MotoGP was a blast...

Well, the whole weekend more than the race.

For those that don't follow MotoGP (or even know what it is), MotoGP is the premier motorycycle racing class for the rest of the planet. I say "for the rest of the planet" since there hasn't been a Grand-Prix race here in the US since 10 years ago. After much wrangling they finally managed to get one race to come here to Monterey.

I decide that this is a must-see event and go for the full three-day spectacle of 220 HP bikes, 65,000 fans, and bike vendors galore.

Got down there early Friday afternoon after a great ride down there on Highway 1. Checked into the campsite, set up the tent and then headed down the highway to pick up my Ducati Island volunteer kit.

The first impression was of what a great job at marketing Ducati does. While the other manufacturers set up big-ass tents celebrating the glory that is "insert you brand name here", Ducati snagged an island right in the middle of the infield lagoon. They set up a variety of tents, with the obligatory 'new models tent', but also with separate tents for a mini racing museum, a place for people to sit down, Italian food court, and best of all a place where if you show proof of ownership you get a little ducati wristband.

The wristband gets you access to a covered sitting area, contests, free water, coffee, and best of all, free parking on the island. End result: the island gets covered in actual Ducatis owned by riders and nothing else.

In a nutshell, the whole area becomes one big ad for Ducati, and the owners get made to feel pretty special.

So I park my bike on the Island, do my 4 hour stint as a volunteer (tagging Ducatistis who show proof of ownership) get a chance to wander around, check out the pits (Paddock pass, wooo!) and when I come back there's a little laminated card on my bike. Apparently my bike's been chosen for the "Concours de Elegance"! (If I'd known my bike was considered that cool, I'd have washed it)

Head back to the campsite, drop a few things off, then head down to Cannery Row in Monterey.

Cannery Row is a complete zoo. Bikes lining the street for a good half mile, folks parading up and down the street. Bikes of every variety and folks stopping to admire, oogle, boggle, etc.

Started early then next day, wandered around the vendors a bit more, chatted with folks I've only known from ordering special parts off the internet. Nice to finally meet some of the guys who run the businesses I 'frequent'. Checked out tons of 'unobtanium' parts, got a look at some of the MotoGP bikes, picked up some swag, etc. etc.

Qualifying was a good taste of things to come.

First impression: MotoGP bikes are LOUD. Standing a good 100 yeards from the track these bikes put out more sound than my bike does when I'm next to it. Up close to the track you need earplugs.

2nd impression: MotoGP bikes are impossibly fast. They way they accellerate out of the corners is simply stunning.

Walked the track a bit and eventually headed down to the "corkscrew". This is Laguna's signature track section. While not a great place to watch the race from (you can't see the rest of the track) it's a *great* place to watch practice. It's a quick, left, right, left that drops a good 200 feet in altitude and it shows off how amazingly fast these bikes can flick from side to side.

Coming into this corner you get to see riders simlutaneously dragging their knee and jumping the bikes.Going out of this corner you get to see what 220 HP does to the rear end of the bikes. We're talking major power slides.

Watched the AMA superbike race. Good racing, and a win for Ducati.

Got in early sunday AM. One of the show guys directs me to wheel my bike into a special area. I'm a bit confused until I realize my bike's been chosen as one of the 5 finalists in the "Best Monster" class! Holy crap! Don't they realize this isn't a show bike? I mean I ride this thing into work everyday, hell it even has a parking sticker on it!

I quickly grab some cleaning supplies and get the camping dust and bugs off my bike. The expression "it's an honor just to be nominated" really does ring true as I'm up against some serious competition. Two that spring to mind are a completely tricked out Monster with all of latest tasty bits (carbon fiber gas tank, etc. etc. build by the shop I buy a lot of my parts from!) and a gorgeous black and silver bike that looks a lot like what I want my bike to end up as (looking like a 60s racer.)

Still, I'm a bit shocked as my bike isn't close to being 'done' (my bike has tons of "this'll do for now until I can put on the part I want, bits on it.) Nice to be validated on the aethetic direction I'm taking my bike in.

I wander around a bit more, run into a bunch of folks I know, hang out and shoot the shit and generally have a good time. I get to chat with everyone from the F3 champion from the 60s to a few of the GP riders themselves in the pits. One advantage of MotoGP being a relatively unknown sport here in the states is that some of the riders aren't swamped with fans :)

I head back to the Island for the contest, and no surprise the black and silver bike wins. But shockingly, I find out I came out tied for 2nd place! Out of the 100 some-odd Monsters that were there the judges think mine's the 2nd nicest! Holy crap, not bad for a daily rider! Wow...

Now I'm really motivated to get my bike finished in time for the "Monster challenge" Ducati puts on at the bike show in Oct.

Then the race starts... Great fun watching the race, although I hate to say it, the race is pretty boring race-wise (if I'd been watching it on TV)

Hayden runs away from the start and opens up a 3 second lead by the 10th lap. The only racing came at the midpoint when Edwards, who had worked his way up in the field after getting a bad start from the fifth spot in the grid, passed Valentino Rossi (current world champ from Italy) to take second place. Rossi valiantly tried to reel in Edwards (pretty exciting) and while he was on Edwards' tail for the last 2 laps, never made it past him.

End result a 1-2 for American riders and a very happy crowd. Hopefully this'll help popularize the sport here in the US (although given the sold-out 60,000 person crowd you'd never know this wasn't Europe)

Then a long ride home to a much needed shower and a home cooked meal.

Truly the perfect motorcycle weekend!