2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP

I was very fortunate to hook up with some buddies heading to Indianapolis for the MotoGP this year, the fourth year running for this event. I have never been to the track before and was blown away by the immensity of the site.

We arrived Saturday and took in some of the qualifying sessions. 4 classes would be racing during the weekend: the 125, Moto2 and MotoGP, plus there was a Harley 1200 class racing Saturday and Sunday.

Throughout the day we wandered around the infield area where there were displays from many bike manufacturers and accessory vendors

Saturday night after dinner we walked downtown; some street I do not remember. For at least a 1/4 mile -- from the end of the road to the monument and then around the corner -- there was an endless procession of bikes running back and forth, bikes lining every foot of both sides of the street, a stunt show in one parking lot and a band in another...

Sunday is Race Day

First off, when heading to the track for race day, one of the best ways to get there is on a cushy bus that delivers you straight inside the facility. Oh, and a police escort to slice through traffic is highly recommended also

We walked in from the back entrance, through the golf course and around to our seats

We sat and watched the 125 and Moto2 races, ate some lunch and watched the crowd fill in. Later on it was back to the vendor area for some last minute purchases, as an air show went on before the MotoGP race.

We had great seats that overlooked Turn 10 - Turn 16 and then down the front straight, back to the start/finish line. I intended to upload some video of the opening lap, but right now you can see better vid here.

So a still shot will have to do:

After some surprise moves within the pack, like Rossi dropping to last spot for awhile and Hayden moving from 4th to 14th (track announcer: "Oh, Nicky Hayden just had a moment") perhaps due to tire choice, Casey Stoner took a decisive win.

Afterward we watched the second Harley XR1200 race and then back to the bus. Dinner and drinks with a nightcap at the Eagle's Nest while the sun set and the city lights came up. "Um, where is the Men's Room now?"... See, the outer seating area rotates around the central core, and after a couple drinks... Never-mind.

So while back home it was all Hurricane Irene, flooding, power outages and a generally lousy weekend, I spent 90 degree sunny days in bike nirvana. It was an awesome weekend of motorcycling spectacle and I had a great time.

And then it all went bad...

So, I got the S2R back from the shop earlier than I had anticipated -- a good sign to be sure! Picked it up Friday afternoon 05/27 and was psyched for the upcoming holiday weekend. I had plans to go on a group ride Memorial Day, so I went out for a quick 40 mile run Saturday morning to scrub up the new tires. This was pretty much my first ride on the Monster this season as the back tire was nearly bald and I'd been waiting for new rubber before taking it out.

It felt good to get out a spin a few miles, then I spent a couple hours detailing the bike. Ready to ride!

Sunday we're off to a annual family picnic at a state park; fun in the sun, overeating and some games. About 17:00 that day, I learned a valuable life lesson, so pay attention here ==> When diving for 3rd base, always use style. But more importantly, do not twist in the air and land badly.

A broken clavicle is an extremely unpleasant injury. Tremendously painful for an extended period of time, and here's the kicker : 9 out of 10 times they do not perform corrective surgery. I now know a great number of people who have had this injury, and not a one of them had surgery. If you ain't Colin Edwards or someone generally important, they hand you pills and tell you it will heal in some fashion over time. A long, long time to be sure.

It would be about 11 weeks before I felt confident enough that I wasn't impeding healing by getting back in the saddle. My prepaid attendance at Americade came and went; I slept in a chair for 4 weeks. Sunday rides came and went; I repaid my neighbor in beer to mow my lawn for a month. My summer pretty much came and went.

Now if I'd been wearing full leather/armor/Shoei/Sidi while going for that base, different story...

ATGATT