Chaos On The Strip, Story One
A. Challenger Enters The Ring.
The lights would have blinded me, if my eyes weren't already closed. It's time. Three months of actual work, and it all boils down to the next fifteen seconds. I've done this jump before, to the inch. We set it all up back on the ranch, we used these exact ramps... without the colorful candy coating. But that won't change anything. I'm sure. We even had the sensor in place for the volcano.
The music's hitting the second stanza. Reach up, wave, and gun it. Hold the wheelie for five... four... three... two... and merge with the ramp. Traction is good, even with the tampoed Mirage Casino logos. Hold it... seventy... ninety at the mark.
Why... is the bike lurching sideways? Gun it, two inches left, make up the speed or die. That's it. I'm flying. I'm low. Rear's off balance. Can't tell why, don't look. We're spinning. Nothing I can do. Not yet, at least, I'm parabolic. And I don't need to look back. I can hear the slapping sound. How the hell did I get a blowout like that? There were only a thousand miles on the tires. Not relevant. Okay. Coming upright.. and passing over the volcano. Still low. And to the right.
And the earth shakes and the heavens explode. Not the volcano, I was expecting that, the cloud of flames. No. I can see it. I can see everything, now, as I tumble. I can see a pathway through the flames. I just have to take the chance. I have to dare. Because everyone is watching. And hoping. And praying.
Feet up, on the seat. Crouch. Three. Two. NOW. And I jump off the bike. I reach for the heavens. I can do this. The bike spins below me. I tuck, and I dive. Pretend I'm skydiving. It's easy. Feet down, get ready, we're going to make the landing on the ramp. Make it look easy.
And I surf the metal path, laughing in ecstasy. I'm watching myself, I think. It's not me doing that. That was impossible. So it can't be me. But I know I could do it again. And that's the sound of the motorcycle impacting on the supports, isn't it? Yes, it has to be. The ramp's buckling. So... I should lean this way. And I do, and I tumble to the ground, free and clear.
That's Bud running towards me. I don't know what she's saying. That's funny. It doesn't even sound like english. But she's holding me up. Nonsense. I can hold myself up. And I can. And I do. Because there's one last task I have to accomplish. It's necessary. So I walk out to the center of the stands. Ten thousand people easy. Maybe more. Maybe a lot more. I don't care. It's everyone, and that's all that matters. And I pull my helmet off, and I look them all in the eye. And I give them the double-thumbs-up. And they roar. Because that's their job. And I couldn't have done this without them.
I wave, and I allow Bud to drag me off. You know, it's really starting to sting where I landed. Probably something to do with all that red stain down my leg.
But everything's going to be all right now. I know what I'm here for.
The lights would have blinded me, if my eyes weren't already closed. It's time. Three months of actual work, and it all boils down to the next fifteen seconds. I've done this jump before, to the inch. We set it all up back on the ranch, we used these exact ramps... without the colorful candy coating. But that won't change anything. I'm sure. We even had the sensor in place for the volcano.
The music's hitting the second stanza. Reach up, wave, and gun it. Hold the wheelie for five... four... three... two... and merge with the ramp. Traction is good, even with the tampoed Mirage Casino logos. Hold it... seventy... ninety at the mark.
Why... is the bike lurching sideways? Gun it, two inches left, make up the speed or die. That's it. I'm flying. I'm low. Rear's off balance. Can't tell why, don't look. We're spinning. Nothing I can do. Not yet, at least, I'm parabolic. And I don't need to look back. I can hear the slapping sound. How the hell did I get a blowout like that? There were only a thousand miles on the tires. Not relevant. Okay. Coming upright.. and passing over the volcano. Still low. And to the right.
And the earth shakes and the heavens explode. Not the volcano, I was expecting that, the cloud of flames. No. I can see it. I can see everything, now, as I tumble. I can see a pathway through the flames. I just have to take the chance. I have to dare. Because everyone is watching. And hoping. And praying.
Feet up, on the seat. Crouch. Three. Two. NOW. And I jump off the bike. I reach for the heavens. I can do this. The bike spins below me. I tuck, and I dive. Pretend I'm skydiving. It's easy. Feet down, get ready, we're going to make the landing on the ramp. Make it look easy.
And I surf the metal path, laughing in ecstasy. I'm watching myself, I think. It's not me doing that. That was impossible. So it can't be me. But I know I could do it again. And that's the sound of the motorcycle impacting on the supports, isn't it? Yes, it has to be. The ramp's buckling. So... I should lean this way. And I do, and I tumble to the ground, free and clear.
That's Bud running towards me. I don't know what she's saying. That's funny. It doesn't even sound like english. But she's holding me up. Nonsense. I can hold myself up. And I can. And I do. Because there's one last task I have to accomplish. It's necessary. So I walk out to the center of the stands. Ten thousand people easy. Maybe more. Maybe a lot more. I don't care. It's everyone, and that's all that matters. And I pull my helmet off, and I look them all in the eye. And I give them the double-thumbs-up. And they roar. Because that's their job. And I couldn't have done this without them.
I wave, and I allow Bud to drag me off. You know, it's really starting to sting where I landed. Probably something to do with all that red stain down my leg.
But everything's going to be all right now. I know what I'm here for.