In the mid-70s, I had a friend who was a Sachs-Penton-Rokon-Bultaco dealer. He lived on the outer fringes of poverty in the winter months and, seeking to correct that, ran a special in the local cycle paper to bring in some business during those gray days.

Checkpoint - January, 2007 GETTING EVEN WITH DAVE COOMBS Jan 1, 2007 By: Rick Sieman

I first met Dave Coombs in Pennsylvania, at the Brownsville track for the Annual Mother?s Day race. Here, he seemed like a perfectly pleasant individual. The day of racing was fun, the organization excellent and, like they say, a good time was had by all.

Checkpoint - December, 2006 Rabbit Tales Dec 1, 2006 By: Rick Sieman

Bench racing is an integral part of dirt riding. Whenever a handful of riders get together, the yarns and stories start to flow. How much of these stories are truth is debatable, but the idea behind bench racing is to tell the wildest possible tale-and still have a germ of truth.

Checkpoint - November 2006 Scar Face Nov 1, 2006 By: Rick Sieman

The week started off like a pagan sacrificial rite. At 7:41 p.m., I slashed my left index finger with a razor blade while removing some dried-up duct tape from my helmet visor. It wasn't a bad cut; just the kind you suck on for a moment and forget about... until you dip your dirty filter into a bucket of gasoline to clean it

Checkpoint - October, 2006 Real Hunger Oct 1, 2006 By: Rick Sieman

I got to the finish line late … real late. Both tires were flat and flapping on the rim and the levers were snapped off. I had to nurse the bike the last 40 miles on a flat rear and the last 15 with both of them gone. That’s the way it is in a desert race

Checkpoint - September, 2006 Just a Matter of Luck Sep 1, 2006 By: Rick Sieman

Grover chalked up his 11th straight win at Desperation Flats MX Track. Like the previous ten rides, his 11th was a come- from-behind win, the leader crashing his brains out with less than half a lap to go.

You figure it out. Quite frankly, I have given up. Let me set the scene for you. It?s late at night, and you are in the garage, working on your hike. You have been there way too long, and getting sluggish, but you have to finish the bike so you can go riding in the morning

The Year of Loading Dangerously Checkpoint Jul 1, 2006 By: Rick Sieman

In the last year, I have seen just how dangerous the ordinary loading ramp can be. Thus, this column will serve as a public service bulletin, as well as making the sadists among you slap their thighs in glee.

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