Tubac or Not Tubac? There Really Is No Question

One of the first things you have to understand about Steve and me is that our travel decisions are often made on the basis of flimsy facts and scant consideration. A comment from a friend that the 'fish sticks in Peterboro were the best ever' might send us packing for Peterboro. Such was the case with our latest dual sport adventure in southern Arizona. We have an affinity for the landscape and the people there as both are interesting to look at, make for wonderful stories and cut a wide swath of rough and ready.

A couple of years ago, we had a fabulous adventure in Bisbee, an old copper mining town in the mountains of southeast Arizona. We were tempted to return there, but decided to broaden both our horizons and our listing of southcentral trails, and settled instead on a town called Tubac. We were joined by Florida friend Howard of the south Louisiana "Ham" clan.

As is usual, a comment from a friend led us to this small village some 60 miles south of Tucson and 30 miles north of Nogales. Tubac was purported by said friend to be a charming place, an artistically-inclined village with a historical ambience. I had visions of a colorful, cool, fun and funky town tucked into the craggy foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. Unfortunately, the only adjective it could muster was 'funky', and not in that 'good funky' sort of way.



 Lots to choose from!

 Over the years, Tubac has tried to reinvent itself as the "Santa Fe" of southern Arizona. Sadly, it resembles not so much Santa Fe as Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days, south of the border-style. Though staying in a truly cool place is always a plus, the (lack of) art and ambience was not the reason for our trip. Riding was, and there, we were not disappointed.

Tubac sits in the middle of the Sonoran Desert, a wild, rugged landscape filled with many things that can hurt you. Even the pretty flowers come with skin-snagging barbs and often it seemed the entire landscape wanted us dead. That should not be surprising. The name "Tubac" is an English/Hispanic bastardization of a Tohono O'odham tribal word which means, roughly, "rotten." Established in 1795 as a Spanish Presidio, Tubac was on the famed Camino Real, a trail that led from Mexico to the Spanish settlements in California. The rough lifestyle so common in most of the southwest was also present here.

One oft-remembered historical account is of California gambler and highwayman Jack Powers. Despite the literature of the day calling Powers a "gentlemen," Jack was a notorious highway robber and murderer, a bad man who met a violent end. He was murdered just south of Nogales in a fight over a woman, his body unceremoniously thrown into a pen of starving hogs. What little was left of Jack was buried just south of Tubac. It is stories such as these, and plenty of them, that no doubt makes the local Chamber of Commerce cringe.

Lawlessness is still an issue for the area near Tubac, and the southwest as a whole.

The desert trails south of the town skirt the Mexican border, and signs and your imagination provide ample warning of what might happen should you stumble onto a roving band of ill-tempered drug mules.

The U.S. is putting billions into the fight to secure these southwestern borders and evidence of that money is everywhere. Even on the most out-of-the-way and inaccessible trails we saw generally smiling and always diligent U.S. Border Patrol agents, a fact that made Steve, Howard and I very happy.



What are the chances that a Border Patrol vehicle should drive into our frame just as we snap a joke pic?



Don't ever depend on having the cavalry ride to your rescue, though. On our first trip to Arizona, Steve asked a border agent whether we should carry a gun on our backcountry excursions. The agent didn't hesitate. "I can never admit that I said this, but I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by six." We got his point.

There are several things you need to know about riding offroad in Arizona that have nothing to do with immigration. Something(s) on your bike will break.

You will often be lost and find yourself on trails that cannot support human life. Getting Greek food in the middle of southern Arizona is not always a good idea.

If you jam a cactus needle into your shin bone, you will need pliers to get it out. I often thank my lucky stars that Steve is not only a skilled field mechanic, he is a former fire department paramedic, a crucial off-road twofer. But I digress.



Remember, in Arizona chickens ride for free!

The landscape within a couple hundred miles around Tubac is amazingly beautiful and breath-takingly diverse. The descriptions run the gamut of dry and desolate scrub to undulating grassland, gnarled trees giving way to hidden lakes, kilometers of fields abloom in flowers and butterflies.

Many beautiful miles can be logged on dirt and gravel ranch roads, and on a series of what the state calls "Primitive Roads" that criss-cross the region. But most of the true trails in the area seem to attract far more four-wheelers than motorcycles and can be poorly marked. Maps that show unfettered access to open trails are often out of date, leading riders into fences that have apparently been constructed by ranchers laying claim to public land. Another consideration is that Arizona is a 'free range' state so ranchers need only build fences if they desire. Stock can otherwise wander when and where it would like.

There were three particularly enjoyable sets of trails within easy ride of Tubac. Almost due west is the small town of Arivaca. To get there on pavement involves hanging a left on Arivaca Road off Interstate 19 at the Cow Palace, a place you will wish to return for their delicious breakfast skillet concoctions again and again.

Arivaca Road is roughly 20 miles of beautiful. The lightly-traveled road twists, turns and meanders in and out of washes, ravines and hills. To the north are the Cerro Colorado mountains, to the south, the Tumacacori range. Just before you leave Arivaca is a road called "Ruby," who may or may not have taken her love to town.

Ruby Road runs through miles of US Forest Service land with offshoot trails that lead you past played-out mines, to the Mexican border, and to dead ends in obscure places. Less obscure but still lightly traveled is Forest Road 61, a trail along the border that connects Nogales to Bisbee. This stretch of trail runs the gamut from grassland to scrub, from forest to mountain, from easy to uh-oh. Until you reach the last ten miles of the trail near the Coronado National Forest last-nasty-bathroom stop, you will believe that you are the only living souls in the world.

This area is so remote that even the airline contrails don't hang around for long. Understand, however, that you will at some point see a Border Patrol agent, who are all unfailingly courteous in giving motorcycles the right-of-way.

If single-track trail is more your style, bust it up to the Empire Ranch just north of the wine country of Sonoita. Empire Ranch sits in the middle of a 42,000-acre tract of land managed by the US Bureau of Land Management. Originally a working cattle ranch, the facility once encompassed over one MILLION acres, but much of the remaining acreage is open to motorcyclists. Considering that the federal government is not especially friendly to off-roading, this property could become off-limits at any time, so ride it while you can. The trails that travel the expanse of the ranch are well-maintained and not at all technical, which means a lot of easy, non-life-threatening fun. Had our tummies not been urging us on, we would have spent far more time at historic Empire Ranch.

As seen on a trailriding website. Foreshadowing?

Those were our three most enjoyable sets of trails, but there was a fourth...a trail so craggy and nasty that it actually ate Howard's bike...twice. Bull Springs Trail. BST is just north of Tubac and heads east/west across the hinterlands to Patagonia. To get to Bull Springs, you turn onto Elephant Head Road and travel until you are nearly out of options. There, you will see a trail head that looks especially dangerous, strewn with large, sharp rocks. If you are committed to your course of action, you will discover that the dangerous beginning  is only a tease---it gets far worse. After seeing the trail head, I opted to depart to the house with all my teeth intact and celebrate my lack of broken bones and lacerations.

Not long after, I got a call that Howard's rear tire had flatted, so I returned with the Ford rescue Raptor.

Howard wears a sad face while contemplating another tire purchase.

Perhaps this should have been taken as a sign, particularly as it had happened at a point in the trail where several burned-out cars had been left abandoned, but it was not.

Disappointed that they had been bested by the trail, Steve and Howard tried it again a few days later and had to administer even more field triage. A particurlarly entertaining spill ground a hole in the clutch cover of  Howard's KTM 530. Luckily, a field fix allowed the adventurers to continue. Bull Springs Road was not a happy place for Howard. Though Steve made it out intact, it is not a place he particularly wishes to return.

None of the trails were forgiving to equipment or bodies, inattention or lack of skill. A hard impact with the ground punched a hole the valve cover in my R1200GS, creating an oil leak.Miles from civilization on inaccessible single track trail would have been a very bad place to be broken down. Luckily, field tools and an epoxy stick patched us up enough to allow us to travel to find more oil.

Another encounter with a wet cattle guard sent me and my GX450 careening into a cactus thicket, also with painful results. Off-roading, like flying, is terribly unforgiving of carelessness, incapacity or neglect. Body armor protected all of us to a large extent, and the cylinders and boxes on my 1200 GS likely prevented a leg injury in my hard tumble. All told, I would prefer repairing scuffed paint than growing more skin or being out of action while waiting for bones to knit.

All in all, though, the trip was another fabulous adventure filled with fun, interesting people, good food, beautiful sights, new experiences and great stories. Our bikes give us the opportunity to do many things and go many places that most people will never be able to experience. Truly, who could ask for more?

Additional Observations:

• Yes, you can hurt yourself off-roading in Arizona, so do not go alone. Also make sure that you have first-aid for both yourself and your bike. An epoxy stick saved us twice. Next time we will also carry a quart of oil.
• Never assume that there will be water, gas or a bathroom where you think they should be. Plan ahead.
• Information on maps regarding trails may or may not be correct. Be prepared to backtrack.
• There are many, many absolutely gorgeous paved roads in southern Arizona if off-roading does not appeal. However, you will be missing out on some true and exquisite beauty if you avoid all unimproved roads.
• There is a nice BMW dealership in Tucson that will repair your bike while asking you, "You took it WHERE?"
• Beware brakes and wet cattle guards. Those two things hate each other.

Two more Interesting Things That Don't Really Go Anywhere Else

During our time in Tubac, the desert was alive with locusts, thousands of them walking across roads and trails. We never figured out exactly what was happening with them but were heartened that no one used  the word 'Biblical" in any conversation.

Kitt Peak Observatory is on the Tohono O'odham Reservation about  40 miles west of Tucson and offers nightly observing programs. GO! It will be the best $48 you have ever spent. There are very few places open to the public at which you can reach up and touch Andromeda. Be one who does!



Andromeda as seen at Kitt Peak. Go on, touch it!



Cruising the Smokies With Drew

by Drew T. Newcomer
It has been over 11 years since I viewed the mountains and rode the twisties in Tennessee and North Carolina. So, several months ago I decided it might be nice to take a fall ride to this part of the country. It is not really all that far and I always try and take a ride when the weather starts to cooperate to some place different.

On the morning of October 2 I headed east on I-20 before the sun came up. North of Jackson I turned onto the Natchez Trace Parkway as daylight began to filter through the trees. Now, the “Trace” has a 50 mph speed limit but there is no commercial traffic and I was on the cruiser and wasn’t in a hurry. I enjoyed the scenic ride, with very little traffic in either direction. After a pleasant ride for 100 miles or so, I turned east on MS 41 to Amory, MS where I refueled (no gasoline on the Trace!) and continued east on US 278 to Cullman, AL. A few miles east of Cullman, I found AL 69, which is a nice country road, to my stopping point at Guntersville. I had ridden 450 miles and was ready to stop - the temperature had warmed considerably by that time. I found a Best Western that had a restaurant and bar so figured I couldn’t do much better than that. I checked in my room and watched LSU play Tennessee. I was very upset when LSU couldn’t manage the clock and when the snap went right by the quarterback and LSU lost, I disgustedly turned off the tv and went to the bar. Surprise, surprise!!! By the time I got to the bar LSU had somehow won the game. I walked in and saw the fans in the stadium cheering like crazy and had to ask the guy at the end of the bar, “just what the hell happened?” He filled me in on the “too many defensive players on the field” phenomena and we watched the replay about a dozen times. I had a nice meal of tuna with a good Riesling and rested very well.

I left Guntersville on Sunday morning heading northeast on highway 79 which parallels Guntersville Lake. I continued northeast on US 72 north of Scottsboro and on into Tennessee. The plan was to avoid Chattanooga and I certainly did that. I got lost somehow (and this is with map and GPS!!!) and DID avoid Chattanooga. Somehow I ended up on TN 28 to Powell’s Crossroads where I headed north on 283 till I turned east on 111 that took me to US 27 which is where I was supposed to be anyway. 27 runs from southwest to northeast and I was headed in the right direction. All was not lost. My little detour proved to be quite scenic with plenty of twists and turns and ups and downs.

I headed east on TN 68 a few miles south of Ten Mile, TN. 68 took me to US 411 and Madisonville, TN. Clouds were starting to gather at this point and I was concerned that I might encounter some rain, which was not supposed to be part of this vacation. I continued north on 411 through Maryville and on into Sevierville. In Sevierville, I turned south on US 441 and headed to Pigeon Forge, where my rental cabin awaited. Problem was the rain started to come down and I had been given the wrong directions for my cabin. After riding into the mountains in the rain and finally getting someone on the phone I learned (my friend Nancy was in a rental car, having flown into Knoxville) that we were in the wrong place!! So, after extracting the proper location we were able to find where we were actually going to spend the next six nights. I was glad to stop. It had not been that long of a day, mileage wise, but riding into a high traffic area in the rain and trying to find something that was not there had tried my patience. We did manage to reach our destination safely, so I suppose I had nothing to complain or whine about.

We woke up to continued rain on Monday so Nancy and I utilized her rental car to explore the area. Same thing happened on Tuesday. Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg is a very “touristy” area and traffic can be a nightmare. And, October is the most popular month.

While the area is nice, souvenir shops and go cart tracks were not what brought us here.

Sun dawned brilliantly on Wednesday morning. After breakfast and letting things warm up a little, it was time to ride. 321 took us south to Townsend, TN and Smoky Mountains National Park. Cades Cove is a historic area and we enjoyed the 11 mile loop that meanders through this historic place. From Cades Cove, TN 73 (very nice road for bikes!) took us back to 441 and Gatlinburg and on to Pigeon Forge.

Thursday woke up like Tuesday and it was time to head to another area of the park. 441 heads southeast to Newfound Gap and Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in Tennessee. We had dressed warmly and it was a good thing. Temperatures were very brisk at this elevation, but the ride and scenery did not disappoint.

After stopping several times and climbing to the observation tower (it is a half mile walk up a steep grade which warmed us up considerably!!) we continued southeast to Cherokee, NC. I had visited Cherokee over 40 years ago, but can’t say I remembered much about it. We visited the Cherokee Indian Museum and walked through town and noticed the economy was suffering as several “going out of business” signs were evident. We headed back over the mountain and enjoyed the view from a different perspective.

Friday, the sun was out and calling. The plan was to “do the Dragon.” We rode south to Townsend again and the Foothills Parkway. Fog did slow us down and hold us up. Foothills is like the Trace in that there is no commercial traffic and no services. It is a beautiful ride, though, and well worth the effort. When we arrived at the intersection on 129, time had escaped us and we turned north instead of south. We would have to slay the Dragon another time. North on 129 was most enjoyable. I had not been this route on my previous Smoky Mountain visit. It leisurely finds its way to Maryville where it turned back east to Townsend and 321 which took us back to our cabin.

Saturday it was time to head home and Nancy had to be at the Knoxville airport for an 8am flight. I waited for the sun to come up and rode back to Townsend and Maryville where 411 now headed in a southwest direction back to Madisonville and 68 which now would take me to I-75. In an effort to knock down some miles, it would be an interstate trip home from here. I rode 75 to Chattanooga then I-24 through town to I-59 to Birmingham. As much as I enjoy riding motorcycles I absolutely HATE riding them on the interstate through large metropolitan areas and I was very glad to get Chattanooga and Birmingham behind me. After about 430 miles I stopped in Meridian for the night and enjoyed watching LSU defeat Florida in Gainesville.

For those who have never visited and rode the Smoky Mountains I highly recommend it. However, be forewarned that the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area is very busy at times and if your visit is to enjoy the great motorcycling in this area you may want to consider lodging in Townsend, or Tallassee TN, or even Cherokee, NC.

Doin' the D: Drew Travels to IMS

By: Drew T. Newcomer
For the 30th year, the International Motorcycle Show began its’ 12 city tour at the Dallas Convention Center in downtown Dallas, Texas. Having attended this show several times in the past, I have found it convenient to leave the motorcycle at home and take the I-20 west drive in the pick-up. So it was as I headed out about 6am on November 13 to the great state of Texas to see what was new in the motorcycle world. I had a room reservation at the ALOFT Motel, which was the host location for vendors and attendees alike.

After checking into my “ultra-modern” room in the very eclectic ALOFT, I headed to the Convention Center which was about a five minute walk from the motel. Lots of bikes rested in the bright Texas sun and a ride up the escalator brought me to the main entrance to the show after paying the $15.00 entrance fee.

Progressive Insurance, the largest sponsor for the show, greeted you with pretty girls and some large plastic bags with some “freebies.” The first noticeable thing was not what was there, but what wasn’t. BMW and Triumph were conspicuously missing from the show. This was the second year of absence for BMW, though it is my understanding that BMW will make a presence in a few of this year’s locations. The English marquee was missing for the first time that I remember having perused their display last year. Kawasaki, Suzuki, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, and Ducati all had impressive displays. As in years past, there seemed to be more of a crowd, and more of a general interest, in the Italian area. Ducati had several of their bikes on display with the Multi Strada receiving a lot of “looksies.” Of course Ducatis look fast even when parked and a good number of photos were being taken of the various bikes.

After walking through the entire area of the show it seemed to me that the number of apparel, luggage, and accessories vendors were down as well. I made a stop and a purchase at the Gerbing’s display, having fried my control unit a couple days before. I also purchased a new microfiber top. I am cold-natured and have enjoyed my Gerbings when the temperature drops.

The show was well attended at the time I was there (of course, Saturday being the busiest of the three days.) Also different this year was a number of locations had speakers discussing everything from properly fitting motorcycle clothing to suspensions in small theater-like arrangements. Every one I passed seemed to have an interested audience and the various programs were repeated on a scheduled basis.

I have been known to spend a good deal of money at this event, but I was proud of myself as I had some cash left in my pocket when leaving the Convention Center. My reason for frugality was not so much a function of the national economy but the fact that I traded in my trusty ole R1150R for an 09 K1300GT demo bike. Having a monthly note is something I haven’t had to worry about for a while. And with thoughts of top cases and Corbin seats dancing in my head, I thought it prudent to try and be fiscally responsible.

The motorcycle show has always been enjoyable for me and Dallas is an easy day trip from West Monroe. The national economy’s effect on the motorcycle industry (and the various support industries) is very evident. The number of motorcycle dealers nationwide has dropped and no brand has gone unaffected. Hopefully, this trend will reverse itself and we’ll have shows like this one to attend for years to come.

((Editor's Note: As of this posting, the IMS website lists 2011 tour dates only through March. Check back at http://www.motorcycleshows.com/ to get the latest on tour stops closer to home.))



Ken Travels to Salt Lake City World Superbike Meet

((May 29-31 Red River BMW member Ken Paulovich got to do something many will just talk about. He traveled to a world superbike meet at Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was everything you would expect world superbike to be, with a little extra included. Here is Ken's account of his weekend with some of the fastest riders on the planet.))

by Ken Paulovich
Sue and I had a wonderful opportunity to join Dr. and Mrs. Bill Steen and Rich Horstman, our co-pilot, over Memorial Day weekend and travel to Salt Lake City to attend the World SBK race weekend package sponsored by BMW Motorrad. We arrived in Salt Lake around lunch and after a hair-raising moment trying to land with major cross winds and literally last second runway changes, we all needed a drink.



Diane (Steen) had done some homework on “local favorite” eating establishments and numero ono was the RED IGUANA , an authentic Mexican dining extravaganza that lived up to its reputation. In fact, we read in an SLC Dining Review that the owners decided to open a 2nd location due to popularity and did so only about 100 yards away from the original!

We then left for the hotel and I must say BMW really knows how to pick and negotiate pricing on pretty fine “DIGS. It was  a 5-star downtown establishment called “Little America Hotel” and each room came complete with living room area with workstation/Ithernet/etc., queen bedroom w/48” wall mounted plasma tv; closet/transitional dressing area; full bath/shower/jaccuzi tub that could seat 4-5. BMW negotiated a weekend rate of $105/night...I was impressed!

Next morning we awoke to hunger pangs again and all met in one of the hotel’s restaurants to have breakfast and then head to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT about 30 mi away.

It was cloudy and about 45 degrees when we arrived there with gusty breezes, probably left over from the day before! This was my first visit to Miller Motorsports Park and my first “live” superbike race as well so I had a lot to learn. We went straight to the BMW Motorrad tent and exhibit to get our “gift packages” which consisted of BMW logoed water bottle, S1000RR hat and jacket. What a nice surprise and all became immediately useful. We wandered around visiting the many vendors and a variety of manufacturers in attendance. (APRILIA, BMW, DUCATI, HONDA, KAWASAKI, SUZUKI, AND YAMAHA) BMW had the largest venue complete with MOA and RA well represented. We got to meet Ray Zimmerman and Becky Weber from MOA headquarters.

Stunt rider Chris Pfeiffer was on hand with his BMW F800R demonstrating the skills and techniques that earned him four World Stunt Riding Championships as well as a 2006 victory in the prestigious “Stuntwars” in Florida. His ability really expanded the boundaries of what you would think possible on a motorcycle! As a World Superbike Rookie FAN, this entire experience was a learning adventure for me so I will share my mental notes with those that are interested:

Classes: The weekend exhibited 4 different classes of bikes battling it out on the track. World Superbike is a world championship class comprised of highly modified production MCs from 1000cc to 1200cc, with riders from all over the world. These are the very fastest production MCs, though each one started life as a bike that can be purchased from a dealership. The World Supersport class is similar in structure, though restricted to middleweight MCs. The Lucas Oil Superbike Challenge featured 2 support classes, GTO and GTU in the 1000cc and up, and campaigned mainly by Americans. World Superbikes are mostly piloted by Europeans, Australians, and Asians.

Practice:  This allows the racers to find and memorize landmarks around the track to aid in braking and turning. Additionally, practice laps are used to set the bike up for a particular track’s characteristics, as the teams make small changes to the motorcycle’s geometry, suspension, and engine management systems. These minor tweaks have a huge effect on how quickly a rider can complete a lap. The practice laps are as exciting as the race because the fastest time is used to determine the starting-grid position for the actual races so as you can imagine, the competition is on.

Superpole system:: This is the system World Superbike uses to decide where on the grid riders start the race and is similar to Formula One. Superpole is divided into 3 sessions. The top twenty riders from qualifying take to the track for the 14 minute Superpole 1, at the end of which the four slowest riders are eliminated. In Superpole 2, only 12 minutes long, an additional 8 riders are cut. Superpole3, which is only 10 minutes long, decides the starting positions of the top 8 riders. The Superpole 3, was the event in which Troy Corser highsided off the track then got up and “highjacked” a photographer’s Yamaha 250 and screamed back to his pit to get his other S1000. He made it back on the track in time to qualify with the 2nd bike but was fined by FIM for his “commando methods”.

Race length: The World Superbike races consist of 21 laps around the outer track at Miller (3.048miles) with no pit stops . A new track record was set by Carlos Checa on a Ducati 1198R screaming around in just 1 min:47.387sec. during practice breaking Ben Spies '09 record of 1:48.768.

Each day, as part of our ticket package, BMW provided lunch, cold beverages, snacks, etc. in a large tent. The package also allowed us access into the pits for observing the teams in between the practice laps as they tweaked each bike to enhance performance. The MC s were completely dismantled in between events. Cowlings were racked out front and the tires were refreshed, transmissions adjusted or changed, engines adjusted or totally changed out, all based on data that was downloaded and reviewed by engineers hovering around computers. Technicians then reassembled and torque everything to specs. Riders came out for a few minutes to sign autographs and meet their fans. At the Ducati pit, while Michel Fabrizio signed a poster, I told him I had a friend named Beau Andrews in our Louisiana BMW club that was sort of a “motorcycle cross-dresser” and had a Ducati also. He smiled (in Italian of course!) and gave Beau his autograph. I was really amazed at the number of fans from all over the world that were there. Motorcycle racing and Superbike specifically is as popular if not more than Football/Baseball combined here in the States.

The only atrocity we witnessed the entire weekend was while leaving the track on Sunday afternoon, we came up on the sight of emergency vehicles off in the distance and slowing traffic to a bumper to bumper crawl on the 2-lane state highway we were on. We all assumed the worst, a probable MC accident due to the thousands present for the weekend. As we got closer to the entanglement, we realized that MCs were involved but as victims of the UTAH STATE POLICE! Seems as though the USP decided to perform “safety checks” just on MOTORCYCLES that afternoon as about 2000 people were leaving the Superbike weekend. Every bike on that stretch was pulled over, and riders were having to show all registrations, licenses, and demo the bike’s brake lights, turn signals, etc. Not only was this a harassment to the motorcyclists but a very stupid and unsafe location for anyone traveling along this stretch of narrow road packed with fans leaving the track. We later spoke to reps Miller Motorsports and they too were appalled by the tactics chosen by their local law enforcement and planned on contacting the governor.

Race Day was perfect. The weather could not have been better. The weekend practice sessions had seen some slide offs but due to gear and track design, no serious injuries occurred. Miller Motorsport Park was designed with safety in mind with plenty of “sandy real estate” in place to abate rider velocities when they disconnect from their mounts in tricky maneuvers gone bad. All major turns were staffed by highly trained and equipped medical personnel, rider evacuation carts and track maintenance crews equipped with brooms to sweep all the tire rubber off the turns between each practice session or race. Additionally, the main complex facility houses an injury diagnostic and stabilization center complete with a medical evacuation helicopter and crew to “whisk” any serious injuries to nearby Salt Lake City. After lunch in BMW’s hospitality tent, I went straight to the pit area to get Troy Corser’s autograph, then hurried back to grandstand to prepare for Race 1 of Superbikes. Our plan was to just view Race 1, then head out for the airport ahead of traffic and to get back to Shreveport in the late afternoon as we all had to return to work on Tuesday. We had a nice flight home and I actually watched the SBK Race 2 at home. A memorable experience was had by all and I am assuming RRBMW Riders will sponsor your “trackside reporter” for Round 8 in Misano Adriatico, Italy on the 27th of June??

((Ed-Negative on the Italy trip, Ken, as I held your post long enough to lobby to be sent to Italy myself. Sadly, I was told "lei è una donna pazza" which translates roughly into, "you are one crazy lady.")