I love dirt bikes—mainly two strokes—and like hard technical riding, probably because I have a trials background. I’m not a big fan of the superfast, 6th gear pinned across the desert, racing. I prefer tight, nasty, technical racing and riding.

Dirt bike rider riding through a rock garden

My Dad got me started in 1989. I hit a stump and crashed my first try, and hit a barbed wire fence on my second try. I remember, after hitting the fence, my Dad made me get back on and ride for a little while longer. It ended up being a lot longer, but I think it instilled a “keep going” attitude in my riding—and life in general. I grew up riding trials and made the switch to dirt bikes in the last five years. One thing I love is getting to experience all the new places to ride. Dirt bikes have opened a whole new world of riding for me over trials bikes.

My absolute favorite place to ride is Moab, Utah. Growing up, we used to go there every fall to ride. The scenery, the massive sandstone slabs make it an epic place to ride.  So, for now, Moab is my favorite.  The cool thing about riding is always going to new places to ride. Ask me in a year, and this answer may change!

Dirt bike rider cresting a chalky hill climb

One Last Trip

My favorite memory of a ride I had was a trip my Dad, my brother, and I took to the Trials Training Center in the summer of 2011 for a national trials. Growing up, we had many riding trips with just the three of us, but what made this one so special was that it was our last. My brother and I were both in our thirties at this point, with families of our own, and my Dad would pass away the following February.  It was a classic bonsai trip: driving from Wyoming to Tennessee non-stop (except for our little detour to the Corvette plant in Kentucky). It reminded me so much of our riding trips when I was a teenager. My Dad didn’t compete in that event, my brother and I did, but that trip wasn’t really about how we did in that national. It was about one last trip.

A Man riding a min-bike in a field.

For the Memories

There are so many reasons why I love to ride. There is the freedom from life and all of our first world problems. Of course, there’s the feeling I get when I clean that obstacle, rail a turn perfect, or win a race.  But I have come to learn that the main reason I love to ride is the memories I make. I grew up traveling to cool places all over the country to ride, and now my family gets to enjoy those same experiences and make their own memories.

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