Took some photos today after Mont and I finished workng on finishing up the first two straights. Pretty much ready to go, just needs some bikes on it. The thorns should be mostly taken care of now.

Now I just have to jump them.

That’s right! After attempting the first pro jump on the OPTS track at Rad, we began to realize that the take offs needed a makeover. So last Thursday, I dug out the first jump. The funny thing was on my first attempt, because I had made the lip so steep (it didn’t look too bad to me when I shaped it) it launched me really high into the air and I came down very hard on the top of the landing. After a minor adjustment, I made it easily over the first jump (with a headwind) on Tuesday.

Tonight, I worked on the next jump and finished it. Unforunately, the race finished right when I finished so I didn’t get a chance to try it yet. As soon as I get a chance I’ll fire up some photos on here so everyone who can’t make it out to the track, can see it. If you are at the track, be sure to make a stop by the other track and check it out. I’ll be jumping the section pretty soon!

I started my summer semester a few weeks ago. Taking 14 credit hours. Good thing is though, even though I really don’t want to be there, neither do the professors. I think I will only end up having to take one or two finals out of five classes. Which will be very nice come the first week of August.

Last Sunday my family and I went and watched Paul Blart: Mall Cop at the dollar theater. It was pretty funny; it had it’s parts. I’m not sure that it would have been worth seeing in the big theather when it came out, but like I said it had it’s parts. If you are a fan of Kevin James (the guy in King of Queens –> my fav show) you will appreciate some of the humor.

Well, that all I’ve got for this update. Stay tuned for more and be sure to stop by the other track at Rad.

I was bummed when I found out the time between the Spring and Summer semester was only 1 week, but I won’t have to go to school as many days during the week leaving me some time to be on my bike over the summer months.

One thing I really can’t wait for is to be able to ride the OPTS track at Rad. Ya know, the “other” track at Rad? We measured the real pro-section (in Utah) out. The first jump is about 25ft followed by 26ft and the berm jump is about 28ft. I don’t know how close these are to the 2008 Olympic track jumps, but they are pretty big. As far as I know, only a handful of riders have ever made it through the section (Bubba, DR, Mitch Ropelato… is all I know of). A few years ago, they tried to hold the pro race on the track, but since the dirt was so dry when the put it together, the dirt wouldn’t pack making it very difficult to ride. However, now that it has had a few winters worth of snow packed on it, the insides of the jumps are wet making it possible to pack the dirt.

The first straight and pro-section are pretty much done. And last time I was there, we had about 3/4 of the pro-section berm packed. The rest of the track is ride able (packed) but has weeds and many thorns on it. I put tire liners in my wheels, but found out that you should pull the thorns out as soon as you get them instead of riding on asphalt which pushes them through the liner and into the tube.

As soon as we get everything in shipshape, and when we can get a night when the wind isn’t blowing super hard, I’ll definitely be out making my way over the REAL pro-section in Utah.

See everyone out at the track for practice tonight!