Houston
By: Scott Cram

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

•  Teddy Roosevelt

A lot has changed in my life since San Diego . I have decided to go out on my own and not race for the team I was on anymore. Since leaving I have been riding better then I have ever ridden in my life! I guess I wasn't getting what I needed out of being on the team and they weren't getting what they wanted out of me as far as results go. I got confirmation after confirmation that I had made the right decision. Everything from my daily devotionals to the subjects pastors were talking about on the radio stations, they all confirmed that I was making a move in the right direction.

We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.

•  C. S. Lewis

So, it seems like I have turned back and started over on my own, beginning at Houston . As far as the race goes I went into it with a ton of confidence. I rode better, stronger, and longer at the practice track then I ever had a few weeks before Houston . That was the problem though. It started raining right after that weekend and I didn't get to ride at all the week leading up to Houston . It was probably a combination of not riding, sitting in a box van for two and a half days, and the track being really tight that my arms pumped up worse then I have ever had them pump up. I pretty much felt like Popeye the whole time I was on the track in my two practice sessions. There were two rhythm sections I didn't get down and I didn't even jump the triples, which I can now do in my sleep. I pretty much felt like if I would have gone for them and made a mistake my hands would have blown off the handlebars if I had come up short or over jumped them.

After practice my friend that I had hitched a ride out to Houston with was having the same problem with arm pump. He decided not to race, which made me think about not racing for a second. My forearms felt like they had a python wrapped around them squeezing them they were so tight. After thinking about it I just said “I didn't come all the way out here again to not race.” The year before I had gone out to Houston and I was unable to race due to a broken bike. So, I threw on my helmet and rode to the starting line by myself, no mechanic. On the starting line I knew I didn't have a shot at the night show, but racing is racing. So, I just had fun. I lined up on the way outside took off out of the gate good and then let everyone go after we hit the first corner. After that I just rode my own race and finished the heat race. My forearms actually loosened up a bit, but not enough to really push. I went back into the tunnel to get in line for the LCQ. This time I decided to try come off the gate better and see if I could get a head of some of the other riders. I came off the gate great and when I looked over it looked like I was right there with the other guys. But I decided to just go a few laps before pulling off and calling it a day. It was definitely frustrating to have so much confidence in my riding now and feeling really comfortable on the supercross tracks just to have something like arm pump hold me back. But this was the first time that I have raced supercross where I actually had a smile under my helmet the whole time I was on the track! A huge step forward mentally for me!

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

•  Hebrews 12:2

Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you yourself shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.

•  Phillips Brooks

There have been a few situations that have really held a black cloud over my head for the last few years. It's not anything that was in my control, but situations where I had to depend on people that weren't responsible with their actions, not to mention holding up their side of given duties. The week after getting back from Houston , those two black clouds were lifted from my life. One was a worked related situation and the other was the team situation. With both out of the way, I went to Racetown to practice on Friday for the first time riding that week. It had rained again most of the week after I got back from Houston . The biggest difference was that I feel completely different, I felt more care free. I had only been to the Racetown SX track a few times this year, but didn't do the whole track due to conditions. One day it was really windy and the second time I went out there it was super dry and slick. So, on this particular day I jumped everything on the track! This track is a little easier then the one I had been practicing on, but the landing to the triples were smaller and more peaked out making it more technical and easier to over jump or case. So, now that I am gaining momentum in both my life and riding I am hoping to go to Dallas, Seattle, and Vegas to ride to my full potential and hopefully qualify for the night events.

Pray hardest when it is hardest to pray.

-- Bishop Charles H. Brent

Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world. There are lots of nice things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it.

•  C. S. Lewis