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It's been four months since I last wrote, and I honestly can't believe how the time has been flying by. In that time, I have relocated to sunny California, back to San Francisco! The adjustments to life in the United States have been startling, surprising and at times, very calming. I feel at peace and relaxed, and I'm riding motorcycles again, so life is shaping up nicely.
Continue reading "Getting settled in, and going places :)" »
It's time for a big change, and my next challenges are just over the horizon to the West. I've decided to retire from the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the 2008 season and return to San Francisco, home of my friends and loved ones. I'm finally going home.
The decision has been in the making for more than a year, but it wasn't until Valencia in '07 that things really started happening. Key elements within our team structure changed, and 2008 was a year filled with a different energy and atmosphere, in my mind, a decided lack of the "squadra" that we'd built over the two previous seasons. It became more a question of survival and getting by, and less about the excitement and passion for the racing that had fueled us before. Obviously, it became more difficult for me to write about my experiences, as I felt increasingly more dissatisfied with many things, too close, too connected, too far away, too dis-connected. About mid-season, I stopped writing, bringing all my energies and focus inside. I will correct this in the coming months, as there is a lot to say and write about and I aim to finish the 2008 season here on my website. I owe it to my readers, and moreso, I feel I owe it to myself to complete what I started when I began all this.
Three years. It's not such a long time, but the relative feeling I have is that it's been a decade. So much I've missed out on back home, so many experiences robbed from me. In contrast, so many things I've seen and done around the world. So many people I've met along the way, some destined to be life long friends.
I'm excited to be headed back. I have new adventures in store for me, new goals. I'm bringing back all my experiences and power. I will explain in more detail soon, but for now I just wanted to write a little something and give everyone a small update.
The 2008 MotoGP World Championship season comes to a close this weekend at the Circuito de Ricardo Tormo, just outside the picturesque, seaside city of Valencia.
A tumultuous year to say the least, with official changes being announced for every category in Grand Prix racing, including the bombshell that Bridgestone will be the sole tire supplier for all 800cc machines in the top class. Effectively, this ends the blue sky engineering that has always dominated the prototype racing in GP, that propelled the Factories into creating whatever they could in order to win, with whomever they worked with. Now I fear that everyone will be targeting the same formula, "build a Bridgestone bike". And they will all be Bridgestone bikes . . . . what remains to be seen is whether or not the teams and riders will be offered more than just a few, simple choices like Soft and Hard - maybe a Medium? Perhaps, and this is only a wish, we will once again see healthy competition within the category, but for now this is looking to be the last race for Michelin . . . .
In the 250 series, many teams have opted to close citing sponsorship difficulties, and more pragmatically and to the point, they have opted to close because there is no sense in continued investment and development in the 250cc two-stroke when the series will be switching to a "hybrid" 600cc four-stroke incarnation in 2010. Who wants to spend millions of Euros to race for a neutered cup? At last count, many paddock insiders believe there will be 14 bikes on the grid next season, which is even less than in MotoGP. However, I am aware that several riders and sponsors are looking to put together some last minute deals, so it's very likely that this number will grow towards 20 bikes. I hope.
Which brings us to the lowly 125's. The eighth liter wonders. Want to reduce costs even more (the reasoning behind the tire move, the 250 four-stroke push)? Let's cut the feeder class a little - hopefully more riders will enter the series . . . . . if each rider is only allowed to field ONE bike. Half the mechanics and technicians in 125 are now searching for something to occupy their time with, and unfortunately there are only two new manufacturers headed into WSBK next season, Aprilia and BMW. Still, I know that some of the guys are headed over to the "OWS - Other World Series", and I wish them much success in their endeavors.
In every event, time keeps on ticking, the wheel keeps on turning, and in four days the 2008 season will be finished and 2009 begins on Monday. I'll be testing on Monday and Tuesday with current Red Bull KTM 250 Factory rider, Mika Kallio, the Finn, and also with longtime Ducati test rider, Nicola Canepa. It looks like we'll have an interesting test, and then we'll see . . . .
How about some Fresh New Music? Yeah, let's get some!
After two beautiful podium visits by Toni Elias, myself and the rest of the Alice Team are gathering in a few hours to fly towards Indianapolis, getting a start on the last five races of the season. Some of us will be out of our homes for the next 8 weeks, working and traveling at the maximum, and as needed and required by life in the MotoGP world. I haven't written much lately, choosing instead to gather my strength and finish this season strongly, but I hope to begin posting again as I learn and understand more about everything going on lately. Let's have some music, shall we?
Indy 1 -- Time to get the blood pumping again.
Indy 2 -- Thanks go to TE24 and SG50, for pairs of their respective sunglasses, hahaha.
Indy 3 -- I have always gotten on very well with this particular track X)
12 hours after I left the hotel in Derby, England, I stepped into our hotel in Groeningen, Holland, tired from the long travel and delayed flight out of Birmingham, but swelling with happiness to be back at Assen once again.
I love the small town we stay in (about 30 minutes drive from the circuit), which is filled with rowdy Dutch college students, and the architecture and scenic waterways cutting throughout the countryside and into the city speak to me - that life is flowing, in and out, and it is never stagnant. Not to mention the old time buildings, never quite matching up like the Victorians in San Francisco, each one quirky, different, and full of charm, much like the people I have come to respect and admire. I'm sure that at some point in my life I will live here, absorbing the culture and learning as I go. It is a fascinating place for me, and as I would walk through the crooked stone streets of the city centre, I listened as this soundtrack followed in my footsteps.
We're headed to East Midlands on our journey to Donnington Park for the British GP. I'll be arriving after midnight, then driving a while to get to the outskirts of Nottingham. It's going to be a late night and an early morning, because the work starts sharp at 8AM and there's a bit of a drive to get to the circuit in the mornings. Not to mention that driving on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, really trips me out, haha.
Anyway, it's packing time for 2 weeks out. I leave in less than one hour for the airport. It's not bad planning for one week, but two on the bounce is a little trickier. We can get some laundry done at the second hotel when we arrive, but managing the small details gets complicated when the whole team is charging things up, and as we're small and private (read: not as heavily funded as the big boys), they really don't like us to wash a ton of stuff. Normal, I guess. Instead of bringing my giant Alpinestars bag, I'll be taking two smaller A*s carry-ons, like I used to travel with in seasons' past. I would prefer the big dog, but it's often overweight just because it's so large, and I'm able to use the space in two smaller ones more effectively. Sometimes two are just better than one!
It's Father's Day in the good ole' US of A, so this special Sunday post goes out to my Dad, the man who has always had my back and who was mainly responsible for influencing me in so many positive ways.
Here he is in San Luis Obispo, about to ride my hardtail for the first time. Just a week or so after I'd completed the bike after a frantic overnight build session in my front yard (they don't just happen on Biker Build-off!), we made a plan to meet up somewhere between SF and LA. I'd wanted to take the bike on a proper shake down run, and a trip down south sounded like the perfect way to spend a weekend. Bonus that I would be able to have lunch with my Dad and brother, Thomas. BBQ!
What a great day! I woke early and started working with conviction and a cup of strong coffee (and instant creamer, hahaha), and by seven in the evening I called it quits and went on a two hour walk through my city. The sun was just starting to set, and a warm glow emanated from the brown stone walls and old rooftops - even the cobbled streets seemed to welcome each footstep, one after another, ever onward, ever forward. I made it down to Plaza Catalunya, picked up some supplies, and walked home with a purpose, working up a sweat and a smile the whole way back. It was time to rebuild an old friend, because I don't give up easily or without a fight, and if I can fix something, you know I will. I set up shop in the living room, affording myself some slightly better light, and a larger workspace than my tiny little room. It was time to resurrect iCarus, stronger, better, and with a larger capacity to hold that which moves me - my music!
I got in from Bologna, Italy, late on a Monday afternoon, tired from the work week and looking for some serious recuperation time. Life had other plans for me, though, because since I stepped foot into Barcelona, the virtua-phone has been ringing off the hook and there's so much to do and see, so much life to delve into, I haven't been able to relax like I'm accustomed to. Which is great!
Continue reading "GP08 Catalunya, Race 7, "Back in the Saddle Again"" »
