I translate that

..as soon as possible. Like tomorrow on the way to Estonia.

Training camp :)

Finally I'm backing my car and going to practice on track again! When I was picking up my shirts for trip, it sounded; redline, fox, redline, fox, fox, don't have any other clothes anymore :) So I'm gonna start soon, first practice 3 days in Turku (Finland), then 6 days in Estonia/Latvia.

Otherthing that I have noticed is that everytime I fall, my put gets wider. I'm pretty sure about that, cos the same point in my thigh that I got bruised in Turku, is still kind of hard.. Okey, I have had problems with eating healthy.

What else. I got my internation licencecard from Finnish Cycling Union and sign-ups has opened for Worlds. So this is really happening. At the same time, I read that first time in history Indian child marriage is gonna be annualled. Guess that been first representative for Finland in World Champion, is not that big deal :)

P.S. Soon I can show you the jersey of Finland, which I have designed. Wouw!

BMX moms

In Chula Vista, I watched races with Tory Nyhaugs mom, Margit. With us there were also Cheryl Post (Alise Post's mom) and Sheryl Bradford (Joey Bradford's mom). I started to think what kind of parents they have been when their kids have grew-up.

In Usa there is not same kind of sport clubs as we have in northern Europe. When you go practice there is no-one coaching. Or those times once someone is coaching they are called clinics. And that's expensive joy. Often parents are coaching their kids. They push their kids to do more, pedal harder.

In Finland we have those "icehockey-dads" who are known by yelling their kids. Now I know that it's not only in icehockey. Some of those parents really go too far. I heard parents pushing their kids to become world champion in age of 5. They are telling them how much money they have used for BMX (quite often the kids haven't ask that). Everytime on track you hear someone yelling to their child. After losing race, parent pulling kid from helmet, is too much for me.

Other basic epistode are parents in restaurant. They are talking about whose kid didn't race fare. Whose kids are practicing well and whose kids are not gonna make it in future. At the same time kids are playing. They couldn't care less. They win or lose, they don't cry for it.

BMX moms told that they have talked about this. Their opinion is that most important thing is to let kids ride their bikes. Let them race BMX if it's fun for them, says Margit. Parents can support kids by buying a bike or taking them to track. Tory, Alise and Joye have been extremely self-motivated and push themselves. Their drive to be the best comes from within and the parents don't need to push them to be better. They have done it on their own. Some parents have not realized, they think they can force their kids to be great, however it doesn't work that way. If the the kid wants it, they will do it. If not, that's ok, just let the kid have fun riding their bike. That's not bad decision eather.

Quite often parents are working for their kids to get something they haven't ever even asked; championships or most expensive bikes. When kid have to pay it back, parents starts to get lose their temper. One parent admit that he has made his kid to do push-ups until kid throw-up, because kid had stop pedaling during race. He defend that, by telling that sometimes kids doesn't know when they can stop. My personal opinion is that kid would have learn it also by losing the race.

Pictures from new Olympic track in Chula Vista:

Jyp

Team from my home city just won national championship in icehockey. I have played hockey for 19 years, so I have to give them some respect. Good job Jyp! Tomorrow I start to practice seriously again, so I better go to sleep.

Me with headcoach of Jyp

Photo from local newspaper websites here

Some articles

In between

Week ago I came from California. After one week I'm heading to Baltic. In between I need to defuse my SoCal trip and arrange the second one.


Summary from SoCal has turn out to be pretty laborious. Anyway I want to count my budjet. I'll do it for myself but I hope someone else is able to get something out of it. In Cali people told me that it looked like that I was making notes all the time. Now, when I'm looking my notebook, I feel that I should have written so much more.

7-vuotias Hayden

I also have to read lots of UCI rules and special rules for Worlds. This is one of the situations when I see clearly the lack of experience in Finland. No-one really knows, so I have to find out everything by myself.

Anyway. These two weeks are supposed to be my time for rest. So today I had my home coming party. We had American style pancakes with Micky Mouse shape, Jellos (that's jelly) and some other American delicacies!

"Lay-off"

Wednesday is now history. Three days without cycling. I quess you will get used to that, but I can tell you the begin is tough! I think I could manitsh if I only needed to be without cycling, but the thing is that I'm supposed to not do any sports now. Today I went to walk. I just couldn't stop myself from running. Just a little I had to try. That was fun :)

Here it has been snowing all day. I have nothing more to say.

Weekend

In Jyväskylä, city where my parents live, weather is still cold. In the picture is the place just 30ft from our door. It's just to be playgroung but city took everything off. This is going to my practice place. Little track hopefully.. But it doesn't help now. I had to head to south..

It was really nice to take part to practice where was coaching. We did some sprints, manuals, bunny hop and swimming. What else human needs than good company and riding a bike :) After the practice, boys from capital city said: and tomorrow is Turku. Right away I answered that I can't.. I couldn't make any reasons why I wouldn't be able to go there so my car headed to south again. (Turku is 4,5h from my home)

At sunday for breakfast I had manuals. After that I went to track. I was able to do pretty good manuals. But suddenly I just lost it. I was falling down always when I tryed it. My friend Lauri said that I mix jump practice and manual, so my back wheel doesn't stay on ground. That was true! I find it again!!

We were more than 4 hours on track. On the way home I was so glad for this weekend that it started to hurt my stomach. For real. I haven't ever been that happy that it makes me feel bed :)

Jet lag

I gave up. Lieing on bed without getting sleep is anguish. I thought I handle jet lag with fighting thru couple first days. The thing is that I'm awake for days but I'm all at sea. Now I wake up in the middle of the night and have no chance to fall a sleep again.

Life in Finland has been little tacky. It was Thursday morning when I was at home. Same day I went to play icehockey with my old team Jyp. That just to be awake and not get bored. Got to say it was fun to play hockey. At Friday I didn't have anything to do. I went to downtown walk around. When I left a store I sayd to cashier: have a nice day. She gave me scowl for a big time. I remember that it's not normal to say that in Finland!

End of the day I put my RedLine together again. I think I have for get to tell that I give my bike name: ilmari. That is old finnish name which would translated as airy. That is good name for Flight series bike and it describes the goals what me and ilmari have.

For refreshing memories, some aerial photos from Whittier:

Helsinki Airport

Right now I'm at Helsinki Airport. I started my way from track at 5 p.m. (Los Angeles time) and I hopefully arrive to Jyväskylä (my parents home) at next day 8 p.m. That means 6 a.m. in Finland, so I have to be able to stay awake whole day. We'll see how that goes.

When I was waiting my flight in London I started to hear some finish. I put my headphones louder. I didn't want to hear any finish :) funny what notices what you make of yourself.

What is feeling right now? In Finland there is pharase: Cry comes after long joy (pretty hard to translate) but anyway it's true again. Whole journey was incredible. Little bit survivor feeling after struggle in first weeks. So much awesome experiences and wonderful new friends. BMX makes my heart pump harder again.

Better summary and travel tips later. Right now my head is brains doesn't really work.

I was thinking to keep 2 weeks recovery without riding my bike, but it has been hard already now, so I'm not gonna keep that :)

To Finland

Let's say it short: I'm late

Mike Redman

Finally I made it to Redman's house. If someone doesn't know who Mike Redman is you should google him, forexamble he is the voice on gate telling you riders ready...

Mike has little track on his back yard. There is also gate for 8 riders! I went to practice there. Got to tell you that he is doing good job!

Gate practice was much about feeling confortable when you are standing on gate. And then ofcourse the start, it has to be explosive. Timing, you don't want to hit the gate, you don't want to go over it, you just need to be on right time :)

Mike was truly a nice guy!

Something for parents too.. there was also trampoline etc :)

Last race

I was just about to go to sleep, when I remembered that I haven't update blog. Last days has been pretty much about running things while counting hours, soon I gonna be counting minutes!

Today I hardly was able to practice, because of stressing for things what I need to do before going home. Atleast I raced. It was basic Saturday night race at home track, so we decided to run it as pump-race; pedaling only 30 feet (10m) and after that only pumping. We had only 3 racer in my group, so two of us just pumped and one beginner raced normally.

First moto, I'm second. At the last straight the one in front just stopped pumping so I won! Second moto and awful gate for me. I'm last. Last turn and second one falls down, I go and take victory! Third moto. Good gate for me. The other one who is having pump-race is behind me. He is trying to pass several times from inside, but I block him out.

So I won! Even it was small race at home track it was fun. And I have been wondering is it ok to block otherones out. Now I know it's racing! And it's much more fun than everyone haing their own line to go :)

p.s. I changed brake pads to my Honda today, by myself :)

Comeback to Perris

It's quite common that songs end with same tone that they have started. That must be some circle of life. My trip started from Lake Perris track, and now after 2,5months that track has been closed it's open again. Got to say that track is amazingly good. There is not big jumps or anything like that. It's just nice to ride!

You have still couple days time to win Maris Stromberg's shirt by sendind me some idea of practice. I have got some good ones and I want more :)

Over thinking

Strider test track

Chula weekend left huge mess in my head. All learning what I had and amount of emotions what I went thru. At the same time I saw people who are dealing with bicycle all the time and it look like costing mostly pain in the ass. At the same time I remebered friend of mine telling me that in future I should concentrate to essential; cycling.

What is essential for me? Enjoy the life, was my first thought.

There is questions which I can't put in order: What I want to do in my life? My own development in BMX? To develope BMX in Finland? How can it be done? When is the best time to do it? I don't know what is right time to think each matter.

Monday I went to Disneyland to be able to not think about these things. Somehow atmosphere was relaxed there and answers came easily. There might have been some provocation in air for remembeing that most important thing is enjoying the life. As you know; it's the happiest place on the earth.


I want to get better in BMX. Now is really important time for my development; Worlds are coming and I have got much better on last weeks. But I don't want to leave homeland of BMX without having something to take with me. Here, in CA, is so much knowledge about racing. Beside all this: It doesn't matter how important cycling is, there is so many other things in life that I don't want to forget.

After following how bicycling takes over in life and it looks that biggest thing you get is stress. I was affraid that is that where I'm heading too. There is as many personalitys as there is persons, so I can't say that is anyone doing anything wrong. Atleast I hope that most of the people is looking for happiness and joy. I'm hoping that you all give a thought for what you are doing in your life. What makes you happy?

Looking for souvenirs. I happen to see my biceps. Got fright. Took my camera and took photo for you. Quite fanny afterwards :)

2. Day

Finally I'm home, at Whittier. It's night. I have to go to sleep. My head is full of staff what I have to think thru!

Second raceday was good. It was first time that I raced in my class; with 17-28 girls. Class is tuff. After little problems I make it to my first moto. (on sunday, some people goes only to second moto, so they can sleep longer, but for me this wasn't about going there to win. It was about learning, so I needed both motos)

First moto was stiff. I didn't even try. Second moto I got myself trying. I did my best, but I didn't make it to the main. I feel good anyhow. It's was first time that I wasn't affraid to try!

In future I need better gates and more pedaling! One pedal more makes huge difference!

Fire for racing got stronger again. I can't think about that, cos other wise I'm not able to get sleep :)

1. day

Sorry this took so long! I just wasn't able to find a time..
(long text = long day = learned a lot)

I arrived Chula in good time. Practice at day before were mostly waiting in line. Anyway, it was really important to get few laps there. Track in Chula Vista (I'm talking about small track) is really technical. By technical track people usually mean that you can't ride it fast if you are not able to manual, jump.. etc. Shape of obstacles are deep. It means that rider have to move a lot on the bike, other wise you will end up looking like riding a bull.

I had pre-sign for races. Still I wanted to check that everything is ok. I stod over 1 hour in line. It didn't matter, cos I had been told that my practice is at 11.00. I did warm up, streching and went to do bike check to start the practice.

Woman hardly gave a look to my bike and told it's ok, but look like a girl and girls practice was at 9.45! Well couple times I pretended to be a guy to get few laps, but decided that it's not gonna make any difference.

Race is starting, track is crowded, strider-race was awesome, huge fuss going on. I hardly was able to find my name from moto-sheets. Finally founded, I was in moto 114.

I'm waiting and hear that moto 79 is on track. I go down to the starting hill. Closer I go to the hill, more it's hurting on my stomach. Everything is huge mess. Number are told so fast that it starts to sound chinese.

Then I recognize one man from my moto, very same moment her wife says: You missed your moto!!!

I sit on my bike. What just happened? I was here. I almost cry. What a looser I am!

Next time. My second moto. I come when they call for moto 56. I try to get my number. It's chinese again.. Then I'm told to go up, cos they just called moto 115. I would have missed my moto again! Well, I'm at gate. *pipiippipiippipii* I'm freezed. I just let everyone go. I get them in first turn, but they are just stronger than I am. I don't make it to the main.

That round cost me 45 dollars. I would have nice day without racign, but I wouldn't get experience for the jumble and speed what the run motos with.

Important day. Needing a henchman for a Worlds! Anyone?

(photos are coming later, I left my camera to one woman)