Indy MotoGP - I'm headed that way!

[msbuck]

  I can't wait!!  We're headed out Wednesday am to Indianapolis for the MotoGp races there next weekend.  Not sure what to expect, but it should be a blast.  Can't wait to see Rossi in person!  I've seen Nicky and the Americans in person before (back in their AMA days), but this racing should be phenomenal.  There's also a flat track race on Saturday night.  Anyone else headed that way?

Rob, any advice on navigating my way around the city?  We're staying on the east side of town (I70 and I465?) and I know the Speedway is on the west side of town and the Fairgrounds (for the flat track) is sort of on the north side.  I had fun using Google street view to 'drive' from our motel to the Speedway.  That is one cool feature!

[montmil]

msbuck,

Please help Casey Stoner keep his Ducati on the track! Rossi has it in the bag but the Aussie is also a hoot to watch especially with the rapid Pedrosa just two points behind.

Be safe. We'll need photos... the flat track, too.

Monte

[NC Steve]

Aida, from talking to the folks at Willville this weekend, it sounded like a fair number were planning to get to Indy this year too, including at least a handful of the TVR boys.
I know there's some discussion of it on their site, so you might want to poke around http://twinvalleyriders.com/forum/index.php a bit to see what you can see.

Good luck, be safe, and y'all have fun now, y'hear?  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[msbuck]

Thanks for the link, Steve.  I followed another link inside the thread I found and came up with a great website on Indy with lots of great information!  I'm packing today!  It turns out we're staying at the hotel that's the Race Headquarters for the flat track guys.  Cool!   8-)

EEEE!!!  CAN"T WAIT!!! [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

No, no advice.  There is no bad construction between the east side and the track, except for a short piece of 16th street between Martin Luther King Blvd. and Stadium Drive, if you go that way.  It really isn't very pleasant (I work near there), but it is the most direct route, and the one that the signage points to.  That is exit 113 off of I65 north.

A good alternative would be to stay on I65 northbound to exit 115, which is 29th St (1-way east) and 30th St (1-way west).
Just stay on 30th until Georgetown Rd, and turn south at Georgetown (if they allow left turns there at race time).

A sub-alternative would be to take 30th west to Kessler Blvd, and turn left there (south), go down to 16th, and turn right, and then the track will be on your right as you approach it.


Our new BMW dealer is on 16th street just east of Kessler.  http://rfalconepowersports.com/Default.asp


I have my name in the hat for a free ticket to practice on Saturday, here at work.  That is the only plans I have.
I'm glad you guys are making it!


The State Fair Grounds

Here is a map that shows the location of the fairgrounds.
From the east side, take I70 west to the Keystone Ave. exit.  At the bottom of the ramp, Keystone goes north, and Rural St. goes south.  You want to turn north.  go north to 38th St., and turn left (west).  Get in the right lane.  Cross Fall Creek, and turn right onto Fall Creek Blvd.  Get in the left lane, as the main entrance to the fair grounds will be on your left.

This can be a very dangerous neighborhood, everywhere between the interstate and the fairgrounds.  Be aware, especially if you are leaving after dark.  No doubt there will be a conspicuous police presence.

[msbuck]

Thanks for the tips, Rob.  I had done the Google map thing to find locations, driving, etc but it's nice to know the little extras.  You know, neighborhood characteristics, alternate routes, construction work.   Hadn't even thought about the local dealer.  That may be worth checking out as well (I've found a cache or two that might even make our schedule.)

You know they are selling single entry tickets for Friday and Saturday, right?  Pretty reasonable prices, too.  I think $10 for Friday, $20 for Saturday.  So if you don't win the drawing, maybe you can make it for the day anyway!  I'll keep an eye out for you, just in case.  We hope/plan to park in the infield at this point and wander around infield at least for the first couple of days.  That way we can figure out the best spots to be for the race.  Looks like Indy is really gearing up for all us gearheads with lots of activities all around the city.  One more day and we're on our way!!!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Well, I am going out to the track on Saturday for practice and qualifying, courtesy of my employer, Veolia Water, NA.
Two tickets for the Veolia suite, 10am-5pm, lunch included!

I am taking my nephew with me.  He has a functional Suzuki 750 of the GSXr variation - year unknown.  He is quite excited!

I have Aida's phone number, so maybe we will meet up out there Saturday.  We might still get together after the race on Sunday, as their motel is just a few miles from my house.

[msbuck]

Yea Rob!  We've made it as far as Richmond, IN tonight.  Headed to the track in the morning.  Congrats on scoring the tickets to the suite!  How "suite" it is!!!    Have fun and maybe we'll run into you - only if you leave the comfort of that nice viewing area to join the peons out in the grandstands (or most likely the infield.)

Looking forward to meeting up on Sunday as well.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

They moto-scenery on the streets of Indianapolis certainly has livened up, lately!  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Well I wake up today, and as I am getting ready for work, the phone rings.  It is my landlord, Jimbo, who works for the local big-time rock station.  He wants to know if I want his weekend passes, including to the race!

Well, duh...

My nephew said it was no problem for him, he could open up Sunday, as well!
In fact Mitch made the comment that he hoped it would continue raining, because he wanted to see them race in the rain!  (he is young and crazy, you know.  I am older and my crazyness has tempered somewhat).


So Aïda & Graham, look for me on Sunday, at the track, as well!

[Melena]

Great Rob!    [smiley=thumbsup.gif]   How cool!   8-)

We want a good commentary on these races next week!  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Seeing a lot of bikes in town, and the ratio of sport bikes to cruiser bikes has flip-flopped!

I felt sorry for the folks I saw on my way to work this afternoon, though.  The rain was coming down hard.  Hard enough that I had trouble seeing, and I was in my car!

Melena, look to Aïda for that race report.  She is REALLY pumped about this stuff!!!  I talked to her and Graham on the phone last night at their hotel.  It was good to talk to them again!

I will tell you about what happens to me!  [smiley=Norton.gif]

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

O.K., I went out on Saturday for practice and qualifying.  It was perfect weather, if a little warm.  There was a good pre-hurricane breeze, though.

We saw fast, loud bikes having fun on a nice, big track - everyone going the same direction with no cross traffic... I may just give up street riding and move to the track!

but I really didn't have that much fun, and I told my nephew that he could have both tickets for Sunday's race.  He was thrilled.  I was thrilled that I wouldn't be going back out there.  I really don't care for big places full of people.
As it was, I missed out on a monsoon, as was reported elsewhere, with the MotoGP race being red-flagged just a few laps from the end.


Sunday evening I met Aïda and Graham for dinner.  Afterwards we hunted down a geocache hiding outside the restaurant, and then headed over to their hotel, where we hung out in the lobby in some comfy chairs and had a good time visiting and logging our "finds" on the geocaching site!  It appears that they had a great 5 days of Indy Moto GP, despite the rain.

[msbuck]

We made it home late last night after a LONG days ride.  We saw lots of downed power lines, trees down all the way through Ohio.  It's hard to believe those motorcycles actually RACED as the remnants of Hurricane Ike hit the track.  If they had tried to schedule it for the peak of the hurricane weather, they couldn't have done a better job!  It almost blew us away off the top of the spectator mounds we were attempting to view the race from.  They were racing in 40mph sustained winds with 60 mph gusts and rain!!!  

We really had a fantastic full four days at the race track!!!    I got to ask Valentino Rossi a question during the Q&A session on Thursday and did the pitwalk to see the inner workings of the race teams. Thursday evening we watched James Toseland give a concert with members of the Symphony.  He can really tickle the keys of a piano.  It was all so amazing!  Then we had rain on Friday for the practice sessions, but it was fun nevertheless.  We explored lots of the track to find out just where to hang out for the races.  Saturday brought sunshine and some greatly raised speeds for the bikes on track.  I'm glad there was at least one day that was great for the bikes on the track to see what they could really do.  Then of course on Sunday, the hurricane came through just in time for the MotoGP race.  It was a real adventure!

Dinner with Rob on Sunday evening was a wonderful end to a fabulous trip.  We had a nice long visit before we turned in to get rested up for the long trek back to NC.

I'm back in the dark ages with my camera and have to take the FILM in to be developed before I can post any pictures...  

[Justin B.]

Film?