DEBBI TAMIETTI’S 4TH OF JULY SOCAL PHOTO GALLERY

Photos by Debbi Tamietti

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If Glen Helen’s Mt. Saint Helen looks steep in this photo, just remember that this is only a photo of the second half of the climb—It is actually steeper in the bottom half.

There has never been a better time to be a 50-year-old motocross racer. As REM promoter Frank Thomason watches from below, the Over-50 Experts sweep through Talladega with Arizona’s Doug Goodman in the lead.

Ryan Surratt, son of 1987 125 West Supercross Champion “Wild Willy” Surratt, eats a little roost from the rear wheel of Bradley Taft, while the Yamaha crew cheers them both on.

Jon Ortner (10) force feeds South African Alan Jullien a diet rich in decomposed granite.

You’d think that a guy who has access to every 2016 motocross bike in MXA’s workshop would race one of those instead of a 2015 model—but Jody Weisel’s 350SXF has a 15,000 rpm works engine and WP Factory Services suspension. We can’t explain the yellow Husqvarna fork guards or the 1970s leather boots.

Zach Randolph (214) leaves a trail of roost on his way his way to what looks like 1st in the 250 Novices, but was really 10th. You gotta go very fast in SoCal to be a Novice.

Ryan Washburn (21) and Jeremy Macrae (19) play follow the leader through Glen Helen’s stadium section.

The pace should be pretty casual once a racer turns 60, but in SoCal every 60-year-old is a former “Saddleback Specialist,” who has been doing this since 1975. Bill Seifert (37) casually putts out of a Glen Helen berm.

The biggest class at REM Glen Helen is always the Over-50 Novices. Here, Alex Hill (817) lays down tracks on his way to a 7-4 day.

On the 4th of July, Robert Pocius (153) and Pete Vetrano (37) broke out their red, white and blue gear — although if we’re not mistaken Vetrano’s jersey has Italian writing on it.

Normally people go straight up the face of a jump, but this rider has elected to skate across the face while looking down to check his work.

Robert Reisinger is the engineer who developed the 6D helmet’s ODS system. Robert is also a former AMA National racer and Kawasaki test rider. Oh yeah, he is also a helicopter pilot and inventor of the Mountain Cycle San Andreas mountain bike. Plus, he’s nice to dogs and small children.