The Race

The Bandits' had a goal to just keep the car running to finish the race, and that they did!  With 227 laps, they placed 47th of 160 teams.

The Drivers:

My Photos from the Weekend:

Also, check out this fan video from the race weekend.  More pics and in-car videos can be found on the CBB's Facebook fan page.

The Bandits have made it into "Sears Pointless", March 6-7th at Sears Point in Sonoma.  Team/car theme?  Well, the hotdog montage from my photo slideshow must have been a premonition because the new theme is officially "The Nascar Mayer Wiener Mobile", inspired by our run-in with THE Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile:

24 Hours of LeMons

In case you're wondering why we haven't had any posts on the progress on our backyard, it's because there hasn't been any!  My mistake.  I should have told Colby, "Sure!  I'm cool with you joining the Cannonball Bandits team for the 24 Hours of Lemons race -once the backyard is done!"  Oh, well...  Maybe this Summer.

So, what is The 24 Hours of LeMons?  I'll let the experts describe.  Excerpt  from the 24 Hours of LeMons site FAQ's:

WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

A nationwide series of endurance races for cars that cost $500 or less.

COME AGAIN?

The 24 Hours of LeMons is restricted to cars that were purchased, fixed up, and track-prepped for total of $500 or less. At most venues, the racing consists of tech inspection and track testing on Friday; long-ass endurance-race sessions on Saturday and Sunday; and breaks for sleeping, eating, and Band-Aid application every night. At least once a year, we also hold a straight 24-hour endurance race. Count on plenty of noise, prizes, water fights, and questionably civilized fun before, during, and after the track sessions. Finally, assuming you're still standing, there's the gala awards ceremony which presents trophies, plaques, and winner's purses paid out in nickels.

WILL MY TEAM GET ACCEPTED?

Maybe. Maybe not. We usually get more applications than each racetrack can handle, so we have to pick and choose. Boring applications like "We are four guys who love to race, and we have done (blah blah blah) driving before" don't give us too much to work with: You might get in, and you might not. Applications like "Choose us, because we'll wear beaver costumes in the paddock and our car is entirely coated in birch bark" give you much better odds. 

IS MY CAR GONNA GET HELLA MUNCHED UP?

Oh, almost definitely. LeMons is a non-contact event, but it's a crowded track with a whole lot of really hard driving. And even if your car survives out on the course, halfway through the race one entry will be chosen by popular ballot for immediate crushing. Could be yours. Heck, it probably WILL be yours. Be prepared.

IS THIS, LIKE, REAL RACING?

Yeah, it's real racing. That said, between the thick scrum of crapcans in front of you and our aversion to long, flat-out straightaways, you're not going to set any speed records. It's kinda like a loud, hot, noisy version of driving to work. For a really, really long time. Without actually getting anywhere. And it's a lot harder to drink coffee through the helmet. Oh, and, you know, it's more dangerous.

ARE THERE PRIZES?

Oh, lordy yes. Over the course of the year we'll be recognizing wins for marque, nationality, all-girls teams, etc., and awarding the Harold Stassen Memorial Sticktuitiveness Trophy, the Albert Gore Jr. Carbon-Neutral Cup, and other such venerable honors. At each race, the Winner on Distance gets $1500; the winner of the Index of Effluency receives $1000; and the People's Choice socks away $500. Warning: We love to pay prizes in nickels.

Their theme being based on the 1981 movie, "Cannonball Run" the Bandits have been accepted into their first race on November 20-22 in Willows, CA.  They've been hard-pressed designing their team and car, endless tune-ups & outfitting the gem with all the required safety gear, and of course growing Burt Reynolds-esque 'staches.

 

The Car: '87 Toyota Corolla FX16

 

In addition to driving, Colby's main responsibility is the car's design.  

Below: The makes its debut at the Bandits' fund-raiser BBQ/Auction benefiting Doctor's Giving Back.

More to come!  In the meantime, you can stay up to date with the Bandits by becoming a fan on theirFacebook fan page.

Saddle Up!

Well, we finished our Motorcycle Safety class, passed our M1 tests with flying colors, and not a moment too soon.  Finally!  It was time to take my little Honda CB for a spin.  

The bike was great fun for the little stroll around the neighborhood, but the posture and stiff clutch were rough on my hands and wrists.  Replacing the clutch lever and reinstalling the stock handlebars may take care of all that until it's time for a more long-distance bike.  

Photos by Corinne Koster

Gearing Up

I'm getting super-excited about getting to ride my new bike soon.  We had the classroom session of our riding class last night and Colby passed the written test with a score of 100%  and I passed at 96%.  (I had to let him get a better score.)  This Saturday and Sunday are our actual riding lessons with a test at the end that will waive the DMV riding test for our M1 licenses.  Woo hoo!!!  Colby's already been cruising around on his bike and even commuting to work as often as possible, but I wanted to complete our course before doing any more than starting mine up (which was thrilling in itself).  

I'm now loading up on my gear in anticipation.  This is the Icon "Hella Crossbones" jacket I settled on, which Colby actually picked out.  I originally said no skulls on any of my gear, but when I saw this one, I thought it was cute enough to overrule my silly superstition.  I wanted to go with the one in black, but learned last night how important it is to be seen on the road, so I went with the white.

I also bought this open-face HJC CL-33 helmet, but again changed my mind after the class and am returning it for an AFX FX-20 full-face helmet.  

His & Hers

As long as I can remember, I've wanted a motorcycle.  I remember my parents paying $5 at the fair for me to get my polaroid picture taken on a huge Harley on display during my hair-crimping days (9-ish?).  Finally, a couple years ago, Colby and I got our M1 permits, but shortly after, I found out I was pregnant (with Olive), so that got put on the back burner.  A couple more babies later, Colby pursued his license again and bought his first bike from his good friend, Mike: A 2001 Kawasaki W650 w/cafe racer-style mods.

I humbled myself and told Colby that if he changed out the seat, I could settle with just riding on the back of his.  However, after catching a glimpse of the thrill of riding while just following behind him in my car a couple days later, I retracted that statement!  We found a modest, little bike for me to learn on: A 1975 Honda CB125S.  Colby's already been taking his bike out whenever he can, but I'm doing all I can to hold out until after our riding class in a couple weeks.