Gents,
CD6 was 1850km away for me & I'm still in the same state. With relatively cheap airfares these days I just hopped on a plane. Didn't get to ride, but just being there was truly awesome (in the old original sense of the word, when it meant something). The 3rd person I met was Vic James (from WA) & neither of us were comlaining about the distance. Nor were the kiwi guys who came just as far as Vic. One immediately sensed this was special.
I did the same thing last year when it was about 2800km away. Cost me a small fortune just to be there to experience it, & I can ill-afford it, but I just bit the bullet. But the diff between it & this year was truly chalk & cheese. Sure the rain scared people away last year but the venue, tracks, facilities & esp the vibe/atmosphere/comeraderie was exponentially better at Canondale. I had to confess that I was a bit disappointed last year tho I never said so as I didn't want to detract from those who loved it, or from the effort put in by those who organised it. There were certainly highlights (mostly the people I met) but I determined that I wouldn't go again cos it wasn't worth the expense. (No offense to the organisers tho). NSW seemed like a good sensible central location & I tho't it would stay there, but one had to have been there this year to see how so many other things far-outweighed the advantage of a central location.
Last year I didn't even want to ride after seeing the track. Call me a wimp if you like, but my bones almost ached just watching VMX bikes negotiating that track. This year, from the moment I saw the tracks to this very minute I would have loved to have ridden every one of them. But even so, there was so much else to enjoy I haven't got one regret, except that I wasn't there long enough to enjoy more of it.
I only changed my mind at the last minute & went (& there were plenty of reasons why I shouldn't have), & my attitude now is that I'll go to every one that is at a suitable venue (by which I mean large enough to cope w its magnitude & VMX-friendly tracks) wherever it is.
Its a matter of attitude. As the old saying goes; "You do what you want to do". Bite the bullet. Count the cost. Fly there if you have to. Just do it!
Forget the knockers & nay-sayers. Forget the NIMBY (not in my back yard) whinges. Forget the self-interest. If VMX means anything to you, if the fine crew of VMX decides to run CD7 at a suitable venue that can cope w its ever-growing scope, plan to be there wherever it is. You won't regret it.
Promote it. Spread the word around. Offer to help, to ensure its continuance. Build the positive vibe & enthusiasm. And see if the next one can't out-do this one.
It will have to be colossal to do so. CD6 was that good. I almost believe in magic!
Thanks a million to everyone who helped make it so, esp the VMX team, sponsors, Sunshine Coast club & volunteers. Like a thousand or so others, I can't wait till the next one.
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