressed). Both made it to practice, and all seemed to be going well.

AND THEN…breakfast time hit. What was a small request for Penelope to finish her cereal (that she asked for) and her cup of juice (that she poured a second serving of herself) – quickly turned into ‘World War #77’. Needless to say, Penelope ended up ‘grounded’ for the day, which meant no racing for her. We had already registered and paid for her, so it was a pretty significant financial hit to us – but being a ‘team-player’ and displaying good behavior is not an option. Her loss, and she was pretty bummed about it.

Maybelline went on to race and did SOOOOO GOOD in all her motos. She qualified for the main, and ended up taking 4th place overall (in the 8N class). Her team-mates also had some great victories (Ty took 1st, and Megan took 4th).

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The kids celebrated in the evening with some kick-ball and hacky sack, while the adults celebrated over PBR. Having such an eventful day, ending in some great wins… always makes for some good ol’ camping and team celebration! But with Penelope’s recent events/behavior, the girls were again beginning their bedtime routine at 8pm. This time, Penelope slept in our bed in order to separate them (I stayed with the girls while Dan tended to the fire with the neighbors, later coming to bed and putting her back in her bed once asleep). The girls’ were ‘lights-out’ by 9pm – THANK GOODNESS.

Saturday morning came quickly! Racing began at 8am sharp – no registration and no practice. Both girls struggled just a bit to get up and out of bed (at about 7:20am) – but once they did, they both had smiles on their faces and were ready to RACE!

Maybelline cruised through her motos, qualifying for her main, and taking 4th place overall (again). She pushed hard, and did some of her best racing this day! Penelope placed 3rd in her first moto (but only 1st and 2nd were advancing to the main). In her second moto, she took 2nd, so she was finally qualified to move on to the main. When the 3rd moto/main arrived, I am no quite sure where her head was at. She cruised through the whole race, sitting down, peddling as little as possible – and finished 6th. She was happy to get a trophy; but it was a tad disappointing to see that she had surely ‘checked-out’ of the competition (especially since she had previously put in so much effort to qualifying for it in the first place). Hoping this was just a ‘bad moment’ for her…

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Once racing was over (noon-ish), we all began packing up to head home. We all filled our bellies with lunch, and took down camp, one item at a time. We were on the road by 1ish, and home by 2:30ish. This arrival home was a day earlier than we had initially anticipated, but much needed.

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Once home, we unpacked the motorhome, everyone enjoyed much needed showers, and relaxed while enjoying a family movie (Cheaper by the Dozen #2) followed by dinner (homemade beef Gyros).

Another successful trip in the books – and we can now say that we tackled USA BMX Nationals and survived!

Now, the week ahead: 4th of July celebrations, Swim Lessons, Motocross Practice at EMXP (on dirt bikes), and Maybelline heads to Idaho…solo! Stay tuned for more updates from Team #77 Racing…

#MotoMom

 

 

BMX LumberJack Nationals: Day #2

What a GREAT day of racing for Team #77 Racing (and Team Diablos BMX Racing)! Today was the first time anyone was allowed on the track for the LumberJack Nationals. Practice started around 10; and racing began at 1pm sharp. Penelope’s age practiced first, and she was able to get in a good 5 or so laps. Maybelline followed, with again, 5 or so laps.

Once motos were posted, we had a better idea of their competition. I would say there were over 600 riders at the track today – most gates being completely full. Penelope’s class (5N) had 12 riders overall, split into 2 racks. The first and second place rider from moto #1 and moto #2 both got to advance to the main/moto #3 (consisting of 8 total riders). Maybelline’s class (8N – which she has JUST moved up to since yesterday was her 8th birthday) consisted of 9 riders overall. It, also, was split into 2 racks – with the first and second place rider from moto #1 and moto #2 both getting to advance to the main/moto #3 (consisting of 8 total riders).

Penelope’s moto #1 was first. She was slow out of the gate, and upon the first jump (a tabletop) – she completely mowed over a ‘rider-down’ and immediately took a tumble. It took her a minute or so to get up and back on the bike, but she did, and she finished 5th. Maybelline’s moto shortly followed. She also struggled to get out of the gate, but held in there and finished 3rd. Since neither of them finished 1st or 2nd, they needed to try again to make it to the main.

In moto #2, (not sure exactly where Penelope ended up placing) but she didn’t make it thorough to the final round. Luckily, she didn’t even seem to mind. Maybelline fought hard, and took 2nd – advancing her over to the main/moto #3.

By the time the main/moto #3 came around, both kids were hot and tired. Maybelline pushed through, and ended up taking 5th overall for the day.

IMAG1940Not only am I proud of these little ladies- but our Diablos Team had some pretty significant wins today! Ty took 2nd, Megan placed 3rd, and Grace stole 1st (in ALL her motos). #WHORIDES

As far as a day of racing, we couldn’t have asked for anything better (no injuries, some great wins, and a whole ton of fun). In the world of being a #MotoMom, the day had a few bumps, but we made it through. Les Schwab made it out this morning to look at the motorhome tire we blew on upon arrival; and they quickly discovered that we actually blew out TWO tires. $1,000 later – we have two new tires and are ready to roll. Combine that with the costs of 3 days of racing (at $50 per racer, per day), plus the cost of travel (food, fuel, parking, etc) – this is one VERY expensive race weekend. But I would do it again a million times over to just enjoy the smiles and excitement these girls share!

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Tomorrow, it’s BACK TO THE TRACK for Race Day #2 (of 3) of the LumberJack Nationals. Stay tuned for more updates from Team #77 Racing and Team Diablos BMX Racing…

#MotoMom