Posted on Friday, September 26, 2003 - 04:30 pm:   
   
Finally back at home with time to sit at the computer again.

What a great week I had. Just a couple of days before I left, I wasn't going. A little message left here to ring Aaron, then an ear chewing on the phone from Paul, and I was ready to get on a plane.

Sure glad I did.

To all of you that helped make it happen, again, from the bottom of my heart I say "THANK YOU". I only hope that I can reciprocate one day.

Aaron kindly let me take his ride to work M2 out and have a shot at the 150 mph club. (It's a fairly faaast ride to work M2....) First serious pass put in a 147. Back to the pits and Aaron switched on the computer. "You need to change the front sprocket" he said.

OK. A bit of haggling with Dale from 'The Sportster List' team, and help from FMJ, saw Dale lose the one from his race bike, and gain one of FMJs spares. A big flurry of activity saw it together just before the 5.00pm line close, and I was able to put down a 152 pass.

Next morning I guess I was a bit keen to go, because the officials found me in the line behind the backup qualifiers. They sent me back to wait with the rest...... dammit. Once the backup runs were done though, I was first in line and managed to squeeze out a 153 pass, and thank you very much for my membership.

From then on I tried to help in the pits, chase vehicles etc and not break anything. So far so good, but more was to come. Sunday, I find Aaron looking at me and saying "Where's your leather's? You want to ride the race bike?" You're kidding I thought. Does a bear shit in the woods?

So I said "Um, ok....."

Reality set in. For those of you that haven't heard the RRS2 run, it sort of reminds me of one of those nasty pissed off dogs that you can come across occasionally. You know, the ones that seem to be saying "Come closer sunshine, I'm going to have your leg for dinner..."
Evil suckers. The RRS2 is a bit like them.

I didn't have some much as butterflies in my stomach, more like I'd swallowed a K1 fight. I remained cool, calm and poised on the outside though. At least I tried too..... Once I got the thing rolling off the line though, it became a whole lot of fun. The way that bike makes it's power is awesome. I've ridden a Hyabusa and it is civilised and tame by comparison. Really. That Buell is amazing!

So a 175 mph run and I'm eligible for my 'B' license. How cool is that considering a few days earlier I was going to be watching it all on the computer LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE THAT DIDN'T GO!

Two moment's that have really stuck in my mind from the weekend are these.
First was going to the timing tent and telling them that I wasn't actually Richard Nallin and could they please change the name on the slip so that I could register for my license? One of the ladies asked my name and when I told her said "Oh! You're Peter from Amsterdam! How's your new baby girl and the new house coming along? We thought you weren't going to be able to make it this year."

Could have knocked me over with a feather. These people have to be the nicest bunch to ever organise a tea party. They really go out of their way to make you feel like you're part of the family. It's a great feeling.

The second, and only because it happened later, was seeing the look on Aaron's face when I picked him up after he took the RRS2 for a ride. As we all know, this bloke is generally seriously focused. Now he looked like someone that had just had a HUGE amount of fun. Just like a kid in a candy shop. Couldn't shut him up in the car on the way back to the pits
Aaron, at the risk of repeating myself (duh, like I really care ) you should ride that bike more often. It's a great tonic and THANK YOU so much for letting me have a ride on it too.
You're a good bloke.

Peter