journal2003
12-28-03 I'm pretty consistent, since I came out of retirement I have earned FPMX Numbers 16, 18 and now 17 over the last three years. I wanted a top 15 number this year but after not earning a point at the October Nationals I figured that I would end up in the twenties. Seventeen is a cool number, Rick Fox wears it for the Lakers, Robbie Reynard has it as a permanent AMA number, I remember Rich Stephans rode with it in '02 and made the cover of Final Lap. I don't know who had it last season but figured could check the website.....No luck, Rick Harris took the '03 numbers down and put the '04 numbers up (Good job Rick, thanks). Seventeen is the forgotten McGrath number. I read an article on Jeremy last year and it named all his national numbers but left 17 off the list. Jeremy's second season with Peak Pro Circuit Honda he ran the # 1 plate in the West Coast Supercross but ran 17 in the nationals. I think there is a magazine called Seventeen but I don't think I'll be in it this year or ever. I'm looking forward to running 17 on the RM250 for '04. I can't wait to get back on a bike. I went to the doctor on Friday and he said everything was healing well but that the scapula is a big bone and even though it's healing, it still has a ways to go. As of now I will be off work another month........This Friday we start the Supersross season, it's practice at Anaheim. Most of the loose ends are taken care of but it will be a busy week finishing up. All the riders are healthy right now and the bikes are ready to go. It should be fun. See you at Anaheim...........eDub
12-22-03 The year is almost over and I know a few of you are wondering where and when the FPMX Nationals will be. Well to tell you the truth I haven't decided yet. We might do a National series and a Summer series..........or...........We might add a National or two and not have a Summer series. I really don't know yet. If we do the National thing only we would do 3 or 4 two day events at different tracks around So Cal. I was thinking GH, Perris, Cahuilla Creek and I-5 MX. I have never been to I-5 but hear good things. I have never ridden at Cahuilla but we did a photo shoot there last week with Jessica Snyder and I liked what I saw of the place. It was natural and the soil looked good. We could just do what we have done for the last few years (Nationals and Summer Series) and that will be good too. I know you guys need to know soon, vacation days need to be planned. I'll decide soon...........On another note, Supercross is just on the other side of Christmas. It's been busy at the FPMX. Please come by and say hello at Anaheim...............good night............e
12-18-03 Today was the camel that broke the straws back, I lost total respect for the fast food cash register guys around the world. This profession I held on the same pedestal as law enforcement officers like Ernie Kopasz, Jerry Head and Dennis Romero........"Can I help you?" "Yeah, I'll have the three piece meal with an extra large Di" "Is that for here?" "Yeah....I want the extra large diet coke with that" "Oh, so you want the combo, What do you want for your side order?" "I'll have mashed potatoes and Baked beans" "You want the meal now?" "What?" "Huh?" "Ok I want three pieces of chicken, baked beans, mashed potatoes and a large or extra large, what ever is the biggest you have, diet coke" "Do you want the meal or the combo because the meal comes with two side orders but no drink and the Combo come only one side order and a small drink" "I don't care, whatever one works" "So you only want one side order now?" "Sure" "Is that for here?" "Is that OK?" "What?""Yeah for here" "Beans or mashed potatoes?" "I don't care any more" "Beans, your number is 85, here's your small drink cup"............I felt like I just got done with a 20 minute moto, I was beat..........Well the Christmas lights are finally up, I took the easy route this year and just did the lower part of the house. Didn't want to risk my life trying to hang the high ones with a bad wing. Yesterday was a good day for the boys, they had Rick Johnson working with them at the Supercross track. Speed was gained in the whoops. I was impressed. I can't wait until January 3rd but on the other hand we have so much to do to be ready. It's crazy how much there is to do to be ready for Supercross..........Crazy!.......Sorry about that crack about Law Enforcement Officers........Uncle Eddie
12-14-03 Sorry.......I got busy. Well let's see, what has been going on in the world of FirePoliceMX.com? We had our 2nd annual Christmas GP, it seemed to go off pretty well. I saw a lot of tired riders with smiles. Cool.........Thank you to everyone who brought a toy and donated for the children who live in the Highland community near Glen Helen. Gary Aguilar set up the toy delivery at the Highland Fire Station on Dec.12th. The FPMXers came through again this year, we were able to donate a truck load of toys. I think it was almost double from last year. Good job. Thank you. Well the amateur season is over, I think it was a success. There were a few injuries, including myself this year but I believe most, if not all will be back in action for 2004. Today I had a friend tell me "after an injury like that I bet you are in no hurry to get back on a bike" Oh but on the contraire friend, I can't wait. In fact soon I will be getting my new 2004 Suzuki RM 250. And since I can't ride I might as well get the bike done. You know like the motor and suspension. I'll be back on the two stroke and don't want to be beat by Jessica Snyder like Brad Hannig did...............Supercross is just around the corner. You will be very proud of your team. We have been going a thousand miles an hour to get everything ready and it's all coming together nicely. Look for all of our riders in the mains this year. Our sponsors have been going the extra mile for us getting our bikes ready for the season. We have some of the top coaches working with the boys and we have one of the best practice facilities in the world. It's crazy how far we have come in a short time but we still have a long way to go. I'm looking forward to the journey.........e
12-4-03 "Hey I had a dream last night and you were in it dude. We were like in your house but it really wasn't your house"........Oh my gosh, don't you hate it when people start to tell you about their dreams? I do....BORING! Well last night I had a dream, OK take a caffeine pill. Actually we were at Glen Helen and I was healthy and riding and that's about all I remember but it was enough. I woke up tired, my legs were sore and my back hurt. Not really but I wish. I miss riding so much. Everyday I deal with motorcycles, every single day and I can't go riding. It's like a Chinese torture. The worse thing is I have six more weeks before I can ride. I sold my bike and really don't need one for a while. But there is something wrong with a bike less garage. It's like having a useless shoulder or something. Well pretty soon I'll go to Temecula Motorsports and pick up an '04 RM 250. I really can't wait. An un ridden bike is better than no bike at all. And that's the fact Jack! Well we're just a few days away from the bestest, most funnest day of motorcycle riding in the world. The FPMX Christmas GP/Toy Drive. See you in a few..............e
12-3-03 The beauty of serving notice is that now you are committed. Rest easy 40+ Intermediates I haven't started two a days yet. You know how when you wash Levi's they shrink, fit a little tight then stretch during the day? Today I needed a belt before the stretch started (thumbs up). I hate belts, don't know why, I just never liked them.......I hate drive thru restaurants too. Well not really but if there is more than two people in the car forget it, I'm parking and walking in. A few years ago I was driving up to Wendy's in Indianapolis with Danny Lowers, Brent Bush, Kris Waters, Rob Harper and Brad Hannig in my truck. I refused to drive thru, I still hear about it today. But could you imagine the head ache I would have had at the window? "What size do you want Bush?" "Ed make mine with no pickles and double the mayo" "Get me a frosty but make sure the ice cream is not too melted" "Ed, substitute my fries for a baked potato with cheese and ketchup".......yuck! "Oh Ed can you ask the guy if he can break a Hundy" Root Beer, diet Coke, mustard, salt, blah blah blah.............Enough! Then when you go to pay it's like $45 and you only collected $18 from your buddies.............NO DRIVE THRU's........ What else? Oh yeah. I hate people talking in theaters...........Ok, Ok enough. What is this a pet peeve column now? Back to Motocross, I need to ride, I can't wait to get a new RM 250 and get her dialed in so I can turn some fast laps. Yes laps. I can occasionally turn a fast lap but I need to stat stringing them together. But you know what I really want to do? I want to go to Anza Borrego and ride the desert. With the cooler weather we are having I just crave the DEZ. I think you can learn a ton about motocross in the dez..........Anyway all I'm doing now is riding my recliner and a stationary Cannondale. Six more weeks...............e
11-29 -03 I'm serving notice! Attention all 40+ Intermediates '04 is the year of.........e. I'm dropping weight and doing cardio for the first time in many years. I can't wait to get back on a bike and start training. Injury is a funny thing, one might think that it's time to grow up and quit racing motorcycles or be Ascared (afraid). That is the normal thought pattern for those without the disease (MX Positive blood running through their veins). But for most of us injury is more of a motivator, all I want to do is ride and then beat you. I can't wait for the gate to drop for moto one of the '04 Nationals. I hope everyone is there, Rob, Jerry, Dennis, Dennis, Steve, Karl. Ernie, Larry, Jeff, Scott, Mike & anyone else coming into our class. It's going to be fun. And what's the deal with all you guys letting a Novice bump up and beat you at the Nationals? Good job Luke....I'm your huckleberry.............. This morning I drove Jessica Snyder to the airport, she spent the last week and a half here in So. Cal. getting her bike dialed in and training for the WML Nationals. I had the pleasure of taking Jess to visit some of our sponsors. We visited RG3, IMS, Temecula Motorsports, N-Style, Duffs, AXO and Renthal. From what I could see Jessica will be a great representative of FirePoliceMX.com, she is at ease with everyone and easily makes conversation. At the track she is focused, she is there for one reason and that is to get faster and become a better motocross racer. These last six weeks of being injured have given me the opportunity to watch all of our team riders ride and race. I have been able to watch them train, to see some of the things they do and why they are so successful as professional athletes. All I can tell you is that we have some quality people representing us. It's going to be a fun year, I'm excited............e
11-24-03 It's been a busy week here at the FPMX, the Christmas GP is just around the corner and just beyond that is the THQ Supercross Series. We are busy getting ready for both. I've also been spending time with Jessica Snyder getting her and her bike ready for the WML Nationals. Over the last few days we have been to Elsinore, Perris and Starwest. Each day I have watched Jess improve and get more comfortable on the RMZ 250.........Time Out! OK while in the middle of writing this article Jessica comes down stairs and says "Do you guys have any ice cream?" OK who put her up to it? Actually I don't eat ice cream at home, it's more of a Fire Station disease. Well off to Cold Stone Creamery before they close. Bad Jessica, bad! I just started dropping weight and was doing pretty good and now this! Being at Starwest today was a little difficult, I really wanted to ride. The track hasn't changed much since our last race there and it just looked so fun. Rob Cosner and Ed Niemela were having a great time trying to win practice, it was fun to watch. wish I was riding..........e
11-21-03 Yesterday morning Jessica Snyder flew into San Diego from Chicago to do some testing and photos for the team. I picked her up about 10am and we headed to RG3 to pick up her suspension. My cell kept ringing, the guys wanted to meet Jess so we headed out to the Supercross track so she could meet her teammates. This was the first time all the team riders were together. As I watched the guys race around the SX track I realized that we had something special. We have added a support rider to the team, his name is Nathan Crawford from Australia. He was a factory Kawasaki rider down under. Nathan raced Jessica's stock RMZ 250 at the Reno Arenacross and did great but the stock suspension held him back in the whoops. Nathan took 8th place in the 15 rider main. Today I took Jessica to Elsinore so she could ride her Suzuki RMZ 250 for the first time, I'll let her tell you about her experience in "Jessica Writes". I'm healing up pretty good and starting to show improvement. I'm really looking forward to getting back on a bike but know that I will have to wait until 2004. That's cool, I'm pretty busy anyway. Hey being away from the Fire Station is like a forced diet.................e
11-16-03 Having a broken scapula isn't the worst thing in the world. It would have been better to fracture the left side but on a positive note, after 6 broken bones hampering my right arm over the years, I'm almost ambidextrous. Much of my time these days is spent in the Connelly 3500 recliner on the phone, the lap top or watching the Lakers. I don't want to be there it just happens. The phone rings and all of the sudden I'm stuck doing team stuff or working on the FPMX. You know that old saying "Use it or lose it"? Well I think I'm losing it. Last Wednesday evening I decided to drive to Reno, Nevada with Jared Yochim, Jeremy Chaussee and a mate of Jeremy's from Australia, Nathan Crawford. It was the 20th annual Reno Arenacross. I was there to help and watch the races. At this point in my recovery I can't even put a bike on a stand. Sometime try doing it with only one arm and your off arm at that. Add the pain factor and.........anyway I did it a couple of times but then it was back to the triangle stand. It wasn't worth it........With all the left handed wrenchin', pushing bikes, climbing in and out of the bed of my truck......I'm sore! "Use it or lose it", yeah I lost some muscle over the last month but am proud to say that I kept all my table muscle and maybe even added some bulk there. Jeremy made the podium in the 250 class on Saturday on the bone stock Temecula Motorsports RM 250. We're starting to do the mods on that bike this week. I got an email from Jessica Snyder today, there was some confusion on her National Number for '04 but all is settled and she will be running the familiar number 12 again this year. Here are the top five results from Reno.................e
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11-12-03 This is my favorite time of the year. I love it when it rains, especially in the desert. Anza Borrego is one of my favorite places in the entire world. I love the smell after a desert rain, the ground is absolutely perfect. I wish I was healthy and had a bike right now. It will be a few months before I ride again but being off the bike and not able to ride makes me want it more. It's funny when people ask me how I got hurt. I tell them I was riding a dirt bike. It seems the general public gets that. If I say I was Motocrossing they give me a weird, weird look. "Dude don't you know you're in your forties"? "Yeah, yeah I knew that". "Dude what kind of bike do you have?" "Uh, I had a Honda CRF450 but I sold it"........That's when I get the look, it's like we are having a meeting of the minds or something. At least that's their view. They think that I finally realized that I was an idiot and I came to my senses. Eddie Finally grew up, he finally sold that dangerous motorbike....Then when I tell them that I can't wait to ride again they give me an even weirder look. This is a look of disbelief. "Dude don't you know you're in your forties"? "Yeah, yeah I know". "Dude what kind of bike are you going to get?" "A yellow one dude".........e
11-8-03 It's been a good week for the Pro team, we had a test day with Cycle World Magazine at Racetown. Daton Beavers, Tommy Harrison and Jeremy Chaussee were able to ride all the 250 four strokes and also the Suzuki RM 250 in race conditions. They would do a three lap moto on each of the different bikes. Besides the bike test for the magazine Cycle World was also filming the first episode of a new show that will be seen on Speed Vision. We also were able to pick up some of the race bikes from Temecula Motorsports. Now we can start the process of taking a perfectly good motorcycle and tearing it down to the frame so we can do the suspension, motors, wheels, gearing, brakes, bars, grips, pegs, graphics, tires, clutch & levers. It's amazing how much stuff you need to do to a bike to get it race ready, especially at the pro level. I have Jessica Snyder's RMZ 250 in my garage and I'm going to do a one armed tear down so it can be ready for her to ride over Thanksgiving when she flies from Chicago to Southern California for testing and team photos. It's nice to have a bike sitting in the garage again, I like seeing it and touching it and sitting on it........what a geek! In 1974 I brought home my first Suzuki it was a TM125 and I haven't had one since. I'm pumped to be with Suzuki and hope for a long term relationship. The Christmas GP, the most fun you can have on a motorcycle, is just a month away and I am really bummed that I can't ride it. I was looking so forward to this one. Oh well the FPMX GP/Toy drive 2004 is just over a year away...........e
11-1-03 My life has changed over the last few weeks, one might say I'm now a couch potato but I beg to differ sir. A recliner potato is more like it. Well at least on the weekends. Today was a big sports day and I was primed and ready to log several hours in my "Connelly 2500" recliner. Yes I know it's a 1998 model but I don't need a new recliner, I mean it's not like a motorcycle where you have to keep up with the Chad Jones'. The "Connelly 2500" is a great piece of furniture, it has a heater, vibrating massage, drink holder, magazine holder and a telephone build in. Yes it's true I should get the "3500" with refrigerator and TV remote but I really only log time in the "2500" when I'm laid up with injuries. I just can't see myself in a "3500" when I could spend the money on a Thigh Master or a new SUZUKI........Like I said it's a big sports day today, I'm watching my beloved USC Trojans right now on ABC and was looking forward to watching my also beloved LAKERS tonight. I scanned my DISH Network channels today to find out what channel the LAKERS would be on but found out that I would not be able to watch the game because I don't get KCAL Channel 9 here in Carlsbad and they aren't on Fox Sports West or TNT tonight. How would I survive?.....As luck would have it I saw a commercial during the Stanford vs. ucla game about the DISH Network NBA Season Pass. It's $150 and you basically get every NBA game. By the way ucla lost to Stanford, so with a smile on my face I ordered the NBA League Pass......At half time of the Trojan game I turned on the LAKERS game.....WHAT, it's blacked out in my area? Back on the phone with DISH.......No luck watching the Lakes (short for LAKERS) but they did refund my $150.....I'll tell you this recliner potato stuff isn't as easy as it looks....Keep your feet on the pegs and the rubber side down............e
10-27-03 I can't tell you how many times over the last few days that I have heard or got an email saying "Aren't you glad that you don't have to go on those fires?" It has been from non FPMXers or FPMX cops, not one Fireman has said that to me. It may seem weird to you non hose draggers but NO I'm not glad. I want to be out there with my fire buddies. I actually feel weird about not being there. I know they don't need a one armed engineer driving them through the mountainous motorways but I want to be there. I can smell the smoke at my house and it just seems weird to know that I will not be in it. I think it's something like Cops driving Mach 1 towards a shooting. I just as soon be laid up with a broken scapula than do that. Funny how we are wired different. I think Firemen must be + and Cops -. One thing for sure FPMX cops and Firemen both have the same blood type.........MX Positive...............e
10-25-03 Being broken and bike less leaves my mind in a state of........ BLANK.......I have nothing FPMXish to say........Well yesterday was Sue and my 22nd anniversary. I've been married half my life now.........WOW! When Sue and I were dating I was bike less also, in fact she never really found out about my blood type (MX Positive) until after we were married. So I would like to take this time to thank my wife for putting up with me (and you) for all these years of FPMXing. I know she worries every time I race, I know she worries every time I ride. Yet she has been there to support me for all these years. She takes me to the Emergency Room when I ask (I usually drive myself) and she waits on me when I'm broken.......Thank you Sue, I love you.................Eddie
10-19-03 I sold the CRF 450 yesterday to a good friend, Mike Leckliter. When Mike was at the house picking up the bike he said it was weird going to bed last night without his YZ 250 in his garage, he had sold his bike the day before. I don't know what it is, but a motorcycle sitting in the garage is like a security blanket. I swore I would never ever be without a motorcycle in my garage again. Last night was a lonely night.......Being laid up for a while, I guess I really don't need a bike sitting there being neglected so I'll wait until I'm ready to ride again before getting my new Two Stroke. After spending an entire year on a CRF 450, a bike which I loved yet missed some characteristics of my 2 stroke YZ 250, I really am torn between two strokes and four strokes. This year will be a no brainer because SUZUKI has no 450 four stroke yet so I will get the RM 250. But next year there will be a decision to make.........It's only been a few days since the Glen and I'm already starting to go stir crazy. Left handed life is a bit more difficult but I have some experience, I have broken the right hand twice, right arm twice and right clavicle once and now the right scapula. Only the clavicle and scapula are from motocross. In fact this was my tenth fractured bone........"Life is not a spectator sport". Steve Marquez keeps telling me to drink more milk........Isn't Ice Cream a dairy product and a good substitute for milk?........"A little Mocha Almond Fudge with my Capt'n Crunch please"..............e
10-18-03 A lot has happened over the last week or so, where do I begin? The US OPEN: We had two riders invited to the US OPEN in Las Vegas, Jeremy Chaussee in the 250 class and Tommy Harrison in the 125 class. We are in negotiations with Tommy and should have him and Daton Beavers on paper this week. Both riders did very well but we were up against the factories and we need more time to test the supercross suspension to be able to keep the pace in the whoops. The stadium whoops make all the difference. Our boys will be ready for January. Sue and I got up early on Sunday morning to race home so I could pack the trailer and head to Glen Helen for the Nationals. I made it to Carlsbad and back to the Glen by 6pm. Glen Helen was a little tough on the FPMXers. A few of us, including me made the trip to the emergency room. I don't actually remember a whole lot about the first day of the race. I remember highsiding in a rutted corner and hitting my head. After that I don't remember too much. I want to thank Jared Yochim for driving me to the emergency room and sitting with me there until 1am. I ended up with a fractured scapula (shoulder blade). I also want to thank all those who helped fill in for me at the event on Monday and for those who stepped up on Tuesday do help out. I hate asking for help and only do so when I can't possibly do it myself. So I appreciate those who jumped in and helped without being asked.....Thanks for the "get well" emails and all the encouragement. In the words of our governor, "I'll Be Back".................e gimp
10-9-03 Well this is it, from here until Wednesday AM it's full throttle for me. Please remind me to never schedule the Nationals right after the US OPEN ever again. I'm in the dog house with the CRF, she was all ready to go for a ride today but that was not going to happen. I guess I can't sleep in the garage tonight. Crastinating got the best of me. Lucky for you, I'm not an amateur crastinator, I'm a Professional crastinator (aka PROcrastinator). Believe it or not I think everything is ready to go. My only problem is that I have to be in Vegas tomorrow morning for the US OPEN then somehow make it back to San Diego on Sunday to pack up for the Nationals then head for beautiful Glen Helen Raceway. I need to be there by 5pm. Almost an impossible feat but lucky for me I have a fire helmet sticker and an FPMN logo in the back window of my F250. The CHP loves Firemen......right? Well boys and girls we had an outstanding week. We have come to an agreement with AXO America to wear their gear for the 2004 season, we also inked a deal with DUFFS today to wear their shoes. Things are starting to fall into place for the team. You know what this means don't you? WEAR AXO & DUFFS!!!!!!! You should already be on MAXXIS tires too. While we are at it why doesn't everyone buy Yellow bikes, go to RG3 and get your suspension done, N-Style graphics and bolt on an FMF pipe? Yes please support our sponsors. I am selling the CRF this Thursday to Mike Leckliter and going Yellow, not just Yellow but back to the two stroke too. I can see Jerry Head and Rob Townley shaking in their AXO boots right now.........you too Ernie ( I didn't forget you this time). Sue always tells me that I'm never satisfied..........So. If I was satisfied I would still be riding a Briggs and Stratton 3 HP Mini Bike. No, we need to look to the future and the future is all YELLOW..............Uncle Eddie
10-8-03 Well we are just five days away from the Nationals but before we get there members of the Pro team will be at the US OPEN of SUPERCROSS in Las Vegas, Nevada. We will have two riders in the OPEN, Jeremy Chaussee in the 250 class riding an '03 SUZUKI RM 250 and Tommy Harrison will be on an '04 SUZUKI RMZ 250 in the 125 class. Both riders will be on MAXXIS tires, RG3 Suspension and FMF pipes. If you are not going to the race please listen to it on the internet. We need your support..........Ok back to the Nationals, ARE YOU READY?...........I'm not. But I'll tell you this.......I'll be ready about 6am on Monday morning. Like Steve Marquez always tells me..."Ed you work best under pressure"......Maybe? But I think it's got more to do with the fact that I'm a procrastinator then throw in an unexpected US OPEN of SUPERCROSS the weekend before the Nationals (my prep time for the Nationals). I wasn't expecting to go top the race but then we ended up having some riders entered and I had no choice. I guess I won't be sleeping much this week. Actually everything is in place already for the Glen next Monday, I just have a lot of running around to do. You know, like copies, bike prep and the little things that need to be done to pull this event off. I'm looking forward to the Nationals, it should be a ton of fun..........e
10-5-03 Every once in a while I get questions from FPMXers fearing that the Nationals & Summer Series are going to be put on the back burner and maybe even done a way with because I am too involved with the Pro team. I want to put this to rest. Never fear fellow FPMXers, the two go hand in hand & I will never let the Fire & Police Motocross Nationals die. The only thing put on the back burner is my racing career. We have a great staff and our goal is to put on an event that will make your world a better place to live in. We will have a great event this next week..........The Pro Team is coming together very well. Thanks Mike Kilpatrick for your generous donation to the program. You will never ever know how much time and money is spent trying to get this team going and every bit of help is really appreciated. I have said it before, putting this team together is the hardest thing that I have ever tried to do. Things usually come easy for me, this does not. We are competing every day off the track with other race teams fighting for sponsorship. These are tough competitors, the on track battles will be easy compared to the fight that is known as "The Silly Season". Yes I for one can't wait to roll into the Anaheim pits on Friday, January 2nd and leave this silly season behind. But for this week it's "Fire & Police Nationals" time. Yes I will somehow get the day off of work to ride the Glen this week. Yes I know it's "Black Thursday". I will go easy, just work on my lines and adjust my suspension to the Glen Helen brutality. I love this sport...........e
10-3-03 I want to take a moment and thank Keith Clark of the Bernalillo Fire Department in New Mexico........AGAIN! Keith is the one who came up with the Team Support idea. Keith was the first one to donate to the team to help Ross Garcia compete in his first SUPERCROSS. Each month for the last five months Keith has visited the "Support" page and double clicked the "Gas Money" button. In other words Keith has donated $20 each month to the Team effort. I received an email from Keith this week telling me that he would continue to provide this financial assistance to the team each and every month. Wow! Thank you Keith............Ed
10-2-03 I couldn't take it anymore!!!!!!! I've been so involved working on the SX/MX team that I started to go bananas. I just had 4 days off of work and all I did was talk on the phone while I was driving around Southern California meeting with people, picking up parts and watching other guys ride a Supercross track. Today is (or was) my first day back to work. I needed some "e" time. So I took an "e" day (better known as an "Ed" day aka vacation day). I turned off the phone and headed for a familiar friend, Glen Helen Raceway. The last time I was on that track was at the Christmas Grand Prix last year. I missed the Glen. After riding Starwest, Perris and the Dirt Wurx track in Santa Maria, I fell in love with my FASST CO. Flexx Bars again. The Glen was brutal, the Glen was awesome, I felt like I was home with family again after a long vacation. The Glen is different, there's no tricky sections to learn, it's more like....Can you go fast and can you turn in the ruts, will your forearms make it to the finish line? Sometimes I wish I had four arms at the Glen. You know, keep a couple spares for the last two laps. Best part of the day was when I let Steve Marquez ride my bike, my plan worked, 15 minutes later I had my mechanic back. Steve was wrenchin' and making the # 18 CRF 450 race ready. Everything just seemed right.........e day
9-29-03 I remember when I first got on the Fire Department in Santa Barbara, Ca., I was 24 years old and far from my Hometown of Downey, Ca . I had so much free time on my hands, 20 days off a month and nothing to do. I was broke and bored. Too broke to have a motorcycle. But I was lucky to have a dad who decided he needed two motorcycles in his garage......Thanks Dad..........As far back as I can remember I have had a love of motorcycles, Dirt Bikes in particular. I did not come from a motorcycle family, in fact I was the first one in my family to own a Dirt Bike. I saved my money and bought a Briggs & Stratton Mini Bike for $25 when I was 10 years old. I saved the money collecting Coke bottles and turning them into Lucky Super Market for 3 cents a piece. I wore a oval track into my front yard. Gas was .25 a gallon, I would push my Mini Bike to the Sunland Gas Station and fill up for a quarter then ride home & run her around the oval until I ran out of gas again. The neighbors must have loved it. A few years later I got my dad hooked on Dirt Bikes and we had many years riding together from Saddleback Park to Escape Country, from Claude Osteen's to Anza Borrego. My dad is 74 years old now and has not ridden for a few years. Recently he told me of a reoccurring dream he has of riding the desert whoops near the Salton Sea.............e
9-24-03 I'm finding it hard to spend any quality time with Sue anymore. About a year a go I discovered that if we go out to lunch and don't answer the cell phones that we can actually talk. The problem is that the fast food thing doesn't go hand in hand with trying to get into motocross shape. Ok here's the deal with fast food restaurants....They have regulars that frequent them. Every time we go to Carl's Jr. I see this guy, this 55ish, pasty faced man reading a book. He always orders a small drink and makes many trips to the soda machine. Then, as I was in that place trying not to get it all over my face I thought........I wonder if he is only there on the days when I am there? He probably thinking "What's the deal with that want-a-be motocross guy with the super sized drink always eating Double Cheese Burgers, that dude better get heavier springs for his bike". Well maybe he has a point........Hey come to think about it, Pasty has a pretty good gig. Get the small drink and get in a workout as you go for the refills...........e
9-23-03 Life is cruel, the more I get into the sport of Motocross, the less time I have to ride. All I do is work on this pro team and our amateur program. The guys at work don't recognize me without a phone on my ear anymore and on my days off duty it's meeting after meeting and phone call after phone call. I know all the dead spots for cell reception in Southern California now. If you see me parked on the side of the freeway with my emergency flashers on don't worry. It's just that I'm talking to Sogi Achumoto (Via a translator) or some potential sponsor and I know if I go another quarter mile I'll lose cell reception. Last year I had 500 free cell minutes on my service, that was until the bill came in with over 1500 minutes on it.........."Oops, sorry honey, I'll work some overtime". So I got the 1700 minute plan........."Oops honey"........again! I finally broke down and got the unlimited plan. Now my biggest problem is keeping the darn cell phone battery charged. My motorcycle sits, neglected, muddy and in need of a mechanic to get her ready for Glen Helen. I hope that isn't the next time she gets ridden. Yes life is cruel.............But everyday when I drive by Anaheim stadium on my way to or from work I just get the biggest smile on my face. I can't wait for January 3rd. I can't wait for Supercross. I can't wait to see our Suzuki motorcycles in the main event. Did I tell you that we are going to be riding Yellow bikes this season? Did I tell you that I love the smell of two stroke on a January evening? Did I tell you that I am a moto geek and I don't even get to ride anymore?...................Uncle Eddie
9-21-03 Three weeks from today we will all be at Glen Helen waiting for the sun to rise. The Nationals are upon us......Are you ready? Man it's been a busy few weeks around the FPMX offices. We had the Santa Maria race, two riders signed on for the 2004 season Jeremy Chaussee, AMA National #97 and Jessica Snyder WML National #12, we had the First ever R.I.S.K. Golf Classic. We have also been meeting with sponsors everyday that we are off duty. Needless to say, my CRF 450 still sits in the garage covered with Starwest mud..........It was my fault that the entry forms went out late so I have pushed the Pre-entry date back to the first of October. Please send in you entries to help with the cost of putting on this event. It saves you money and helps us put on a better event. Rumor has it that Ray Martin (Ohio FPMX Promoter) will be making the trip out to California to attend his first Fire& Police Motocross Nationals. Ray will be flying to the races, I am looking for a loaner bike for Ray. Any help would be appreciated...............e
9-18-03 Maybe we should rename the Nationals to the Internationals. I just got an email (see emails of the month) from Darrel Adlam, he is flying in from New Zealand again to race around the Glen Helen ruts. It's so great to have friends from around the World and across the Nation that you have met through racing........I have taken the week off from work to do nothing but work on the race team. January 3rd is just around the corner and there is so much to do. This week we signed Jeremy Chaussee (see stuff & things) to ride the East Coast Supercross and the 125 Nationals. Jeremy will also do the West coast races in the 250 class. We also signed Jessica Snyder to represent us in the Women's Motocross League. Other riders are being considered this week for the team. I am leaving tomorrow for Santa Maria for some sponsorship meetings and to play golf this Saturday in the R.I.S.K. Golf Tournament to raise funds to purchase our Mascot suits (Spark & Arrester) for the upcoming Supercross season. It was a beautiful Thursday and I missed a practice day at Glen Helen but that's OK. I got a ton of stuff done for the team today. I worked on securing Bikes and a tennis shoe contract for the team. Luke Terry and Dennis Moon helped the effort by having the San Bernardino City Fire Department Association donate $100 for a Pro race entry and Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Association donated $500 to the R.I.S.K. Program. I can't tell you how grateful the team is for you generous donations. We are looking to have ALL of our riders in the mains this year. The team management is putting all of their hearts, talents and wallets into making this team, your team, a winning team and an organization that you can be very proud to a member of..........e
9-15-03 Put another Summer Series in the books. Last night was our sixth and final round and the third time the series took to the Starwest turf. For me the series was a lot of fun, I learned a lot about myself over the last five months. Mostly I learned that I'm more out of shape this year than previous years, some say that I'm starting to get old. I think I'm a year older than Eric McKenna and the 25 & 30 year old guys can't wait for him to slow down. No, I think it's something other than old. Maybe lack of desire or lack of training. I could blame it on my mechanic (me) or my trainer (Cookies n Cream) or maybe it's the tracks. I can't blame my Parents or my third grade teacher. My sponsors are not to blame either............The plain fact is that I need to start working out. I know that I have one lap speed but after the first or second lap the leaders start to pull away............So the question is, what type of exercise equipment do I get? Chuck Norris and Christy Brinkley's TOTAL GYM 2000 or do I go with Suzanne Summers' Thigh Master? Wait a minute there was that one 41 year old guy who got in the beast shape of his life with the Bow Flex. Or what about the Abdominizer? I'll be up late tonight catching all the infomecials with a packed cup of (my trainer). See you at the Glen (As soon as I recover from Starwest).......e
9-14-03 Tomorrow will be the sixth & final round of the FPMX Summer Series. It'll be sad to see it end, it's been a lot of fun. Oh for you 40+ Intermediates, I fell off the wagon yesterday and had some "Mocha Almond Fudge" so I'll be entering my fist moto tomorrow at Starwest in my 19th best shape of my life. But I'm pretty sure tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my motocross career. I have a goal to be in the 15th best shape of my life when the gate drops at Glen Helen next month. Speaking of Glen Helen, it's time to start spending our Thursdays together. There is no way to get in Glen Helen shape except to ride Glen Helen, aka "The Glen". Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing is starting to come together, we have been working harder than ever this year and plan on making everyone of you very proud of your team. We will be signing some riders this week. In the next few days we should find out which color of bike we will be riding, it's basically down to two brands right now. Sponsors who have come on board so far are N-Style, Yoshimura and thegaragepeople.com. We are in contact with many others and should start filling up all the gaps in the team very soon. I will keep you posted as things happen. Thank you for your support, we have received several donations from you FPMXers so far. Without you we wouldn't be Team FirePoliceMX.com...................e
9-12-03 Wow, I ate a good breakfast and no ice cream today. Watch out! I just made it to the 18.5th best shape of my life. All the way from 19th in just a few hours. I can see Waterhouse, Head, Townley, Romero and Moon shaking in their motocross boots. If I can keep this pace up I'll be close to the 17th best shape of my life by Monday evening........Rumor is that with all this time on his hands, Mark Davenport discovered "Dryers Cookies N Cream". That's great news for all the 40+ Experts. Once you go Cookies N Cream you never go back.......or something like that.........e Dub out
9-11-03 Sorry. I don't mean to neglect you guys but sometimes I get too busy and can't write. Ok where do we start............Well there was the Santa Maria race. I have to tell you it was a learning experience, the races ran pretty smooth. Shawn Fuggs did a great job of setting up the event. Danny Lowers sacrificed his racing to be the "30 second board guy" for both days. Frank Lowers helped run the Pro races and lent us Headphones and radios that saved the day. Tim Shea "thegaragepeople.com" guy and Dennis Romero spent all day Sunday working the gate. We had the Supercross gate and a Dirt Wurx track, we had Terry Boyd, the Supercross announcer and great weather. It was a fun event and one that is already on the calendar for '04.............We are getting ready to end the Summer Series at Starwest next Monday, it's been a good series but a bit frustrating for me. You know........That Jerry Head guy. I'll be taking my 19th best shape of my life body to the stating line Monday to try to end the winning streak. I can do it if I could just quit wimping out on the start and hold the throttle on a couple of seconds longer. I like Starwest, I feel comfortable there. I have to tell you tracks like the Glen Helen Stadium track and the Santa Maria track are hard for me. It's those tight flat corners............I don't do too well on those things................News Flash!!!!!!!! Jason "Woody's World" Wood just got hired as a Federal Firefighter in San Diego. I hope he doesn't try to sandbag and signup in the 25-29 Novice Class. Hey, I think I have a new favorite TV show............."ED".
8-26-03 Every time Sue and I go to the movies she asks "Well, did you like it?" And almost every time I say "It was alright" or the occasional "I think I liked Hope Floats better" which means that I hated it. We see quite a few movies, being a fireman I have a lot of time off duty. (Did you take the wrong test?) Today we saw "Seabiscuit" and as usual I get the question...........This time the answer was "Loved it". I'm so tired of the Hulk and Spiderman movies and oh yeah what about the epic "Terminator 3" Those movies rate somewhere below "Iron Eagle 3". Anyway half way through the movie Sue interrupts my concentration by saying "you're thinking about motorcycles aren't you?" NO! Shhhhhhhhhh. I hate it when people talk in the movies. Besides I only thought of motorcycles twice during the move and it wasn't when Sue asked me. There were two parts when I thought of motorcycles, the first was at a funeral. The dirt that they dug out of the hole was AWESOME! It looked so perfect, I kind of felt guilty about that one but the other time I thought about motorcycles was towards the end of the movie. I don't want to ruin it for you but here's a quote, at least as I remember it. "It's better to break a mans leg than it is to break his heart"............I know the feeling. After quitting racing for a few years due to injuries and to keep a promise to my wife, I found life to be........well less than it should be. I was miserable to tell you the truth. I missed the action, the smells, the scream of the two stroke, the camaraderie and the aches and pains of living my dreams. I missed motocross. I remember being so scared the day I finally rode Glen Helen after being off a bike for 3 years, I mean scared to death......BUT I WAS ALIVE AGAIN.....................e
8-21-03 Being a Fireman I always get asked directions. The other day at work this Hispanic gentleman shows up at the fire station and asks me how to get to Tijuana.........."Do you know how to get to the 5 South bound?" "Yes." " Ok take that 150 miles and you'll be there." That's up there with "Hey Ed what time does my moto start?" The difference is that I knew the answer to the Tijuana question. That's like a gas station attendant question anyway, us firemen need questions like "Hey where's the closest In-n-Out Burger?" .......I want to thank Tim Shea owner of thegaragepeople.com for stepping up to the plate with TITLE Sponsorship of thegaragepeople.com Fire & Police Motocross Nationals and the FPMX Summer Series for the remainder of 2003 and for the entire 2004 season. Please check out their website and see if anything there appeals to you........I haven't been on the bike since Round 4 last week at Starwest. I think I'll start again after the weekend, we have some big races coming up in the next few weeks and I don't want to be chasing Jerry Head, Dennis Moon and Ernie Kopasz around all night again. The cool thing about following them is that I don't need directions. In fact the only reason I just don't pass them and leave them in the dust is that I don't want to get lost....yeah that's it.......Average Speed Eddie or ASE for short.
8-16-03 I'm standing in Carl's Jr. the other day, in uniform with three other firemen. I lean over to the captain and say "Do you see that guy over there, he's a motocross legend". "Yeah in his own mind" "No really, that's Fast Eddie Niemela (FEN). Did you know he has a pair of iFX sunglasses named after him?" "Hey if he's Fast Eddie, who are you?"..................."Umm, I guess I'm Average speed Eddie"....Dang, I want to be Fast Eddie now, Average Speed Eddie isn't a cool nick name.......I have to say that I'm a little disappointed in FEN, he only did 12 motos on Monday night, I was hoping for the record tying fifteen moto night or even an 18 moto night. Speaking of Monday night, that was some great racing. Starwest made some improvements on the track since our last race there. We had some awesome battles with no ambulance rides. As far as motocross track, I think Starwest has found a special nitch, Super fun and safe at the same time. Nice job Malcolm McCassy, thanks. Here's some exciting Team FirePoliceMX.com news, Mr. Achumoto, the world renown Four Stroke guru has volunteered his services to our team for the '04 season. We should have some fast 250's at the Anaheim opener.......Looking forward to January.............e
8-07-03 So far I have been true to my word, I rode Starwest yesterday morning and again tonight. With the return of Ernie Kopasz and Rob Townley I felt it was time to step it up a bit. Now if I could just stay off that sweet nectar called Dreyers Cookies & Cream. As many of you know N-Style stepped up and is giving us the "FACTORY" treatment. They are designing our race bikes and transporter and are offering killer deals to all FPMXers. Please get your next set of graphics direct from N-Style.......Jason Fontes (Fontz) 661 294-1119. Ok back to the training..........I hate jogging so I play basketball, I don't like lifting weights so I make sure to switch hands every once in a while when I hold my coffee cup of Ice Cream so one arm doesn't get bigger that the other, Oh and I ride my CRF as much as possible. Riding Motocross is a full body workout. Hey I just got an idea (light bulb on), you know those workout tapes? The ones like Cindy Crawford's "Shape your body" workout? Or that "Buns of Steel" workout tape that Danny Lowers does? You know, the ones where you workout in front of the TV, break a sweat and feel good about yourself. Well why don't we strap a VCR/TV on the handlebars and go do a few laps while watching last weeks National? No that wouldn't work......UNLESS we got a huge crossbar pad for the TV. (The light bulb is starting to flicker) Ok bad idea. It's weird, I don't mind the pain at all as long as my mind is preoccupied, like when I'm playing basketball or riding my motorcycle. But give me the choice of a recliner or a weight bench and everything in my body says "sit down, gnaw on some red vines, down a diet coke, puu the handle, kick your legs up, turn your head slightly to the right, have the TV volume real low for background noise, close your eyes and try to catch some Z's. That's OK because right now every muscle in my body feels worked, I just got home from STARWEST. I feel alive. I feel ....CAPITOL..........e
8-04-03 Last night was a tough one, the Rosemeadians were out in force and I got very little sleep. Rosemeadians are those who dwell in Rosemead, Ca. in case you were wondering. I work in Rosemead, I carry a badge..........This morning I felt like I was fouling a plug, I just couldn't get going. I brought my bike into work the day before and was all set to hit Elsinore on the way home. I loaded the CRF in the bed of the dented F250 and was ready to proceed when I glanced at my cell phone..........Hey who called me at 6:45 in the morning? It was 8:42ish at the time.........I checked the message.......Low and behold it was Jared Yochim.....OH )(*&^_()*.....I forgot a meeting with N-Style. Can you say "Oops"? I can. Oops! We ended up having a good meeting in spite of my tardiness and N-Style is onboard with Team FirePoliceMX.com for the 2004 season an hopefully for years to come. It just so happens that N-Style owner, Rob Healey was pulled over for speeding last year by an FPMX friendly Officer and let go with a warning.......Good Job Officer! Thank you for your professional motocrossism. What goes around comes around. It came around today..........thanks. I can't wait to see Fireman "Spark and Officer "Arrester" on the side panels of our (brand and size of bike go here) flying through the Anaheim air....Did you just get goose bumps? Um me neither, I was just wondering. Well my training day went down the tubes but it was worth it. I guess I'll just have to ride Wednesday and Thursday.........Oh and Saturday and Monday morning before Round 4 on Monday night. I know and you know that I will probably not ride all those days but if I do can I be called "The Machine"? Can we have two machines?.......no? OK. I can't wait to race Monday under the lights at STARWEST...........Ed "the appliance" for now...Wilson
8-03-03 Sometimes things just go your way, sometimes they don't. I don't know if it's fate or what, we may never know. As I watched the Washougal National on ESPN2 yesterday I heard David Bailey say something that gave me hope. It got me thinking. When you are addicted to MX and your mind starts to wander.......well weird things happen. Before I get too far into this I want you to take a minute and name the top 4 motocrossers in the world today. (you have 60 seconds) Ready go...............OK did any of you name Kevin Windham, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart or Chad Reed? Did you name all of them or did you throw in a Euro? In my opinion these are the top 4 as we speak. Ok back to David Bailey, he said that K-Dub sits down way more than everyone else. Hannig, Marquez, Bush, Lowers and a lot more tell me that I sit down way too much. Kevin is really flying now...........there's hope. I got stung by a wasp at Washougal, Ricky Carmichael got stung by a wasp at Washougal..........Do you see where I'm going with this? There are so many similarities between me and the top 4 motocrossers in the world that I can't stand it. Chad Reed rides a YAMAHA, last year I rode a YAMAHA........this is getting scary.........Bubba rides with # 259, if you add it up you get 16. My Permanente number is 943, if you add it up you get 16.....Last year I rode with #16. I could go on but maybe I should stop now............OK just a few more........Chad Reed has 4 letters in his first name and 4 letters in his last name........balance. I have 6 letters in my first name (Edward) and 6 letters in my last.....BALANCE. This is like the stars are lining up man! Each of these four riders have two arms, two legs, ten toes, ten fingers (thumbs are fingers). ME TOO!.........I'm telling you, I could go on! Note to self: Jerry (5 letters) Head (4 letters)....no balance. Rob (3 letters) Townley (7 letters)...way out of balance. Larry (5 letters) Waterhouse (too many to count)......way out too..............I have a chance next week, I can feel it..........e
7-31-03 It's been on my mind for a month or so, I haven't told too many people about it but it's just been stewing. We as FPMXers are competitive by nature but I've had to put most of that aside because my head is in the promotions part of the FPMX more then my own racing. It kind of has to be that way. I can usually show up on race day and finish somewhere near the top of the 40+ Intermediate class. I occasionally get a moto win but usually place in the top three or four. Rob Townley has been pretty dominate in the class but is beatable on occasion. Rob has been busy managing his sons baseball team and has missed the first three rounds of the Summer Series........While driving to Washougal the other day Lyle Raymond brought up the name "Jerry Head". I was in a relaxed state, enjoying the highway but when I heard that name my blood pressure shot up, I got agitated and wanted to race sooooo bad. You see that's what's been on my mind for the last month........Jerry Head! Jerry has beat me 8 out of 9 motos so far in the Summer Series and I don't like it. I don't really know Jerry. Lyle said that Jerry is a machine, his last lap is the same speed as his first lap. The next day at Washougal We were talking to Rick Johnson about all kinds of things. Paintball came up and Rick says "Jerry Head is a great gunfighter".....gunfighter????? I asked if it was the same Jerry Head that I have been chasing for the last few months. Rick said that it was the same Jerry Head and that he has been training him for a while. Rick said that Jerry was a machine, his last lap is just as fast as his first lap.........OK not only is Jerry a MACHINE, he's a great gunfighter too. You don't hear that too much these days. I mean sure Doc Holiday was a great gunfighter so was Johnny Ringo but that was like a hundred years ago. How am I supposed to beat a great gunfighter, machine guy? How is Ed Wilson going to beat Jerry "The Machine" Head? I might have to train (oh no)............I need a cool nick name like "The Machine". I'll start small and build up........Maybe Ed "The Electric Pencil Sharpener" Wilson? "The Toaster"?......No............I have like eleven days to train before Starwest.........................e (the drill press?).......
7-30-03 Next time I go to Washougal without bikes I'm flying. It's a long drive. After leaving Carlsbad Friday afternoon, picking up Lyle Raymond in Corona and heading to the Garcia Estate to pick up Gavin it was 3pm. We drove late into the night, I drove first then Gavin made it to the South Weed off ramp in beautiful Weed, Ca. It was about 2am and all the hotels were sold out. Lyle drove from South Weed to North Weed (2 Miles), we fueled up and started looking for a spot to crash for the night. Everywhere we went was booked. The Bates Motel was the last chance. It was Lyles turn to check to see if there was a room(s) available. Lyle came out with a discussed yet victorious look on his mug. We had a room, room 11, 2 beds, 3 guys..........There was an uneasy pause as we stood in the $19.95 room that cost us $65. Two beds........Three guys...........We were really tired, we stood there considering the circumstance we were in and the consequences. We were really tired ......... Lyle broke the silence......"I'm not too proud, Gavin scoot over".......You have never seen Gavin move so fast, he grabbed the bed spread and a pillow and nested on the floor. The lights went out and I was happy to have dodged a bullet. I heard snores from the floor moments later.............We ate breakfast at the "Happy Moose Restaurant" or Moose something restaurant, anyway it was very good. We made it to Portland, Oregon that afternoon. Washougal is just over the border in Washington. Brad Hannig flew in from Vegas that morning and got us TWO rooms at the Super 8 motel. Jared Yochim flew in from L.A. and was staying downtown. Jared had the valet parking and the mints on his pillow.......At least we had two rooms with two beds in each room. If you have never been to Washougal you need to go. I really want to ride that place, it looked so fun. K-Dub spanked 'em all in the 250 class and Bubba had Zero competition with the 125's. It was hot, somewhere around *90. The purpose of this trip was to make contacts and work on Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing. We did our job, things are coming along well. I'll write more later.......e
7-21-03 The alarm went off at 6:30am after filling my gear bag with freshly washed AXO's I washed the CRF (because I was too lazy after the last time I rode). I was loaded up and on the road by 7:30. It was a pleasant drive up the 15, I was pumped to ride. I was daydreaming or berms and jumps and ruts and all that is great about motocross. You see I'm in the training mode and am trying to get as much riding in a possible before our get together on August 11th. I pulled into the STARWEST pits at precisely 9am, I was the first one there. It was like my own moto haven, I was ready to roost. I unloaded the Red machine first. I did a few adjustments, lubed the chain & filled the tank. I got in the bed of my F250, arranged my boots so I could get to them without standing up. I sat on the edge of the truck bed and took off my Levi shorts. Sitting there in my underwear I realized that I left my gear bag on the garage floor ninety miles away. All I had with me was my boots, helmet and chest protector, I proceeded to put my shorts back on, put my boots back in there travel spot. I loaded the HONDA back in the bed of my FORD and started to roll out of the pits. I was really looking forward to that same pleasant drive on the 15 ninety miles to Carlsbad (NOT). As I was leaving the park I saw Daton Beavers pulling in. We talked for a few minutes. I told him of my plight. My mind wandered back to a time when I forgot my boots and ended up borrowing a pair from Mike Leckliter who lived near by. I knew Mike was at work and he is too skinny anyway. Should I ride in shorts and a t-shirt?...No. Daton said that Mike Farmer lived near by so I called Mike and BINGO he had all the gear I needed and met me half way. Thirty minutes later I was riding. By the time I got on the track the morning slop was worked into a perfect moist yet tacky paradise..............e
7-18-03 I've been on the "Plan" now for four days. The "Plan" is to get into some type of racing shape besides the bad shape I'm now in. I hate to diet but am doing pretty good. I started the training part today, I went to STARWEST in the blistering heat and way too high for California humidity. The track was prepped perfect, there have been a few changes since our last race there. All of the changes are good, safe and fun. The whoop section is longer with smaller whoops but it still works you pretty hard. A lot of the track remains the same. I can't wait to race there on August 11th...............I finally figured out the STORE. I have a virtual bank terminal now and don't have to deal with a middle man. I will only charge you for the items we have in stock when we ship them. You can also Pre-Pay for races again online................The "Professional team" crew is working hard and making headway, I hope to announce the team in a few weeks. We can use your help. We will have the same rider support program in '04 as we did in '03 with FPMXers helping with rider costs. Click on "Team Support" on the front page for info................You know when you get a thought in your head and you can't get rid of it? Even a ridicules thought like selling the CRF and buying a two stroke again? Well watching Chad Jones on that Yellow bike the other night planted a seed and it's starting to grow in my head and I can't get rid of it. I hate it when that happens, it usually costs me a lot of money. Sue gets so frustrated with me, she says that I'm never satisfied. She's right, I never am, I'm always looking for greener or maybe in this case yellower pastures. Although red. orange or blue pastures are cool too...............I just love that two stroke smell and the thought of not burning a hole in my riding pants with the 4 stroke exhaust and using my clutch again and.......we'll see................e
7-16-03 Sorry for not writin' ya'll but I got busy. Well let's see what has happened over the last few days? The Glen Helen Summer round was a success. I had a pretty good time but had some tough luck on the track. Stalls and falls don't equal wins or vary many points either. The track seemed pretty easy and safe but that start was wild. I have never been exposed to a start like that and I want to say it's the closest thing to a real Supercross start as I will ever experience. My right radiator is history from the pinball like start. I was hit on the left and for sure was on my way down when all of the sudden I was hit on my right and back up again. I felt like a Weeble, I wobbled but didn't go down. I longed for my 2 stroke on that track, I know there will be a thousand opinions on what bike is right for that track but I was having a hard time with the tight corners and all the breaking.............. They call this the silly season and I have been involved in it now for two years and I have to say that this is possibly the hardest thing I have ever tried to do. In real life I am in charge of my own destiny but when it comes to putting together a Supercross/Motocross team you have to rely other people and companies. It's life's biggest jigsaw puzzle and the FPMX crew is trying to fit all the pieces together but it seems that some have fallen on the floor, others we just force and the corners bend. But the puzzle is on the table and we have most of the edges together now. The rest of it sits there ready to be put into place. So that's why I haven't written in a while................I dropped to my 18th best shape of my life so I decided to cut out the Cookies and Cream for breakfast. No more Snicker doodles for snacks and Chocolate Chip for dinner. Glen Helen is just around the corner and you can't go into the Nationals in your 18th best shape. Ernie Kopasz is back and he looked fast so it's time to train again. I don't want to get beat by a one legged man on a 125 ya know. It was great to see Kris Waters and Ernie back on the track. Both men are returning from injuries that could have kept them off the bike forever. I know that both riders didn't know if they would ever race again. Both Kris and Ernie are pumping MX Positive blood and really had no choice..........e
7-06-03 So I'm driving south on the 15 today with Sue just leaving Vegas. We have been in the truck for a while and it had been silent for about a half hour. All of the sudden Sue blurts out in a loud bothered voice "Stop thinking about motorcycles"! I look at her and think "Wow how did she know"? I was in a heavy daydream hitting 5th gear on a Glen Helen straight back in 2001 at the Fire/Police Nationals side by side with my buddy Karl Davis. I did a quick check and discovered that I had my right hand in the throttle position twisting wide open, my left hand was on the steering wheel with my fingers doing the clutching motion and my left foot was up shifting. To tell you the truth I had no idea that I was that far gone. Oh well like I said before, "it's in the blood". I did it again, I drove home from Las Vegas on a Sunday. What an idiot? We were on the road all day in traffic, I know better than that. I'm giving myself a demerit for that move. Tomorrow is prep day for the Glen Helen Summer Series race. I still have a ton to do on the bike after the Ohio mud fest. My first time on the bike since Ohio will be tomorrow when I take her around the block after changing the air filter. My plan was to be in shape and well practiced for this race but not so.......again. Oh well let's go have some fun, see you Tuesday.............e
7-5-03 I hope you all had a great 4th of July. Sue and I are in Utah for the week vacationing with some friends. On the way up we had a right rear tire blow out on the 15. I should have listened to Brent Bush, he told me that I needed new tires when we were in Ohio but I was milking them until I had some spare time to drop the truck off and get it taken care of. Provo has a Costco and all is well now except from the body damage to the F250 bed. Provo Utah sits between this huge lake called Utah Lake and the most awesome mountain range called the Rockies. My buddy and I did some fly fishing on the on the 3rd then we decided to take his borrowed boat out on the lake along with our WaveRunners...........I learned a couple of lessons.........(1) If you are at 5000+ feet and the water is warm, the lake is probably shallow and (2) No wonder those 125cc's had such a hard time making the triples at the Salt Lake Supercross........My 1200cc YAMAHA WaveRunner hits top speeds of 68mph on Lake Havasu, she has get up and go and is a blast to ride. My same 1200cc Yamie here in Provo has ZEEEERO power and I did everything I could to get her up to 30mph. I think I had a bad altitude which gave me a bad attitude. As the story goes, we were cruising along in the middle of the warm lake when all of the sudden my buddy's borrowed boat with a "V" drive stops. As I corner to go see what's up I bog down and hit bottom. Did I tell you the water was brown and you couldn't see anything below the surface? Long story made short, It was 7pm, the sun was going down, dark here is around 9:15 ish. You could walk, and we did, 100 yards in all directions and not get your knees wet. The boat was stuck. We tried to push it, no way! I had the bright idea of taking all the life vests and floating devices and tying them on a rope and sliding them under the boat to get some help lifting the boat, no help. Luckily My buddy had a cell phone and called the park service for help. I got on the WaveRunner and flagged down some help. The Rangers showed up with an outboard. We tied their cable to our ski ropes and with a lot of pushing and lifting we were able to drag the boat off the huge sandbar and made it back with no time to spare before dark. The boat was undamaged.........Yesterday My buddy and I found a nice steam above Sandy, Ut. and had a good evening fish. I am kind of under the weather right now with a cold and after a while decided to take a break on a log above the stream. My friend had no idea that I was there watching him as he fished a few holes, he loves fly fishing like I love motocross. It was a pleasure to watch someone do what they love. His technique was so much better than mine. He has spent years perfecting his skills. I watched him take trout out of the holes that I got skunked on and thought "good for you". We fish a few times a year together, usually in the High Sierras. When the fish are hungry I can keep pace with him but when they are picky I am just another want to be fisherman. We made it back to the BBQ before night fell and the fireworks lit the evening sky. We leave Utah today to journey home and I for one have Glen Helen on my mind. I'm looking forward to something close to sea level where I can walk and talk and not gasp for air. Hey just to let you know, that walking on water thing is not all it's cracked up to be.....................e
6-29-03 Wow......I will do my best not to ever tick you guys off. The message board lit up with a ton of support over the last couple of days regarding my journal entry on 6-27-03. Thank you brothers. When I tell people about our National events I always say "It's like a big family reunion". It's so true, for most of us racing seems to be the excuse to get together and have a great time. For some people there's a lot more bench racing going on than the actual thing over the three day event. Three day event? Did I miss a day? No, I just count Sunday evening as one of the days because of all the BBQ's and Bench Racing that is going on in the pits. I am really looking forward to this October because it's like a homecoming of sorts, we haven't had a National at Glen Helen for a few years and it's one of my favorite tracks on FPMN day. It seems that when we have a race there, that the track is in the best condition that it's been in all year. I think it has something to do with the quads knocking down the ruts that get formed early in the wet corners. Who knows, all I know is that I love that place when we race it. Now going to the Glen on a regular open practice day is a whole different story. The ruts start early and get pretty deep. If you want to learn how to ride ruts hit Thursday practice at the Glen. We have a lot of racing to do before October, we have the GH Stadium track, Starwest, the DOUBLE POINTS race at Santa Maria on the Dirt Wurx track & back to Perris for the final round of the series. Tomorrow is a big day for one of my favorite FPMXers, #630, Frank Yancey from the San Diego Sheriff's Dept. Happy Bike Day Frank..............e
6-27-03 Ok I have something to say. I have been working on this Fire & Police Motocross thing now for the last fifteen years of my life. I deal with several individuals in the motocross community on a daily basis. It has taken years to get where we are and I have plans to go so much further. I want to make the FPMX larger than life. I spend time every single day working to make this organization the best it can be. I am very careful when dealing with industry people because it just takes one negative thing to ruin years of work. I personally think that we have the best thing going and I don't need someone ruining it for all of us. I have said this time and time again at the riders meetings "If you have a problem come see me, I will deal with it". As you can probably tell I'm a little tight right now. Round 3 of the Summer Series is coming up at Glen Helen on the Stadium track in a week and a half and a few individuals have complained about the track, one in particular decided to get in an argument with someone on the Glen Helen Staff who has nothing to do with track building or track prep. Soon the phone starts ringing and it's as if I was the one doing all the yelling. The entire Fire & Police organization gets a black eye because someone doesn't like the track two weeks before we race it. Please do not take it upon yourself to decide what is or isn't best for the Fire & Police Motocross Nationals. That's my job. I will always listen to your point of view, I actually encourage it. We have had several changes over the years that have come from suggestions from you, the riders. The Glen Helen Stadium track was the sight of one of the Night Series rounds in 2001 and to this day I still hear about how fun it was. The track hasn't really changed that much. It's a little tamed down but will provide for excellent, tight racing. There will be track changes before we race it. There were track changes today! I had to drive 250 miles today just to walk that track and decide it was going to be a great track to race on and also smooth things over with the Glen Helen Staff. I wish I had the luxury of showing up with my bike in the bed of my truck, racing and going home only to wait for the next event. I wish I had the luxury of loading up my bike and heading to the practice track to prepare for the next race. Instead I spend my practice time on the telephone and on the computer doing everything that needs to be done so we can all have the Fire & Police Motocross Nationals. Don't wreck it................ On a lighter note: How was your day?.................e
6-25-03 Well I have nothing to say again but want to avoid the hate emails. I missed the California State Police & Fire Games because I was in Ohio racing with some other brothers of different mothers and couldn't make it home in time. I missed the California State Fireman's Olympics because my bike was thrashed from the mud fest in Ohio and I was too busy to prep it for the race. I hate missing the Fireman's event too but I am heavily involved in putting together the 2004 Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing team. I'm going to write a book on this whole adventure of starting and running a Supercross team. It's unreal how everything changes from day to day, even hour to hour. Major developments that are better than a soap opera but since they are real you can't believe the mood swings. I just go with the flow, regroup and hit it at another angle every time we take a direct hit. I am working with good people on this team. We are going to have a team you will be proud of. We have some really great things happening. We are going to need your help to make this thing work. It's unbelievable what ideas you get when a bunch of Firemen and Policemen get together. I really think we are going to make an impact on the sport. Well talk later........e
6-20-03 Yesterday I called Danny Lowers and wished him a Happy Bike Day. You see yesterday was June 19th aka 6-19 and with Danny sporting # 619 for several years I thought it only appropriate. Then Brad Hannig tried to pull a fast one. "I'm # 119 so I get two Happy Bike Days a year, January 19th and November 9th". Wrong! Look what a guy will do to get a free sundae and have a bunch of waitresses sing "Happy, happy, happy bike day, happy bike day to you" twice a year instead of the allotted one time.........I don't know about you but I went to work on Wednesday after a week on the road, eating fast food and sitting in a truck, somehow my uniform pants shrunk. Funny how that happens, well it's really not that funny but the class A's were a bit DISCOish. I felt like John Travolta........Stay tuned to the "Journal" over the next few weeks, things are starting to come together for the 2004 Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing .............I don't know when my Happy Bike Day will be. I didn't even know that holiday existed when January 8th rolled around this year and no telling what number I'll earn next year. Some guys get Munsoned, liked Ed Niemela. What Happy Bike Day does # 7 get? If I know Ed he'll try to convince all the restaurants that he gets the whole month of July.............e18
6-17-03 It's crazy, I know but we did it anyway, non stop New Philadelphia, Ohio to home. Forty six hours, I think we could have made it in forty hours but we had some trouble with the F250. We lost power going through St. Louis, Mo. after we stopped at the "Swifty" gas station. I think we got a tank of bad unleaded. We replaced the fuel filter and got back on the road. We lost power again half way between St. Louis and Denver and limped into the mile high city to get another fuel filter. This time we picked up an extra one and needed it when we got to Green River, Utah. We replaced that filter at the Hannig estate. Brent Bush did some diagnostic computer guru stuff to the F250 and I made it home with good power. Day 2 of the Ohio FPMX was looking good, the track was a little wet for the first practice but was just about perfect for the second practice. We had avoided the rain right up until the time the quads were lining up for the first moto of the day. Then the skies opened and it drenched the track for about an hour. The first motos were deep slop, they were ride able but miserable. I should have said yes when Scott Nelson asked if we should bring his pressure washer. We cleaned the bikes with lake water using plastic water bottles to rinse the bike. The second motos were unbelievably hard to ride. The mud turned into slick clay that had zero traction and stuck to the tires and bike like a Hare Krishna on an airport traveler. The mud made the bike weigh about 100 lbs more than it should. I was watching Guy Cooper take some different lines in the slop on the side of the track and gave it a try after the first lap. I was able to up shift to second and went from last to first then fell in the last corner and was stuck in the mud for a few minutes. By the time I got the bike going I was passed and ended up with a 3-2 finish for second place. It was one of those things that I will look fondly on but don't want to experience it again.....Sue is out of town so I decided to do the fast food thing again tonight after a week of it on the road. I went to Burger King and ordered. The girl behind the counter said "Here's your change, your number is 18".........How did she know?..................e #18
6-13-03 We had a great day of racing or should I say evening. Practice @ 6:30pm, racing @ 8:30pm. Racing ended @ 12:30pm and we have to be back to the track by 7am for signups. We had a good evening Scott Nelson won two classes, Brent Bush was second behind him in both classes as they swapped motos with Brad Hannig third in those classes as he recovered from bad starts and a stalled motor. All three were on fire! I got a second and a third place. We had a great time seeing old friends and meeting new ones. This was one of the best times I have had racing.......It was great! Well it's 1:30 am and I need to be up in a few so good night..............e
6-12-03 We're sitting in the Super 8 Motel here in New Philadelphia, Ohio now Brad Hannig and Brent Bush in one room and Scott Nelson and I in another with an common door between them.. It was a long 3 days of driving in the F250 Crew Cab. We pulled into town Last night and just kind or recuperated today. We went to the movies then out to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. As we were walking in the door we ran into David Pingree, imagine that, I live near David and have never seen him around town or at the tracks but drive 2400 miles and bump into him. After dinner we ran into about 20 fellow Firemen and Cops from New York, Cleveland & Maryland all here to race tomorrow. I have to say that this was the first time in my life that I have ever been called "The Creator"....WOW! But it is great to see fellow badge brothers gathering together with a common interest besides the job. It's been raining here on and off all day with reports that it is supposed to be clearing tomorrow with scattered showers. We'll see how it pans out but I'm hoping for some sunshine. Well wish us luck and I'll report on the races tomorrow............e
6-7-03 When I was a kid I wanted to become a professional football player. When I was in High School I thought I would play collage basketball. When I was 32 years old I planned on being the first 40 year old to make a supercross main. I'm 44 years old now and never experienced any of those things but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last year.......My wife, Sue thinks I'm crazy and still makes fun of me for wanting to tryout for the Los Angeles Rams when we were first married. I never planned on promoting the Fire & Police Motocross Nationals......It just happened. I never Planned on running a professional motocross team......That just happened too. It seems like life just flows along and sometimes we have no choice but to jump in and see where it takes us. I'm really enjoying the ride. This week I get to go across the country with three other firemen from three different departments and head to Ohio to race with our Fire & Police brothers from the East coast and Midwest. I am really looking forward to this trip. I regret not trying out for the Rams, I would have never had a chance of making the team but it was fear that kept me from making a fool out of myself. It's funny how many times guys come up to me at the races and tell me that they have wanted to race their entire lives but this is their first time. Some of these guys are in their 30's, some in their 40's and even a few in their 50's. It's never too late to start to live your dreams and if it wasn't for the Rams moving to St. Louis I would tryout this year.......OK not really, I'm over the football thing but what do you think about a 50 year old making a Supercross main?............Or maybe I should just get a room at a Holiday Inn............e
6-5-03 Round 2 of the FPMX Summer Series is in history books now. I think what sticks in my mind the most about this day of racing is the determination of Iron Ed Niemela to recapture the coveted FPMX number one plate that he once owned back in 1999. With the 3 moto format in effect during this series a man would have to be crazy to attempt racing three classes, doing 9 motos on a hot Inland Empire day. But that wasn't crazy enough for Iron Ed........This dude did FIFTEEN Motos! We raced 24 total motos at round 2 and Ed did 15 of them! After the racing was over Ed and I went to Douglas Burger located on Hwy 74 and Hwy 15. We sat in a booth there downing Double Bacon Cheese Burgers, Fries and just to make it a sensible meal we topped it off with DIET Cokes. Both of us squirming on the bench seats trying to deal with all the body cramps we were desperately fighting off. Thigh, back and hand cramps were the most common but an occasional neck or foot cramp added a yell or twitch to our quiet meal. With the dirt packed on our faces and the squirming and groaning taking place in the booth near the soda machine, the patrons of this burger joint were leaving thirsty, afraid to attempt a refill before heading down the road. I drove straight to work to sleep it off in the attic on an army cot before going on duty in the morning while Iron Ed went to his Fontana estate to recover before joining me in the morning at Fire Station 4 in beautiful Rosemead, Ca. At 8:30am the next morning we found ourselves "jogging" up and down a wooden floor attempting to throw a 9" leather ball through an 18" ring on each end of the floor. I was in zombie mode after my 3 motos but Iron Ed was leading the scoring for the Truckies as we did battle with the Engine boys. Iron E earned his nickname over that 24 hour period.........The Perris track was in good shape but a bit more technical than when we last raced there in April. There were a few injuries but all should recover and be back at it before too long. The next race is at Glen Helen on the Stadium track which is set up for XR50 racing now and should prove to be a fun, safe evening. Racing will start earlier that day due to the lighting situation. We will have long practices before the racing starts just like we had at Perris this week. I'll keep you informed on times and stuff................eCramp
5-29-03 Sometimes I have nothing to say but when I don't write in the journal for a while I start getting email threats. I know who the treats are from usually so I don't take them too serious. So here I sit trying to get an intelligent thought in my head..........??????Duh????? Nothing...............then I figured it out. I don't have a motorcycle in my garage. I loaned it out to Ross Garcia so he could train on the four stroke while his bikes were sitting in Temecula Motorsports awaiting a floor check from HONDA. Ross gets his bikes back in a few days and I get my brain back tomorrow. I need a bike in the garage to have a normal thought in my head. This happened once before when I sold my 1992 Honda CR250. The moment that bike went beyond the garage door and got loaded into someone else's pickup I freaked. I really was messed up until I bought Jeremy McGrath's 1992 Peak Pro Circuit CR250 two months later. I think it was a 60 day panic attack. Right now I just have a mild case because I know my ride is OK and she will come home this week. My routine has been altered and I don't like it. Normally I slip out to the garage before retiring for the night. I give the CRF a pat on the seat and sometimes even squeeze a lever or two before crawling into bed. That's normal isn't it? At least it's normal for me. It's kind of weird because I have two YAMAHA WaveRunners sitting in the garage and I don't even look at them let alone slap one on the seat or squeeze the finger throttle. I neglect them, I know it, they know it and I don't care. The fact is they are not motorcycles and they never will be so they need to get over it..............e
5-25-03 Paybacks are a...............How does that saying go? Actually they aren't paybacks, I guess you could call them payforwards. This week I have been working for guys who like to vacation on or around Memorial day. Tomorrow will be 3 extra shifts worked within a week. The good news is that they all owe me shifts and I'm taking them off next month to do the ultra FPMX Road Trip. Scott Nelson, Brad Hannig, Brent Bush and myself are heading for the great state of Ohio to race the little brother of the FPMX Series, The Fire & Police Benefit Motocross. Someday I would like to make this event a couple rounds of our National Series but that's a few years off. Motocross has taken me places that I would have never seen or experienced and for that I am grateful. Yes I love Southern California but sometimes I feel the need for adventure, the road, the Cracker Barrel and the Texas Roadhouse.........Here I'm going on a Motocross adventure and all I think about is the eating places on the way. Maybe that's the reason I'm still an Intermediate........eDub
5-24-03 I've been doing the FPMX now for 15 years. Over the years I have seen riders come and go and return again after several years. "It's in the blood" is a saying I hear quite a lot. I understand what it means because I have it in my blood. My blood type is MX Positive. In 1995 I had a Sheriff come to signup at Glen Helen who raced with us in 1989 then was absent for 6 years. I remembered his name when I was taking his $40 at the signup table. I asked him where he has been. He told me that he was in a coma. "Yeah OK, no really where have you been?"......."In a coma!" This is a true story, the rider was injured at Ascott Park while racing quads. He was in a coma for 6 years then woke up and decided to go racing. I have quit racing twice over the years due to injuries, each time I took about 3 years off and each time I worked my way back into racing. I know the dangers of this sport but something keeps dragging me back. I finally had a blood test and realized that I had no choice..... I was MX Positive. I feel for everyone of you when you get hurt. Not every rider returns after a serious injury but many do. We tend to forget the pain after a short while and remember the good times and return to the sport that we love. Not because we are smart, no it's because it's in the blood. Heck I know what I am doing and I know better. But I find myself back at the track, jumping through the air 70 feet on a piece of plastic and metal.......How smart is that?........So on June 2nd we are going to be racing at Perris Raceway. Perris Raceway has changed since the FPMX Nationals a couple of months ago. The track is more difficult, it has more jumps and the skill level has changed from Novice to Intermediate I would say. I rode there the other day and found the track challenging but raceable. I for one realize that a victory on June 2nd is not as important as going to work on June 3rd. We have a Race Committee who will decide what jumps are available for our beginner classes to keep those riders as safe as we can. As for the Novice riders and above...........Just ride safe. It's a long series and you can't win it from the hospital...........Sad news, Jeff Welsh has decided to close "Mother's Corner" due to other obligations. We'll see if the "Corner" is in his blood...............e
5-19-03 Hangtown was a blast and it was great to be at the races again. After two seasons of being involved with Supercross and Motocross at the top level I have met a lot of great people and I enjoy going to the races more every time I go. And every time I go I meet more great people. I think I enjoy Supercross more but I have to admit I haven't been to that many of the Outdoor Nationals. One thing is for sure, Supercross is way cleaner, pitting on pavement rules. I have spent a lot of time on the road over the last few years and have it down pretty good now. The latest addition to the FPMX F250 is a DVD player. I was all prepared to make the trip to Sac town with Gavin Garcia. I had Joe Dirt, Cool Hand Luke, Tombstone, Braveheart, Catch me if you can and Dirty Rotten scoundrels ready for viewing. What I failed to prepare for was Chatty Kathy, AKA Gavin. He analyzes then over analyzes everything. But he is a wealth of information on motocross and I picked his brain for several hours. On the trip home I figured that there would be nothing left to talk about and I could brush up on my Joe Dirt trivia but no luck. We analyzed the AMA, Ricky, Danny Lowers, CR125's, CRF450's, even the yet unseen CRF250. We analyzed the 5 Fwy vs. the 99 Fwy. We analyzed Kevin Windham, Gilroy "the garlic capitol of the world", aspirin, caffeine, Diet Pepsi vs. Diet Coke, diesel vs. gas............after I was analyzed out we analyzed analyzing............The seven hour trip from the Garcia estate in Hesperia to Sacramento and from Sacrament to Hesperia few by. I want to thank all those who have helped the team so far this season and let you know that things are going in a positive direction for 2004. We are working hard and as things happen I will let you know...........I'll check out Perris this Wednesday to see how the track is, I hear that the track is beginning to change back to a safer, less technical layout. That's good news. Join me Wednesday so we can analyze Perris on the message board................e
5-16-03 Just as I was finished loading the stuff in my truck to head to Hangtown this morning I got a call from Gavin Garcia. He asked me if we could wait until tomorrow morning to start the trip up North. I made a few calls and we were OK to wait until morning. Scott Davis Was able to get another bike to ride so I didn't have to be in Sacramento today with my CRF450. So what do you do with all this free time?........You work on the website! I was in the FirePoliceMX.com Store all day. I was able to get the place setup and back in business. We have been down for over a month but all is well now. Tomorrow morning at 4:30am I am starting the trek to Sacramento, along the way I will pick up Gavin. Hannig is flying in and Lowers is still trying to get the day off work. I'm looking forward to seeing a great race. I'm betting on Honda. My guess is a Windham/Carmichael split 1-2 & 2-1. In the 125's it's anyone's race but Keep your eye on Privateer Jeremy Chausse of AJ Racing, the guy was flying at Glen Helen and opened a few eyes. I'm not looking for Jeremy to win but with any luck he could finish in the top 10 and that would be huge for a Privateer. Ross Garcia will be out of commission for a short while with a wrist injury, Xrays were negative but Ross needs some time to recuperate. He has an appointment with a specialist tomorrow so we'll know more soon. Best of luck Ross. I'll be at Perris on Wednesday to check out the new layout and see if anything needs to be done to make the track ready for the FPMX Summer Series. I'm looking forward to getting back on the CRF, my last ride was a moto win at round one of the Summer Series. Tracy Garcia (Ross' Mom) said that I had a freight train behind me. It pays to get a holeshot and be too wide to pass. Like Davenport said, there are two races. The one to the first corner and the one to the finish line. I won the first one and blocked all the faster riders for 5 laps........Yeah Baby! Tracy also said to me "Ed I remember when you use to be fast".............After a few seconds to try to figure out what she meant, I decided to take it as a compliment........I guess.................e
5-15-03 I've been out of town and away from the phones and the computer for a week and it was wonderful but now I'm back and it's time to get the FPMX rolling again. There was a lot of talk about Perris on the message board this week, I'll do what it takes to get the place FPMX friendly if it is not already that way. I haven't seen Perris since the National last month but have heard it has changed quite a bit. On to the more important things in life.........WaveRunner racing! I spent the last week on the Colorado River, actually Lake Havasu. On a post dated 5-17-02 I told you about my World Record time around the island, well this year I tested my skills at the island again and posted a new world record of 107:25. I actually beat last years record 3 times, 107:90, 107:47 & 107:25. I had to quit after that due to arm pump........This was my first ever year to make the Glen Helen National. I had to leave Havasu at 4am to get to GH before the road into the track turned into a parking lot. After the race I drove back to Havasu to continue the family vacation. I felt bad about ditching my wife and Mother on Mothers Day but also felt an obligation to the team. I need a clone. What about that Windham guy? Did I ever tell you that we have a verbal contract with him? Well kind of........When Danny Lowers and I were hanging out in the SXGP.com booth after our interview in Dallas K Dub walked in and I asked him if he wanted to ride for our team.......He laughed and said "SURE"........I'm no lawyer but........Hey I guess I'll let him out of it this time. Seriously that dude was flying around the GH track on his CRF 450. Look out RC. Well I get to sleep in my own bed tonight but then it's off to Sacramento for the Hangtown National in the morning. We might have a guest rider on the team this week, I offered my CRF 450 to Scott Davis #851 for the race. Scott just came off a successful Supercross season aboard Suzuki 125's and 250's but had to give the bikes back to the owner after Las Vegas. Ross Garcia will be at the race but probably will not compete due to a wrist injury sustained at Glen Helen last weekend. Bed time, I'll write from Sac town........e
5-7-03 Round 1 of the FPMX Summer Series is in the history books now and what a chapter it was. I have to first give props to Malcolm McCassy for having STARWEST prepped to perfection and FPMX safe. Passing was difficult due to the mostly one lined track but for the most part the whoops made the difference. I made a few passes in the whoops and got passed a few times in the whoops. I only saw one guy really do that section to perfection and that was Team FirePoliceMX.com's Ross Garcia as he went 1-1-1 in the sponsors class on his Temecula Motorsports CR125. This is a whole different type of motocross, it's great for us out of shapers. Each of the three motos were five lap sprint races. I never got too tired, although by the late stages of the race I was having a hard time holding on in the whoops. Steve Marquez picked it up and was riding like the Steve of yesteryear as he was doing all the jumps and giving me headaches again. I think that telling the truth to RACE TECH made a huge difference for Steve.......Speaking of telling the truth to RACE TECH, I don't know if it's a lie or a wish but I've told them a few whoppers over the years, usually 20lbs lies. Lying to your suspension guy is one thing, you can always cover your lie by adjusting your sag. It will cost you in performance but you saved face for the 3 minutes that you were embarrassed to have someone find out your true weight. But lying to your clothing guy is another thing. It's hard to fit in size 36's when you can't squeezing into 40's. I figured it out though, this year I lied to both and then was forced into losing weight......It worked! Now I just need to call Downtown Dave Brown @ AXO and tell another fib so I can get into the next size down. I don't endorse lying but if you need to do it to force yourself into losing weight, by all means lie unless you are in my class............e
5-4-03 To make a long story short.........On the way to the Las Vegas Supercross via Parker Arizona, I got a call from Gavin Garcia. The original plan was to have Ross ride my 450 or borrow a 250 for the Las Vegas SX since he was not eligible for the 125 East/West shootout. But we decided earlier in the week to have Ross stay on the 125 after the SLC SX and train for the Glen Helen Outdoor opener. During our phone conversation Gavin asked me what I wanted him to bring to the LV SX. I told him to be race ready, you never know what's going to happen so let's be prepared. A few hours later I got a call from Brad Hannig, He said that he heard from Jarrd Yochim (AJ Racing) that there were a few vacant spots in the 125 class. At 11:30 am Saturday morning we got word that Ross was in the Shootout. This was good news. This was going to be another baptism by fire for Ross. This was the big time, the big boys, the East/West Shootout! Ross would do his practice with all the factory guys and his heat race would be with the top West Coast riders who as a group are considered faster than the East Coast riders. After a few laps into the second practice Ross followed Josh Hansen over the triple and then did it every lap there on throughout the night. This was a big step for Ross and a step closer to being a West Coast 125 contender next Supercross season. Ross was riding very well during his heat race in about 13th place, 9 go to the main, but he took a detour, a crazy Ivan so to speak off the whoop section onto another part of the track. All in all it was a good night for Ross and the team. Terry Varner has done a great job with the underpowered CR125 to get it up to speed but still our bike is short on power off the gate and you all know in Supercross the start is key. I can't wait to see Ross on the CRF250 next season. If you got a chance to see Ross ride Supercross you saw that he picks good lines and makes passes look easy. It's just a matter of time.............Tomorrow is the start of a new season for us, the Summer Season. I'll see tomorrow...............Uncle Eddie Out.
4-30-03 Today on the way home from work via Starwest I looked at the clock on the dash of my F250. The time read 12:59, It caught my eye but I didn't know why. It was one of those number things but it didn't totally register with me but I knew something was up. I did a double take but still nothing.....Am I becoming strange?..BECOMING? Ok, Ok...... I'm already strange but am I getting stranger or more strange? Then it hit me.......Bubba.......what? you say. It should read "1:259". I knew I was normal! What? Never mind. You either get it or don't, I can't explain but I bet most of you get it.............You're weird! Round one of the Summer Series is going to be one of those great days, I can feel it. I'm like a little kid, anticipating the day. I think what I like the most about the Summer Series is that I get to act more like a racer than a promoter. It's a lot more low key than the Nationals for me, thus more fun. I'll see ya at the track on Monday afternoon...............e
4-28-03 Remind me to never drive through Las Vegas on the way home again on a Sunday afternoon. I know better but I still fall for that one at least once a year. Friday was hot in SLC, I got sunburned but on Saturday morning we were getting snow flakes before the clouds passes on by and we had a clear, windy, cold day. The results don't reflect how much Ross has improved over the last two weeks. But believe me it was dramatic, he looked way more comfortable on the Temecula Motorsports CR125. In fact his start for the 125 qualifier had him up in the lead pack until he was taken out in the first corner and ending up on the bottom of a pile of 125's. Ross remounted to ride a good race, passing several riders on his way to the finish line. In the Last Chance Qualifier Ross was having a hard time keeping his font MAXXIS tire on the ground as he wheelied most of the start straight, using his clutch to keep the wheel down. I have to say that Terry Varner has done wonders with the HONDA CR 125 motor. Ross lost a lot of drive clutching and it put him in the back of the pack. This was Ross' best ride of the night, he rode a good race and passed all the way up to eight place, passing several riders along the way. For a kid with the flu and only two weeks of Supercross experience, he did a fantastic job. With a good start in either qualifier Ross would have been in the main event. I'm looking for big things from Ross next Supercross season. I'm also looking forward to seeing him bang bars with the top riders in the world at Glen Helen in a couple of weeks........Speaking of banging bars.........ARE YOU READY? The summer series opener is just around the corner. For you who haven't been to STARWEST lately, you should check it out. Malcolm McCassy has don wonders with the place and it is about as safe as a motocross track can be yet still very fun. We should have some great racing. I'm sitting in the 16th best shape of my life but hope to be nearing 14th by race time. These Road Trips are killing me. Too many meals out. How do you go to Dairy Queen and not get a Dipped Cone? You can't!.....................eDip
4-25-03 Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah last night. It was a long haul, just under 800 miles. I was pretty much hammered. Brad Hannig called me on the cell phone as we were pulling up to our hotel and asked if we wanted to get some dinner. All I wanted to do was watch the Laker game, lay in bed and eat some room service pizza. I packed for rain and cold but today was windy and hot. The forecast called for stormy weather but the rain has alluded us so far. The good news is that Ross Garcia got to ride practice today, the bad news is that Ross is sick with the flu. I never heard Ross complain one time about his plight, he was ready for practice and actually rode pretty good for being sick. After practice we took Ross over to Dr. Bodner at the ASTERISK mobile hospital and had him checked out. He was given some antibiotics and some throat lozenges and sent to his hotel to recover and get ready for SUPERCROSS. Ross is a good kid, I really happy to be working with him and his dad (Gavin) on this team. I'll write you tomorrow night and tell ya'll how things went.....................e
4-17-03 I finally got back on the bike yesterday, first time since the Perris Nationals. I went to Starwest to get some practice in for the upcoming Summer Series. The track was a bit wetter than normal due to the rains, which made for some good grooves in the corners. All in all it was a good experience. I only rode for a short while as I had business in the Inland Empire that afternoon. I have to tell you that it was great to have a rider on the track last week in Dallas. My mind has been going crazy thinking about all the possibilities for this team. I can't get it off my mind, maybe that's a good thing......maybe not, but ain't no denying it's a reality. Anyway late last night I was on the phone with Gavin Garcia and I told him that I felt kind of weird getting these donations from you guys for the team. I said it was like you were giving and getting nothing in return. As we talked we decided that by donating you feel like you are part of the team and it makes you feel good inside. Yes I understand that but still feel like I should give something back........Well here's what we came up with...........For every $10 dollar donation you will get 1 raffle ticket. Example: Mark Davenport has 20 tickets coming to him. I didn't want to buy anything with the donated money, it goes 100% into the team so here's what we decided to raffle..........1) A full FACTORY Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing ride. Ross Garcia's Mechanic, Gavin Garcia will be your personal mechanic at the October rounds of the Nationals at Glen Helen. You just have to show up. Your bike will he prepped, maintained, cleaned and waiting for you at the line. He will walk the track with you, show you the good lines and do the things that the does for Ross on race day. You will have nothing to do but go out and win. 2) another prize will be a gift from me, you will have all of your entry fees paid for the 2004 FPMX season, every race, as many classes as you wish to race! I will think of more prizes that we can give a way without dipping into the team funds and have them available for the drawing. We'll have the drawing prior to the Nationals in October, I'll figure out when later. Maybe at the Santa Maria Summer Series round would be a good time to do it. I want to thank everyone who has donated to help Ross out so far. Just this week we got donations from Ted Wadlington, Jason Wood's 2002 Mechanic and now the wrench for Matt Gaines (FPMX support rider), Randy Hubach, CDC & Mike Leckliter, Los Angeles County Fire Department. I see a lot of potential in Ross and I feel really good about supporting him. He's a good kid and a nice kid and I think he will make us all proud............e
4-15-03 I'm finally somewhat recovered from the road trip. This is going to be a busy few months for the FPMX and Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing. We have a week off then we head to Salt Lake City, then Las Vegas the following weekend. The Summer Series starts the following Monday at STARWEST then we are at the Glen Helen National to open the Outdoor series, from there we head north to Hangtown then back for more FPMX summer racing. I get to mix the annual family river trip in there too. ........Life is good, busy, hectic, fun and definitely not boring. I just dropped the entry forms for the first three Summer Series races in the mail, you should be getting them this week. I'm checking my calendar and trying to find time to practice for the Summer Series and I'm having a hard time fitting it in. This Road Trip stuff takes it's toll on you, I went from 14th best shape of my life (bsoml) to 16th in just a few days. I had good intensions of eating the right things on the trip but ended up at the Yuma Cracker Barrel for French Toast on day one and from there it was down hill. Sonic Burger, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Whataburger, Pizza Hut and MacDonalds became regular stops. Well I'm back on the "Plan" today and am hovering just between 15th and 16th/bsoml. The goal is to be down to 12th/bsoml by the opener at STARWEST. On the bright side of things, I can pull my pants down now without unbuttoning them. Sue's tired of me showing her my new skill...............e
4-14-03 Dallas was a fun trip and well worth the time, money and miles. I really don't know where to begin, so much has taken place over the last few days that I know I'm going to forget a lot of stuff. We drove 1400 miles each way from Carlsbad, Ca to Dallas, Texas. On day two we were in the middle of no where on hwy 30, Danny Lowers was driving when we got pulled over by the Texas Highway Patrol. "The reason I pulled ya'll boys over was cuz you were doing 76 mph in a 70 mph zone" says the State Trooper. Danny hands him his license and Sheriff ID......"You boys aren't gonna get off that easy"....He let us go after a few laughs. We owe him some patches and I gave him a FPMX Sticker sheet for his troubles. We checked into the Days Inn across from Texas Stadium. On Friday we setup the FPMX pits with Mike and Amber at the MAXXIS rig. We were right in the thick of the Factory teams. The closest bike to Ross Garcia's CR 125 was a Kawasaki # 259 and we were straight across from the Suzuki semis. Ross was unable to participate in Friday practice due to licensing and registration problems but would be ready to go on Saturday. Saturday morning would be Ross Garcia's first time EVER on a Supercross track. I'm not talking just the real thing but also practice tracks!.......I would never think to do that but Ross was good to go. As a team we discussed strategy, the goal was to get some real Supercross track experience, make the night show, experience the crowd and stay healthy for Salt Lake City in two weeks. We accomplished all of our team goals. Ross improved every time he was on the track and looked more comfortable as the evening wore on. This was a good day for the FPMX too as we found several brothers from Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Arizona. Danny and I were also interviewed on SXGP.com by Chad and Jim Holley. Irv Braun and Terry Boyd gave us some publicity over the PA system before the 125 LCQ. All in all this was a great trip. We started driving home yesterday at noon and went non stop 21 hours only stopping for fuel and food. By the way gas is 75 cents a gallon cheaper in Dallas than in So Cal......what gives? I'll give you more details later.........Check out the photos.................eDub.
4-8-03 Tomorrow morning at 6am We are off to the Dallas Supercross. I want to thank Keith Clark, Tim Marshall and Mark Davenport for their financial support of Team FirePoliceMX.com Racing. You cannot imagine the cost of AMA Professional racing. We would not be able to get Ross to the races without all of our sponsors and your support effort. Thanks Temecula Motorsports, MAXXIS, RACE TECH, Varner Motorsports, Wiseco, Factory FX, FMF & AMERICAN HONDA. Tomorrow is a big day for Mark Davenport, Mark goes under the knife to repair both heals and an elbow. I wish Mark all the best, I hope to see him regain his health and in time get back on the track........Good luck Mark. The first three rounds of the Summer Series Entry Forms will be going out this week. I just finalized round three at Glen Helen today. The race will take place on July 8th on the Stadium Track. The track has been tamed down for the Adult 50cc races and should be a lot of fun. We will have double practice sessions that day before the race since nobody will be able to practice on the track prior race day. I don't know what I'm most excited about, the Supercross or visiting Tombstone for the first time........"You must be Doc Holliday" "That's the rumor" "Are you retired too"? "Not me, I'm in my prime" "Yeah you look it".......I'm excited like a little kid right now...Road trip, Tombstone & Supercross.........What could be better than that?...........I'll keep ya'll posted on the happenings................e
4-4-03 I slept 11 hours last night and took a 2 hour nap today, I think I'm caught up on my sleep......yeah baby! All I can think about is getting myself out to STARWEST and starting to practice for the Summer Series. I have to tell you it really bothers me do lose. I know that I have matured with age to the point where I won't risk too much to win, that's a good thing but when I'm the 4th or 5th guy to get the checkered flag it still bothers me. I need better starts and I need to corner faster. I know I can win at the 40+ Intermediate level & I know it's my fault for being out of shape. I have to work and then drive to Dallas for the Supercross. I won't be on a bike for a few weeks and it's killing me........Ok on to the next subject, I am excited to be going to the Dallas Supercross. We are leaving on Wednesday morning early, hopefully around 6am. We'll be taking my truck with two Honda CR125's in the bed. Danny Lowers, Ross Garcia, Gavin Garcia (Dad) & Myself will be making the 20+ hour drive. I only have one request...........We stop in Tombstone on the way. That's it. I've never been there and we'll be driving past the turnoff. I'm my own Huckleberry this time, I want to see the OK coral, Allen Street, the Oriental and all the other historic spots that I see when I watch the greatest movie of all time. I hope I don't get too much opposition from my truckpool mates............Next subject, I want to thank Mark Davenport for donating his March 31, April 1 pre-entry fee to Ross Garcia's Pro License. That's $200 donated by Mark. Thank you MD03/MD06. I hope you have a complete recovery and get back on the bike soon..................I'll try to keep everybody posted on all the activities of the road trip to Dallas and back. I know I've told you that I dig the road, don't know why but I do. I can't wait to drive to New Philadelphia, Ohio this June too. We've been talking about doing a banzai drive from Ohio to Hangtown to catch the California Police & Fire Games. Have you ever eaten at the Cracker Barrel? That alone makes the drive worth it............Do you ever get a one tracked mind? I know that I have one, my wife always reminds me. Tonight when we were leaving the theater Sue was making her hand act like a motorcycle and double jumping the posts that divide the isles. She was doing it to bug me. I couldn't resist, I started to do it too, then she did a triple.......I didn't have the guts....................e
4-2-03 Wow it all came together, somehow, someway and it looked kind of organized.........what happened..............? Boys we are growing, in ten years we'll be just as big as the AMA and twice as sophisticated...............well maybe not but it was pretty cool to see the pits completely full and people pitted outside the gates of Perris raceway. Overall I think it was the best National we have had so far in the fifteen years of the FPMX. Great track, great people, great weather great sponsors and great racing. The FPMX crew really came through and did a great job. Did anyone notice that the sea of blue seems to be turning red. There were a ton of Honda CRF450's on the track. It goes to show that you guys are buying new bikes and if you are buying new bikes I know that you are buying gear and other bolt on parts. Now that's a sponsors dream...........Guys (and girls) with good jobs who feel the need for speed and a desire to look like they are faster than they really are. Heck I even felt fast in my new AXO's walking around in the pits. It was good to see everyone again. There were a lot of guys showing up who were injured or just couldn't race for some reason just to hangout, watch the races and see old friends. The FPMX seems to be more of an event than a race. It's the place to be in April and October...........Our sponsors are starting to camp out and BBQ with us!.......I can barely keep my eyes open, I am sooooooo tired. I don't get much sleep during race week.......................
ps...............As a promoter I think everything went great............as a racer I'm disappointed in myself. Note to self: Train harder, ride more and add Larry Waterhouse to my "Need to beat book" to keep Rob Townley company...................e........ Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
3-27-03 The opening rounds of the 2003 Fire & Police Motocross Nationals are upon us. Motorhomes, trailers, pickups and even some Roman Chariot looking home maid three rail trailers, all carrying motocross machines are starting the trek to beautiful Perris, California. Airline tickets are purchased, vacation days, even a few sick days are scheduled. Bikes are being prepped, new gear is coming out of boxes, boots are being broken in...............It's beginning to look a lot like FPMX, everywhere you go. I'm personally in the 14th best shape of my life and anticipating some great racing with a bunch of fellow forty year old addicts. Yes life is good. VP Racing fuel is in the air................Last week I was in the 17th best shape of my life, it's been a good week!...........So I'm in the middle of writing this article in the Journal tonight and Sue walks into the FPMX office, it was late, she had been in bed for awhile. She gives me the "We need to talk" look. My mind starts racing........"what did I do now"? Come to find out I wasn't in trouble at all, she just wanted to talk. So after some mindless boring chit chat we start talking about High School. She was a year behind me at Warren HS so we had a lot of mutual friends even though we didn't really know each other at the time. Anyway after a half hour or so I blurt out "the world is really changing". Sue looks at me with the "what are you talking about look"? Then I said "everyone is riding four strokes now"...........She makes her hand into the shape of a gun and puts her finger into her mouth, makes the shooting noise and walks off to bed........."honey, where are you going"? I can't help it, it's racing season, you guys understand.......right? Well tomorrow is a big day, it's the last Friday before the last Saturday before the Sunday before the Race. There is so much to do and as usual and I have procrastinated like a pro. Well I better let you go, see ya at Perris tomorrow for practice, be safe out there....................E