Now What?

A couple of days after the last race I started have severe pains in my lower back that was getting worse every day. By the 5th day I was flat on my back in incredible pain and my left leg and foot were becoming numb. I ended up have to go to the ER and they took some x-rays to see if anything was broken and put me on some kick ass pain killers. X-rays showed nothing…. Off to get an MRI… There it was, between my L4 and L5 vertebra was a massive herniated disc that was pinching the nerves in my spinal cord causing the pain and numbness.

   

For those of you who know me, know that I am no stranger to back pain… I have just gotten used to dealing with the pain and try to do what ever I can to try to prevent any unnecessary abuse (Yea Right… I Race Motocross!)…. Whatever!!! Anyway It looks like all the pain in the past was probably a tear in the tendon like material that connects the vertebra together and I just keep injuring it over and over… Well it finally just tore fully open and then chunks of the inside (cushion) shot out  against my spinal cord. OUCH!!!

Now What???

I worked my self up to the 2nd place spot for the season championship in my class only 9 points behind the current leader Jerry Mena… Now the future in unsure for me as far as racing goes. I am going to try to get a work credit for this Sundays Race (Jan 4th) and then I still have about 4 more weeks until the next race. So I am just going to try to heal as fast a I can and hope that I get the OK from my wife and doctor to give it my best to catch Jerry before the end. We will just have to wait and see!

Ice Ice Baby!!

My wife and I Chillin with Vanilla Ice (Rob Van Winkle) and his daughter at his private party he put on at Dr Feelgoods Bar in West Palm Beach courtesy of Vince Neil from Motley Crue.

For those that didn’t know Rob happen to be an avid MX rider, he even brought his bike with him to the party.

As well as some other toys…

Thanks to Rob, and Toys for Tots for putting on a rocking party.

My home boy and home girl Eric and Christy having a nice get-a-way from the kids.

HS #5 – Sarasota – Finished 2nd Place

 

What a great race… I started of the line first, got a little sideways in the second corner, and gave up 3 positions. By the 2 mile mark I had worked my way back up to 2nd place and started the battle for 1st. After fifteen miles of racing I managed to get into 1st place and kept it for a couple of miles. The last hour of the race I spent going back and forth for the lead with Spencer Paddock (current series leader)… The action was Awesome! Less than a quarter mile to the finish I made my last attempt to get the jump on Spencer by trying to get across a creek on a different line than Spencer was taking… I ended up plowing into a palm tree and giving Spencer enough time to seal the win by 20 seconds. Well, That's racing… I will get him at the next race.

My 2 biggest fans… Hailey and Heather

OSDR HS #5 Sarasota, FL

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This is a helmet cam view of the Sunday track for HS #5 for FTR put on by Old School Dirt Riders in Sarasota, FL

HS Practice Track

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This is a practice track we use for race practice. It is 2.35 miles long and is great for sand workouts.

FTR HS 4 - Okeechobee, FL 11-09-2008

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John Wishon - 139 Senior C - 4th Place

HS 4 – Okeechobee 4th Place!

 

 

My best finish yet… 4th and only 4 seconds behind 3rd. This now moves me into 3rd overall for the season.

Not to mention I get to hang my first trophy on the wall… AWESOME!!!

4th Place for the Season so far…

Currently through 3 races I am in 4th overall.

DeCal Works Sponsorship

Just got an email from DeCal Works:

“Congratulations!  After reviewing your resume, you have been selected as a team rider for DeCal Works for the 2009 race season.”

One Word…. Awesome!!!!!

HS #3 Palatka, FL … 7th Place – Moving Up!!

Ready to Go…

I got another good start and came off the line first. It was a long run to the first corner and in my head I kept thinking “I got the Holeshot”… But I am not on my 450 any more… The electric start on this CRF250X is nice for the quicker starts, but the lack of insane power that my 450 had, allowed me to get chased down in the long straight away and passed by 2 riders at the turn, giving me once again a 3rd place start. (Not complaining.. I will take those every time as opposed to being in the back of the pack sucking dust from square one)

1 Hour 44 min, 3 quarts of dust, 5 Laps, 32 Miles, later…

Priceless !!!!!

HS #2 Chipley, FL … 8th Place

3 laps around the 11 mile course in 1hr 55min to finish in 8th place… Not bad for the first time out on the new CRF250X. A smaller bike than I am used to but hey, “electric start”, got me off the line in 3rd place at the first corner. Awesome race but dusty as hell.

The following photos courtesy of DaveInTheUSA.com

The new Enduro/HS Creation

2006 CRF250x

White Plastics, Gripper Seat, Recluse Clutch, Devol Radiator Guards, Skid Plate, Protaper Fat Bars (cut to 30.5”), Scotts Metal Oil Filter, Enduro Engineering Hand Guards, High Temp Race Coolant, High Pressure Cap, Trail Tech Endurance Computer, Modified Electric Start, Flu Designs Graphics, and Decal Works Numbers… Ready to go!!!!

HS 1 Pinetta, Fl 13th Place

Well we got to Pinetta early in the morning to get set up and ready for the race. My buddy Jeff came along to run his first ever Hare Scramble. When I got out on the 13 mile course for a practice run, about 2 miles into it I cased a whoop the wrong way and sprained my back. I spent the next 9 miles in massive pain just looking for a way back to the trailer. All I could think about was all the hard work and training I had put into this and now I was not going to be able to race. When I finally got back to the trailer I could hardly stand and certainly did not know how I was going to “run” to my bike to start it for the race. My plan was to at least run 1 lap so I would not get a DNF… who knows maybe someone bike would break and I might not be last.

So I am at the starting line dying in pain… the horn sounds and I limp to my bike, get up on my step stool to start it… first kick… awesome! I start to ease off and look across.. what the hell!! I am in the top five off the start. I get excited and grab all my throttle sucking up the pain knowing that if I can get to the first corner there is no passing room for quite a while.

(I am in the white helmet at the first corner in 5th)

So I am excited… not a bad start considering the events taking place. The next thing I realize is after 3 miles I have passed 3 riders, now I am so pumped up on adrenaline that I am numb (or dumb for riding in this condition). I start pushing as hard as I can despite the pain. I hold strong for the first 13 mile lap and blast through the check point for my second lap. On the back side of lap 2 I pull a third gear wheelie to get through a muddy section and my rear wheel catches a rut and sends me face down hard in the sand. Due to the pain I can’t even get my leg to push down on my kick starter. A spectator sees me in pain and come to my aide and tries to start my bike for me…. (this is where a 4stroke sucks) On about his 9th or 10th try I see a pack of riders in my class blow by me and now I am starting to get depressed thinking about what I have gone through to get here and just watching my position slip away when he finally get it started (God bless Him) and I am back heading toward the finish. When I rolled across the line gate and saw 13th place I was relieved… Hey I wasn’t last… I will take it. Thank God for my buddy Jeff (who finished 14th for his first ever race… Great Job) who was able to let me lie down in the back of the truck and drive the 4.5 hour trip home. With out Jeff and most importantly my son Cody I would have never made this trip. Thanks.

Now I have 4 weeks to heal before the next race in Chipley, Fl…

Enduro #1 Big Scrub Trail Riders Lochloosa, FL 08/24/2008 - 3RD PLACE!!!!

The scores are in for the first enduro of the season and I finished 3rd place…. Awesome! Not bad for my first enduro, now I am stoked for the race this weekend which is the first for the HS season… I can’t wait and thanks to my sponsor MatthewsCurrie.com for their support… I will try to make you guys proud.

Awesome Birthday Dinner for Sherry

My son Cody and I took My wife Sherry to dinner for her birthday at Hyde Park Grill…. All I can say is….. AWESOME!!!!
We had a great time… To my wife, Happy Birthday, I love you.

Ready for the First Race of 2008-2009 Hare Scramble Season

Finished my last practice today at the Serris track in North Port in preparation for the race this weekend in Pinetta, FL. This is what I have been training for over the last 3 months. I can’t wait to get the first race out of the way and get this season started. I am trying my hardest to convince my friend Jeff to go to this race… I know if he goes to one he will be hooked. I would like to thank my wife Sherry for all of the support she has given to me to be able to race in these events. Thanks also to my Son, Cody for pushing me out at the tracks… You Da’ Man!  Well, now it is just time to rest and relax until race time.

Lochloosa Enduro was Awesome!!!!

 

Sporting my new gear with pride…

Suited up ready to go for the 66 mile enduro…

My son got a great shot of me missing the refuel point…. Something I would eventually regret at the 38 mile mark when “I ran OUT!”

Thank God for the kid on the Kawasaki who stopped and just happened to have a Gatorade bottle of gas in his fannie pack that got me going again… I made it back and only lost about 7 min of time.

Checking in at the end after an extremely muddy, long, and grueling race. (3hrs 45 min)

Sand Practice in North Port

Nothing like some good sand practice to help prepare for the upcoming race season. I will be at the first Enduro for FTR this Sunday. It is a 66 mile race up in Lochloosa, FL. I am not a enduro racer but it should be a good warm up for the Hare Scramble season.

 

Dodged another storm…

Hurricane Faye took a turn east and went below us… So we lucked out and missed yet another one. Yea!

First Day of School and Hurricane Faye

My son Cody starts his first day of High School today… How Cool is That! Boy do I feel old.

Hurricane Faye is closing in and is supposed to be here tomorrow. Nobody quite knows were this thing is going, every update is different. One is above us and next is below us. Below us is good… Above us is Bad…. Now we just keep watching and wait to see.

Hurricane Faye is Coming

Sunday morning and time to get ready… This is the first threat to us since Hurricane Charlie about four years ago.

Finishing up at Lakeland Regional Medical Center

I have been at LRMC for 3 week now working on a consulting project for their IT department… Friday is my last day and I get to go home. My Son is back from Georgia and I haven’t rode in 3 weeks…. Can’t wait to have fun!!!

Sweet Dancing

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Sponsored !!!!

I just got the news from Matthews Currie Ford that they have agreed to sponsor me for the 08-09 Hare Scramble season... I better start my training early so I don't embarrass myself. My plan is to make every single race of the FTR series.. knowing that quite a few good riders are not going to make all the races due to the cost of fuel and travel I will have a big points advantage by hitting every race. Thanks to Matthews Currie Ford for the support to help me get to all the races!!!