Why do we ride?

I'm so god damn slow that I question why I keep doing it every time I climb on the bike.  But if I'm going to be bad at something, I might as well be bad at something I love doing.  

Yesterdays ride was a good one with a couple of my buddys that joined me. I could tell I hadnt ridden but once since October. I was at a two lap max on my 1/2 mile track before being out of breath and arm pump. lol. Worked my way up to 3 before we were done. Got about an hour and a half in. Dirt was perfect. Cant wait til next wednesday to do it again. 

Overall I love the challenge and technique and it drives my physical fitness in my retirement. In addition it helps treat my severe PTSD from 33 years of combat arms service and multiple deployments, there is something calming to my mind of the prep of my equipment, the prep of my gear, then getting ready to ride at the track. When I put on my helmet, gloves, i’m focused but when the goggles go on it’s like a switch and it’s just the bike, the track and me and the noise gets pushed to the back of my mind… i am on week 4 of sciatic hip leg pain and haven’t been able to ride and i’m going mental! 😂

I ride because it keeps me young! No better people in the world to hang out with that Moto brothers and sisters, and racing with my boys is the absolute best. 

Biggest question now is do I teach my granddaughter how to ride? Bought her a quad at 6 and all she wants to do is race me around the farm! 

I love the way riding a motorcycle feels. Nothing else satisfies that itch. While I ride 100% street now, I wish I had a farm or ranch so I could ride dirt straight outta the garage. I miss dirt biking, just not enough to commit to the necessary infrastructure to support that habit again. One day…

When I was 12, my parents were hanging out with friends, and their friends' kid had a 80cc Kawasaki dirt bike, and they lived on the edge of trails in Bonita, CA.  I believe this was before the KX was around.

The kid rode all the time so he wasn't interested in riding.  He just told me to go for it.

So, while everyone was hanging out inside, I got to figure out how to use a clutch.

After a few minutes of trying on the pavement, I pushed the bike to the dirt, gave it some gas, then let out the clutch, spinning the back tire a bit.

Once I was moving I got up to speed, and slid a bit around the first corner.  That very moment I was hooked!

I'm 62, and have been riding, and racing from time to time, ever since.

I've been off the bike for 2 1/2 years because an injury from being hit by a car 50 years ago finally caught up with me.

I'll have to have surgery to fix my neck, then I'll back.  I'm looking forward to racing the Vet and 2 Stroke nationals at Glen Helen.

🤣🤣 damn, you got there before I could 

I'm way too old (IMO) to race any more...and certainly not fast enough, but I do continue to ride because I love it almost more than anything, and (as it always has) it clears my head of the pressures of life. It's cheaper than therapy, and a helluva lot more fun! When I can't swing a leg over a dirt bike...I'll sadly stop, but until then...