MOPED ARMY

Man i wish i could come to that with my new ST-70/Trac contraptiion. I bet I would do pretty well in that race. We need to have a get togeather up here in MD sometime.

Have fun guys

Trac Man

The past two BBQs in a row that I've made it to, my girlfriend has let me out of prior commitments in order to go, so I sorta owe her this one, and therefore cannot make it.

However, some time in November, I'll be stagin a housewarming (house-swarming, that is !) party exclusively for whatever of you local folks wanna show up....especially since my garage will fit 40 mopeds or more, heh.

Also gonna list my place as a semi-"official" moped army waystation, where anyone with a broken down 'ped can seek emergency repairs or temporary storage, or just stop in for coffee.

Lookin forward to pictures, and I hope y'all have fun!

-R

I am not sure if you would be allowed to enter the big race? Since you aren't a member. I may be wrong though. Simon?

anyone is welcome to race, crisis.. dont be a jerk. :)

btw: i will be unable to attend this year for a couple reasons, one of which is i am riding to chicago with some guys from cincy and columbus for the slaughterhouse8 rally. i wish i could make it, but even if i wasnt going on the long ride.. i wouldnt have the van again this year, as my granny took it back a couple months ago and currently has it up for sale. oh well.. i had a rad time last year and hope you guys have fun this year, too...

casey

I hear it's gonna be a nasty weekend.... Tell them what you are riding to Chicago Casey. :)

Naw - anyone can race as long as it's a moped.

simon

Goes without saying, but you're one heck of a character.

I just might push a broken ped into your garage someday. Be pleased to meet ya in person.

Wayne

You CAN race! I was wrong.

Ya gotta remember why my hand goes out so fast to help sometimes, Wayne, before you go thinkin of me as a "nice guy" cause generally - I ain't, being antisocial and prettymuch hostile to non-moped folks, or people in general for that matter.

For much of my life whenever I was down and out, there just flat wasn't anybody willing to help, if I hadda breakdown, I hadda push my bike eight miles, cause I didn't dare lock it up anywhere overnight unless I sat and watched it all night, not if I wanted it to remain there.

If I caught a flat, it was all on me to fix it, and if I needed to put my 'ped somewhere for whatever reason, forget it - even now I am hearing bitching from the folks I've bribed to hang on to two non-functional 'peds I have, since I for damn sure cannot store them here.

Having been on the very bottom of life, about as low as one can go, and watching every single other person turn their back on you when you really coulda used a freakin hand, it changes someone, quite a bit in most cases - and while some say that creates self-reliance, they fail to mention that it also causes a universal and very bitter disdain for the rest of humanity that sticks with you like an emotional boat anchor.

Far better for someone to stick out their hand to help, and give a person a little hope that mankind isn't completely comprised of total dickheads, then leave someone in distress to their own devices, at least in how I see things.

And since I am at a point in my life where I can stick that hand out to help, to hold back just cause no one helped me when I was down, that's a pretty bitter cup to drink, and a really dumbass reason to be a jerk, not to mention plainly self-destructive.

Anyhow, it's not altruism as much as it is simple decency, something our sociopathic and immoral society has for the most part forgotten ever existed.

Being a homeowner with the garage space to spare, tools to loan, and skill to assist, to NOT offer based on mine own personal experiences, it would make me as bad as those who turned away when I needed them, and I don't think I could look at myself in a mirror if I did such a thing.

Remember, there's only one letter of difference between "Human"....

And "Humane."

-R

I'm going to see what I can do-- I have the time I just need to ask for it off... probably Monday and Tuesday to get back - go all out on Sat and Sun to get there-- One night each way in some hotel, it shouldn't be too hard, plus, it is on a payday weekend. I'll figure it out by tommorow.

Plus, I remember reading somewhere that you did actually have to be a member at an army branch somewhere.

Yeah, the race is still fun to ride in - even if you're not racing to win. I don't think I'm going to race to win this year myself; I can't get another ticket...my insurance doesn't need that right now.

simon

you can't race a scooter in a moped race.

some people just run the course(s) and don't race to win. the reason is that the race happens mid-afternoon in city traffic. the winner usually circumvents a few laws (runnign red lights, wrong ways down one way streets, etc). people have gotten tickts, or even crashed (nothing really major ever, thank god).

so a lot of people just run the course, knowing they're probably not going to place, but wanting to at least do better than average (top 12-15 or so). in terms of the race ... the "big names" have traditionally been:

bill babbitt (puch)

simon (motobecane)

dan (minarelli)

dave brzezicki (minarelli)

miguel (minarelli)

caleb (minarelli)

xbrandonx (vespa/puch) -- from janus

tom (tomos) -- from blue shirt holiday

chad (puch)

other potential contenders this time around (and previously) are:

ana (minarelli)

sarah (sachs)

jake (sachs)

getting in the top 5 is a big deal. the race is a bit stacked against the out-of-towners, but we usually try to show people around the route before the race. and some out-of-towners have placed before (tom has taken third twice).

dave brzezicki has won the last two times in a row, upholding the winning team minarelli tradition. he's hoping for a three-peat.

ps.

there will also be a drag race later for bikes that have speed kits. that's just on a straightaway .... so any moped w/ more than 50cc has a good chance.

Im in central PA