Racing in North America

[Mikku]

I've mentioned this in other threads but with summer fast approaching, I thought I'd start a separate thread for my North American trip. Time for a quick recap. Like thousands of other British BMXers bitd, reading the American BMX magazines was a monthly highlight. I often dreamed of riding and racing in the US, the home of BMX. Fast forward to 2019-ish when I started to realistically think about actually putting those dreams into practice. COVID then put that idea on hold but last year's trip back to and race in the UK re-ignited the fire. With a trip to Canada already scheduled for Summer 2024, I first thought of taking a bike to race over there. Then it dawned on me that if I'm to race in Canada, I may as well fulfil that boyhood dream to race in the States as well. So that's what's happening. I've booked my flights and will be arriving in Denver, Colorado on 22nd August!! I have a week based there then fly up to British Columbia, Canada on the 29th. Both places have a number of tracks within a couple of hours of where I'm staying, so I should be able to ride at a few of them and hopefully get to race at least once in each country!!

On the bike front, I have various options. Option A is to take one of my existing race bikes over - probably the Crupi that I used to race here in Japan. However, that's going to add to the already expensive flight cost and tbh, is not that interesting a choice! A much more exciting option is to buy a bike in the States!! That gives me the chance to ride and bring back something cool and would at least save me one set of oversize baggage charges, which I would bite the bullet and pay on the way back, since it would cost me about the same to ship a complete bike over anyway. That's the justification for choosing Option B! For the past few months, I've therefore been looking (and am still looking) at various bikes and have a few irons in the fire. More on that as and when. For the time being, however, I'm super excited at the prospect of racing across the pond, even though I'll be flying over a different pond than I dreamed about all those years ago!

[hotdog]

Sounds like a rad trip. You'll have a 

I'd definately go with Option B. Makes total sense. Keep us posted on the races you plan on doing in B.C. I'm planning a Vancouver trip this summer.so I may come and watch the racing if the dates and venues coincide. 

[Mikku]

That would be cool!! Much will depend on the forest fires, which almost seem to be an annual thing in that part of the world now BUT if all goes well, I'm aiming to race at Kamloops, Vernon and/or Kelowna during the first week of Sept.

[Mikku]

Only 2 months to go now! Am currently planning the Colorado part of the trip and am targeting a race on Tuesday, 27th August at Dacono, with some practice at Cross Creek the previous day.

I have also just pulled the trigger on an "Option B" bike!! More details on that soon.

[hotdog]

Looks like I'll miss your trip. I'm booked for July. Good luck with the trip all the same. 

[Mikku]

Cheers mate - you too!! Still heading to Vancouver?

[Mikku]

Only 10 days to go until I fly to Denver!!!! Bike's bought and paid for, and have also ordered a few spare parts plus sorted out visas and car rentals, etc, etc. The Japanese Yen is super weak at the moment but hey, this trip was never going to be cheap, so I'm just whacking it all on the credit card and will worry about paying for it in September (and thereafter)!!!

[Mikku]

Quick progress report from Calgary Airport!

Had a good week in the USA. I raced at three different tracks in Colorado. They were only local races but it was fun to experience something new and different. Three was definitely a theme because I finished third in all three races, the highlight being a win in the second moto on Sunday morning at County Line BMX, my first US track.

I plan to race a couple more races this coming week in British Columbia. It’ll be interesting to see how the Canadian tracks compare to American and Japanese ones. More later!

[HUTCHMAN]

Don't forget the pics bud 

[Mikku]

If only I could! Will email you some instead!

[HUTCHMAN]

Cheers buddy 

[Mikku]

Raced for the first time in Canada yesterday evening. Went to Vernon BMX track in BC, a great, city-owned, all-dirt track which I really liked. Tuesday is their only race meeting of the week and with great weather, it was well-attended with a real family feeling to it - lots of kids around the place (on and off track) and burgers and hotdogs being cooked up just past the finish line.

I was put in the 41 - 45 novice class with three other riders. Total points racing and I went 1/1/1 to take the overall win. As in the US, everyone was so friendly and welcoming, with the announcer making sure everyone knew I had come “all the way over from Japan”. It was a good evening.

[hotdog]

 

[Mikku]

Entered my second BC race at Kamloops on Thursday night. Another fun track despite a tough, third straight which had 14 obstacles in the rhythm section!! There were not enough "older" guys to make a 20" class, so me and another rider were put in the 36-40 cruiser class. This was super quick and competitive, so I ended up having a good scrap at the back of the pack. There were 7 of us on the gate, with total points racing and I went 6/7/7. A very different experience to Vernon but still really good fun and again, everyone was so friendly. I enjoyed it!

So that was my 5th North American race in 12 days and my legs are feeling it for sure. It was also supposed to be my final race of the trip but an opportunity to try something completely different for me has unexpectedly presented itself, so that’s what I’m going to do today (Sat). More later!

[Mikku]

So yesterday I entered the Canadian qualifier for the UCI Pump Track World Championships! Conveniently for me, this was being held at a newly opened, Velosolutions-built pump track at Sicamous, just 25 minutes up the road from where I'm staying in BC. At first I was just going to watch BUT then I found out I could enter. So, two, short practice sessions later, that's what I did.

There were ten riders in my over 40s " Masters" Class. The first timed run went ok until I saw the finish and instinctively lunged for the line, as I do when racing. However, the finish line was on top of a roller, so I threw myself off balance and went down - idiot!!    Thankfully there was no serious injury, and I had gone down after the line, so it didn’t affect my time. The second timed run felt better but I clocked almost exactly the same time. That left me in 8th place, so I just squeezed into the quarterfinals. I was never going to beat the other guy (he went onto win) but really wanted to beat my earlier times. Things were going well for the first outer loop but I slightly messed up a turn on the inner loop and lost a bit of speed, so failed to record a pb. A little disappointing but still glad to get where I got and walk away with a smile on my face. Overall, a great experience and I now need to find where my nearest pump track in Japan is!!

So THAT was the last event of my trip - my sixth in two weeks. Am feeling tired and sore this morning, so am happy to call it a day, not to mention a job well done. I fly back early Wednesday morning, so am going to partly dismantle the Redline (carbon Flight XXL) and start repacking it in the Odyssey bike bag that I also picked up in the States. It’s been an expensive but fantastic trip!

[hotdog]

Thanks for posting Mick. 
Been following your adventures on the Museum too. Good on ya for 'makin' it happen' mate.
Safe journey. 

[Mikku]

Thanks man, appreciate it! How was your trip btw?