Latest News: July 1, 2008

Newest Member of the Family - Cody

Last Tuesday, June 24, 2008, I went and picked out a puppy for Andy. He's always wanted a chocolate lab puppy and fate had presented us with an opportunity to get one in our price range. Fate, in this case, was my friend, Karen who has a chocolate lab of her own and understands the love of these goofy dogs. Of course, Andy wanted a Pedigree Chocolate Lab, and he always gets what he wants...so I came home that day with the new puppy. Andy has named him "Cody" and he has integrated himself into our complex, multi-species household well. Ti (our youngest cat) will chase him around the house smacking him while he runs with his tail between his legs yelping for help. Arwen has actually rubbed up against him every once in a while. Lushira will charge him but is too fat to actually give chase. Lego (the bird) is in danger of being snatched out of the air and retrieved by this Labrador Retriever. Lasair tries his best not to step on him as the dummy tries to chase him down and run between his legs. Andy seems to love him even if he keeps calling him "Coby". I've trained him to heel off the leash, come, sit, down, shake, not jump on people, go potty on command, walk and heel politely on the leash, jump into the truck, not eat the cat's food (which is always out), not to chew on ANYTHING other than his stuffed hedgehog, and jump up.
All in all, he's a good dog. Very calm and polite. He's dorky as most labs are...and he's very "delicate". He doesn't like the heat. Anything about 75 degrees is too hot...he doesn't like going out into the sun...and he's very, very lazy. Not a good dog for me...but perfect for Andy. I'm not sure how he would able to able to keep up with us on a trail ride. Even a short one of 5 miles. I think he would collapse after 2 miles. He is a sweetheart though and maybe with Lasair and my influence, he will learn to become more athletic.

So here are some pictures of us all out in the arena playing:

Latest News: June 17, 2008

June 14 - Descanso Endurance Race



It was craziness. People I know think that I am a crazy rider…well…what does that mean then when I can only shake my head and call all THOSE people crazy riders!! They did stuff that I would normally absolutely refuse to do…running down steep mountains that was COMPLETELY covered in big rocks. These were crazy ass trails...trails where if I had seen them at home - I would have gone - "nuh uh - too dangerous" and turned the other way. LOL I think those Arabs out there were half mountain goat. No other horse out there had as much leg/hoof protection on as Lasair. They must have hooves of STEEL!! LOL I have a newfound respect for the little Arabs. They were able to just glide up and down steep rock/tree root infested trails (up & downhill) at a fast pace whereas poor Lasair was sliding down most of it! I have a theory that their little tiny Arab hooves were somehow, magically able to step between the rocks, but Lasair's huge size 2-3 hooves would step on 3 rocks at a time. He was like a bull in a china shop. During the switchback portion, and yes, this is the first time we rode switchbacks like this - the Arabs just zipped up. Poor Lasair had to fold his body in half to make the sharp turns. It was like driving a Hummer Limousine through technical twisties. I had a litre when I should have been riding a 600. LOL Lasair is not very flickable.

There were boulders (BOULDERS that Lasair had to cross over), switchbacks (tight ass turns on a teeny-tiny little single horse trail), single horse trails (SINGLE-horse), cliffs (ok, the cliffs weren't that scary...it's the combination of switchbacks and cliffs that make it scary), TONS of rocks, first 20 miles was up the mountain…last 5 miles was downhill. It was hot. I was so afraid of getting lost and being lost in the crazy desertness...people finding Lasair and my bones several months later going - "Oh!! So THAT's where that Little Asian and her Big Thoroughbred ended up! How silly!" It was designated as a "moderate plus to difficult" ride…and now I know…when they describe things - think the WORST case scenario - and that's the reality. We had never been on terrain like this, it was "wild" in my book...although, I'm sure it was just another trail ride for most riders out there. I was the only Asian there. My Mom came out to meet me at the Finish line. She got there before I did...and when people saw her there they went up to her and said - "Oh!! You must be waiting for Dawn!! She should be back here soon now!"

I felt like such a newb/city folk...me not knowing how to camp...how do you live with a toilet and running water??!! wahhh! I was NOT prepared with how cold it was Friday night. My entire camping gear consisted of my sleeping bag...some cheapie that I've had sitting in the back of my closet for years. Well, at 5 AM on Saturday, it was 46 degrees out...all I know was that it was so cold, it was hard to sleep. Not that I had planned on getting any sleep anyways. It was Lasair's first real test of being tied. When I first got him, he could NOT be tied. In fact, he broke everything in the backyard including a steel basketball hoop set into a concrete pad - yeah...he snapped it right at the base of where it was set into the concrete. I had eventually given up on training him to be tied. Then magically...he now ties! I guess he finally just settled in to his place in my life. He's being good cause he likes me. This trip was the final test...and he passed! Not with flying colors...but he passed! I was actually worried he'd try to kill the trailer that he would be tied to, but he was a good boy...for the most part.

Anyways, we passed all the vet checks, we survived…and now we can recover and work on doing better on the next one! I don't know the race results yet. My best guesses is that there were around 57-60-some riders, several were pulled for lameness/metabolic issues, and I think we placed 20-22 place. I had decided in the rider's meeting on Friday night that we were not going to make the top 10. It was supposed to be 95 degrees out, there was a water shortage because the entire town of Descanso had a water outage and we were not supposed to sponge down our horses with the little water they had. So…how do you win a 25 mile race that is going up a mountain, under harsh terrain, in 95 degree heat…without sponging water…and without killing your horse? LOL I wasn't too sure…and I wasn't going to risk it. So we held back and did the best we could to survive and pass the vet checks. It was pretty crazy out there so surviving was indeed a challenge. There were several incidents of people falling off, getting bucked off, getting stuck, or their horses crashing/colicing and needing emergency medical care (probably from heat exhaustion) - but no permanent damage that I've heard of. It was definitely a challenging ride and a big adventure.

Lasair did very well and I'm very proud of him. He learnt that he needs to drink when we're out...yes...even if it's drinking dirty water. Hey...even I had to learn to drink Yellow Gatorade...we all must make do with what we've got! His heart rate came down very nicely at each vet check. I rode him more conservatively than I prolly needed to (in hindsight), but that's better than breaking him out on our very first competition. Andy had said something to me before the Race that stuck in my head..."He's a living, breathing being - if you break him, he could be done. For good. Not like a motorcycle where you can go to the store and just buy new parts..." Now I KNEW this...but for some reason it really stuck in my head when he said it. I really, really don't want to break Lasair for good. I have to fight BOTH my AND Lasair's competitive spirits to keep us level-headed and conservative. I'd like to be doing this for many years to come...with Lasair.

We both learnt a lot from this experience…and looking forward to many more adventures together.

Below are some picts from the trail. All the picts are taken towards the end of the ride - when we were walking it. Obviously, I didn't take any picts of the beginning/difficult parts of the ride because we were too busy trying to not die.

Latest News: June 7, 2008

Mt. SAC's 62th Annual Agricultural Awards Banquet

I was invited to and attended Mt. SAC's 62th Annual Agricultural Awards Banquet today. I won an award for being a good student who did well in my studies, helped out my fellow classmates and was someone that others looked to for leadership. I was also accused of being a hard worker and being "upbeat". I'm not sure about all that. I don't think I have ever been accused of being upbeat before - quite opposite actually! I was quite surprised that after all that was said, Dr. Garloff announced that she was talking about me!

It was quite an honor.

I really like the RVT Department at Mt. SAC - I like the atmosphere and the teachers. I've always liked Mt. SAC, preferring it greatly to Cal Poly. I started going to Mt. SAC back in 1995 and have spent about 6 years or so there. It's a great school full of great, down to earth, great teachers. Dr. Garloff chose a book to give me as a gift for this award. She chose a book - "Horse Journal - Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals" by Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD. I love this gift! I much prefer it to a trophy, plaque, or certificate because for one - it's personal - and for two...it's totally useful! Most people would probably be perplexed by this gift, but it is absolutely perfect for me and only my teachers would have known that. lol

This book isn't even out yet. It comes out July 1st. It's a 304 hardback book. Here is the description:
An all-new, up-to-date guide to the mind-boggling array of equine nutraceuticals and supplements on the market today from the most trusted publication in the equestrian world, Horse Journal. This is the only book of its kind, complete with photos and charts, to guide you in making decisions about the optimal nutrition and preventative care for your horse, as well as natural supplements for performance. Dr. Eleanor Kellon is a founding editor at Horse Journal, and her articles have appeared in many books and magazines. Her philosophy has always been that herbal and proper nutritional support can help horses who suffer from allergies, insulin resistance, laminitis, weight problems, tendonitis, and ligament ailments. The Big Book fills a long-standing gap in horse care.

Eleanor Kellon is a veterinarian and equine consultant whose work appears regularly in Equus, Perfect Horseman, Hoofbeats and The Chronicle of the Horse. She and her husband live in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, where they breed and race Standardbreds.

Latest News: May 25, 2008

Update on Lasair Dhe

Here are some new pictures of Lasair. He's doing very well. He is a little on the skinny side - I know this and am working on it. It's because he's a baby (just turned 4 this past February), we're training for our first Endurance Race in June, and he's a Thoroughbred.


That translates to:
1. He's still growing and going through growth spurts.
2. He's getting a LOT of riding/exercise/training and he's because he's also building up a lot of muscle, he's burning through calories faster than I'm able to put into him.
3. It's in his blood to be a lean, mean, racing machine. Think Greyhound.

Even so - he's skinnier than I'd like and I'm working on getting more weight on him. To do that, I'm going to back off on his training a bit and up his feed even more - give his body a chance to put on some fat. He's already getting over 25 pounds of food a day along with little snacks throughout the day. I'm going to up that a bit and add some oil to his diet as well. No worries, we'll fatten him up so that he's got a comfortable cushion on. Right now he's perfect as a lean, mean machine...but I need an Endurance horse, so he needs fat reserves. We're not talking about chubby, chubby (as if his lifestyle would ever allow that) - we're just talking about a comfortable level of fat. Honestly, I had at a very good weight and then I upped his training in that past month for the race in June...and didn't anticipate how fast he would burn through his fat. He's got a good shiny coat and good energy levels and now he's getting more food than he knows what to do with.

Here is a video of him being goofy as I walk up with saddle and bridle - I had already put all his boots on and we're getting to go out for a ride. That ride, we completed over 20 miles in 2:55 hrs. I say "over 20 miles" because my GPS lost signal intermittently throughout the ride.



First Picture is a reminder of how he was when I first got him...the following picts are of him the past couple of days.

Latest News: May 23, 2008

2008 Mt. San Antonio College Scholarship Awards Ceremony

Last night, I attended the 2008 Mt. SAC Scholarship Awards Ceremony. I was a recipient of 3 Scholarship Awards, which is a great honor. The following are the awards I had won. They had kept it a secret until the ceremony. They had a total of $175,000.00 to give out and 164 Recipients. There was 101 Scholarships to be awarded and the award amounts varied from $250.00 - 1200.00. It was a wonderful evening, to be recognized for my scholarly achievements (18 units - 4.0 GPA) and an honor to be amongst all those smart people in school. Listed below are the 3 Scholarships I was awarded.

Harold Breedlove Memorial Scholarship - $1000.00
Donor: Lucille Breedlove

This award was established to honor Harold Breedlove, former Mt. SAC Student, and his love for agriculture. Mr. Breedlove was a World War II Navy Veteran who retaired from the Superintendents Street Maintenance Association.

Myron M. Winslow Scholarship - $1000.00
Donor: The Community Foundation

This scholarship recognizes outstanding students who are residents of Riverside or San Bernardino County and plan to pursue careers in Veterinary Medicine or Agricultural Science.

Pepsi Scholarship - $750.00
Donor: Pepsi Bottling Group

In addition to awarding students with special achievement and those who are the first in their family to attend college, these awards also recognize students who have excelled as re-entry students, vocational students, and those pursuing teaching careers.

Latest News: May 2, 2008

It has been decided that this website stays. I'm getting back into racing, so the name will still kind of fit. It's not motorcycle racing anymore though, it will be Equine - Endurance Racing. Alright, so the play on words for "Smooth Curves" doesn't quite rollover to equine sports as it does motorcycling, but it will have to do. LOL

I've been training Lasair for the past year and 1 month and he's becoming a horse that I can truly be proud of. We're working well together and our personalities match so well that it's almost spooky. He's an ex-racehorse, coming from a long line of racers. His brother has been winning hundreds upon thousands of dollars on the racetrack...and the racing spirit boils in his blood. This has become apparent lately when we've been trail riding with friends. Even at a walk, he has to move up ahead and shove other horses out of the way. It's rude behavior, and of course, I'm utterly shocked...but inside I'm so happy! Here is a spirit that understands mine. The need to win - no matter what it is we're doing. LOL The challenge has been to try to figure out what to do with him and I've settled on Endurance "Racing" because it is a noble sport. The goal is to ride a set distance the fastest (out of hundreds of competitors) and ending with the fittest horse. Many riders/horses do not finish. There are vet checks along the way, if your horse doesn't pass the vet check you are disqualified from the race. I don't think they care about the health of the riders, just the horses. LOL Of course, I'm sure if a rider is obviously in no shape to continue, there are plenty of knowledgeable people around that would pull them from the race. There seem to be 2 kinds of people who participate in this sport. Those who call it an "Endurance Ride" - who just want to finish the "ride" within the maximum allowed time in good health (horse & rider)...and those like me who call it an "Endurance Race" - those who want to be the FIRST to cross the finish line with the fittest horse in the WORLD! Yes, you do get placed depending on your completion time and the fittest horse at the end of the day. So it really IS a race...you just have a choice on whether or not you want to race.

To begin, we will be looking to participate in 25 milers. These are called "Limited Distance" rides and are for the "amateurs". Depending on how well we complete that will determine when we can move onto the 50 milers. Lasair just turned 4 in March and now meets the age requirement for the 25 milers. He will have to be 5 years old in order to compete in the 50 milers and of course, it will be a little while before we can compete in the 100+ milers.

At this point, all that's been accomplished is basically making the commitment to this new goal. This past year that I've been training Lasair, he's come a Looooong way. He went from a crazy, spooky, out-of-control psycho machine to being a horse that I can trust and do anything with. Not only has he transformed into a very good partner, we've also been working on our fitness levels and he is so ripped, he's like my Spartan horse. Yes...oh, so sexy! I'll have to get some new pictures of him so you can see how healthy and muscular he is. You'll drool, I know you will. I just placed my order for some essential Endurance Gear and am anxiously awaiting their arrival. One of the main tools I purchased was an Equine Heart Rate Monitor. This will give me definitive numbers to gauge his fitness levels with. More charts and graphs! I have other items I need to throw together to pack into my saddle packs for race day as well.

It's funny, the similarities between Motorcycle Racing and Endurance Racing. For instance:
1. Both require "pit crews" for optimal chance at success.
2. Both require training and special gear
3. In both, I'm riding something, pushing them to their limits...whether it be hooves & heart or tires & engine
4. In both, there is a "Steed" that must be carefully managed, tuned up, checked over for leaks and stress cracks
5. In both, I feel pride in a partnership managed well resulting in a force to be reckoned with.
6. Success is dependent on your understanding of your partner and your skills at getting the best you can out of it; heart or physics.

There are a lot of similarities...probably because I always named and treated my racebikes as if they were simply a mechanical horse. I've always said that motorcycling wasn't a passion of mine in itself. It was simply a means to an end; a mode of transportation. Equitation is my passion. Always has been and always will. I've lived for this day when I would finally find my Equine partner in crime and be able to go out and terrorize the Equestrian world with our passion for the race. The day is soon approaching.

So this website will stay up. It will continue to be my own little private corner in this massive World Wide Web. I will update it will news of our Endurance Racing and it will be somewhat of a blog, I suppose.

Take Care and Ride Safe!
Dawn.

Latest News: April 28, 2008



Yup, today is my 30th birthday. I'm officially OLD and officially an ADULT. Scary concept, huh. I had a wonderful birthday, going out to Medieval Times with several friends and family. Andy bought me a bunch of Endurance Racing gear and I'm really excited about that. He's a wonderful boyfriend!! I hope to participate in a few Endurance Races soon. It will be a challenge because I don't have a horse trailer so I'll have to try to find people willing to cart Lasair and I out to the race...but hopefully that won't be an impossible task! I think Lasair and I are ready to compete. I'll have a better idea once the Equine Heart Monitor comes in to see exactly what fitness level he is at. It'll be really fun and exciting, I can't wait!

Latest News: January 8, 2008

It's another new year - dang, I'm getting old! This year is the year of the Earth Rat. After 2 Fire years in a row, I am looking forward to a less destructive year.

I'm really not updating this site anymore because it was supposed to be my site for racing...now that I'm not racing motorcycles anymore, I don't really see a need for the website. I guess maybe I could use it as a blog or something...but I haven't wrapped my brain around that whole concept yet. Anyways, it's not as if I don't have enough to do...not to mention, I don't think anyone even looks at this site anymore either.



Well...it's something I've been trying to make a decision on. Shut down the site...modify the site to something different...it would mean having to figure out if I can change the domain name too. Ugh...it's a lot to think about. So anyways, for anyone who might still be checking out this site, let me know if you have any feedback...otherwise it just might go bye-bye sometime soon.



It's been fun.
Laters!
Dawn.

Latest News: April 20, 2007

Here is a "before and after" comparison of Lasair Dhe. The "before" picture was taken when I first went out to see him to consider purchasing (a little over a month ago). The "after" picture was taken a couple of days ago.

BEFORE:



AFTER:

Latest News: April 6, 2007

For those of you who would like, I've put up the video clip of TLC's coverage of my crash here for your viewing pleasure. It was very interesting to see what the final product was. Believe it or not, this 8 minute clip was the result of 14 hours of film work. Lots of video and sound equipment, a 3-man film crew, and me doing things over and over...and OVER again. For those of you who will note that I ran the stop sign, please know that that was like the 40th time I rode up to that stopsign, made a u-turn and came back down to the house, just to do it again...and again...and again. LOL It was a very interesting experience. It definitely taught me that I'm no actress. I had a hard time with the repetition and the trying to pretend that it was the first time I was doing it and there weren't 3 guys staring at me while sticking equipment in my face. LOL The guys were great and the time went by pretty quickly, but it was actually hard work. Well, not "hard" as in "construction work", but hard in that it was hard for me to do. I definitely have a greater understanding and appreciation when I watch tv shows and movies. If it took 14 hours of film work (plus who knows how many hours of editing) to make a 8 minute clip - how much work was put into making Lord of the Rings?!!! DAAANNNNGGGG!!!! LOL That's a mind boggling thought. Yes, I definitely have more respect for those in the entertainment industry.

To watch this video clip, just hit the Play button in the middle of the video clip.

Latest News: April 3, 2007

My TLC show will finally be airing!! For me, it'll be on tomorrow at 8PM - please check your local listings to see when it will be on for your area. Here is what their website shows:

Latest News: March 26, 2007

Here's a little progress report on how Lasair and I are doing after a week. Backround info: He's a 16.3 Thoroughbred, race broke, then had a bowed tendon and has been in pasture for the past year while recovering from the bowed tendon surgery. He just turned 3 yrs old this past February and was EXTREMELY spooky and high strung when I first got him last Saturday. When I first got him, he was shoving the men around when being led. Tossing his head, shouldering people out of his way, HATES to be touched/brushed - he'll bite, kick, rear and buck if you walked towards him with anything in your hand like a sweater, brush...much less saddle/bridle.

Here is the video of where we are at now - 1 week later. Now...keep in mind, this is not a video demonstrating that he knows what all the "commands" mean yet. It's just a progress report showing that he's come a ways from the spooky horse that knew how to bully humans with his size. Oh...and towards the end, our movements look funny - that's because I squeezed the video to fit into the length of the song. Sorry - I'm no movie maker so things are going to be a bit funky...but hey...I'm trying!

Latest News: March 23, 2007

Not much news here - just a lot of horse related stuff. No, I still don't have a job. Maybe next week. I'm not too worried about it. This is the first "vacation" I've had in over 7 years, so I think I deserve some time off. When I was working, I was one of those employees that didn't take time off (other than for trackdays/races - but that doesn't count because I was "working my other job") and I think I called in sick 5 days in the 5.5 years with GMACM. I don't believe in taking time off because I always needed the money and I wasn't sure what I'd do with myself if I didn't stick to my regular schedule. Ahhh...yes...OCD. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, for those of you not familiar with the term. I would rather stick with my regular schedule than to take time off. Anyways...I'm finding that I have a LOT to do with this new horse, Lasair, and I'm spending the time well. When I first got laid off, I thought that I would miss my schedule, miss working, fall into depression, not get out of bed for months due to chronic feeling-sorry-for-myself syndrome - but to my surprise, I didn't. I've been busy with motorcycle stuff, horse stuff, house stuff...and just life in general. I've been learning so much and doing so much in this past week that I haven't had time to even think about work...or lack of it.

I've been growing by learning the entire Level I of the Pat Parelli Natural Horsemanship Home Study Program. I was walking my horse last week when my neighbors came by to chat with me about my new horse. They offered their Home Study program for me to study and I'm very grateful to them for that. It is very interesting. I don't think I will go into it 100%, but their theory is sound. I agree with their theories, but don't necessary agree with all points of their execution. I won't elaborate more, as this is quite a controversial topic amongst equestrians so such a discussion would be better conducted in real life, but it IS a good study. I've been working on training Lasair and this is a good foundation to work off of. I've already gotten Lasair to bond with me and we're developing a language in which we can communicate to one another.

Last Sunday morning, we woke up at 1:30AM to drive up to Laguna Seca where we rode the whole day at a private trackday there. There were cars and bikes there and sessions were grouped as such. A driver allowed me to ride as passenger in his Mercedes and we had a blast sliding around the track! It was a great drive (even as passenger), even if I did get a little carsick at the end of it - it just goes to prove that I'm no good as passenger...I'm much happier as driver! LOL I wish I had the money to have a car that I could race around in! At the end of that trackday, we drove back down South to Buttonwillow, arriving at the Motel 6 at around 10:30PM. After checking in and unloading the loose items from the back of the truck, we both passed out for a good night's sleep on a hard, uncomfortable Motel 6 bed. Note to self - it might be worth it to spend a little more money on a good night's rest in a room that has more than a toilet that only works for a couple of flushes, a bed that is harder than the ground, towels that make a loofa obsolete, and a blanket that is only slightly more pliable than a cardboard box. The next morning we were at Buttonwillow Raceway for the MTC trackday. This day went really well. I helped out a lot of new riders and we had a total of 10 minutes downtime the entire day. After that trackday we had dinner and then headed home. As always, as much fun as it is to be out and about running all the different trackdays, it's ALWAYS great to be home again.

Latest News: March 16, 2007

A lot of news. Is it just me, or has it just gotten busier now that I'm unemployed?! LOL Let's see, I am busy working on getting the pen all nice and ready for the new horse, working on coordinating the MTC Trackday next Monday at Buttonwillow - not to mention the trackday at Laguna Seca on Sunday - working on getting a job, working on getting a horse, etc., etc. . There's just a lot to do in life and it's wonderful.

Let's see...

1. TLC has pushed back the show I'm in AGAIN! It's now schedule to air April 4 (Wednesday) at 8PM PST. Please check your local listings. I know...you're now beginning to wonder if I'm just BS'ing about the whole show...but it does exist, I swear! lol - I'm actually beginning to wonder if it will ever air as well. Oh well, we'll see.

2. The Naval Safety Center contacted me today to see if I'd be interested in getting onto their speakers circuit and address motorcycle safety to all their troops and stuff. I told him that I'd be interested, but it would just depend on whether or not I can fit that into my life. So he's going to get more details and find out if that's something they can budget for, then let me know. I'm very honored that they would even consider extending this invitation to me!

3. I finally bought a horse!! He is a 3 year old Pureblood, Registered Thoroughbred. His registered name is Cactus Dandy, but I'm giving him the name Lasair Dhe (Flame of God). He is a beautiful and big horse who had a superficial tear in his core tendon during one of his races. He's been in recovery and is now about ready to be worked again. Him and I can get back into shape again together. He's quite spooky and I will have to teach him everything from scratch, but I think he's worth it. He's already passed the Pre-Purchase Exam, he's paid for and I have his papers...just waiting to see if he can be hauled out later this afternoon or tomorrow (at the latest). I can't wait! Can you tell that I love him bunches already? (there are more pictures and a video clip of him under My World - Babies)

Latest News: March 11, 2007

Finally! Something cool to talk about!! Ken Testorff of the Naval Safety Center located in Virginia wrote an article about me in their Sea & Shore Magazine! It's a magazine featuring safety articles for their naval folk. I was surprised to get a package in the mail today, it was filled with several copies of the magazine. I was also surprised at how much was written about me - I have 5 pages!! I'm so special! LOL If you would like to take a look at the article, it's on their website - www.safetycenter.navy.mil.

Here are some quick links for you:

Naval Safety Center

Web Page for the Sea & Shore Spring 2007 issue

You can download the entire magazine in PDF format here

Sea & Shore, Spring 2007 Issue

The entire magazine is filled with great stories relating to motorcycles and safety awareness. It's a great magazine and I'm very honored that they found me worthy to include in there.



GO NAVY!! =)

Latest News: March 11, 2007

Well, the horse that I had put so much hope into, failed the Pre Purchase Exam. The vet confirmed that everything I had picked out as possible problems were truly problems. Then she picked out a few more things that I didn't see either. The bad news? The horse was returned on Saturday after failing the Pre Purchase Exam and I'm now without a horse again. The good news? For $267.00, I learnt things about horses that I didn't know before. I'm very happy with the vet - she was completely patient with me and explained everything to me. She answered all my stupid questions without getting snippy and therefore, I was able to learn a lot. I am now much better prepared to find a good horse. We went and saw a horse last night...he has a bowed tendon, which in the old days would have ended his career, but with the technology we have now, he can actually return to his career after fully healing. It's a gamble and I have to talk to the vet about it...but he's a possibility. There are other horses out there too...so I just have to keep my eye out. It IS hard to find a good horse in my price range, but we'll get it done.

Latest News: March 8, 2007

Wow. Today was a big event day for me. Let's start with the small stuff - TLC has bumped back my show, so it will now air on March 21st.



Now for the bigger news. I was laid off today. After working there for 5.5 years, they finally laid me off. The story is that the mortgage industry has been taking such a big hit and they have to make a lot of cutbacks. A lot of people have been laid off this week and today I was in the group of people that got laid off. It was kinda sad. My manager called me to go down to the first floor, I pretty much knew that the only reason to get that call would be to lay me off...but part of me didn't really believe it. Sure enough...they laid me off - very nice like...telling me that it was a company cutback, nothing personal, blah blah blah...and then they told me that I couldn't go back upstairs to get my things. I had to describe to my manager what I needed from my desk and he would retrieve those items for me. Everything else would be boxed up and I could make arrangements to get them later. So...I listed out my leathers, tankbag, boots, gloves, etc...and then I went home. The only thing that got me to get emotional was that after working there...after showing up to work every day for the past 5.5 years, I was not allowed to go say goodbye to all those people I've gotten so used to. Oh well... So now will begin another chapter of my working life...

Now for the BIGGER NEWS!!!

After fighting back the tears (I still haven't cried yet, I probably should sometime...I'll schedule it when I have some spare time), after going through the whole denial, anger, depression, acceptance...and back again...I decided that this was bullshit. The day could not end like this. I had already scheduled a second meeting with a very special horse and I now wrapped up all my hopes into this beast.

I was laid off at 1pm.

I got home at 2:30PM

I went to see the horse at 3:40PM

I bought the horse at 6PM.



Here is the horse I bought. He doesn't have a name and I haven't picked one out for him yet. He is Andy's birthday present to me.

















If you know anything about horses and can give me any feeback on this horse, I would truly appreciate it. Here is all that I know of him. There was a guy who owned a bunch of horses and a ranch. He died. Son came in and sold everything in order to bury his father - he took all the horses to auction. Friend of son convinced him to let them try to sell this horse because they believed that this horse deserved more than to be sold at auction. That's where I come in. They say this horse is a warmblood and 4 years old. The PP Exam on Saturday should tell me a bit more on this horse, but the suspense is killing me. I went and saw this horse Monday night at 7:30PM, it was too dark to make a decision then so I scheduled to come see him again in the daylight today. He was the only horse out of the many I've gone to see the past 2 weeks that I truly like. He's not perfect, but he was in the right price range...and I think he suits my purposes... we'll have to see. I'm very stressed out about the PP Exam and I hope he passes. He has a big bump out on his left hip bone and everyone is telling me it's nothing...but I don't think it's normal or right. He also has a swollen left front knee which they say is because he got kicked there. He has a bunch of scars from being kicked and bitten...those should heal. He's also a cribber...which I hope will magically disappear once he gets some meat on those bones, love, and good hard work. So...the good thing about getting laid off is that I now have time to spend with my new horse. The bad news is that it just plain sucks to get laid off. It's been a big day.

...and I look forward to many more to come.

Latest News: February 14, 2007

It's been a long time since I've updated this home page. I post up stuff on the forum as they come up and have just been neglecting the home page. Here are some updates:

TLC (The Learning Channel) has a new series starting tonight (2/14/07) at 10PM PST called "That's Gotta Hurt". It's a 8-part series featuring amazing stories of all kinds. I am supposed to be in Part 4 of 8, that should be airing on Wednesday March 7th. On my network, it's channel 65 and it airs every Wednesday at 10PM, then a repeat the following Thursday at 1:00AM. My Tivo has instructions to record the entire series so that I'll be sure to get it recorded and maybe be able to post on here for those who could not see it on TV. It should be interesting. I'm warning everyone now though - I am soooo not an actress. I can't fake anything, so if I come across as being weird on TV, that's why. It's just weird to pretend. I hear "pretend" and my brain goes "...but that's just not so. How can I act so when it's not so?" The smiling thing was hard too. The director kept yelling at me because I wouldn't smile and he kept telling me to smile...but smiling when there's no reason to smile is tooo weird!! So I guess I'll be coming across as weird and nervous - with a fake smile plastered on my face. Well, it was definitely an experience. If I ever get the chance to do something like this again, I promise to try to do better, act better, be more natural, have a better smile, and actually say ALL the things I wanted to say instead of freezing up in front of the camera like a deer caught in the headlights. I really was a deer caught in the "spotlights". They brought so much equipment and had everything surrounding me, how can a person act natural like that? I now have to give actors and actresses a lot more credit for the great job they do in movies. It's not easy! I also have to wonder about those reality shows. How do all those people act so natural on camera? Am I the only one that feels like a total faker in front of the camera?



Some of you know that my main trackday organization - MTC Trackdays - has been having troubles. My last trackday was in August and then the company kind of shut down. Well, the MTC staff is now trying to pull it together and our next trackday is to be on March 19th - Monday, at ButtonWillow. Those of you interested in some helpful tips, etc. may want to consider coming out to this trackday. I don't like to "instruct" on the street and would much rather do it at a track. I'm not all that familiar with this track, but it's better than nothing. I'll have my helmet cam so that I can video and show you what you're doing - it's a great tool.



I'm trying to get into The Art of Bonsai. I'm notorious for killing plants, but for the past couple of years, my houseplants have been doing very well and I haven't killed one in a long time. So I decided that I am going to upgrade to Bonsai. My first Bonsai should arrive in a couple of days. It's a plain, starter Japanese Juniper who's about 2-3 years old. I actually will be getting 2 at $16.50 each. If I can keep these two - or at least ONE alive for a decent amount of time - I'll upgrade to a $30.00 tree - then a better tree - and a better tree...until I have my little bonsai forest to call my own. I really am trying to commit to this new hobby. There's sooo much to learn and I think I had better find out where the library is around here because I have a lot of books to read. It'd be nice to find a class or club...or whatnot to learn from real people instead of just a book...so I'll be keeping an eye out for that - but first things first. I just borrowed "Bonsai Survival Manual" by Colin Lewis and I'll be soaking that book in. Hopefully I'll get good at this and be able to have lots and lots of bonsai. I'm particularly interested in the mini-bonsai. They are sooo utterly adorable and my brain can't quite process how a person can get a full grown tree to be under 4 inches tall and yet still look like a real tree. I'm definitely on a mission to get this figured out so I can be part of that world as well. Ahhh, yes...from the craziness of dragging knee at 100+ mph to the zen and tranquility of raising and training bonsai trees. The balance of the extremes is what makes life so interesting and fulfilling.

Latest News: March 8, 2006

I will be on KTLA5 at 10PM tonight. Kim Rouggie from KTLA5 just interviewed me and she said she would really try to get the safety stuff in. It's hard because they want to cover the story, they only have a little bit of time to do so...but she'll try. I told her to please try, because that's the only reason to even do the story! She said she understood. They have to get the story in AND get the safety stuff in - in a limited amount of time...so it will be interesting to see what they come up with tonight at 10.

UPDATE: 11:30PM

It's now here for anyone who missed the news clip on TV.
KTLA5 News Story - Choose story "3/8 - Motorcycle Crash Caught On Tape"

Latest News: March 2006

On my way home from work Friday afternoon, a Honda Civic lost control in the HOV (Carpool) Lane. I was in the #1 (Fast Lane). The Honda Civic spun around on the freeway and came at me. No one knows yet why the Honda driver would lock the brakes, swerve out of control, and never try to correct it. If you watch the video though, you do see him accelerate at first towards the white car ahead of him. He doesn't get that close to the white car – he still had at least a car length - but for whatever reason he slammed on the brakes, resulting in the locking of the wheels, burning/smoking tires, loss of traction, loss of control, etc. . I end up in the #2 lane. His vehicle is almost turned around 180 degrees in the wrong direction, completely across the #1 lane and into the #2 lane. His left front headlight/front panel T-boned the left side of my bike. This accident occurred on the 55NB/Dyer at 3:18 PM in Santa Ana, California. This is a 4 lane freeway with a HOV lane.

In all my experience - I've never had a car lose control like this and place me in this kind of danger. I'll share my thoughts in hopes it will help others.

This video has exploded all over the globe. I've been recieving contact from Norway, Dubai, South Africa, Germany, Australia, England, UK, Alabama, Hawaii, Washington, Scottland, Ireland, etc. . All I ask is that no one steal/take/copy/distribute/sell/etc. my vid without my knowledge and permission. I ask that the Video stays with the Story; The vid must contain a link to this FAQS page. If the video does not have the Smooth Curves Racing copyright tag on it, it was most likely taken without permission. So far my story has made it onto KTLA5, Front Page of Orange County Register, CBS2, KCAL9, CNN, Norway Based PC Online Magazine...to name a few. My video is used in MSF Courses and the US Militarys Motorcycle Safety Courses. Download Video Here
FAQS Page (Recommended Reading - Full Post Crash Analysis)

Please keep all replies on these threads:
SCS - aka "The Common Room"
SCR - aka "The Private Room"

Media Coverage: (the links directly to the media's video is no longer valid because too much time has passed now)
KTLA5 News Story - Choose story "3/8 - Motorcycle Crash Caught On Tape"
SCR Thread on KTLA5 News Story

Orange County Register (You have to Register to View Story)
SCR Thread on OC Register Article

CBS2 & KCAL9 News Stories - Choose story "Camera Embedded in Motorcycle Helmet"
SCR Thread on CBS2 & KCAL9 News Stories

Norway Based PC Online Magazine - Home Page with link to the article
Norway Based PC Online Magazine - Article (If anyone could translate this for me, please let me know!!)
SCR Thread on Norway Based PC Online Mag Article

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I posted this video to hopefully shed some light to fellow motorcyclists and motorists of the very real dangers out there on the road. It is said that smart people learn from their mistakes, wise ones learn from others mistakes. I hope to pass my mistake along to others in hopes that you all can learn from it without ever having to face a situation like this yourselves...but if you do...maybe this experience shares will enable you to fare better than I.

Here are some frequently asked questions with my answers:

What kind of camera setup did you have?
Camera Setup:
Camcorder is a Sony HC42
Bulletcam from HelmetCamera.com
- Sony EX-View 560 with the 2.6mm lens for 120 degree angle of view.

My Review on my HelmetCam and Competitors
My Review on my Sony HC-42

What kind of gear were you wearing?
My Full Leather Suit is a Custom Suit from Z-Custom Leathers. My back protector is built in and it's custom made to be double the thickness of regular back protectors. It's not as heavy duty as my full blown Race Suit/Race Back Protector - but it's a hell of a lot better than any regular ol' back protector. I had on Sidi Race Vertebra boots and full gauntlet Teknic gloves. Shoei top of the line full face helmet. My gear protected me perfectly - but what it can't 100% protect against is blunt force trauma...and I think the video shows that quite a bit of impact was present.

Did the Honda driver have insurance?
Short Answer = No.
Long Answer:
I didn’t know at first and had to wait for the police report. I was transported to the hospital by the ambulance in a full neck and back brace. When I got the police report (2/21/06), there was insurance listed and I was so relieved because this was a big worry – I called the lawyer and gave them all the information. They called me back that evening and relayed the bad news. The insurance on the police report is for the Honda. The driver of the Honda is not the registered owner and the insurance on the Honda specifically excludes the Driver from coverage on that policy.

How did you "just happen" to have been recording the whole thing?
I believe in action rather than inaction. I believe in "preparing for the worst and expecting the best". I believe that "Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity". How many times have things happened to you and it became a "he said/she said" situation and you just wished you had recorded it so you had proof? Well, I have had those moments and instead of just whining about it - I did something about it.

Why didn't you go left instead of right?
You say you would have gone to the left. In my mind - I was calm and collected the entire time. I've gone through worse than this. But go to the left? It's not my habit to go towards the source of danger. Yes, in hindsight now...and now that I see what the Honda did - that is the right choice *for this particular instance - now that we know what happens!!*. But I had no idea back then. I wasted precious split seconds trying to determine exactly where he was going to go and how best to react. It was very hard to determine - especially considering he was completely out of control. No one at that point knew where he would go and what would happen - so I headed away from the source of danger. Going towards it would land me closer to the center divider...and I really don't want any chance of going over that center divider and into oncoming traffic.

The biggest arguments for not going left is because:
1. it would have been the longest route to safety since I was in the #1 lane and the Honda was in the HOV lane.
2. all he had to do to stop locking his wheels is just let off the brake - how difficult is that? When calculating the odds – odds were that he would regain some kind of control over his vehicle if I just gave him the chance to do so.
3. if he was swerving to actually avoid something - do you really want to go towards whatever it was he was swerving to avoid?
4. if you're full blown set on going to the left, you better JAM on it to make it...and if he had completed his 180 sooner and hit you - you would most likely go flying in the direction your bike was heading. In other words...your body would be carried, through momentum, to the other side of the freeway. Now, I'm pretty tough - but there's no way my body would survive getting hit by oncoming traffic at full freeway speeds like that. There was no way to calculate/know that he was going to be swerving, at what rate he would be swerving at and at what angle. With so many unknowns, I think it would be more risky to go towards all those uncalculated risks than to aim for the known risks.
5. It's truly not likely to even work - he's swerving and rotating to the right - if you swerve to the left...chances are very likely for a head on collision.
6. There are even less outs to the left than to the right. Going to the left, you have one lane (HOV), a tiny shoulder, a cement wall, and the other side of the freeway.
To the right, you have several lanes and exits off the freeway - there are just more options. In THIS case, a car on the right blocked that off for me...but the theory still applies. I was hoping that that car would have swerved away from the danger as well, giving me more room to maneuver.
7. HOV was the fastest moving lane, to the right are the slower to slowest moving lanes...which do you think is better to go towards?

Dawn, I noticed watching the video that you were pretty level there with the guy and at the last moment you seemed to roll off the throttle. Bad feeling?
Yup. Definitely. It is uncharacteristic for me to let off the throttle for no reason. I was in the middle of accelerating - I had open space in front of me - but I got a definite bad feeling. I reacted immediately by letting off the throttle - moving to the middle of the lane - putting plenty of space between me and all other vehicles on the road. I then was looking around, completely baffled - trying to figure out why I had that feeling. Then the Honda started losing control. Backing off the throttle put space between the Honda and me. This gave me precious seconds to react that I wouldn't have had if I had not have backed off. Those seconds were used to swerve to the right and scrub off speed - ultimately minimizing the amount of damage to be incurred.

Did you actually fly through the air after impact, or was more like just falling to the side? I'm always prepared that if I'm gonna hit head on, I'm gonna jump for it and fly right over whatever it is I'm about to hit (like the front end of a car)!
I kinda flew over the downed vehicles. Look at where I landed. If I had just fallen over to the side, I would have been squished by cager, or at least stayed by my bike.
Instead of jumping - I braked hard one last time to scrub as much speed down right before impact. Then when impact started - I let go of the handlebars, tucked up my legs to avoid having it crushes by the Honda (if you look at the pictures of Sheol, you see he T-boned my left side) and tucked in my arms - relaxed everything and just prepared for/allowed the momentum to generate the ejection. Remember, jamming on the front brakes hard also shifts all my weight to the front - that includes me - and aids in forward ejection. Why would I want forward ejection? Look at where I landed - it was the safest spot I could have had. My tankbag came with me - I basically tucked into a ball around the bag. Letting go of the handlebars so I wouldn't suffer injuries to my wrist, thumb, arms from head-on impact - and tucking up my legs to pull them away from danger of getting squished by cars. Relaxing for the ejection, because being relaxed will suffer a lot less damage than if you tense up.

You can sue him and really fuck him over, he needs to pay.
I'm sure comments like this are made only out of concern for me and you're just feeling like "looking out" for me. For that, I thank you. But other than that, I really don't have that attitude. I don't feel like "fucking him over" in any way. I would like if he would fix my bike and help me with the damages he caused - but I'm not going to try to screw him over. That's not very nice and it's not good karma.

Wow, you're lucky
To everyone who thinks I'm "Lucky"
Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity.
That has been my quote and mantra for years - that's what I live by.
It was not luck that I had been wearing full gear yesterday - I wear full gear EVERY DAY.
It was not luck that I was recording everything. I had made this setup a couple months ago. A lot of research and money was put into the whole thing.

I don't think that I'm "lucky" - if I were a lucky person, I'd have won the lottery years ago and nothing bad would ever have happened to me in my life. That's not the case - instead - bad things happen to me all the time. It's just that instead of whining about how life's so unfair or hard - I just toughen up, learn from mistakes, and take on the next challenge with my head held high. So like my quote says - Luck is what happens when Preparation meets Opportunity.

I learnt from a young age that life is tough and nothing comes for free. I go against the grain and do what I think is right - not what is easy. I preach about full gear and most riders laugh at me - saying that I'm "excessive"...yet when it pays off - now it's that I'm "lucky".

The thing that bothers me most about people who just nonchalantly declare that "I'm lucky" is that it sounds to me like they're going to just chalk all of this up to luck and not give it another thought. My point is that it's not "just luck", there was a lot of thought and preparation that went into this moment that literally made the difference between life and death. I want people to realize this and learn this. Why? Because for whatever it is worth - I want to give them the chance to save their own life if there is ever the need. Nothing in life comes for free. If you want it, you have to be willing to look for it, find it, learn it, and live it. Make your choices wisely. The only "Luck" that I will rely on is the Luck that I created.

Did you Brake or Swerve...or brake and swerve?
This is not a simple question to answer. We all should know that your traction is a limited resource - so say it's 100%. If you brake at 60%, you can only swerve 40%. There are people that think you can brake at full power (100%) and swerve at (100%) at the same time. This is a physical and mathematical impossibility.

So keeping that basic concept in mind. I was, for the most part, swerving at 85% and braking 15%. I had to continue to scrub speed because the Honda was scrubbing speed - but I also had to swerve because the Honda was swerving. The difficulty is that the Honda is completely out of control, completely unpredictable and has 4 wheels - therefore, it's able to manuever in manners that my bike and I cannot - seeing that we're not out of control and only on 2 wheels.

At the very, very last moment, when I knew I wasn't going to make it - I stopped swerving and braked 100% as a last desperate attempt to scrub off more speed, before letting go of the handlebars completely and going into a protective tuck. The quick stab of the front brakes also shifted my weight forward, helping in ensuring the ejection forward and hopefully carrying my body away from the force of the Honda hitting my bike from the left side and into the other car to the right.

All of this was in mind of "never give up - always put up a bloody good fight - fight all the way to the end" and "if plan A (don't crash) fails - go to plan B - which is to "Minimize Damage".

All of this also bought me time - time for the large pack of cars behind me to realize there was trouble and slow down/stop/not run me over if I were to go down. It bought me time to scrub off speed so I could minimize damage if I were to go down. It bought me time to attempt to save myself. Ok, probably just a second... but when impact occurred in 2 seconds, it could be said that I doubled the time I was given to minimize damage. Not only for myself, but for everyone else on the road.

Here are the picts of Sheol to show some of the damage - this proves that I almost made it. The thing that got me was him continuing his 180 rotation on the freeway to T-Bone me. These picts should prove that 1 - I did not hit him, he T-boned me. 2. I almost made it 3. The windscreen is where I went over the bike...









What do you think was your biggest mistake?
I think my biggest mistake was thinking that I could "watch to see what the car would do and then react accordingly". This is my typical response in a dangerous situation - I analyze the situation and make a decision accordingly. In this case, I think now, I should have just gotten the hell out of there. Once the situation proved to be VERY bad - I didn't have enough time to make it to my exit. Some people criticize that I didn't give myself enough exits - bullshit. Take another look at the video - I had plenty of room between myself and everyone else around me. I had plenty of exits - but when the shit hit the fan, those exits were taken away faster than I thought they would be. I hope this would prove to be a valuable lesson to others as well.

But simply continuously checking your surroundings would have told you how far the cars were behind or rather how close they were.
I would have thought that this vid would have proven that your proposal is not quite as "simple" as you say. Yes, in the "normal" situation where no one moves that quick or that much on the freeway...but check the next time you ride how long it takes to check your mirror/check your blind spot. The time you are looking to the left is time you take away from noticing what just happened forward & right. When the video shows how fast things can change...it's a scary thought. How can one be ever vigilant when you never know from which direction the danger could be coming from? You know how they say - "look left, then right, then left again"? You know why they say that? Because they know how fast things could've changed from the first time you looked left - even though it probably only took you a second, plus/minus milliseconds.

You have an R1 that has incredible braking power and can out brake just about any vehicle on the road, you’re a supposed racer and should be able to pull off maximum braking, so why didn't you?
Yes, the R1 has incredible braking power - and I have the experience to use it well...but I knew I was only about 10 car lengths in front of the cars behind me. At the beginning of the video, you hear me accelerate - this is because I had just broken away from a pack of stop-n-go traffic and had hit a little clearing. I was accelerating to put space between me and the pack behind me, but I knew that whole pack would be accelerating as well as soon as they hit that clearing as well. Now. Considering the skill level of the average driver and the average car out there - how much do you want to bet that if I had used the full braking power of my R1 - that the pack of cars behind me would have been able to stop in time as well and not just run me over? Also - when does it become apparent to you that you need to STOP on the freeway? Just because a car locks up his brakes does not necessarily mean it's going to spin 180 in your lane. I've seen MANY cars lock up their brakes - and usually, they just skid in their own lane. No big deal - and everyone else just keeps going. If that was the case and you had chosen to immediately STOP - you could very well be the only one - and probably get run over too for your trouble. Now - if I had managed to brake and not get run over, that still leaves the problem of an out of control vehicle. Who's to say that if I had braked and sat there on the freeway, that the Honda would not have completed his 180 spin out and head right for me? A bike at standstill is more vulnerable than a bike that's moving. This is more of a personal choice - but I would always rather be a moving target than a sitting duck. To me, maximum braking in the middle of the freeway, knowing there's a large pack of cars behind me was too risky...I needed to buy myself some time.

For those that still think that maximum braking should have been applied...did you guys happen to notice what kind of car was behind me? It was one of those monster HUMMER things. I knew he, along with all the rest of the cars, were behind me...I didn't know exactly where they were because as soon as I got the bad feeling and let off the throttle, all my attention was what was going on in front/side of me, trying to find the source. For those that are arguing the exact seconds needed to stop, remember that exact math cannot be realistically applied to real life - there are too many uncalculated factors. You can use it as a base - for argument's sake - but then you also need to factor in the other facts. If you were in my situation, you had an R1 and all the training, you have cat-like reflexes and amazing reaction time - would you really want to bet your life that the people in the cars behind you can match your move? People speak as if it was a situation between just the Honda and me. That's only how this chain of events turned out. If I was to be able to brake in time, I'd have had to START maximum braking the moment he locked his tires. (*I* don't feel like I could have braked in time, I'm just playing along with the "what if" scenario) I think that that choice would have started another chain of events that would have endangered more lives. From the moment he braked, he was still in his lane - people behind me might not have seen and would have no reason to anticipate me executing a Maximum Braking effort, calling up the "awesome braking power of the R1" and my race/track training. People keep saying that the R1 can out brake most any car - I think that's debatable...but let's just say they're right - do you really want to be taking full "advantage" of that with a HUMMER behind you and a pack of cars surrounding it? You really want to out brake all those vehicles? On a freeway full of motorists of varying skills/experiences, your own skills and machine’s capability is limited to the lowest common denominator of all the other motorists on the road.

Latest News: November 13, 2005

Trackday with Take it To The Track (Ti2TT) yesterday, November 12, at the New Portion of the track at Spring Mountain Raceway, Pahrump, NV.

To discuss or hear reviews about this trackday, please visit the Forum!

Latest News: November 3, 2005

Halloween 2005 - My Work

Latest News: October 31, 2005

I know, I know, I haven't been updating my website as much as I should. Most of that is because we have daily discussions going on in the forum. So...if you've made it this far and you want to know what's going on in my corner of the world, just pop into the forum! Come join us. lol

So Happy Halloween everyone! I can't believe we're coming up to the end of 2005. Dang...every year I get older, years are flying by faster and faster... Well, here is me at Halloween. Nat, my co-worker (the Dead Bride) dressed me (as she does every year since she knows I won't dress up on my own). Her costume was pretty awesome, she won the title "Scariest Costume" from our work...and won a bunch of prizes, including an iPod! I just got "Honorable Mention" - I gave my prizes to her since it was her idea and her costume. =) (Andy wouldn't dress up for Halloween...I guess his work doesn't give out prizes for dressing up...)

Latest News: June 1, 2005

June 2005 Schedule is up. I'll most likely pass on the races this month. Will try to make it to the 22nd and 24th trackdays. Awaiting parts for fix the busted fork seal on the race bike.

June 17, 18, 19 - WSMC Round 6 - Solo Series Continues/Double Points Weekend

June 21 - MTC Trackday - Streets of Willow

June 22 - MTC Trackday - WSIR

June 24 - SBR Trackday - Streets of Willow

Latest News: May 27, 2005

The picture above was taken at my Laguna Seca trackday with SBRTrackdays - these two were riders in the "A" (Advanced) group. This is the sort of stuff that we Control Riders are supposed to catch and make sure doesn't happen. I didn't catch this one cause I was on the R1 that day (first time riding my R1 at a track I didn't know) and I didn't ride the "A" group that day. When people talk about "Bumping" in racing and in trackdays - this is what they're talking about. Imagine doing this at speeds exceeding 100mph and you might be able to imagine the pucker factor involved in these activities.

MTC Trackday at WSIR - May 25, 2005

Once again, a wonderful trackday with MTC, where it all began. Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tunings was there with his old gang - GP Suspension. Both are a GREAT resource for all your suspension needs. GP Suspension was there to help some Pro Yamaha Racer so they were there on official business, but they managed to find some time out of their busy day to help me out. I still had not gotten my new springs installed because everyone is too busy with Sears Point, MotoGP, etc, etc...all the REAL racing. Luckily, GP Suspension had some of the parts I needed...Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction made the other parts I needed...and then Dave and Andy installed it all! So at my trackday, I got my forks and shock re-sprung! Woot! Finally!!! Dave Moss set up my suspension for me again and then I was set. I was only able to take the bike out for one session after all this...but it was a good session. I'm beginning to feel the bike.

The Plan

Going back to the basics. The last few times I've been out on the track, I haven't gotten my speed back. I used to run 1:28's. Now I'm running in the 1:40's. This is pathetic in my mind. At first I was angry, then I was frustrated. I worked so hard for the past 3 years to get where I was in the 1:28's just to lose it all in one moment and now I'm slower than I ever was. This was just so completely frustrating, humiliating, and shameful in my mind that I could not think of much else. After my first track crash in October 2004, I didn't slow down. That weekend I attended my October race weekend and I was just as fast...it was in my race that I got taken out at 130mph - that was when I flew up into the air, slammed back down onto the asphalt, slid and tumbled, and then slammed into the pit wall...bouncing off of the wall to land a foot away from it. That's the one that broke 12-15 bones (officially the doctor's found 12...but I think there were a couple they missed and I think I'm a good judge of what is broken by now, I've got lots of real life, personal experience). That crash took me out for the rest of the race season. I was physically able to ride again 3 weeks after that crash, but I didn't have a bike. My bike was finally put back together in January 2005...and I promptly destroyed it again due to not setting up my suspension properly. So to sum it all up, last year was a rough one and I seemed to be intent on learning on my lessons the hard way. Needing to break this cycle, I've resorted to thinking about what's going on in my head and heart to see what the problem is. It's now May and I haven't raced competetively since my bad crash in October. I haven't regained my speed. I'm taking it slow...I'm going back to the basics...but what does that mean?

I started racing because I had gotten comfortable with my 1:55 lap times. I could run that all day without breaking a sweat and nothing could make me go faster...unless if someone pissed me off and I had to show em what's what. I started racing because I got "fat and lazy" and needed something to "kick me back in gear". Yup. It sure did. In one weekend of racing I dropped my lap times from 1:55's to 1:30's. In another race weekend and I was down to 1:28. This was possible because the skill was always there, all that was missing was the drive. But another thing I neglected is that although the skill may have been there, my head wasn't. Your brain needs time to adjust to the speeds as well. Your brain needs time and experience to acclimate to the faster pace needed to process the amount and speed of the data input coming in from all of your senses. This I neglected...and this is one of the core reason for my crashes.

I've been thinking about why I'm still slower and have not regained my speed. I know it's in my head and heart but I don't know what it is. People keep telling me "You can't crash like that, break all those bones, and expect it to not have any effect on you!". But I do. That's exactly what I expect. I will not tolerate anything less. Yet, now I'm forced to. I've been unable to break out of this slower pace and so I'm now forced to re-examine myself and try to figure out why. If these crashes have affected me, what did it do? The most obvious explanation is Fear. Crashing at 100-130mph - 3 times in 3 months, breaking dozens of bones over and over again...there must be fear involved during and afterwards. Yes, I admit - that would make sense. But truth is, I don't feel it. I get right back on the bike and I'm "fine". I'm not scared at all. Am I deluding myself? Do I deal with Fear differently than others? Yes, most definitely so. My past has subjected me with so much that I already know that I do not deal with Fear or Pain like most others - allowing me to be the person I am today. So then I started thinking back on my crashes, looking for any trace of fear and I found it. The moment before my 130mph race crash when I got hit by the other racer, crashed, tumbled, and hit the pit wall. The moment right before the crash. The moment I knew I had used up all my escape routes. The moment I realized I was trapped. That moment was the very first time I truely realized just how fast 130mph is. Many of you might laugh and go - "Do you mean to tell me you don't know how fast 130mph is? It's FAST!". To which I'll reply - "Yes, I know it's fast - but EXACTLY how fast?" 1 mph = 1.46666667 feet per second so 130 mph = 190.67 feet per second. This was in a race. I was drafting this guy and setting up to pass him. I was about 3 feet behind him, traveling at 190.67 feet per second. In the seconds before our crash, he checked up, I went wide to avoid running up his rear, he slowed down more and moved over to the left - right into my exit route around him and impact was made. My brain is still boggled at how fast these events took place. My heart is traumatized from that one moment before the crash - the moment I realized I was trapped and was going down. The moment I realized, I could die. I knew that the pit wall was 15 feet to my left. I know that at the speeds I was at, I would hit that wall and it would probably kill me. I knew that I could very well die. And at that one moment, I was afraid. Luckily, I didn't die. I broke up my body pretty good, but I was lucky. It wasn't that bad. So since then, I was not afraid and I forgot about the fear that I had in that one moment. Or did I? Am I not able to regain my speeds because somewhere in my heart and mind, something in me still remembers and still fears it?

So we're going back to the basics. Obviously, I have issues to work out. Maybe all I needed to do is to acknowledge the existance of the Fear and validate it. After all, don't they say that the first step to healing is to admit the problem? Okay, fine...I admit it, I'm scared...I'm just one big scaredy cat...done. So can we get back to racing now??!!

Latest News: May 2, 2005

Well, a lot has been happening the past few days. First and foremost - I'm Promised!!!

Andy spent the last week finishing up moving into my place, so yes - it's serious...heheee Isn't the ring gorgeous? The promises are even better...Andy surprised me with this for my birthday !!

As far as the bike and racing goes - the bike is torn apart and in the process of getting the forks and shock resprung. The forks are going to Stig at PPS Racing and the Shock is going to Ohlins. Hopefully, the bike will be back together for this month's race weekend. I'm not going to race this month. Instead, I'll go up the track on Friday and spend the day setting up the suspension with Dave Moss of Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tunings. After that, I'll try to get some track time in and it will be the start of a new relationship with this bike. I want to get comfortable with it and get myself back up to speed before I think about racing again. I'm only racing because racing pushes me to a level I wouldn't get to on my own - and at the moment, I feel like I have plenty to work on before I race again.

Latest News: April 25, 2005

Getting ready for the trackday with SBRTRackday at WSIR tomorrow. I'm all anxious and agitated. My bike is still not set up - I have to wait til after this trackday to get it torn apart and send in the forks and shock to get re-sprung. I'm impatient, as I want this bike set up already so I can start getting back up to speed. My speeds have dropped dramatically since my crashes and I really need to build up trust and confidence in this bike. Tomorrow should be a fun and relaxing day. I'm working on getting my body back in shape. After not riding competitively since October 2004, I've gotten all soft and stupid. My leg had atrophied a lot from being broken in a few places and that is annoying as all hell. Atrophied muscles really sucks - to have your muscles just waste away to nothingness due to being broken - and you can't do anything about it. ugh!!! I'm starting to feel more in shape after all the tracktime this month...but not near good enough. It's so frustrating and testing my patience as I learn that rushing these things just lead to more setbacks. So I'm learning patience...well...kinda...

MTC Trackday - WSIR - Wednesday, April 20th

Went to the MTC Trackday on Wednesday - I haven't seen the MTC crew in a looong time and it was really good to see old friends again. MTC was the group that saw me when I first started out on the track and have been helping me with my growth in this sport ever since. I owe a big part of what I've become as a rider because of them. With them - I had been riding tracks at least twice a month for the last 4 years without a single track crash. It wasn't until I started racing and all the pressures of "Go FAST, FASTER! FASTER!" kicked in, that I began crashing. I re-united with the MTC group again and that helped me to get my original perspective and attitude back. I used to go fast without trying, when you get sponsors and everyone wants you to push and push harder...then you start trying...and even if you do go faster - you also up the risk of crashing...as I've proven now.

Red Runyon runs the MTC Trackday organization. He's a great friend and mentor who truely cares about all the riders. He takes everyone in and not only worries that you are riding safely at his trackdays, but that you are having fun...and even that you have enough to eat and drink. He shared a piece of advice with me on Wednesday. He asked me if I knew what is the priority of a good racer. I said - "to go faster than anyone else?" - he said - "no. To be consistent." He then shared with me stories and names of racers who may have never actually won any races in their career - but still ended up getting the championship because they had the points. They were consistent. It's not good enough to be the fastest out there for a few months and then disappear from racing altogether because a really bad crash takes them out. It's important to be fast, but more so to be safe, consistent, and sane. I got a reality check then. I knew all this already of course...but I hadn't heard it in a long time and it did me good to hear it again because the truth in this is really beginning to sink in.

So I'm still slow as I'm recovering, getting back in shape, and learning the bike. Next week, I'll be able to start taking the bike apart to send it in for new springs. Hopefully, next month, I'll be able to work on setting the suspension with a bike that's actually fitted to my weight. Then I can really begin learning the bike. We'll take it slow and easy.

WSMC Round 4 - April 15, 16 & 17 - Double Points Race Weekend

This is my first time back out on the track since my crash in January at Pahrump Spring Mountain Raceway.

First time out on the new racebike - a 2003 Yamaha R6. Jim Bird's ex-racebike (WSMC#111).

I had not made any changes to the bike since I bought it off him and that was a mistake. He was about 230lbs and I'm about 120lbs. The springs were way too stiff for me and so I played around with different suspension settings, just trying to make it rideable for me.

Friday Practice:

This day was basically just an introduction to the new bike, playing around with suspension settings, trying to back into the flow of things… Nothing much happened this day other than realizing I'm now slooooowwww….pulling around 1:53's or worse.

Saturday Practice:

More of the same as Friday. Body was tired, all my injuries were aching from the exertion from yesterday. I'm out of shape!! Played around more with suspension and found out that when I tweaked the suspension, I would either end up going faster or slower. Best time of the day was in the 1:40's. Got so frustrated by the end of the day, I finally got desperate and seeked help. The help came in the form of talking to Dave Moss of - Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tunings . I was extremely reluctant to talk to him because I'm frankly, very sick of guys setting up my bike without consulting me - doing whatever they want - ignoring my input - and trying to make me ride "their" way. I found that this was not Dave's way and I was immediately impressed. Wow…here's a guy who's actually listening to my input!

He took a few measurements and came to these conclusions: 1. The bike was extremely unbalanced. The rear sag was at 12mm and he wants minimum of 26mm. The front sag was at 20mm and it should be around 37mm. He looked at my tires and was able to determine my riding style. Combined, he was able to tell that I was a skilled rider since I was riding this very unbalanced bike in a very balanced manner - at the sacrifice of speed. 2. There is no substitution for needing to change out the springs. I have .95 springs in there now and I need somewhere in the range of .85-.87. That's a big difference and no matter how much we play with suspension - nothing's going to be able to overcome that.

There was one thing he could do for me…he took out the preload spacers and loaned me shorter spacers. The good in this is that he gained me 20mm of sag up front. The bad in this is that I'm now at 40mm of sag and he was aiming for 37mm. He changed some other settings and then we were done for the day - only thing to do was to wait for Sunday Practice to test it out.

Sunday Practice:

First lap out on the new settings and I knew something was wrong. After the 3rd lap, I pulled into the hot pit lane and Dave jumped over the pit wall. I was bottoming out my forks and the rear was still too stiff. He made several adjustments and then I was off again. I was able to get a couple of laps in to test the new settings before the 8 minute session was over - one one other practice session to go. Pulled into the pits and talked to Dave - he made more adjustments and then it we waited for the last practice session of the day. At the next practice, I made two laps - the bike was still unstable - I came in and he made adjustments - then I was off again. In another 2 laps I realized the bike was still unstable, but at this point I was afraid that I was running out of time. So instead of coming in - I used the last lap to try to figure out a workaround for the instability issue. I found it - it meant letting off the throttle and going slow…but oh well…we have to work with what we've got. Basically, at high rpms and high speeds, the bike gets very unstable - Dave thinks we have a geometry issue at this point - but we can't say for sure until we get the proper springs in there and get set up the bike properly.

The Race - Novice Middleweight:

I'm gridded at 20 of 44 racers. I ended at 27th place.

Not much to say here except that hopefully, I'll have more of the suspension issues worked out by the next race so I'll be doing better then.

It was a crazy race - several close calls - this race is not called the Axe-Murderer class for nothing. People were crashing left and right. I think we had 6 crashes before they finally red flagged the race. These people are nuts!!

The Plan

I'm headed back out to the track - WSIR with MTC Trackdays - tomorrow. Suspension is still not set, but I'll be getting track time in. Next Tuesday I'll be back at WSIR with SBR Trackdays for more track time as well. After that, I'll take off the forks and rear shock. Forks will go to Stig at PPS for new springs, preload spacers, and valve shims. Shock will go to Ohlins to get a new spring. After that, I have no trackdays planned...so the next time we test this out will Friday Practice of May Race Weekend. Dave already agreed to meet with me and help me get it all set up then.

Latest News April 4, 2005:

I put up a For Sale Page - Check it out! For Sale

Latest News April 4, 2005:

James "Vtec44" is a partner of Crazy Vinyls and owner of Sportbikers.net. James and I have known each other for a looong time now, ever since the original SBN about 4 years ago. An all around nice guy, he got me introduced to CrazyVinyls by offering to do the stripes for Konabos at a minimal charge. I'm quite impressed with the customization, customer service, and quality of CrazyVinyls and agreed to become Marketing Partners. I will be updating the Marketing Partners section of my website shortly. In the meantime, check out CrazyVinyls!! If you do order from them, please mention me/Smooth Curves Racing... I've been told that you'll get extra special treatment if you do... hee heee

Latest News March 17, 2005:

Konabos came already painted in Blue - I didn't have enough time to get it repainted - but we had to get the stripes on there - that's my whole trademark in racing... So here is where James from Crazy Vinyls came to the rescue. His company made up these stripes for me and I stuck some of them on. I think I may have gotten a little carried away with the stripes...the bike is not done yet - but here's a preview:

Latest News March 16, 2005:

Remember to check out the Forum - a lot of discussions/chats/updates/news/etc are held there!!

Latest News March 15, 2005:

Sorry there haven't been a lot of updates lately - been really busy getting things ready for a lot of riding coming up very, very soon. Bike is still not ready. Couldn't get anything done with the suspension, and am right now desperately searching for someone to help at least get the sag set. There will be a lot of updates after this weekend!! In the meantime, gotta give a shoutout to Crazy Vinyls for making the stripes. Check them out for all your decal needs. Also - got some stuff from Stephen at Terra Powersports. Stephen is a good guy, service was excellent, shop is local - located in City of Industry, shipping is free to Sportbikers.net members. Looks like this is where I'll be getting a lot of stuff from now on! Thumbs up!!

Latest News March 8, 2005:

Chris thinks he's so funny...

Latest News March 2, 2005:

I've been sooo busy - here's a quick update. Just dropped off the new race bike at Dyno-Dudes to get the suspension set up for my weight/riding style. Gotta get the bike dyno'ed, tuned, new Dunlop tires, suspension set, etc, etc - for the March race. Yes, you heard me - I'll be out there this month. In fact, here's my schedule for the month:

Friday 3/18 - WSMC Practice - Ride the new R6 for the first time and learn the bike, set up suspension.

Saturday 3/19 - WSMC Practice - some more of the same as Friday - work on times, prepare for the race.

Sunday 3/20 - WSMC Race #3.

Monday 3/21 - Laguna Seca Trackday

Thursday 3/24 - WSIR with MTC Trackdays

Tuesday 3/29 - WSIR with SBR Trackdays

I have a lot of work to do on all my bikes, plus working on the website, the forum, etc..

Latest News February 26, 2005:

This will be the end of updates being given here on the home page. I've been putting in a lot of work into the forum and that's where such communications will be held going forward. It's a lot easier to just post up news there rather than typing out the code for it on the website. I'm sure I'll end up using both - but for the most part - check out the forum.

Now it's been noticed that I have a lot of personal stuff on my website, the reason for this is because there are friends and family that would be interested in seeing things like this. The problem with it is that everyone and anyone with access to the Internet - in the whole wide world - can see these things. Now, of course, I don't really want everyone seeing these kind of things, as soon as I learn how to password protect certain pages on my site, I'll be doing it. I'm learning ALL this stuff as I go, so gimme some time. The beauty of this though is that I've figured out how to do it in my forum. That's another reason why all updates will be moving over there.

Latest News February 24, 2005:

I got a race bike! It's a Raced Out - 2003 Yamaha R6 - dyno'ed at 109hp. I've never even ridden an R6 before so I was quite skeptical...but fate seemed to be leading me down this path and it was beginning to seem like my era with Kawasaki 636's, after successfully annihilating 636's 3 times in 3 months, had come to an end. I bought the bike from Jim Bird, this was his race bike. I took it out around my little complex in first gear...if all the gears respond like first gear was then I think I'll be happy with the bike. I have to respring the forks and shocks to my weight, fix it up a little to make him mine... then it'll be off to the races!



Laguna Seca Trackday with SBR Trackdays, February 8, 2005.

Latest News February 21, 2005:

We now have a Forum!! Huge thanks to James (Vtec44) of SportBikers.Net for helping me get this set up on my website! I have no idea what to do with the forum yet. But I'll be playing around with it for the next few days. Feel free to play around in there and let me know what you think!

Latest News February 14, 2005:

Click here for Picts of Nat's Wedding

Latest News February 10, 2005:

I got the full size, high resolution picts in from Kent of PalomarPicts.net so here are some of the highlights in all it's glory! This is from the Pahrump trackday, January 29, 2005.

Latest News February 3, 2005:

Everyone's asking me how I'm doing after my last crash, what were my injuries, and what I'm going to do.

What am I going to do? Well, I have a trackday with my peeps, SBR Trackdays, next Tuesday, Feb. 8, at Laguna Seca. My race bike is once again totalled, so I'm taking my pretty baby, Sheol - the '99 R1 to his first Laguna Seca track experience. I managed to find someone who was kind enough to loan me his stock exhaust. I picked that up last night and will be putting it on tonight. I also have new Bridgestone tires just waiting to be put on those rims...so I'll see about doing that and all other track prep tonight. I got a trackday to go to and the only thing TO do is to get my lazy ass in gear and prepare for it. What were my injuries? bah... nothing significant. Here is a pict for those who were curious. Other than that - I have no bones broken, that weren't broken before. I have no concussion that I didn't have before...so I'm fine!

How am I doing? Busy, busy bee. I definitely have been wondering why I've been in the middle of a crashing spree... hopefully, this last crash was the end of Threes. I crashed this time because of suspension, a cold trackday that only got colder as the day went on, tires which were nearing the end of their life, and a bump that I hit running through a line that I usually don't take for that turn. All of those things are logical, systematic, and can be addressed. All of those things can be avoided. If I take it as lessons to be learnt - I can learn these lessons. If I take it as "Riding is not meant for me to be doing anymore..."...well...how does one argue with that? Does all this crashing scare me and make me want to quit riding? No. Fear of crashing will not stop me from riding just as fear of dying will not stop me from living. Some ask how I can live as if I have no fear and I answer - "I have a lot of fear! I just refuse to let it rule my life. Call it stubborness, courage, fearlessness, or just plain stupidity - it really doesn't matter what you classify it as. I do a lot of things that many other people wouldn't even try to do and I often succeed in this endeavor. Sometimes I fall - is that a bad thing? Would it truely be realistic to expect to only ever succeed and never fail? I find myself looking to those who have lived and lived well. They leave us with these quotes:

Thomas Alva Edison:

"Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward...."

"Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Theodore Roosevelt:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." -- From a speech given in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910

So in the wake of all this, I find myself thinking such thoughts: Does making mistakes make you a failure? Or does giving up make you a failure? ...and through the hazy mist I remember one final quote - "If you give ALL of yourself, you risk losing everything. But if you don't, you lose even more." That's how I'll live...not because it sounds good, but because I know of no other way to live.

Latest News Jan. 31, 2005:

Got back from the SportBikeWest Pahrump Event with Take it 2 the Track. I didn't have a good weekend. Kinda totalled the brand new bike again. Well...they say that everything comes in threes, right? I had my first Track Crash, then my first Race Crash, now my first Solo Track Crash...will this be the end of the Crashing Streak? Hope so. Here are the picts from the event, courtesy of Kent of PalomarPicts.net. I just grabbed these picts off his website. I bought my picts from him and he'll be sending me the full images today, so once I get those, I'll be able to post those up. For now...use your imagination.

Saturday at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, Pahrump, NV - Jan 29,2005



My Crash