Back from the mostly sunny (but not warm) south. I
flew into Charlotte, and the next day we drove to
Birmingham, stopping at the BMW factory and museum in
Spartenburg. Did you all know that Ed Culberson's
(Obsessions Die Hard) bike is there? Neat
place.
Friday we watched a bit of qualifying, then, as it started to rain, we went through the museum - what a place. Lotsa bikes! Besides bikes, we ran into Yvon Duhamel checking out bikes as well. The rain stopped, and we went to watch more qualifying, sitting on the hillside above turn 2. Drat - the rains came again, and the Superbike qualifying was cancelled.
Spent time in the paddock area Friday and Saturday - even got out of a hailstorm under Kurt Robert's tent - he walked by and smiled. Got a big smile out of Aaron Yates, got a picture of Mat Mladin as he took off, and almost got a picture of Miguel Duhamel, but he took off on his bike before my camera clicked. Have a neat picture of "Mike's Bike" in Carolina blue, parked next to Jordan Motorsports truck . . . guess he was inside, but I didn't see him.
The two guys who collided at the beginning of the Superbike race Saturday landed right down in front of us. Fortunately they weren't hurt.
The sound of the Ducatis was really neat compared to the high whine of the rice rockets . . . . it must do something to the racer in front when he hears that low growl coming up on his tale.
We left Saturday after the race so we could get back to Charlotte before Sunday's race came on tv. One bike was down on I-20 not far from the Barber Museum - appeared he slipped on some icky stuff put on top of a base coat of new pavement. He was on the stretcher being loaded into an ambulance as we went by. Don't know how he made out.
It was neat seeing the race on tv (Saturday's race) and getting the overview and announcer feedback compared to sitting there watching it. You do see more and hear more on tv, but you don't hear the sounds and smell the smells that you experience in person. Great trip all around.
MuriElf
Friday we watched a bit of qualifying, then, as it started to rain, we went through the museum - what a place. Lotsa bikes! Besides bikes, we ran into Yvon Duhamel checking out bikes as well. The rain stopped, and we went to watch more qualifying, sitting on the hillside above turn 2. Drat - the rains came again, and the Superbike qualifying was cancelled.
Spent time in the paddock area Friday and Saturday - even got out of a hailstorm under Kurt Robert's tent - he walked by and smiled. Got a big smile out of Aaron Yates, got a picture of Mat Mladin as he took off, and almost got a picture of Miguel Duhamel, but he took off on his bike before my camera clicked. Have a neat picture of "Mike's Bike" in Carolina blue, parked next to Jordan Motorsports truck . . . guess he was inside, but I didn't see him.
The two guys who collided at the beginning of the Superbike race Saturday landed right down in front of us. Fortunately they weren't hurt.
The sound of the Ducatis was really neat compared to the high whine of the rice rockets . . . . it must do something to the racer in front when he hears that low growl coming up on his tale.
We left Saturday after the race so we could get back to Charlotte before Sunday's race came on tv. One bike was down on I-20 not far from the Barber Museum - appeared he slipped on some icky stuff put on top of a base coat of new pavement. He was on the stretcher being loaded into an ambulance as we went by. Don't know how he made out.
It was neat seeing the race on tv (Saturday's race) and getting the overview and announcer feedback compared to sitting there watching it. You do see more and hear more on tv, but you don't hear the sounds and smell the smells that you experience in person. Great trip all around.
MuriElf
