Chapter 6 – Next level

Run Three

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

We stopped at a trailer to get my timing slip.  It looks like a grocery store receipt, and it tells you’re your average speed at each of the timed intervals.  I then went to another trailer to get my B license, which allows me to go over 175.  My next goal was to go between 175 and 200.

We still had a big speed limit sticker on the side of our bike that said we were not permitted to go over 200 due to our tires.  I wasn’t worried about that now, but Chris was figuring out where to get new tires and how to get them mounted out there.

My team was a great help to me.  Well, no, sorry team.  That’s a huge understatement.  My team was indispensable to me even being here at all.  Some were mechanics, and some were helping me with my gear and holding an umbrella over me to shield me from the unrelenting sun and making sure I didn’t cook in my leather “onesie” suit.  I was sharing this experience with them and it made it a better experience and one we’ll never forget. They were in it as much as I was.  We were all pulling in the same direction.  One goal, one team.  One thing was for sure, I could not do this alone, or even with one or two other people.  Great endeavors always require a team. 

But then there was Randall, the experience Bonneville guy we had hired to coach me.  A bit of invaluable advice could make all the difference.  Randall was smart, experienced, and had an impressive resume.  But his social skills were off.  It was beginning to become more and more apparent.  He ruffled feathers at tech inspection, and his comments and advice were delivered in a less than helpful way.  Chris was starting to question whether he was helping the team or hurting it.  Meanwhile, his son AJ was getting a free ride on our back up bike.  AJ was a fine young man; smart, knowledgeable and drama-free.  I liked him a lot, and we compared notes after each run on the salt.

I rolled the throttle on for run #3, the second run of the second day.  I counted five shifts down to sixth gear, each at 9000 rpm, and then I just pinned it to the throttle stop.  320 hp is a thrill!  I saw 188 mph for a brief moment and averaged 183.32 mph at mile 3.  It was a great run.  I thought that now I would just need to tuck tighter, get my butt back, feet and knees in and head down and I’d make 200.

I got my timing slip, stopped and got my B license, and we got back in line for another run.  I thought I was going to continue a predictable progression to 200. 

I was wrong…