May 2007 MATT Newsline
Author: Kelly Echterling
VERY IMPORTANT NEWS: MATT’s very own two time youth National Champion Nathan Dennis is home and getting better every day! As many of you know President Randy, lovely First Lady Keri, Awesome Dawson and Nate were not at the Carpenter Cup. Mike Carpenter announced at the rider’s meeting that Nate was admitted to Children’s Mercy Hospital! Nate started feeling bad before Easter. He didn’t even feel like fighting over Easter eggs with Dawson. Keri and Randy thought he had the flu: fever, upset stomach, did not feel like eating. On Wednesday they saw a Dr. who told them Nate may have an enlarged spleen due to having a fever and being sick for so long and he should be better by Friday. Thursday morning Nate could hardly walk (the virus was attacking his muscles). On Friday blood work showed his electrolytes were off but no diagnosis. After running a fever for nine days, Nathan’s temperature was 103.2 on Saturday. He also started to get a red & hot rash around his waist and down. That’s when they went to Children’s Mercy ER. Nate was admitted and given IVs but the Drs. never determined the actual virus just that it was some “weird” virus and there are a bunch of them out there. By Sunday morning Nate was feeling a lot better. He was sitting up and looking out the window and talking about the trials being held that very day. Keri asked him if he felt like riding and Nate replied “Mom, I couldn’t do nothin’ on a motorcycle.” The family packed up and went home Sunday evening. Apparently getting Nathan’s body rehydrated helped him fight off the unknown virus. Since then he has been back to school and he and Dawson went fishing with Grandpa. He is getting stronger every day and promises to be back in form for the May event. Keri and Randy said that Nathan was surprised that so many people from MATT called to find out how he was doing. It really helped and made him feel special. Nate even got a great call from Brad Bennett from Springfield, MO. Brad has a youth ministry where he connects with kids by doing a Trials demonstration on a GasGas (sponsored by Dale), then talks to them about his life and faith. Nate was really impressed to hear from Brad. The whole family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to all their extended MATT family for their calls, prayers and well wishes. Look out all you Amateurs for the return of Nate in May!
Carpenter Cup: Mike, Cheryl and the Carpenter clan put together a very fun and challenging event that was enjoyed by all. They even had names for all of the sections! With cooperation from “The Big Guy” upstairs, the weather was fabulous after having an unusual April snow Friday night/ Saturday morning! During the riders meeting, Mike Carpenter assured the riders that conditions were great and all the sections had been pre-ridden. Jason Carpenter interjected that he had ridden all the Novice lines and had gotten thru most of them.
All of the Carpenter clan, including the Carpenter women and grandsons were all in attendance! What a good looking bunch! And yes, Marc and Jennifer’s new baby boy Trip at a mere three weeks old was in attendance. Marc however was afoot sporting a backpack baby carrier for Cage. Partway thru the day, I noticed that Marc still had the baby pack but no baby! “He was getting heavy” Marc reported. Aw buck up you wimp! Suzanne was out walking the loop with no complaints. And she is eleventeen months (seven maybe?) pregnant! She CAN’T put the baby down! Note: as far as I know as of today, the latest Carpenter has not been delivered. Due date is in June.
There is no argument that Jason Carpenter is the club’s “Top Dog”. I personally have seen Jason perform his most famous trick about a dozen times. That would be where he kills his motor in a section, stops, balances, and kick starts it (sometimes taking more than one kick) and rides off to clean the section! As to why he kills his motor so often I don’t know but it is a great skill. Not only did Jason “get through” all of the Master class sections at the 2007 Carpenters Cup, he nearly cleaned the second loop and third loop, scoring one point each loop. Of course he jinxed himself by announcing to the crowd of spectators at the last section, Lincoln’s Logs, that he was clean to that point. Yes my friends that did him in. Let that be a lesson to riders everywhere, don’t talk about a clean loop till you’ve completed the task! Jason took a single measly dab at the top of a stack of logs but held on to finish with just the one point. Yes this is impressive but my jaw dropped earlier in the day in section six, A-Frame Alley. Near the end of the section the Masters went from the creek, up a tall ledge that put them on a muddy bank to go up to the exit. Jason came over the ledge but instead of getting the bike pointed up the bank, he ended up perpendicular to the exit line, front wheel near the left tape and rear wheel up against a four inch stump. I thought he was stumped for sure and I don’t even know how he got the front wheel up and pointed toward the exit and got the rear wheel to pivot away from the stump and got traction and kept his balance and his cool to make it up the muddy bank, but he did and saved a clean!
Not only is Jason a talented trials pilot, he is also a talented Newsline writer. Jason’s tales of the beloved “Super Bill” are infamous. I don’t have as vivid imagination as Jason, but this month I do have a nearly factual account of “Wild Bill”.
Wild Bill Sanderson has determined that just riding a trials event is not challenging enough for his very buff 6’ 4” frame. Although I was not present to witness this dare devilish ride with my own eyes (dang it!), I have heard several accounts of the spectacle including from Bill. Second loop, last section, Lincoln’s Logs: A gorgeously manicured patch of terrain on the edge of Mike and Cheryl’s lawn. Cheryl is a nut about leaf blowing sections at the quarry but this one is immaculate! You just don’t get this kind of groomed section at trials events, unless you are riding in a Spanish National at a theme park (check out Trials Competition April 2007)! This section is a series of huge stacked logs (Mike used a Bobcat to set them) that were ridden from uphill going down. The last set of logs were arranged with a large log stacked atop two side by side large logs, creating an obstacle about four feet high, or maybe its eleven feet, somewhere in there. About nine feet from the back side base of this obstacle is another good size log just before the exit. Back to Bill, he was clean thru the section up to the last set of stacked logs. Pull the clutch, rev the motor, pop the clutch and up he goes with pressure to the top of the stack. Bill’s front wheel was still high and pawing at the air in a “High Ho Silver” pose. Will he leap off the top, front wheel flying high land the front wheel on the last log like a hugeamongous, crowd pleasing Jap Zap? No, that’s not good enough! Bill attempts to combine trials skill, nerves of steel and an acrobatic full 360 degree front flip off the top of the logs, clearing the last obstacle! But alas, this daring attempt was thwarted as Bill’s rear wheel spun, plummeting the front wheel downward to earth. The 21” Michelin was driven into the ground with his somewhat fatter but not as tall 18” counterpart approaching the very same patch of soil. Alas, as Bill’s body came crashing down into the handlebars, the aforementioned 18” Michelin was set into an arc, thrust over Bill’s body striking the leading edge of the last log. The poor shiny 2006 GG came to rest upside down. Luckily, Bill selflessly cushioned the impact of his shining steed’s crash to the ground. Not so luckily, Bill got a calf cramp and could not get the shiny steed off of him without help! Neither Bill or his shiny mount were seriously injured.
Chris Williams and I had an unofficial wheelie contest each loop, starting at the edge of the trail coming out of the woods, up to the entrance of Lincoln’s Logs at the edge of the Carpenter’s lawn. No formal winner but I give the nod to Chris, with his straight and steady, perfectly balanced wheelies up the hill. My wheelies look more like trying to write my name in the snow. Whoa horsy, come back right, not that much! Back to the left, no no no, let’s go right, that’s far enough! Whoa! Stop! Let’s not run over the Carpenter women (Jennifer love’s that endearment) and their youngins! Maybe I should get the Wheelie Award because my attempts were so much longer, covering the entire lawn!
SPEAKING OF RUNNING PEOPLE OVER:
TAKE 1: At the now famous Lincoln’s Logs section, second loop, after avoiding the mass destruction of the Carpenter clan at the end of my barely controlled wheelie, I found myself at the very spot of “Wild Bill’s” tragic landing. I was tired, and I was parallel to a log that I needed to climb over to reach the exit. I decided I could pull a ninety degree right hand floater to the log, unfortunately I only got off about 76 degrees which sent me into a mini “table top”. With one foot down I muscled the bike toward the left edge of the exit markers. About that time out of the corner of my eye, I saw Amy Williams, camera in hand and eyes as big as saucers, scrambling along the fence row and not really knowing where I was going to end up! Disaster averted, nobody hurt, lesson learned: don’t get too close to the section when Kelly is riding and stay alert!
TAKE 2: I was visiting with Tony Sargent’s entourage at the entrance to number 11, Retirement Project. Dale was walking the section when Tony rode up. I thought that Dale was trying to help Tony by coaching him thru the section. I don’t know what Dale said but all of a sudden Tony revved his motor and shot right at Dale yelling “Get out of the way old man!” (Embellished story). Actually Dale was taken by surprise but was able to jump clear of the up and coming and a little out of control new Amateur. Tony is having a great time learning and riding trials. Tony has a background in bicycle trials and motocross so don’t be surprised if he charges up the ranks within the club.
TAKE 3: I had another near miss at Lincoln’s Logs but that was intentional so it doesn’t count.
All in all it was a beautiful day, great location, terrific sections, good competition and loads of fun. The kind of day when you just have to climb the big hill climb section from last year just for fun. Today was in fact “THE DAY”. Yes ladies and gentlemen and Dads everywhere. Today was THE DAY that Matt Hopkins beat his Dad Carl for the very first time in a trials event! It was a close battle all day with Matt taking loops one and two by two points each. Taking a four point lead into the last loop, Matt hung on to take the hard fought victory over dear old Dad by three points. Matt was so happy. At the awards ceremony Matt was even observed with a tear on his cheek as Mike announced Matt as the Intermediate class winner. A tear in part to commemorate this long longed for day, but mostly due to the announcement that the club had run out of Intermediate class ribbons and therefore Matt had nothing to take home to his lovely wife for proof of his triumph. Matt then revealed that his wife and given him added motivation before leaving the house on this “THE DAY” (pause). She told Matt not to come home if he didn’t win today! I am not sure if she let him in the door without proof of victory or not. Carl has Matt been staying with you this past month? Congratulations Matt for a job well done.
After his big win, Matt was getting advice from fellow competitors and interested fans. Some said Matt should compete against his Dad again to proof it wasn’t just a fluke. I told him not to take that chance because he may not beat Carl again! Some say he is ready to go up to the Expert class. Matt says he could then set his sights on beating this humble writer. BRING IT ON!
The perfect end to a perfect day. Dale petitioned a club vote to have the Carpenters host every club event at their place this year. Mike agreed to do this with the caveat that the same sections would be ridden every month. A long silence was observed as club members considered the offer.
NEXT MATT EVENT: Next Sunday, May 20th at Trenton, MO. Steve Morgan, Jim Thornton and crew are hard at work setting up the sections so come out and ride! Due to club member requests to Steve Morgan, this is once again a Fun Day on Saturday with a one day event on Sunday.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: There will be a Trials school on Saturday about 2pm for all interested riders, club member or not, that will be led by upper class competitors. Come out and get valuable tips on bike setup, preparation and trials techniques. There is no charge for this session.
TRIALS DEMO DAY: At the April event, Curtis Harper, vintage motocrosser and trialer extraodinare is hosting a vintage motocross at his father’s ranch in Greenwood, MO. Curtis offered the opportunity for our club to put on a trials demonstration on Saturday afternoon May 26th between sessions at the vintage event. Looking for volunteers to setup and ride three or four sections to wow spectators, inspiring them to all purchase trials bikes and join our club.
IS NO NEWS GOOD NEWS?: Nothing new to report about the grounds in Atchison.
PROTOTYPE NEWS: Dale Malasek visited the GasGas factory early this month to see the 4 stroke prototype. Dale was impressed with the simplicity of the valve train design and overall light weight ~ 150 lbs. Dale is expecting a prototype to be shipped to him sometime this fall. More info next month.