Just a reminder: I'm blogging all the action from this week's event over at the TrialsUSGP site, not here.

I've got quite a few new posts on the TrialsUSGP blog.

• Press release
• Last day to order tickets online
• Schedule/timetable of events
• World competition update
• Comments enabled; email alerts and RSS feed options available
• Directions and Contact Us pages added
• Video preview of Sections 6, 9, 11
• Video preview of Sections 3, 4, 5
• Video preview of Sections 1 and 2
• Photos: sections preview
• Section prep update
• Promo in American Motorcyclist magazine
• Wagner Cup flyer
• Site map

I'll be arriving at the TTC one week from today but 99% of all my blogging will occur on the TrialsUSGP blog, not here.

Dan and I wrote and submitted this article on the Trials Training Days Mototrial to miscellaneous motorcycle pubs. If and when the article gets published, we'll link to it.

The Trials Training Center (TTC) in Sequatchie, TN held its annual Trials Training Days weekend on March 29-30, and this year it featured a MotoTrial after the instructional sessions concluded on Saturday.

A MotoTrial is an endurocross on steroids, a race over a course of trials obstacles. Unlike a trials competition, no points are deducted for dabbing one's feet for balance.

TTC's Dan Brown and colleagues laid out the race course on the rocky creek and hillside adacent to the cabins, site of Section 15 from the 2006 World Round. Brown allowed the riders an hour of practice at noon, but afternoon rain prompted him to make some last-minute adjustments prior to the 5 pm start, as muddy rocks made parts of the course too difficult for a race.

Two initial preliminary heats of one lap were held, four riders in each heat, with the winners, six-time national trials champion Ryan Young and current national #4 Will Ibsen, advancing to the final. A last-chance heat of the four remaining riders from the first round was held, with the top two riders, Ronnie Commo and Mike Helstrom, advancing to the two-lap final.

Ibsen got out to an early lead in the first lap, with Young close behind. Helstrom got stuck midway up the rocky hillclimb and was still there by the time Ibsen and Young came around on the final lap. They both got hung up trying to go around him and after a 30-second stuggle, Ibsen peeled off to take a lower, longer line around the top of the hill, while Young pushed on over the top.

Ibsen emerged in front of Young by a few yards on the steep downhill and had to make a choice of an inside or outside line through the hairpin turn at the bottom. He chose the faster outside line, knowing that if he didn't execute it perfectly, Young would likely pass him on the inside.

He misjudged his speed into the turn, wiped out, and Young cruised by for an easy 100 yards to the finish line and the $500 winning purse. Ibsen took home $300 for second, and Commo $100 for third.

1. Eventual winner Ryan Young, smiling his way to victory in his preliminary heat.
2. Mike Helstrom about to slam into Alex Bedley in their preliminary heat.
3. Alex Bedley and Andrew Blane looking for an alternate route around a downed Karl Davis in their preliminary heat.
4. Lap one of the final at the bottom of the hillclimb: Will Ibsen leads Ronnie Commo, Ryan Young, and Mike Helstrom.

5. Mike Helstom, down for the duration on lap one of the final.
6. Ryan Young and Will Ibsen struggle past Mike Helstrom on lap two of the final.
7. Will Ibsen crashes on the downhill hairpin turn as Ryan Young cruises by.
8. 1st place finisher Ryan Young with TTC's Dan Brown, Mototrial organizer.

In order of appearance above: Karl Davis, Jr., Clark Myers, Ronnie Commo, Eric Storz.

Click play to watch. 50 seconds.

Left: TTC head honcho Dan Brown, grandson Joey, and Joey's uncle Dan Brown, Jr.
Center: Joey and Grandpa Dan in one of the upcoming World Round sections
Right: Dan Brown, yelling for Catherine. Click play to listen.

As I reviewed my photos from the Trials Training Days (TTD) weekend, I was struck by the number of photos I had of instructors using hand gestures to illustrate the finer points of trials riding. So I've placed 18 of them in one album/slideshow:

In order of appearance: Charlie Roberts, Ryan Young, Alex Bedley, Andrew Blane, Mike Helstrom, Karl Davis Jr., Neil Storz, Jim Zuroske, and Dan Brown.

In between coaching sessions on Saturday, instructors Andrew Blane and Nathan Glinski demonstrated their balancing skills.

Click play to watch. 34 seconds.

TTC instructor Alex Bedley led sessions on camber turns and hills today, Day Two of Trials Training Days. See the album of photos or this slideshow:

See the album of photos from this afternoon's TTD session with Ryan Young, or this slideshow:

Click play to watch. 4 minutes

See the album of photos from this morning's TTD sessions with Andrew Blane, or this slideshow:

Click play to watch. 5 minutes 40 seconds

See the photo album of today's Mototrial or this slideshow:

1st place: Ryan Young
2nd place: Will Ibsen
3rd place: Ron Commo

See the photo album of miscellaneous people at Trials Training Days today or this slideshow

  

Left: Catherine Bedley, extracting money
Left center: Ryan Young (left) observing last minute session sign-up
Center, right center: Dan Brown, preaching
Right: Brad Baumert, disciplining somebody

I took a  couple dozens photos and a few minutes of video of the TTC's resident pro/coach, Andrew Blane, this morning, working out on the logs and rocks in the practice area. See the photo album or this slideshow:

Left: 2006 GasGas 280 $4300.00
Left center: 2007 GasGas 250 $5000.00
Right center: 2006 GasGas 300 $4500.00
Right: 2006 GasGas 280 $4500.00

There will also be some minder bikes for sale after the World Round in April... new bikes, used only by the minders.