ringo

Over the years I've seen all of you debate over how to get an American rider to be competative at a world round. What I haven't seen are suggestions with regards to sponsorship. The reason the other countries are so competative is that the sport of trials pays money over there and is considered a professional sport. Here in America, trials is an amatuer sport. Our professional sports here pays nice little chunks of money like 25 million dollar contracts therefore our kids are motivated and their parents are turned into "soccer parents" doing all the things that create professional sports players out of them. Take motocross for example. Notice all the adds on tv where the whole family rides and the kid turns into an RC. Notice the tv shows that show how big the estates are of professional sports heros today. For discussion of a realistic solution, why not bring back the attempts at a professional trial wherein there is prize money. Nothing motivates more than money. Ricky Carmichael didn't have to go to another country to be #1 Tiger Woods didn't. Shaquile O'neil Babe Ruth, etc, etc, etc.

Hmmm, I don't see Martin jumping in here offering a 4 stroke. Imagine that! I'm sure he simply hasn't had time to check this board as I'm sure he will offer a brand new RV and driver for the circuit. I think it's going to come down to who is going to offer me the most money. Smiles everyone!!!

Hey Beave, Did you enter any of the world rounds back then? From the info above, I would be led to believe that you and Bernie were matched pretty closely. Infact, I seem to recall some posts in years past wherein you said that you BEAT Bearnie. I know, you didn't enter the world round because you had to be in Hollywood that weekend for a dinner with John Wayne or else you would've had the win that year.

How come I don't feel reassured that Lane & Ringo will save the day? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm sitting here wondering how I got mixed up in this discussion via Ringo & Lane. There is no Ringo & Lane! It's Ringo Vrs. Lane Now if America needs an American to step up and earn WR points this year I'll have to "ride" all the NATC national rounds. I will "ride" every section and I can guarantee you that it won't be pretty. What's worse is that when I get to Tennesee, I'll "ride" every section there as well. I'm just wondering who is going to step up to pick up all the pieces that will be scattered all over the sections. Of course I'll need a bike sponsor who'll be there to replace all the broken parts. And finally, the AMA will not be allowed to give me any grief about my "unprofessional" Hawaian shirt and dingle ball shorts as I'm not getting paid, therefore I won't be considered a Professional. Trials is FUN and Yes, I think it would be fun to hurl myself at boulders and 15 foot walls and you wont hear me cussing when I fall down. Just my horn!!! Hey Copemech, I need a minder. Are you game??? I can see it now, Martin, Ron Jr., Dale and Ryan are going to be in a bidding war to see who gets to sponsor me.

To all my friends, associates and HondaUK Merry Christmas!! Disclaimer: If you celebrate this time of year via a different religion or race then I still wish you a Merry Christmas as this is what I celebrate and I wish to pass on my seasons greetings this way. Know that I understand you may not celebrate "Christmas" nonethess I wish to express happy times to all therefore I hope that my wishing you a Merry Christmas doesn't offend you. Much the same as I would thank you for wishing me a Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza or merry Buddah? It's all good :hat:

You do Citytrials and reach around and everyone will be happy

It's all fine and good to sit around and watch the beaver come up with some off the wall, insane and uncredible statement to rouse the board. Afterall, without him, this board sits idle as no one will say anything at all. Pure entertainment value from someone who's, at least, married to someone who knows how to entertain. BUT, I have to jump in and put the reins on the ole boy when he miss types like he did in the quote. Let me fix it for you buddy, "Sorry for the confusion but I'm a Yank and I have had trouble with the rules going all the way back to 1776" See there, now we can confine the neorosis [sp?] to him so that we can sit back and laugh.

Gee Alan, you're not suggesting that this is the first time this happened? That's the thing the Beave does best and that's why we love him so much.

Dear Mr. Fraceman, I will admit that the "party scene" you are refering to was dispicably poor and serene. I believe the Lyons club had a bingo fest that same night that blew us away. Keep in mind that we were out of our element, nonetheless we were the only group that went out and got a keg for that event. Now, come to one of our hometown events like the annual Art Webster Memorial, where you'll find a serene desert turned into a Las Vegas style club scene with full strobe lights, a DJ, beautiful women serving up coctails and fires so huge that they blow 10 slabs of rock off the side of boulders into the firepit, at which time riders jump motorcyles over the flames and much more. Hey Dabber, I'm sure you have some pics that might 'show and tell' here nicely. RJ, How about sending me some info on this manly machine you are referring to? Better yet, bring one out for a test ride. We'll have a few beers and see how it sits in camp. [That's the only thing motorcycles are for anyway, to complement the drinking atmosphere]

Ishy, Sometimes you really know how to beautifuly communicate reality to the less fortunate.

I guess you could call it a 'ringoism': For those that don't get it, Sonny Bono [sonny & Cher] died a few years ago from a skiing accident. He skiied right into a tree. Hey Alan, didn't mean to ignore you but I had to get the beaver bashing out of the way.

Ride on!! I know those runs well. They are the runs I taught my daughter to snow board on last year. Of course she's advanced away from the bunny slopes now but I'm always up for a slow speed dice session. It'll warm us up for the real runs on the back side of the mountain [of course they are marked 'out of bounds' but when you know the owner, Dick Kun, [i'm talking to the Beave so I have to drop a name] and the ski patrol, you can get away with some 'locals only' stuff. I've gotta warn you tho, once you go through 'the gate', there's no "let's take a five and say we did it". You're in some deep powder on some killer terrain and you'd better know how scrub some narly speed in a hurry to avoid Bonoing a tree. Anxiously awaiting the snow, Ringo

I guess my return to the board would have to include a commemorative Beaver Bashing so here goes: Hey Beave, What planet where you on when you decided to write this hokey crap about representation from the ATA? As the "unofficial" president of the ATA [see, now I'm writing hokey crap also] there has never been and never will be any sort of discussion wherein the ATA will represent any of your ideas or you will represent any of the ATA ideas. Unless, of course, we want to slide our cars sideways around the parking lot at unGodly speeds. On the NATC meeting: Did you people all forget that the NATC's only job is to set up a national schedule and that's it? They state that they are not in the business of promoting trials and they do what they say they are going to do every year[and party like rock stars, eh Ronnie Baby?]. My understanding is that a lot of this discussion, way back when, led to the formation [or maybe they had already begun forming it prior] of the UMTCAWHATEVER and it's purpose was to promote trials. I understand that many of the NATC members are involved with that and therein lies the place to have an annual meeting wherein the Beave could be master of ceremonies and lead the nation to a world championship trials victory. Loven you all...

How about a lesson in dignity? When I came in from my last race I felt more demoralized, disapointed and embarrased than I have ever felt in my life. This was mainly due to my own misevaluation of what I thought I was getting myself into as well as crashing as hard as I did three times[Yeah, I crash a lot on my trials bike but I've been pretty consistant on the KTM and haven't gone down hard in a few years on it]. The combination of emotion and adrenaline was so incredible that I didn't even notice when or where I smashed my knee and didn't feel the pain until after I got back to the pits. My girlfriend was the first back to the pits to tell me how proud she was and then everyone else did the same. After talking to others, I realized that I didn't do as horrible as I thought and there were others who where having WAAAAAY more dificulty than me. Had someone from the trials community come up to me and told me that I had dissapointed the entire trials community, I'm sure that I would've taken it to heart and been completely devastated. Until you get out on that course and even ride one obstacle, you have no business making a comment like that to any rider, let alone the Champ. In the least, I'd say you owe him a huge appology. It's my guess that most of the people that read this board do not have much experience with enduro style racing and simply having to pick up a heavy bike or getting tossed off line in a race is a hell of a lot more than simply riding outside of a trials marker.

Thanks Beave, The only thing that was revealed to me was that I seriously need to pull my head out of my ass the next time I think I can go up against those guys. Nonetheless, my girlfriend is already on my ass to get out on the track and practice for next year so who knows.

First of all, HUGE thanks to my pit support [Jeff Wallace and Chris Brown] and all my buddies who flew in from other states to support me. I had an unbelievable blast. I

The ride off is always an absolute show stopping winner! It really brings the crowd over to watch the riders battle. The first USA indoor trial featured the most intense, awesome, unimaginable ride off finish between Ryon Bell and Geoff Aaron. After cleaning all the 'ride off sections' it was turned to a 'timed' ride off which intensified the whole thing. One rider cleaned the hardest section in a blinding record speed. After seeing that, we all thought he had it in the bag then the other rider came through with an even crazier, ride that obliterated the first one's time. UNBELIEVABLE ending to an alread awesome event. I left out the names incase some of you haven't seen the video so that you can go get it. You'll be glad you did.

The best AZ riding areas are in Southern California! Hey Eric, send me your new email address.

Dan, Ride on!!! I'm looking forward to meeting Yeti. Glad to see you've got a sense of humour!!!! I just found out that our webmeister, Dave Whittle, is out there this weekend helping you set up sections for the WR. Be sure to let him know he'll be missed this weekend at the Plonkers annual kickoff in Lucerne. The Wet Johnson Valley Trial in the high desert will include a, never seen before, water section with running water and mudhole. Look for a write up on this epic event. Who said us Southern Californian never ride water sections???

Ride on Sendero! Do you think Steve will give me back my 'vintage' press bib? How about it Steve??? I could have a Hawaiian bib made but it might stand out just a tad. HMMMM, no response from Dan. Do you think the political pressure is getting to him? Wait, does trials really have political pressure now?

Dan, Can you tell me where to pick up my press pass for the event?

Geez, Did I miss something around here? Our national champ gets his 9th title and no one has anything to say about that?

How about some congratulations to the Champ? Way to go Geoff!!! I know you're not going to stop until at least 10. Hell, Lance Armstrong gave up his run after only 7.

We all talked in length about how the NATC works and found out exactly what their position was on the promotion of trials. I believe that most of us thought the NATC was supposed to promote trials when, in fact, their own website clearly states that is not their intention. Now that we know this, the NATC should not be faulted as they have done exactly what they set out to do, and that is create the NATC series. They have done that well. Now that some members of the NATC and the rest of the

How many people, here, actually start humming the theme song to On Any Sunday at least once during a riding weekend campout? How about Steve McQueen and his complete defilation of the movie industry warnings not to ride? YEAH!!!!!! When you've got to ride, you've got to ride. Hey Sendero, they still run that race in Lake Elsinore every year. Let's do it!!!