Vikings Ride Report

[Donn Nay]

SMOKIN? VIRGIN RUN

Made arrangements to have Matt meet me at my office after work Friday; we were the only Nays to make the trip this weekend. It took him 1 ½ hours to get from Burbank to Irwindale! Since it was so late we opted to have dinner locally and then make the drive, best choice of the weekend. After some great Tex Mex food we hit the road around 7:30 P.M. and sailed most of the way to Bear Valley Rd. A quick top off of fuel and we were off to Johnson Valley. Heading up Bessimer (what a piece of crap road that is, cuss it out every time I pull the trailer there) we were wondering if the Hastings had come out earlier so we had a camp when Matt?s cell phone rings and it?s James Jenkins looking for us, we were quite surprised that he and Russ were already there, didn?t figure on seeing them until Sunday morning. James met us in the Rhino and guided us in. After unloading we joined a small group around the campfire, three was Russ, Mike and Michael Hastings, the two Brians from Bishop (Jones and McKenzie) and ex-patriots Bryan and Sandi Anderson. We hung out at the campfire for a while shooting the bull then hit the hay, really nice weather, T-shirts and shorts, meanwhile thinking, ?If it?s this warm at midnight, how hot will it be tomorrow??

Well Saturday was bright and clear as expected and just the faintest breeze so out came the awning as it we getting warm quick. We had a few out for just Saturday?s poker run, one old member Julian with his son John and Albert Jones came out with three friends. Around noon or so John Hutcherson showed up with his daughter Maggie. Julian, John John, Maggie and I signed up for the poker run and took off around 3:30. In the meantime the Kudla?s were a bit late for their clinic that Matt and Brian McKenzie were scheduled to attend so they hung out and waited for them to set up while we headed out for the poker run. Let me tell you the poker run was a MAJOR disappointment, not one theme check, only three checks period and whoever laid out the course found some really clapped out SCORE road to take us down. No parties, no ?adult beverages?, nothing. Next year Viewies, we gotta show them how it?s done! As I see it our streak is still alive by default since no one did a theme check. Oh yea and none of us won a thing. Matt and Brian really enjoyed Kudla?s clinic, Matt got a lot of good instruction that he said he can really put to good use and Brian got some useful tips as well.

OH YES DID I MENTION IT WAS FREAKING HOT?

The usual Saturday evening campfire, supplied by Russ was loud and fun as usual and Deanna and Josh Jenkins made it out so the Jenkins family was well represented. Hit the hay and anticipated a hot morning, and were not disappointed.

Sunday morning we were up at 7:30 and it was already HOT. As long as you were in the shade it was bearable but not in the sun, and there was not a breath of wind, the dust was just hanging, just like Invaders last August. Matt, Josh and I took off for the bomb to watch the first couple of rows come by and just when we got there a nice breeze came up so if you lined up on the right you were fine, Jonsey didn?t and was about ¾ of the way back when he passed us, didn?t see Russ and Mike Hastings was about ½ way. The National boys were really flying, Pearson, Destry, then Kendall. I stayed and watched the Novice start while Josh and Matt headed back and out on the second loop, Brian McKenzie got a great start, top 5 and riding real smooth when he came by me.

Back at the pits Hutch and Sean Grattan had everything set up and ready (we only had 5 racers). Russ came in first, first in class then someone rode up and said Mike Hastings was out of gas pushing into the pits. In the meantime Michael has pulled off and was done for the day, bike and rider both badly overheating at a bottleneck. Hutch ran up and helped Mike push the rest of the way in and we got him set, he said the bike was running poorly but he would soldier on. Jonsey came in as Mike was getting out and got around him. Brian came in running third or fourth overall Novice, 6 minutes behind first. Got him out of the pits in one minute!

Headed over to the finish and watched Russ win by a decent margin, Jonsey was fourth I believe but no sign of Mike. Brian Anderson came over and said he last saw Mike in a canyon kicking his bike, said it was running really bad, so now we figure we?ll have a rescue mission and wait for Brian McKenzie to give us his where abouts but lo and behold here comes Mike, bike running ratty but still moving (can you say ?new top end?). So now we have all accounted for except Brian so we watching for Green stripes and who is the first one we see? You guessed it, Brian is first overall Novice!! And a vet at that! We have now adorned him with his earned nickname, ?Sandy? short for sandbagger, he really needs to be an intermediate but still needs two more transfers and prefers to be the big fish for now, he should do well as a yellow striper though, all the guys on Saturday said he?s super smooth and fast without using a lot of energy.

So with only 5 riders we still got two firsts, and one was an overall, not a bad showing, especially considering the heat. When we got in the truck to leave at 3:00 it was 101!

[Brian MacKenzie - VP]

You forgot the best part. I make it to my trailer completely done, I just need a fork and I feel like boot leather.  As I ride up, I am thinking...is my generator on? Is that my a/c running? Holy crap, I just feel in love with someone.  I thought it was Jones and started to give him kudos, but nope it was my hero of action, Don Nay!!!!! It was wonderful!! Nice cool trailer on a 95 plus day, oh ya!! So I get hosed off, cooled down, changed and go out side to start loading. hhhhhmmm someone is telling me to look at my bike.  hhhmmmmm something is not quite right, what the ?  Who put those yellow bars over my green ones?  Hey, take those off, I am only a meager novice rider and should not bump too early. 

Thanks to the pit crew for a good pit and to Brian Jones for bringing some shade to the start and having some at the finish. He also was a giant help as he drove home so I could rest and recover. True friend! 

Thanks viewfinders for the support, good times and fun. I have three races, so as soon as I pit one I will be eligible for membership! 
 

[Keith Jones - VP]

Brian, Congrats on your Nov OA finish! Desert Vet needs to lay low if he doesn't want that yellow bar. Oh, and don't tell anyone who your steward is because I think some of your "TRUE FRIENDS" might make the phone call to see if they can get you BUMPED!!! I can smell the YELLOW BAR coming.
     Did Mr. Nay mention HOT??? If this was HOT, I want to hear what he considers RUTS in June Tara didn't complain!  KJ

[Kandy]

Great race report Donn!  I am sooooo bummed about the Poker Run.  This used to be one of the only fundraisers for Riders Helping Riders and was always well represented by the Viewfinders.  Sucks the way things wents this year!  :(

Congrats Brian on the o/a!  I like the nick Sandy for you... and I think a cold one is in order for Mr. Nay for turning the AC on.  Sounds like a hot, hot, hot weekend.  Glad to hear everyone made it back to the pits.  Good luck to everyone racing the GP this weekend!

[Brian MacKenzie - VP]

  i am hoping Mr. Nay remains silent at the comp meeting coming up. i do need a little more wood before i go to the yellow world. 

[Brian Jones]

 Hey Donn great report you covered everything.
      Thanks Viewfinders for making me feel at home. I really enjoyed hanging out and working the pits.
       To my best bud Great race. You know I can't believe some one would tag your bike with yellow bars. Your just a true novice NOT!!! You might as well get use to the yellow, it's comming and soon.
       Brian Jones

[hutch]

thanks again to donn for letting mags use the trailer.  first thing she asked when we got in the truck to leave was when is next race so i guess we didn't scare her too bad.  she's hobblin' around a bit today which is pretty funny to see, since it's usually me.   

[Donn Nay]

thanks again to donn for letting mags use the trailer.  first thing she asked when we got in the truck to leave was when is next race so i guess we didn't scare her too bad.  she's hobblin' around a bit today which is pretty funny to see, since it's usually me.   

Hobbling? She get a case of monkey butt from the back of your 650? I can't imagine that, five miles of whoops sitting on the seat, even made my butt tired and I was standing up.

Yea Jonsey, I know RUTS will be hotter but I would expect that and be a little better prepared, like drinking more water without V.O. the week before! Just wasn't mentally prepared for the heat in April (Yahoo weather said 88 on sunday, guess they were wrong). Besides we're pussies, we usually hang it up in May and wait for it to cool down, it's coming up on lake time!!

Brian squared, really had a blast with you guys this weekend, pretty nuts to find out we have mutual friends/acquantances in Bishop since I've lived in Burbank my whole life. By the way my wife's Uncle that started Bishop Glass was Vin Pitzer, his wife was Mable and they had two daughters, Linda and Penny, Penny married Miller. Does Greg Newcomb still have his coupe and his dad's? Couple of pretty nice street rods if I remember right.

[Brian MacKenzie - VP]

Greg always has some project he's working on. i dont know what he is up to now. but since he is the auto shop teacher, he gets plenty of shop space.

[Charlie & Darlene Barney - Life Members, 2015 President]

good job Don on the report
Charlie

[Big Daddy Golden Rod]

Good job as usual Don. Good point about the consecutive best check streak still intact. We will be back next year and hopefully inspire other clubs to step up.

[Russ & Deanna Jenkins]

 

        GREAT! RACE REPORT DON. I WAS JUST GETTING READY TO DO THE REPORT MYSELF,  BUT NOW I DONT HAVE TO. I COULDNT HAVE DONE IT ANY BETTER.


             DEANN