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• Go to rmdra.com or e-mail members@rockymountaindirtriders.com to get your 2011 membership now

GUIDED RIDE AT WILDROSEFirst event of 2011 brings out approximately 40 riders to Calgary MX track for skills, BBQ and some laps

It was a dark and stormy night.But that didn’t stop the Rocky

Mountain Dirt Riders from holding our first official Guided Ride of the 2011 season at Wildrose Motocross track in southeast Calgary.

The weather lifted, club Race Director Sean Brenan fired up the BBQ and riding season officially got underway for those of us who didn’t do any winter riding.

Club executives David Sheridan and Jamie Kromrey graciously donated their time and expertise, conducting a clinic on controls --

proper setup of clutch, brake, etc. -- and also delivered a riding skills clinic as well. One of the highlights of that event was the “slow” race -- last man to the line wins. No word on who won because a couple of guys may still be out there.

With the clinics out of the way, it was on to the Wildrose hill track for some laps as some of us were shaking down our machines for the first time this season or introducing ourse lves to new mach ines purchased in the offseason.

All in all, a really good event.

Next meetingOur next club meeting goes 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at the Capitol Hill Community Hall, 1531 21 Ave. N.W., Calgary. Don’t miss it. Dylan has raided his gear stash for the raffle and Aaron is bringing our fully-refurbished Morrison Trailblazer. Members and non-members welcome to attend.

May 2011

Enthusiasts and club members congregate at the BBQ during RMDRA’s April 27 Guided Ride. The event marked the opening of the 2011 Guided Ride season as approximately 40 riders showed up at Wildrose MX track in Calgary for skills clinics and riding.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Guided RidesChev Mack

Rider profile

The eighth in a series of Chev’sre-introduction to dirt bike seduction

By Chev Mackenzie(Continued from Part 7 in April,

2011, RMDRA eNews)This downward slope never

seemed to end.Once in a while the forest would

reveal progress as the mountain across from ours would get closer and closer. Another shelf type lean-on-a-tree stop was required because the sun decided to play a cruel game of hide and don't come back for hours.

Jerry’s common sense was strong enough this time to remind us sleeping in dirt bike gear has no rejuvenating value. My heart sank as I realized what we would have to do, go up what I thought was a one-way trail.

Meanwhile Alex, the 7-foot-tall David Knight relative didn't even flinch. Other than coming here again a different day to connect his own trail dots, he was the first to turn around and give’r a go. Inevitably, I pursued him as Jerry followed.

It wasn't too bad at first, considering at this point I had about 15 crashes logged for the day.

But like a ton of bricks hitting your back, I was gassed in no time.

Once this transpired to my brain, entire muscle groups started chit-chatting with themselves, conspiring and plotting when the best time to take me out was. Jerry and Alex, like the heroes they are, were there to help. At one point I was in the fetal position ready to pass out when faintly, I

overheard Alex ask if I was OK. Jerry replied, “Yah, just give him a minute.”

This is the point I wanted nothing more than to lash out at those helping me and hate the world ’cause no one understands how it feels!

With a beet-red face, I stood up and grabbed my bike. The instant it came to life, the rev limiter was making that cry of “please stop hurting me.” With a wide-open throttle and overflowing, plasma-hot coolant creating a dense fog, I shredded earth for no more than 10 feet before I wiped out again and went back to the fetal position.

One strong recollection was how quiet the forest was after my tantrum. I was given a couple minutes of space by my fellow riders because, really, I'm not the centre of the universe here. These men have lives and want to get the hell out of a crappy situation.

Alex rides his bike a ways up the trail and comes bounding down the hill, jackalope style, bends over to where my helmeted head was in the dirt and says, “Can I ride your bike up for you?” I muffled a “Yes” as I was trying to calm down. This hill was no problem for Alex. I believe he was more thrilled about getting a chance to ride a different bike than riding a up hill that has no wild game trails on it because animals are not that ambitious.

It blows my mind because most of us would like a solid, level substrate to try something that is as foreign as different jock-straps. You have used

them before, but it’s nice to take it easy as you slide it on, knowing that they don’t all share the same pinch points.

Jerry was more keen to keep an eye on me as I walked up the hill. Although fathering me was not what I wanted, the child in me was happy for it.

Further thoughts about that time sent quivers down my spine about how self-centered I was behaving. The man was probably just hoping I would not go into tantrum mode again as that would waste the valuable sunlight that had turned into a glow on the skyline. This was the breakthrough I needed to align my karma and make the sport ever more colourful and stupendous. By the top of the hill, Alex was as fresh as the moment I met him. He had all sorts of mini stories about how different my bike was from his. Such genuine enthusiasm from his voice lifted my spirits.

We did it!The ride back to the trucks was

short and sweet on quad trails.I'm glad I had a headlight.

page 2 rmdra news

Meet Chev Mackenzie, a club member whose on-line ride reports are drawing rave reviews. Here’s Part 8 of his ride-report series.

HELLO, CHEVMACK IS MY NAME

kinecor.comgreenlinehose.com

Stampede Collision80 Commercial Drive NW, Calgary

403-260-3755 stampedecollision.com

rmdra news page 3

RIDER PROFILE: DARREN PARENTNameDarren Parent“Medium Dee”

GameMemberRocky MountainDirt Riders

Joined RMDRAin 2009

Rides2008 YAMAHA WR450F

First RodeHonda CT70 on the farm in Sask.

Places he ridesMcLean Creek, Fallen Timber

Favourite tireMichelin S12

Favourite machineCurrent ride

Currently on the iPodCurrently listening to bands whose names start with the letter S: Supertramp, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Sublime

Dream rideCurrent machine

When he’s notriding he’sParenting

The 2011 ride season can’t start soon enough for

Medium Dee

The lowdown

page 4 rmdra news

May

RMDRA NEWS designed, assembled, written and edited by club V-P Brendan Nagle. All material, except that credited to outside sources, is property of the RMDRA. Reproduction and redistribution of our stuff without our permission is a serious transgression and puts you at the top of our roost list.

Ken breaks out the trials bike for a

slow ride

2011

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