Back in the trails!
What are you riding? Dirt, road, gravel?
List them bikes below.
I’m looking to get a gravel bike, what’s good in your experience?
Near perfect weekend.
The first nice weekend this year and we made the most of it. Started out with a beautiful track day, tons of laps, great hangs, no issues with the car and damn near perfect weather. Sunday started with a good book and coffee in the morning. Trails were finally open so we cruised the bikes for a while. Bought some chickens on the way home and started building a coop. Oh and @ilyanalyze made some really good Rueben sandwiches.
More days like these please.
Special Stage 8 at night was an unreal experience. It felt illegal, the rush of it all. Though we had driven up and down many times both in rain and clear skies, the night made it feel almost unfamiliar. I tried to take it all in and revel in the moment but it all happened so fast. Thirty cars rumbling at idle, drivers strapped in, helmets on, those of us without heat trying to warm our hands from the frigid cold. Then a wave of a light wand like guiding an airplane and the low rumble turned into chaos. No warm up lap, just trying to stay close to the guy in front of you charging toward the first turn. The normal visual cues I used were gone, now operating on literal blind faith of the drivers in front of me. This was absolutely a team effort and an extreme exercise of trust. After that I pretty much blacked out and let my instincts take over until we reached the bottom. After we had spun around I was waiting for the line to stop and see who was missing from the lineup, but as the chase car had passed by me I realized “Holy shit! We did it and nobody crashed!” Now it’s fucking on! We stormed off again. Got better every single lap, which admittedly started out shaky for me. My heart rate never dropped through my 5,6,7ish laps until I felt like I was content with my performance and not crashing. Up at the top after removing the helmet in relief and passing out a few trembling high fives we rolled back to the hotel eagerly waiting to hear from everyone who had just survived the madness. Hugs, and high fives all around from the drivers, media,crew that were fortunate enough for the experience the success of our first night stage. Each of us had a similar experience but none of them were the same. This was and will remain one of the most memorable nights of my LIFE, not just drifting.
I don’t think I’m alone in this thought.
Yeah, we fucking did that!
@driftappalachia Stage 8 will forever be cemented in my brain.
I didn’t touch a camera. I lived this one in the moment. I was able to have great conversations with people I don’t normally get to talk to. I got great laps with people I’d just met and old friends jumping back in. West Virginia gave us all she had to offer from rain and cold to sunshine and warmth. Constant changes on the road from wet, patchy conditions to perfect grip during the dry day and the most popular curveball to all of us, the night stage. We all got to experience it together and it made for an incredible event that I will never forget.
Thank you to the staff for this opportunity putting together this insane event and keeping us safe and rolling.
Thank you to Beckley, West Virginia for this stunning venue.
Thank you to @ilyanalyze and my friends for helping me keep the Miata running.
Thank you to all of the drivers, media and friends for the most unbelievable experience and hangs
This is absolutely why I love drifting. After twenty years I still feel an insane amount of love and passion because of all of you!
American Touge is thriving!
