 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Big Bird Speaks
Will Pattison Interview
How did you get the cool nickname "Big Bird"?
I have to thank Skip Gove for that one. Several years ago, I was reading up on technique, and the article kept stressing how important it was to "shake hands with the grip", and "keep your elbows up". I took it to heart- kind of exaggerating it to make myself do it. So, along with better control and less fatigue, I developed this wings-out riding style that earned me the moniker. People say that even if I weren't wearing the now (in)famous orange helmet that they would still recognize me at a quarter mile by my riding stance.
What is your routine the week before a race?
<laughter> Well, if you ask my wife, she'll probably say that on Wednesday I start zoning out- getting that thousand-yard trophy stare. Apparently, the race-face doesn't go away until sometime Sunday evening. From my point of view, my routine is all about preparation of my equipment. I don't want to deal with bike or gear problems at the track, so I spend a lot of time wrenching, cleaning, inspecting, and packing all of it. Hopefully I'm done by Friday night, and I can get some sleep. I also start hydrating on Wednesday, so that by Friday I am up to about a gallon of Gatorade a day.
What kind of training do you do, if any?
I ride- a lot. I once calculated that
I ride about 1.5 times per week, on average. I also try to generally eat right.
You know, stay away from fast food and other junk.
What do you eat the night before a race?
Something healthy, but beyond that I don't have a particular ritual. There are different schools of thought about whether you should load carbs or protein, so I just eat something I like that's got lots of one or the other and don't worry about it.
What do you think about during the race?
On a good day, I don't think about anything but what's going on within my line of sight. I used to let my mind wander, and eventually pain, or some other negative thought, would creep in. I finally realized that there's truth to the idea of "being in the zone", and I've tried to train my mind to be nowhere else during a race. I try to focus on the minutia of each motion, each corner, each jump, until I become a machine. Now, remember, I said "on a good day"...
What is your favorite TCCRA track and why?
Ha! That's easy...any track that has no dust and no mud, like Bonita in '99. I also liked Bonita because the promoter put in a few jumps. Unlike a lot of cross country riders, I like air time. The truth is though, I have fun at all of them. There is only one track I can think of that I hope to never go back to again, and I think everyone knows which one I mean...
What it the best place you have ever ridden and why?
Man, there's too many to name. Somehow, I manage to think that wherever I'm riding today is my favorite. It's rare that conditions will cause me to pack up early, or not ride at all.
What states have you ridden/raced in?
Mostly New Mexico and Texas, but I've been on some outstanding trail rides in
Kentucky and Mexico. I even managed to ride a little when I was living in
South America as a scraggly college student on co-op.
When did you start motorcycle racing?
When I was 17- I rode an enduro on an '82 husky. My gear was fly, too! Wrangler jeans, a blue sweatshirt, and cowboy boots made me the envy of every spode in the pits!
What racing series have you participated in?
Let's see...New Mexico Desert Racing
Association, High Plains Enduro Circuit, and of course, the TCCRA.
What was the first motorcycle you ever owned?
It was a Honda mini-trail 50 with about 37 colors of paint on the gas tank and a pair of full size Bultaco handlebars to top it off. I was 4 or 5, I guess, and I would tear around my parents farm on that thing. It didn't always run right, though, and a few times I found myself in the middle of nowhere with a mini-bike that wouldn't start. I'd cry and kick until I was blue in the face! Eventually someone would come find me, or I'd get it running. I learned something from all that, I'm just not sure what!
Talk about your first TCCRA race…
Rocky Ridge, 1994. What a slop-fest! I was riding an '89 WR 250 that I absolutely hated, but it was all I could afford at the time. I was in grad school, and my '93 kx250 had gotten stolen. I remember that race because it was the first time I met Mike and Susie Boyer. It was cold, wet, and nasty, and Susie fed me chili. Along with that, I got 2nd in the 250 intermediate class, so I guess it was a pretty good weekend.
What do you like most about TCCRA or cross country racing in general?
I love racing in a series. I think a year of competition really tells the story of what kind of racer you are, and the TCCRA provides the perfect playground for other wackos who think like me!
What do you like least about TCCRA or cross country racing in general?
Resistance to change. We have a great club, but there are some things we could do to put the last 20% of finesse on our operations that would put us over the top. I get chaffed when I hear somebody declare that something that might improve the organization is too complicated or too much work. Once that's been said, they usually won't consider it again, and that's just not the attitude of a racer, in my book.
What was your best TCCRA race ever?
Probably Bonita, this year. I washed my bike right before the flag, and I guess it sucked some water through the filter. I got a decent start, but about 1/4 mile into the first lap, it quit on me. I had hell getting it started- you know what a grumpy YZ 400 can be like- and by the time I got going, I was several minutes down. I raced harder than I think I ever have, and I ended up 3rd for the day. I proved to myself that I could charge for 2 hours, and in the long run, that means more than a win.
Who's your favorite motorcycle racer of all time?
Doug Henry- that's why I chose V19 as my number for my first season in the 4-stroke expert class. Doug personifies grit and determination, but he's also a gracious champion and sportsman. He never complained, and he never quit. I respect that. I also respect that he was willing to take on the challenge of racing an unproven motorcycle in front of a fickle audience. I can only hope to have that kind of sack.
Do you like racing in the morning or afternoon, and why.
Oh, morning, definitely. It's more likely to be cool, you might have moisture from dew, and late, low angle sunshine doesn't kill your visibility the way it can on a fall afternoon.
Who is your closest competitor/biggest rival, and why?
Our class is tough, because we have several guys who can win on any given day. Shannon Butler has obviously been 'da man in the 4 stroke expert class, so he's wearing a bullseye, but you can't count out Cody Harris or Marty Cathey. Marty especially is experienced and consistent, which he proved this year by winning the championship. They are all great competitors, and I know we have some new blood coming into the class, but I guess that if there's a guy in front of me, then he's my biggest rival at that moment.
What do you see as the benefits of electronic scoring?
Well, for once I'll be able to tell how far behind
I actually finished! Whole minute lap times just don't make any sense- I could be 1 minute faster than you on the score sheet, but really only come in 2 seconds ahead, or 1:59 seconds for that matter.
If I want to know how I really stack up, whole minutes just aren't valid.
I feel like that transfers to bumping riders up or down as well.
Electronic scoring should fix that, as well as make it possible for some other innovations.
We could potentially have an electronic checkpoint, or maybe more than one.
Wouldn't it be cool if we had hidden electronic checks? I don't think there would be much cheating going on, that's for sure!
Who knows, it might even be possible to rig an electronic system that tags you if you jump the start.
I think we have to open our minds to all the possibilities if we are going to get our money's worth.
What are your racing plans for 2000?
Well, I broke my wrist in '99 under what I consider freakish circumstances- I didn't even crash. All other things being equal, I would have won the jacket this year, so in a way I guess I feel robbed. I'll be trying to make up for it next year...
Thank you Will, and watch this space for more interviews soon!
