Ballet on dirt

It has been a strange season for NaPalm racing. Three riders that Nathan knew pretty well were seriously injured this year. Konnrad Kuest broke some bones in his neck trying to qualify for a national back east. Shiri Howell was in a coma for a month after a practice mishap that has changed her life... Sign in to see full entry.

It was a cold windy day at the track and a week of rain failed to keep the dust completely away. The fourth annual Halloween Scare Scramble went off pretty well for team NaPalm. We biffed the second rider exchange when I failed to set the stopwatch for Buzz’s lap. When he came back into view, Nathan... Sign in to see full entry.

The only certainty is, nothing is certain. Team NaPalm will make an appearance at the local track to participate in the annual Halloween Scare Scramble this Sunday. One thing for sure, it appears mud, not dust will be a factor this year. Nathan is planning on riding the four-stroke class in a tag... Sign in to see full entry.

The season is rapidly winding down. Dirt bikes will soon be replaced by snow toys here in the Pacific Northwest. The last race on the schedule is a Hare Scramble. How much fun that is depends entirely on the weather. The past month has been dry and dusty. The Hare Scramble track is mostly on... Sign in to see full entry.

When I last talked to Nathan he thrilled me with great news that Shiri Howell had been able to attend the Supercross on Saturday night (Oct 9). He didn’t get to see her but after talking to the people that did, this is the picture I get. She is up and around but still can’t open her right eye. Her... Sign in to see full entry.

The racing efforts of Nathan on his #184 are up in the air right now. The intense effort and relatively high cost of competing at the pro level have not been something he has been able to cope with this fall. His close association with three area riders that have been seriously injured has given him... Sign in to see full entry.

I just watched Ichiro Suzuki set a new record for hits in a season. It was a special moment in what has been an otherwise glum year for beleaguered Seattle sports fans. He just went out there and did what he does without appearing to be ruffled by all the hoopla surrounding this impending event. He... Sign in to see full entry.

A post from Shiri’s Uncle Daniel that was reportedly on Eric Wauch’s website, http://ewmxschools.com/ September 16 th covers the latest on her condition, but I couldn’t find it there for a direct reference. My son Nathan sent me the post so on the strength of his reliability, I will paraphrase the... Sign in to see full entry.

Ricky Carmichael crashed in practice so hard the frame had to be replaced on his Honda CRF 450. Luckily he escaped serious injury and was able to cap his second perfect season. I happened when his Honda teammate Kevin Windham went down on the backside of a jump. The yellow flags hadn’t been waved... Sign in to see full entry.

A picture of speed. Nathan guides # 184 over a small hump as the trees flash by in the background. No, he isn’t really turning left, its just that the handlebars kick to one side or the other off of a jump. It scares hell out of me because I don’t trust my reflexes to bring it back straight. Landing... Sign in to see full entry.