Well from Thursday thru Saturday night my son and I loitered around Haspin making both Merry and Mayhem.
The thing about TF that struck me the most was that despite all the activities and the wicked sweet machinery of all kinds littering the place, TF is about and always has been about people first. Trikes second. You could have loaded every threewheeler there on a convoy of Fruehauf flatbeds and left and we would STILL have had a blast. I didn`t even meet much more than a twenty+ members of 3WW in person and probably fifteen trikers who aren`t even 3WW members who attended. There simply was no time to meet everyone I wanted to because well.....We love riding that much.....so meet and greet had to take a bit of a back seat this go-round. To those I had the pleasure of meeting, talking, riding, etc thank you for your hospitality. Tristan ("PORKCHOP" per Andy...LMMFAO) commented that he was so impressed with all you guys and how friendly you all were even though we only knew each other in an online capacity. He said he felt so welcome it was like seeing old friends and family again. We made plans for our return in `15 on the drive home. Porkchop is already making lists of machines he wants to buy and a couple builds he might try and tackle. Yeah, its a little lofty of a goal to add 4 or 5 new trikes to the stable in one year but who knows?
This is what I learned from the experience:
1) Brian Raffa will try to make out with a Pomeranian if you aren`t careful
2) DC, while I never caught him to meet/ chat, likes to write his name on stuff
3) Billy looks not as tall as I had imagined and yet not quite as ugly
4) Fabio is stealthy...one second he`s there and the next? *Poof!*
5) I am nothing without a Big Red.
6) taking the headlight off a 200X is a really stupid move
7) riding your racers on the trails the day before the MX is also a really stupid move. They tend to get F@%#ED up and quit runnin right
8) You can never bring enough spare parts. That's what CaptainWeezy is for.
9) Duros suck on a trail. Bring some trekkers too like I did.
10) Trekkers hate to lose traction and only slide laterally at what can best be described as 'mediocre'
11) Two brand new DID chains is not enough for Haspin trails
12) Honda Dry film chain lube is worthless. See #11.
13) Back brake pads on a 200X are worthless. Haspin is covered in Nature`s version of Clover Valve Lapping compound and it sands down everything quickly.
14) an ATC200X is actually a really decent trail machine when lightly modded for power.
15) ATC70s are nothing to be ashamed of or mocked. You will get schooled quick.
16) If you think yourself a "racer", bring your A game.....there are experts among us that would blow your mind on a 30yr old trike.
17) Don't park down a hill at Haspin in between rain showers.
18) the back of a rental van makes a great lounge when it rains
19) There are little kids who are faster than me.
20) Matt offered and then let me ride his green 650 Taurus. And I want one.
21) Matt is a super cool MoFo. See #20.
22) Hide your cell phone all day. You won`t lose it and people can`t get ahold of you and distract you from the task at hand.....Riding...and Bullsh!ttin.
23) I need a two stroke.
24) I should have brought shorts. I would have swam in my boxers but who the hell wants to see that? Ask my wife.
25) Haspin has a habit of destroying more stuff in less time than you are probably used to tearing up...Because Creeks and Sand. That's why.
26) I need MORE trikes. One per person isn`t gonna cut it. You need a puttin trike, race trike, trail trike, shower trike (to go to showers) and a couple spares.
27) 200x CHAIN TENSIONERS ARE THE WORST ENGINEERING DISASTER EVER PERPETRATED ON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
28) Porkchop hates those tensioners too. Just ask him.
29) Andy (CRAZY70MAN) comes up with clever nicknames...we are 'The Chops'.....Iron and Pork
30) Porkchop has anger management issues on the trail.
31) You apparently can`t tear up a Lifan motor. Porkchop tried really hard but failed.
32) Bring more cash. You think you have enough but then you see seven other things you can`t live without at TF.
33) Howdy seems to hate working on Polari and yet he has a couple nice ones. Which means he works on them.
34) Bring several pairs of shoes/boots and four times more socks than you think you need.
35) Workout more. I never felt like more of an out-of-shape fatass than after that first day riding and all my joints and muscles were locked the hell up tight!
36) Bring meds. See #35.
37) Ditchmud...he loves hats....and bullhorns....and Viking helmets...and Bundy Hill stickers...and telling stories. I didn`t mind one bit.
38) Porkchop is a really great young man and I`m super proud of him. He`s a skilled rider too.
39) Missing the MX race doesn`t sit well with me.
40) Missing the signup for the Drags sucked as well.
41) Bring a generator and a camper.
42) I forgot to buy two tshirts and hats
43) We are coming back every year from now on and you can`t stop us.
Y`all were kickass and I`m so glad to have met and hung out with whom I did meet/ hangout with. Thanks to everyone who put this thing together.
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There's nothing like the sound of screaming 2strokes and the smell of race gas in the air
