What's new

Race 2023 Rai Rai Cup stage 1

what a cool event. wish i lived closer
I was due to race in Zao today. But I bought plane tickets for summer last week. Boys are now adults and we can't fly over Russia so it's super expensive. The next day the car died, so we had to buy another! So binbo life for a while. Events like this are what it's all about!

Andy
 
I was due to race in Zao today.
You mean the CX race? Our team captain won the race in his category, I think his first podium in a CX race.
But I bought plane tickets for summer last week. Boys are now adults and we can't fly over Russia so it's super expensive. The next day the car died, so we had to buy another! So binbo life for a while. Events like this are what it's all about!
That sucks. Flying to Europe has become a hassle: prices for direct flights were ridiculous (last October about 400,000~450,000 ¥ for an economy round trip with ANA — if I pay that much, I want to be in business class). So the best option is to fly via Dubai/Qatar/Abu Dhabi for about 150,000–170,000 ¥. I did that twice, once with Emirates and once with Qatar Airways. Emirates had much better service and nicer planes (the A380 is still my favorite plane to ride in as a passenger). In fact, I think it was probably the best service I have had ever. (We flew with a baby and a young child, so they pampered us.) Qatar's hub isn't nearly as nice an airport and the interior of 787s were not well-maintained.
 
Went back to France for Christmas. JAL direct flight was 30-350000 around Christmas.
The Middle East companies were around 200000. The main difference beyond the price is the guarantee to get money back if cancelled or the ability to change the dates.

>The next day the car died
I remember your car stopped running on the highway, on your way to a CX race, wasn't it last year. Is that the same car ?
A yearly happening !
 
The cheapest flights I could find were 150,000 with Singapore Airlines via Singapore. The wife raves on about Singapore Airlines but a flight is just a flight for me.

Similarly, a car is just a car! Yes, same car as before. it's 14 years old. The shaken is due this year so we were going to change cars at that timing anyway. I bought the same car. Hopefully it will last another 14 years and see me into retirement!

Andy
 
Similarly, a car is just a car! Yes, same car as before.
What did you get?

Weirdly, I like those utilitarian box-shaped cars. They are ugly as sin (IMHO), but when I got to drive one in 2021 (to get from Narita Airport to Sendai) I found it more enjoyable than the cars I rented in Germany. Those had all sorts of driving aids I wasn't used to and I spent time learning and taming the driving aids (lane assist, adaptive cruise control). They were also SUV-ified cars even though we had asked for normal cars. ("We have an upgrade for you." 🤦‍♂️) The Japanese box car was honest. It wasn't a kei car, I think, I'm pretty sure it had 110ish HP, it was the next step up. But it was simpler, and the gearing was chosen to match Japanese traffic. The 5- or 6-speed auto box was working well, too, it wasn't a 3-speed.
 
What did you get?

Weirdly, I like those utilitarian box-shaped cars. They are ugly as sin (IMHO), but when I got to drive one in 2021 (to get from Narita Airport to Sendai) I found it more enjoyable than the cars I rented in Germany. Those had all sorts of driving aids I wasn't used to and I spent time learning and taming the driving aids (lane assist, adaptive cruise control). They were also SUV-ified cars even though we had asked for normal cars. ("We have an upgrade for you." 🤦‍♂️) The Japanese box car was honest. It wasn't a kei car, I think, I'm pretty sure it had 110ish HP, it was the next step up. But it was simpler, and the gearing was chosen to match Japanese traffic. The 5- or 6-speed auto box was working well, too, it wasn't a 3-speed.
Yeah. A box car. The bike fits in without taking the wheels off which is the main selling point for me. It's coming in greeen apparently!

Andy
 
Yeah. A box car. The bike fits in without taking the wheels off which is the main selling point for me. It's coming in greeen apparently!
Hahahaha!
How do you know that you are not a car guy? Well, make, model? Who cares! But the color, green, that's important ;)

PS I approve of a non-non-offensive color (i. e. not white, black, dark blue, etc.).
 
And a bike is just a bike !

Over three years back, my 16yo car was flooded. It was still running but with the airbag red light on the dashboard and another issue. It won't go through the shaken but I was thinking to change it within a year anyway.
The point of the story is that two months later the car could not start on a sunny Sunday morning while on the parking lot, luckyly, with the bike in the trunk, ready for a 100km in Sodegaura. Living nearby, took my bike, was there over one hour later, which was a good warming up and the race went pretty well.
 
And a bike is just a bike !

Over three years back, my 16yo car was flooded. It was still running but with the airbag red light on the dashboard and another issue. It won't go through the shaken but I was thinking to change it within a year anyway.
The point of the story is that two months later the car could not start on a sunny Sunday morning while on the parking lot, luckyly, with the bike in the trunk, ready for a 100km in Sodegaura. Living nearby, took my bike, was there over one hour later, which was a good warming up and the race went pretty well.
Now we are using the father in law's car until our new car arrives in March.

Your story reminded me of a similar incident last time I borrowed the father in law's car.

We took his car, a big one, to camp in at the Japan Cup in Utsunomiya.

Coming from Niigata we took in the pass from Gunma to Nikko at dusk. We could see the deers eyes in the forest as we rode up so took extra care on the descent.

As you enter Nikko, the road straightens up by some lakes and we were following the tail lights of a car in front. Suddenly there the deer was in the middle of the road. She rolled up the bonnet, smashed the windscreen, rolled back down and ran off. The car was a write off!

The phone call to the father in law was a difficult one!

We ditched the car and found a hotel. The first train in the morning wouldn't make the start so I rode there before the wife took the train. I was lucky to meet TREK and Beppu on the way and sit in with them. The amateurs race on Saturday, the pros on Sunday, so they were on a training ride.

After the open race I was selected for "random doping control" for the second year running. My theory is I was selected so they can practice English for pro doping control on Sunday. Ironically Ricardo Ricco won on Sunday and was apparently clean. Anyway, one of the advantages of doping control is there is a fridge full of juice, coke and beer to help you pee. I was passing beer to my mate through the tent flaps!

Back then there was a campsite on course so we found a group of crazy guys with a mirror ball and camped in their tent. The whiskey was flowing and we had sore heads in the morning.

After watching the pro race we managed to hitchhike back to Niigata. The next day, my wife found out she was pregnant (oh the whiskey!) and the rest as they say is history.

Japan Cup is a great race by the way. Get on it!

Andy

 
Now we are using the father in law's car until our new car arrives in March.

Your story reminded me of a similar incident last time I borrowed the father in law's car.

We took his car, a big one, to camp in at the Japan Cup in Utsunomiya.

Coming from Niigata we took in the pass from Gunma to Nikko at dusk. We could see the deers eyes in the forest as we rode up so took extra care on the descent.

As you enter Nikko, the road straightens up by some lakes and we were following the tail lights of a car in front. Suddenly there the deer was in the middle of the road. She rolled up the bonnet, smashed the windscreen, rolled back down and ran off. The car was a write off!

The phone call to the father in law was a difficult one!

We ditched the car and found a hotel. The first train in the morning wouldn't make the start so I rode there before the wife took the train. I was lucky to meet TREK and Beppu on the way and sit in with them. The amateurs race on Saturday, the pros on Sunday, so they were on a training ride.

After the open race I was selected for "random doping control" for the second year running. My theory is I was selected so they can practice English for pro doping control on Sunday. Ironically Ricardo Ricco won on Sunday and was apparently clean. Anyway, one of the advantages of doping control is there is a fridge full of juice, coke and beer to help you pee. I was passing beer to my mate through the tent flaps!

Back then there was a campsite on course so we found a group of crazy guys with a mirror ball and camped in their tent. The whiskey was flowing and we had sore heads in the morning.

After watching the pro race we managed to hitchhike back to Niigata. The next day, my wife found out she was pregnant (oh the whiskey!) and the rest as they say is history.

Japan Cup is a great race by the way. Get on it!

Andy
Deer,
A nice story indeed
 
Back
Top Bottom