It was the September 2015 event, that was my first as a spectator. My buddy from Eagle Rock, Mark "Woody" Summitt, who owns the 250/350 pushrod classes on his Aermacchi/Harley was racing. I had a rental Harley I had ridden up from San Diego. As I crested Cahon Pass on 15/138 and turned onto the top of Phelan road, and the expanse of Antelope Valley opened up in from of me (including El Mirage), I knew I was hooked. Down that long slope on Phelan road, I finally negotiated the soft sand onto the lake bed. I'm an east coaster, but I studied Geology in college. This area fascinates me.
In 2016 I tried moving to my companies San Diego office, bought a house in Alpine on I-8. Worked in that office 4 days before moving back to Virginia. Sold that house 7 months after buying it for $45K more than I paid and only lost $10K (repairs, agent fees).
That winter (16/17) decided to buy back my old Guzzi Pro-Twins roadracer that I sold to a collector in 1994. Sat in a heated warehouse for 23 years. The race gas in the tank was wet and burned, and the carbs were clean. I knew it would run easy. And it did. I race prepped it for ElMo. Unknown to me they opened up the M classes, and I had a soft minimum to shoot for. That bike had been timed at 142 at Daytona by the AMA, and sure enough in my 3rd event of 2017 I went 141.673.
in 2018 my job back east told me time to go, and I got a job with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale. Bought a ranch in Llano, 18 miles as the crow flies from ElMo, I was on the north slope of the San Gabriels 4 miles from the San Andreas about 1000' above the desert floor, with a view of ElMo from my deck. A good last year working before retiring in July 2019. I had sold the old racer, and so race prepped my street bike and had fun all over the desert and at ElMo.
Needed ankle replacement (I roadraced 18 years, 4 national titles as an amateur, 4 years as Pro, 1 podium as a Pro), moved back to Virginia in October 2019 to live with wife and son again. Got my ankle, sold the ranch just before covid hit, and then planned to return in fall 2020 for the October and November events. Did those on my street bike again.
In 2021, decided to build another serious race bike. Only this was a junk yard dog. Fixed 3 of my buddies bikes and got a touring Guzzi in return. Stripped off the touring junk. Had a hot cam, borrowed some big carbs. Built that girl up, and it went 141 last May. Less that 1 MPH short of my record.
Got the bike to Loring in July, was able to get it up to 137 through the thickest soup of air I had ever seen. Picked up another Guzzi (47mm intake valves vs the touring 41's, more potential) and race prepped it as well in anticipation of coming out for the October and November events (when they are 3 weeks apart it works).
Less than a week before I was due to head out, I was struck cross eyed and partially blind in my right eye. Seems the experimental treatment I had for cancer 50 years ago had caused lung cancer (non-smoker/non-small cell) in me. Worse than that it is stage 4B Metastasized. In my lungs, liver, ribs, jaw and behind my eye. Doctors say I'm a mystery as I have no symptoms (other than the eye thing). Can't drive my rig cross country. Can barely drive with special glasses as my "good" eye has cateracts.
So I'm hanging out, undergoing treatment, and shooting for MTEMIM (Mike to El Mirage In May).
I have two completed land speed racing guzzis sitting in my trailer. Ready to race, they are like hot women ready to be mounted. The trailer has new wheel bearings and tires. My Ram Promaster was new last April. Life is good.
The doctors tell me if I do nothing, 6 months. If I do what they say, 1 year (there is a faustian deal). The literature says, 1 in 4 can make it 3 years. I can be that guy.
Hope to see y'all at the track next may
