Kenny Carlile

We hit Crazy Acres this week to get some track time in and to help support our friend Steve Corrie from Trackmasters, who is going to ride the Baja 1000 this year. Half of the profits from riding fees at the track on Saturday went to help fund Steve's expenses. I also bought a t-shirt he was selling. We had a great time and got to practice some techniques in the way that riding the track allows you to. In the woods, you see new terrain constantly, so you can't try things over and over again the way you can on a track. Track and trail riding are very different and they both have their place.

Steve had done some work on the track to improve it, including adding two more "whoops" to the "whoops" section (I have "whoops" in quotes because, to me, they are bigger than whoops) and he double-stepped the larger tabletop jump so you don't have to clear the whole thing now, which is kinda nice. He also beefed up the small tabletop rhythm section.

On my third time riding Crazy Acres, I finally got the guts to try doubling up the "whoops" section, although now there are six instead of the previous four. The first time, I under-jumped and cased the second jump, then awkwardly singled out from there. The second time, I cleared the first double set and then cased the fourth jump and then singled out from there. After that, I was mostly able to double-double-single-and-a-half/half-case the set. I just couldn't keep enough speed to clear the last set, although one time I managed to mostly clear it, though not terribly cleanly.

I spoke to a friend later who has a lot of track time and he gave me the advice to rev in the air between the doubles so that the revs are already going to maintain momentum. That makes sense because I couldn't get enough romp on the throttle in between the whoops to build speed for the next set. I was essentially coasting them after the initial build up.

Anyway, I was really happy to have finally tried those whoops the way they are supposed to be ridden. They are harder than good riders make them look, but they are easier than it seems when you are first coming up on them.

I heard a rumor, which was later confirmed, that Crazy Acres has been issued a shutdown notice from the county. They are trying to fight it or find a way around it. I sincerely hope they are able to as this is a great track and pretty close to my house. I'd hate to lose it.