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Jean Laughton

@countrypolitan

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MY RANCHING LIFE 2002-2022. My Pony & camera as time machine on the South Dakota prairie. Plus Badlands National Park & it’s wild inhabitants.

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"CHARRO" (32" x 48") has found a new home with photographer extraordinaire Jean Laughton @countrypolitan ❤️🐴🌵✨© Victory Tischler-Blue

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Guard dog on duty.
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thank you for your friendship and the photo @countrypolitan .
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#ironwoodracing #redwingheritage #redwingheritagewomen #eastsidemotobabes #harleydavidson #aermacchi #landspeedracing #elmirage #scta #smokeyismycopilot #triplenickel555

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Conclusion to Race Report, Part 5 - Round 2, SCTA El Mirage, June 11, 2017 (9 photos, 1 Video)
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(cont from Pt 4) The start felt better, but still didn’t pull away as quickly from the line as I’d like. Once the bike got going, it pulled, and the revvs climbed up to 7,500. I didn't stay in 2nd long, and when I switched to 3rd it bogged, and took effort to climb back up. When we finally got up to speed, I wasn't sure if there’d be enough room to shift to 4th. So I tucked in, got as small as possible, pinned it, and hoped we’d squeak in above the record.
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In retrospect, I wish I had shifted to 4th. It was only my 3rd run (ever!) and it was hard to tell how far away the timing lights were, but it felt like we were in it for a while. The needles on the original speedometer and tachometer bounce around so aren't the most accurate and while I’m bouncing around trying to hold on, I'm also averaging the bouncing needles to figure out how fast we’re going. Not the best conditions for racing and accuracy, but we're out here doing it so it can't be that bad! When we finally went through, it was only at 7,000rpm and knew it was at around 82mph.
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Pulling around to the return road there weren’t any cheers of congratulations, so I figured we missed it. Now I know that bittersweet feeling of adrenalin and excitement that’s missing something because you missed the target. The red truck approached and the girls knew it too and it seemed like they anticipated my disappointment. So instead I focused on how far we’ve come and how close we are and feel the pride and accomplishment in that. The timing slip confirmed the speed of 81.577mph, only 1.424mph off the record.
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I was hoping to get in a 2nd run, but we were on a wind hold for a while so things weren’t looking good. With a flight to Paris at 8:30pm, I decided to pack up, and get a head start on the transition from race weekend to international travel. Later I found out the winds prevented finishing the 1st round.
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Fast-forward three weeks and the July Meet, July 16, 2017.
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Photos: Corinne Hall, Dani Foley, Jean Laughton
Bike: 1967 Harley-Davidson (Aermacchi) 250 Sprint
Class: M-PG 250

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Race Report, Part 4 - Round 2, SCTA El Mirage, June 11, 2017 (9 photos, 1 video)
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(cont from Pt 3) Run 1: Sunday morning sneaks up quick, and before you know it, its time to load up and get in line. The weather forecast of heavy winds kept a lot of racers away, so the lines were short. By 8:30am we had reached the front of the line. With all the great help around me, I was pretty calm and all I needed to do was start up the bike, pull up, and wait for the sign that the course was mine. The bike was not as easy to start with the new carburetor, and the cold night must have also gotten into the engine because the bike just did not want to fire up, and suddenly it felt like all eyes were on me. Luckily my friend Scott Toepfer saw me struggling and offered to help. Scott has a few really cool and temperamental bikes, so after a few swift kicks, the bike roared to life. I love that sound.
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There’s nothing like pulling up to the starting line, staring down the track with the thump of your heart in synch with the thump of the engine beneath you. When the Starter walks over and with a pat puts their hand on your back, whispers in your ear, and walks out in front of you, you know what’s next. Without breaking eye contact comes the signal to put your shield down. It takes everything to keep calm and focused, but the revving rhythm helps. With a beat, the Starter points at you with both fingers, and backs to the side to make room for you to pass, and in another beat the points pivot to point down the track. You’re on! It’s your turn!
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With a deep breath, carefully shifting the bike into 1st gear, adding a bit of throttle while smoothly releasing the clutch (which is now no longer heavy) the starting line begins to move away, and I take off. (cont in Pt 5).
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Photos: Corinne Hall, Dani Foley, Jean Laughton
Bike: 1967 Harley-Davidson (Aermacchi) 250 Sprint
Class: M-PG 250
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#landspeedracing #ironwoodracing #scta #elmirage #bellpowersports #alpinestars #deusemporium #lewisleathers #harleydavidson #aermacchi #redwingheritagewomen #redwingheritage #fordtruck #smokeyismycopilot

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Race Report, Part 2 - Round 2, SCTA El Mirage, June 11, 2017 (10 photos).
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(cont from pt 1) Once it was apart, it was a relief to see the evidence of wear, proving the necessity of replacement, so hopefully that would do the trick. I grabbed Smokey and hopped in the truck and drove over to Flanders Motorcycle Accessories, who had recently moved from Pasadena to Irwindale. It's a huge luxury to be able to just drive down to Flanders and have a face-to-face discussion with such an experienced and respected fabricator. After a chat about the parts and the fitting, a replacement was made while I waited, awesome, right?
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After a busy couple of weeks of prep on the Harley I was really exciting to get back to the lakebed. As soon as I leave El Mirage, I can't wait to get back.The goal was to drive out Friday afternoon in order to have some time for testing and wake up Saturday with that gorgeous sunrise. But I was also prepping to go to France for the Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz. Ducati France sponsored my friends and me three Scrambler Ducatis and preparing for this trip/project and squeezing in as many gigs as possible to afford it, was taking its toll because it required every moment of time to get all the pieces in place. However, by Saturday morning the truck was packed up and ready for the race weekend and the luggage was packed up for France for the Sunday evening flight to Paris. It was finally time to head back to El Mirage.
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Smokey and I made good time and just as we were pulling up, tech inspections were starting. Going through tech last month for our first time with the SCTA was nerve wracking, and this month I was excited but felt calmer because I had already been through it once. Everything was going fine until they got to the leathers, which was the last thing I was worried about. Alpinestars has been very…(cont in Part 3).
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Photos: Corinne Hall, Dani Foley, Jean Laughton
Bike: 1967 Harley Davidson (Aermacchi) 250 Sprint
Class: M-PG 250
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#landspeedracing #ironwoodracing #scta #elmirage #bellpowersports #alpinestars #deusemporium #lewisleathers #harleydavidson #aermacchi #redwingheritagewomen #redwingheritage #fordtruck #smokeyismycopilot

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Race Report, Part 1 - Round 2, SCTA El Mirage, June 11, 2017 (10 photos).
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Prep for round 2 went well. It was so gratifying to have time to go through the bike to fine tune. So often the list is too long and details don't get the attention they deserve.
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The most important change was converting the stock Dellorto 24mm carburetor for a Keihin 28mm, which was in my stash of unused parts acquired for the 160. Ralph ran the math and discovered that Keihin, which was smaller and lighter than the 32mm Dellorto (that I had purchased, cleaned, and rebuilt), doubled the air intake of the stock carburetor. It felt like the stars were aligning because while figuring out the parts to make the Keihin manifold we found scrap pipe with the perfect I.D. and radius. In a matter of hours the pieces were put together and would be ready for a test the next day. It was one of those great nights in the shop.
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There was also time to change the front sprocket from the stock 15 tooth to the new CRTT 14, replace the chain, and give all the parts in between a good scrubbing and fitting. With a 50-year-old bike, every new project requires several ours of cleaning, analyzing the parts for wear and tear, and learning the new assembly.
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These changes went so smoothly there was also time to sort out why the clutch actuation was so heavy. Adjusting, cleaning, and lubricating the cable was having no effect and the thought of dissecting the transmission, or starting to hunt down parts to swap out the clutch springs was distressing. A better alternative was to first take apart the clutch cable. Although for this Italian Harley, getting the clutch cable apart was a deal because there are lots of small parts that are interconnected and a few elements needed to be disassembled requiring time and patience. Once it was apart, it was a relief to see the evidence of wear, proving the necessity of replacement, so hopefully… (continued in Part 2).
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photos: Corinne Hall, Dani Foley
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#landspeedracing #ironwoodracing #scta #elmirage #bellpowersports #alpinestars #deusemporium #lewisleathers #harleydavidson #aermacchi #redwingheritagewomen #redwingheritage #fordtruck #smokeyismycopilot

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Good evening to our Instagram family! I have the pleasure of living my dream, life on a farm and watching the animals go about their days and the sun setting over the trees. It's really amazing and I am thankful to live like the cowgirl I always wanted to be! If you want to be inspired with some country and farm life, you have to check out @countrypolitan ! This photo is Jean's and her lifestyle gallery is awesome, seriously inspiring and amazing photography! You will find that most of her images are so captivating that you want to be in them, or frame them! 📸: @countrypolitan #farmhousestyle #farmhouse #farmhousedecor #cowgirl #rideemcowboy #countryliving #countrylife #country #yeehaw #yall #interiordesign #interiorinspiration #interiorstyling #interiør #interior #fleamarketstyle #cottagestyle #fixerupper #magnolia #onetofollow #vintage #bronco #wildwest #thankyouforbeingafriend #uphouse

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Dos bandidos del polvo del desierto de mojave
@Countrypolitan
@covecabin

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Incredible crew this wkd!
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Waiting to board my flight to Paris for Wheels & Waves and looking at pics from the last 24hrs. We sure can pack in the excitement and life is better when you get to share it! Thank you. 06/11/17.
#smokeyismycopilot .
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#Repost @lohdy
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Good mornin' California. We out here. @triplenickel555 go get 'em tiger! We're routing for you! May the Italian Harley do you right. Let the races begin!
#scta
#elmirage
#aermacchi
#harleydavidson
#landspeedracing
#ontheroadtospeed
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#redwingheritagewomen

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we been on a wind hold here at El Mirage for over an hour with 30 to 40 mile an hour winds, we haven't even completed round 1 so no doubt there won't be a round 2 so Smokey and I decided to cut our losses and pack up and head out and get a couple more hours prep for my flight to Paris tonight for Wheels & Waves. I was really hoping to be traveling with that record under my belt but if it was easy everyone would be doing it. Each run I learn so much. I can't wait for the July meet, it's so close I can taste it. Thanks so much to my supportive crew this month!
Full report on the way. 06/11/17.
#elmirage #scta #landspeedracing #ontheroadtospeed #ironwoodracing

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