- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
- 2
What is Dirtweek?
A big disappointment!
I spend 48 weeks planning for it, one week shopping for it, one week getting my bike ready and one-week packing for it. 51 weeks have passed since the last Dirtweek and I'm now out the door and on my way for this year's Dirtweek, it will be my first.
My plan was to give this guy in Dallas a call on my cell phone as I pull out of the drive, I've never met him but we are to meet on the highway and caravan up there. I've also made arrangements to pick up a girl from Plano in Denton, she is going to catch a ride with me and my daughter to Dirtweek. We make plans to leave her truck at another guy's house in Denton for the week. She's never met him but her instructions were to park her truck in the street and leave the keys. What are we thinking? Before I make it to Denton my RV has a blowout. I again call this guy from Dallas to let him know I won't be able to meet up with him, I don't want to hold him up and suggest that he go without me. I also call the girl from Plano and advice of my situation. I make my way to the nearest tire store but before I get the tire replaced there are two trucks full of motorcycles pulling in the lot to wait for me, it's the guy from Dallas. I pay for the tire and now the caravan is three vehicles strong. We head over to pickup the girl from Plano, patiently waiting for about an hour & a half at this guys house that's not home and she has never met. We make the bike transfer and load up all the gear & supplies. Toss the keys to her truck on the side of the house and head toward Oklahoma. Eight hours or so after leaving home the six of us, three vehicles, arrive and check in with the "Big Pubah," called Okie before setting up camp.
A couple more hours pass and I make my way around the camp area. Before I have a chance to even introduce myself they are already calling me by name. My guess is as I leave the 1st camp and they pass a note giving a heads up who's headed their direction. As night falls, I decide to turn in so I don't make a nuisance of myself among new friends. Everything is in order yet as my head hits the pillow my mind begins to wonder about tomorrow's events. What seems like a few minutes turns into a great night's sleep. I wake to find it's still dark outside, I am never in such a hurry back home to get up and go outside this early. As I make my way from the RV, I'm careful not to make too much noise as not to wake the others. Now is the perfect time to scope the place out. I head up the hill and am greeted by some guy name Frank. We spend a few minutes looking at the red dirt and making small talk before I figuring it's a safe time to unload bikes without fear of waking anyone up.
By the time I get my bike unloaded and the EZ-up situated in just the right spot everyone else must have been waiting for me to make the first move. The camping area began to come to life. People started slowly appearing and what were just a few campsites began to take shape of a small community. It was time for the first "riders meeting" and the official 2nd day of Dirtweek.
After the meeting, I gear up and make my way to the riding areas I kind of lost track of time for the rest of the week. The only thing I knew for sure was I got to ride when I wanted, where I wanted and with whom I wanted. I also remember eating like a king for a week. I got to meet a ton of people that I couldn't begin to remember who they all are but that didn't seem to make a big difference. There seemed to be this mentality among everyone there that suggested that "what's mine is yours" all you have to do is ask and don't be shy. I got to let my kid experience something that is unheard of these days, she got to run free without me having to worry whom she was with, where she was going, what she was doing, when she would be back and if she was all right. Everyone there watched out for everyone like one big family. I got to experience what it’s like to laugh and cry at the same time when someone showed what it's like to love someone the way it ought to be. I got to see the look on people's faces when they experienced for the first time that they could do something they never thought they could. I got to see people's faces when they experienced not being able to do what they have done a thousand times. I got to experience life to the fullest for the first time in a lifetime without a care in the world.
What is Dirtweek? The best that life has to offer! If they ever put the word "Dirtweek" in the dictionary the definition should say, "A successful attempt at the best humanity has to offer." "The harmony of all that is good." "The perfect balance of mind and spirit with a positive attitude." See http://www.dirtrider.net/teamdrn/showgallery.php?cat=519&thumb=1
The disappointment? The reality of coming down and having to wait 51 more weeks to do it again. Wouldn't it be nice if every week was Dirtweek? It's so much more than just riding a motorcycle!
A big disappointment!
I spend 48 weeks planning for it, one week shopping for it, one week getting my bike ready and one-week packing for it. 51 weeks have passed since the last Dirtweek and I'm now out the door and on my way for this year's Dirtweek, it will be my first.
My plan was to give this guy in Dallas a call on my cell phone as I pull out of the drive, I've never met him but we are to meet on the highway and caravan up there. I've also made arrangements to pick up a girl from Plano in Denton, she is going to catch a ride with me and my daughter to Dirtweek. We make plans to leave her truck at another guy's house in Denton for the week. She's never met him but her instructions were to park her truck in the street and leave the keys. What are we thinking? Before I make it to Denton my RV has a blowout. I again call this guy from Dallas to let him know I won't be able to meet up with him, I don't want to hold him up and suggest that he go without me. I also call the girl from Plano and advice of my situation. I make my way to the nearest tire store but before I get the tire replaced there are two trucks full of motorcycles pulling in the lot to wait for me, it's the guy from Dallas. I pay for the tire and now the caravan is three vehicles strong. We head over to pickup the girl from Plano, patiently waiting for about an hour & a half at this guys house that's not home and she has never met. We make the bike transfer and load up all the gear & supplies. Toss the keys to her truck on the side of the house and head toward Oklahoma. Eight hours or so after leaving home the six of us, three vehicles, arrive and check in with the "Big Pubah," called Okie before setting up camp.
A couple more hours pass and I make my way around the camp area. Before I have a chance to even introduce myself they are already calling me by name. My guess is as I leave the 1st camp and they pass a note giving a heads up who's headed their direction. As night falls, I decide to turn in so I don't make a nuisance of myself among new friends. Everything is in order yet as my head hits the pillow my mind begins to wonder about tomorrow's events. What seems like a few minutes turns into a great night's sleep. I wake to find it's still dark outside, I am never in such a hurry back home to get up and go outside this early. As I make my way from the RV, I'm careful not to make too much noise as not to wake the others. Now is the perfect time to scope the place out. I head up the hill and am greeted by some guy name Frank. We spend a few minutes looking at the red dirt and making small talk before I figuring it's a safe time to unload bikes without fear of waking anyone up.
By the time I get my bike unloaded and the EZ-up situated in just the right spot everyone else must have been waiting for me to make the first move. The camping area began to come to life. People started slowly appearing and what were just a few campsites began to take shape of a small community. It was time for the first "riders meeting" and the official 2nd day of Dirtweek.
After the meeting, I gear up and make my way to the riding areas I kind of lost track of time for the rest of the week. The only thing I knew for sure was I got to ride when I wanted, where I wanted and with whom I wanted. I also remember eating like a king for a week. I got to meet a ton of people that I couldn't begin to remember who they all are but that didn't seem to make a big difference. There seemed to be this mentality among everyone there that suggested that "what's mine is yours" all you have to do is ask and don't be shy. I got to let my kid experience something that is unheard of these days, she got to run free without me having to worry whom she was with, where she was going, what she was doing, when she would be back and if she was all right. Everyone there watched out for everyone like one big family. I got to experience what it’s like to laugh and cry at the same time when someone showed what it's like to love someone the way it ought to be. I got to see the look on people's faces when they experienced for the first time that they could do something they never thought they could. I got to see people's faces when they experienced not being able to do what they have done a thousand times. I got to experience life to the fullest for the first time in a lifetime without a care in the world.
What is Dirtweek? The best that life has to offer! If they ever put the word "Dirtweek" in the dictionary the definition should say, "A successful attempt at the best humanity has to offer." "The harmony of all that is good." "The perfect balance of mind and spirit with a positive attitude." See http://www.dirtrider.net/teamdrn/showgallery.php?cat=519&thumb=1
The disappointment? The reality of coming down and having to wait 51 more weeks to do it again. Wouldn't it be nice if every week was Dirtweek? It's so much more than just riding a motorcycle!
