That wasn't a bike, it was a comet ... can I make a wish?
Happy holidays all you bike nuts out there.  It's December and the holiday season  is upon us.  As for me, the necessary parts to put the Wunderlich lights on my bike are here but I'm doing my usual, procrastination.  The thing that's really putting me off is the fact that the instructions are ever so extremely horrible.  I'll have to study the instructions some more.  Worst case, I will have to contact the Santa Cruz BMW parts guy and ask for help.  Anyway, my friend Jaime mentioned last week that he's headed out to Willow Springs, in Rosamond (near Edwards Air Force Base), to zip around on the next track day.  He invited me to the previous track day at Fontana Race Way but I didn't make it out there so I decided to take him up on his offer this time around.  Plus it will give me some time in the saddle.   It's midday Wednesday 21, 2005 and I finally got a call back from Jaime telling me that he is indeed at the track and will be there all day long.  I was in the middle of an errand so I became a little paniced.  My wife and I finished up the errand quickly and she drove me back to the house.  I got myself ready and this time around even remembered to bring the camera.  The trip up to Willow Springs was simple and straight forward.  No hassles, no fuss.  The wind wasn't so bad on the 14 this time around.  I knew the Willow Springs race track was west of Rosamond but didn't quite know how far out it was.  Heading far enough West on the Rosamond exit produced the desired results ... the race track.  After a bit of fumbling here and there, I was in the pit lane.

Jaime and Dennis were currently eating at the track diner so I didn't see them when I rode up.  Surely enough when I spotted Jaime's bike, they had also spotted me.  They were flailing their arms to flag me down but I didn't recognize them.  I thought they were track staff people  flagging me down for riding in the pits.  I had the deer in the head lights look.  Fortunately for me it was just Jaime and Dennis.

I ended up not spending too much time at the track because I had to head back to LA for even more errands and things of that nature.  Between you and me, that's a perfect way to ruin a nice beautiful day at the track.  However, I plan on going back out to see Jaime on his next track day and spend a little more time checking out the people and the bikes.  It was quite loud and interesting when the bikes got going.  At the same time, I can see how it can get boring after a while of just looking at bikes passing the pits.  It really is an activity for the rider and not for the spectator.

Suffice to say, I was really out of place at the race track.  Everybody had some pretty cool track bikes.  Good thing for me I had no intention of taking my GS on the track ... with Panniers.  If I did, I would be the joke of the day.  If not an absolute hazzard.  Here are some photos of the event.








Willow Springs pit area and track.


Jaime and Dennis relaxing after lunch.






Dennis ... forever on the phone.


The infamous Bat Bike.


Bat Bike for sale ... get your bat bike here folks!!

One guy at the track took a look at Jaime's bike and asked...

    Biker: So why did you put Batman emblems on your bike?
    Jaime: Because I'm Batman!
    Biker: That means you're Bruce Wayne and you have millions of dollars.
    Jaime: No ... That's just an illusion ... I'm Batman.

Here is one reason for riding Willow Springs this time of year.  They have a Christmas raffle every year and they give out some pretty cool prizes.  Everything from crates of motor oil, track day passes, riding school tuitions, and last but not least full body Taichi riding suits.  As for me, I'm just a spectator.   Knowing my luck, the same as Jaime's luck, I never win anything anyway.  Like Jaime said, "I never win anything at these things, but if I win something, it's something I don't need."





Here is the advance group heading out after the lunch and raffle.






Jaime heads out to join other advance riders.
















Batman approaches...


... and zips pass at 140 MPH.
















Quick enough ... the 20 minute session is over.

Written on: Dec 23, 2005
Last modified: