Step by Step

After my two first races in the GP’s of Portugal and Spain, I have been looking forward to this 2-week break. Coming into the GP’s fresh of off the couch was not as easy as a step as I thought it would be. Even though the results were not where they should be, I took a lot away from both of those races. To sum everything up I have a lot of work to do and I am happy to have the problems of the last 3 months behind me. This past week following the GP of Spain where I finished: DNF-14, I got to put in some solid days training. Having the word training back in my vocabulary is something that puts a smile on my face. I heard a quote in a church service back home, “God gives you what you need, when you need it”. For some reason those words have stuck with me for sometime now, and everyday they seem to make more sense.

I am stoked for this weekend, the GP is in Sweden. Last year I had gotten 13^th in moto 1, and a 7^th in moto 2. So It is one of the few GP’s that were pretty good to me last year and I'm excited to be headed back. My father will be heading out for the next 2 GP’s and that is something I am looking forward to. I know I have plenty of supporters on the team, but having someone that has been through it all with here in Europe, is definitely something to look forward to. 


This coming week I also have two testing days in Milan, where the factory of Husqvarna is. During the time off the bike I have missed a lot of testing days especially leading into the GP season. So hopefully we can make some small gains, and get me feeling better on the bike.

So all in all I am feeling like my life is coming back more and more with each passing day. I know it is still a long road to get back to my level, but I am happy to be making progress once again. Last weekend the team and I headed up to the mountains for some fun on the bike and I was pretty stoked to just have a fun day out with some of my few friends here in Europe. 


Off the bike things have been well… I am becoming quite the cook, house cleaner, and picking up a 2^nd language. The weather has turned from the brutal cold winter, to the humid hot summer. The scenery is back to what I remember from being here sometime last year and beginning to be quiet relaxing between the weeks. So for now things are back on the up, and I am getting more and more excited for the upcoming races… Check back in next week after the GP of some Sweden, and hopefully have some decent results to talk about. Thanks for reading, CIAO!

Been Awhile

Well this past weekend was the GP of Portugal. I went into the GP with 4 days of practice and about that many days of intense training. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into but I wanted to be on the gate. March was the last time I had been in really good health and at my normal physical level. Good idea or bad, I am glad I did it. I have a baseline either way and I now know the effects of not training and being prepared for a race. I have experienced similar times like this but not quite like this.

Needless to say I was a fish out of water. LOL. I guess that part of it was expected, I just did not want to face the fact that I was going to be hurting that bad due to fatigue and lack of breathing. I have always been in good shape, but this is a first. After broken bones, I have still been able to maintain certain levels of training. Not one time have I struggled with 4 laps leading into the 19 + laps of the GP. The goals for now are to get my physical conditioning back to where it needs to be asap.

This upcoming weekend, June 18th-19th,  is the GP of Spain. After this weekend I will have a two week break where I can make up for the lack of riding and training which I am looking forward to. 

People do not realize how much riding there is throughout the weekend of a G.P. We have a 2 day event starting Saturday morning with a “free 35 minute practice”. After the free practice we have a “35 minute timed practice”. The reason for the timed practice is your position in the lap times determines your gate pick for your qualifying race. So with your gate pick from the timed practice we then have a “20min +2 lap moto”. This race is a sprint for your gate pick in both motos on Sunday. Sunday morning we have a 30 minute warm up practice. Then last but not least the grueling 2 x 35min +2 lap motos which leads to about 42 minute races. Not to mention, there is no track prep between those days. LOL.

Other then the racing the weather has finally turned from the daily snowfall from the last time I was here in April, to the lovely humid 90 degree weather. Not really sure which I prefer. Even though I am not so well off with the physical side of things, I am so happy to be back racing and riding. Said it before and I’ll say it again, every time a break takes place and the return to racing comes around, it is even better then the last time. I am still on my own with everything and everyone across the pond, although my father will be joining me in 2 weeks. He will be staying for 2 weeks during Sweden as well as Germany. After he heads home, I will be sending out what I guess you could call “A MAN FRIEND” LOL. Say what you want about that, but I need a damn friend out here.

So for now that is all, I will be preparing for the race this weekend. It is the first time this GP has been at this track in a few years, so I hope it suits me a bit more then last weekend. Check back in again next week. I don’t know how to say good bye in Spanish,  although Italian is close enough. LOL. Chi vidiamo dopo!

Back Across the Pond

Well, a fresh start, and another chance, I would say. After being off the bike for about 11 weeks I am finally back and ready to race. The last few months off with little training at the beginning, not riding, and watching the GP’s go on without me was not my idea of fun. However, I did enjoy my time home with my family and other important people in my life. A lot has changed and there is a lot to adapt to in every aspect of my life at the moment, from my personal life, to my physical condition, and back to racing, I have new challenges to chase and conquer. Riding this past week home in  California, showed me once again why my love for the sport is so strong. Things happen for a reason I believe and I am back in Europe with a new attitude and different goals.

I figure it is time to bring it back to the old school days. My father, and I of course, got to where I am now together, although it wasn’t always fun and games with us. We have had our share of what I like to call the “classic Mini Dad” days. Wanting nothing but good for me he wasn’t exactly easy on me. Although if he hadn’t been firm I probably wouldn’t be writing this blog or racing dirt bikes. Of course at the end of the day it was up to me, but I do believe he played a pretty big role. So with that said when I moved to Europe last year riding for Kawasaki Bud Racing, he took a back seat and let me do my own thing. Needless to say it needed to happen. Lately I feel something is missing somewhere. Maybe what I need is that push, or sense of direction, someone who knows me so well, call it synergy. I am pretty stoked for him to come out to the Swedish and German GP's, possibly more following.

As for now, I am gearing up for my first GP in Portugal this weekend. Funny as I look back last year I remember breaking my wrist when I first came over and didn’t get to ride this GP. From what I saw last year, I enjoyed watching the racing and am really looking forward to being on the track. The track in Portugal has big jumps, amazing red dirt, and looks a little bit like a playground on a video game. I have ridden 4 times on motocross tracks and did some trail riding (thanks Husqvarna for the awesome TE310 ) leading up to this GP my physical condition is not at its best. I plan to use these next few races to race myself back into shape. It is not going to be easy doing 40+ minute moto’s although I am so stoked to say I am going racing this weekend. 

I wish I had some friends or family here but I guess some things we just have to do alone. It has come to the point where there isn’t a whole lot I wouldn't do to make my dream come true. I know I am headed in the right direction, just in God’s time, not mine.

Looking forward to writing next week on my return to the GP's.