As the 500cc Grand Prix season drew to a close, our European correspon-dent David Maltais visited the Mikkola family as they prepared for the final race in Luxembourg the following week-end. He recorded some reflections of Kaija, Heikki's beautiful wife of six years, on what it's like to be a motocross lady. Expecting her second child in December, Kaija cares for her five-year-old daughter Hanna in a living trailer near Beringen, Belgium.

“His machine has been good this year. In 55 motos it has not broken, no problems in the whole season. And he has only one time problem with elbow and also with foot when someone run over him”.

“Heikki is planning to go America this year for Trans-AMA, The money is good if you are in top three. After, not so good.”

“He is very happy now, only one

weekend and finish. Very long year. Every week need thinking sleep very early, eat very good. Sunday evening he drink a little beer or something. Sleep nine o'clock every evening.”

“I like America, yes, but not airplanes, I like more driving. I feeling airplane sometimes go down, I don't like that. When Heikki is flying to race I try not to think about it.”

“It's a great life, but some people think I very happy, every Sunday different country. After half year it becomes very long. Every year I have the same life. Nice life, you know? Every people not know it, all time not happy. Many people think I have every Sunday Germany, Italy, Spain. I like travel but I like also home.”