Edwards - probably chewing tobacco |
We all have those little new year's resolutions, right? Mine lasted all of about a half-hour. For years I've been using the ol' chewing tobacco and I figured this year I'd quit. Man, that lasted all of 30 minutes. To be fair to me, I've cut down a lot over the past few years. I used to be on a can a day, now I'm on a can every four days. I know it's something I need to get off of, but I'll probably give up the day I quit racing.
We had a fantastic Christmas. With two kids, I think Ol' Saint Nick had to do a U-turn after our house and head back to the North Pole to pick up some more presents. Gracie is nearly four, so she rips up the presents and goes on to the next one, but with this being Hayes's first Xmas he was more interested in playing with the boxes it all came in.
My present this year was awesome. I got a new YZ250F four-stroke motocross bike. I wasn't expecting it. It's a limited-edition one that they do in the States and Alyssia arranged it all herself. I walk into the living room on Christmas morning and I'm like, 'Man, what's that MX bike doing in my living room?' It reminded me of times many years ago when my dad would buy me a bike and that started me racing. It was cool. I've not had a chance to ride it yet, but those of you into off-road will know that it can do almost everything a 450 can.
I wonder if I'll give bikes to my kids as presents in the future? I hear TWO's Niall Mackenzie has with his boys and now they're racing. That's good, but I'm not sure Gracie is too bothered. Her bike currently has two flat tyres. One day Hayes will be begging me to get him a bike though, I'm sure. As a parent you're constantly amazed watching your kids grow up. Gracie loves hand-eye co-ordination sports. So we got her a set of golf clubs, for a left-hander, and a tennis racquet. I'm sure her hand-eye co-ordination is uncanny for a kid. She went on about coming to play golf with me so I took her, complete with a little right-handed club. We turned it over so she could use it and she was hitting the ball three times outta five. Better than I did when I took up golf at 17!
We've got some new stuff to test from Yamaha and Michelin so I'm really excited to get going. Race-wise, there's plenty of people out there good enough to win. It's going to be who's going good on the day and who's got the heat deep in their pants who's going to win! Believe me when I say the 800s are going to make things much more competitive and much closer.
My prediction as a dark-horse for 2007 is Hopper. Mind you, we all know Hopper is good, so maybe he's my tannish-horse, rather than an outright dark one. If he gets the bike he wants, then he could win races.
I just wanna say 'happy new year' to everyone who reads Two Wheels Only, as I realised today I've been speaking to y'all since the end of 2002. This could be the longest job I've had without being fired...
