Moment with Mike: R/C vs Fishing

 

People are always comparing R/C racing to offroad truck racing, Formula 1, baja, and so on. I have decided that R/C racing is related to these various forms of motorsports, but not nearly as much as it is related to none other than bass fishing.

 

When going bass fishing you prepare all of your gear with fresh line, sharp hooks, clean tacklebox, and your favorite pair of hickabilly overalls. You get to the lake so anxious to cast out on the water that you hurry around dropping your box, stepping on the reels, and forgetting your sunscreen. You climb in the boat and head off on the water to find that perfect spot where the big bass hide. As you approach that perfect fishing hole you get butterflies in your stomach and speed up to get there faster. In turn you end up making a big splash on the way in, scaring off the big fish, but you cast out anyways. After a half an hour of nothing you reel in only to get snagged on an underwater tree, which breaks your line. Thinking you saw a big fish just a few feet away you quickly fix your line, tie on a new lure, and cast back out. Suddenly, BOOM! A fish takes the bait and you reel in like crazy. As the fish comes to the surface you realize that you have caught a small bluegill as opposed to the trophy bass. Your fishing alone, so you figure that you will just tell your friends that a giant bass is what broke your line, and that you were using bluegill as bait for the monster. Unfortunately there is a wildlife photographer in the nearby woods who takes pictures of the whole incident and posts them to your Facebook revealing the truth.

 

Now how does this compare to R/C you ask?

 

When going R/C racing you prepare your cars with fresh diffs, shock oil, clean car, and your favorite crusty R/C shirt. You get to the track so anxious to throw your car out that you hurry around dropping your parts box, stepping on your car, and forgetting your radio. You climb up on the driver's stand for your race and are looking for that perfect spot to take over the lead. As you approach the section your going to make your move you speed up to get there faster. In turn you end up overshooting the corner, flipping off the track, but you get back going and think you can win anyways. After a half an hour of a 45 minute main running you try a bogus move to quad the front rythm section and break an a-arm. Thinking you saw the other 8 guys ahead of you crash and flame out your pit guy changes the a-arm, fills your tank, and your back on the track. Suddenly, BOOM! The tone sounds and you drive like crazy to cross the finish line. As you cross the line you realize that you have just finished 9th out of 10 only because one guy DNF'ed. Your racing at a far away track, so you figure that you will just tell your friends back home that you led the entire race but a turn marshall stepped on your car causing it to break, and those guys had nothing for you. Unfortunately your entire local track is at a nearby computer and watching the whole thing go down as it happens on LiveRC.com.

 

Have I experienced both of these situations in real life? Yes...yes I have.

 

 

blog comments powered by Disqus