My Favorite Things

In “The Sound of Music” Julie Andrews sings of a few of her “favorite things,” like “bright paper packages tied up with strings,” and “snowflakes that fall on your nose and eyelashes.” If you don’t know what movie I’m talking about, go ask your mother. Okay, ask your grandmother. Anyway, I thought it would be nice to share a couple of my favorite things.

Motorcycles. Which is my favorite? I’m like a Golden Retriever on this one. You know what they are like. They love any person that happens to be petting them at the time. I’m the same. If I’m riding my WRF450, I am definitely in love with that bike. It does so many things well, like climb hills littered with 80s and 125s. That what those kids get for passing me. The happy button is pretty cool too. Ask your grandpa if he know what a happy button does.

My Honda CRF 250EX is wonderful as well. Awesome! It is so light and nimble! I’ve done enough mods to make it snappy as well. It’s a great MRAN racer, especially in the tight stuff. The 450 is good for the Alamo to Caliente stuff.

But if I happen to be on my XR 400 Honda, I love it too! I call it the “Lazy Boy,” because it’s like riding a recliner. Air cooled, soft seat, heavy and slow, mushy suspension, the works. But it is wonderful for just going out and having fun. And so dependable~. And you can kick start it! So, my favorite motorcycle is whatever one I’m on at the moment. As long as I’m on one, right?

Favorite place to ride. It has to be above my house at Lone Mountain, only because I can get there easily and ride there a lot. It’s familiar and comfortable, like old riding boots. I can ride washes, roads, single tracks, nasty hills, just about anything. But my absolute favorite section to ride? It’s a two-mile section above a wash that is a widened single track with tons of whoops. I don’t know why, but I can rip in that section! I can hit areas in third and fourth gears and skip over whoops and fly for a bit. For a few minutes I feel like Russell Pearson. Yeah, right!

Favorite MRAN racecourse? Man. That’s a tough one. Lately, I’d say the Caliente desert grand prix. That was a good mix of stuff, and the water crossings were a blast! I probably like it because I can still remember it.

Favorite MRAN race? This year, the SNDR Danny Hammel race. Bandit and I fought hard for miles before he left me behind on the first loop. Drat! It was a war of attrition as he broke his arm before finishing. (Not THAT arm, the prosthetic arm). I was happy just to finish that race. It was long and tough.

Favorite non MRAN race? Has to be Best in the Desert’s Vegas to Reno. Everyone should do that once in their life. Don’t take it lightly; it is one tough race. But there is nothing- absolutely nothing- that compares to finishing a race that long. What a sense of accomplishment! It is awesome to be on a team as well, enjoying the thrill of being part of a group that works together for the common goal.

Favorite time to ride? Anytime! Just this year I’ve ridden in rain, snow, sun, thunderstorms, cloudy and clear, temperatures from below freezing to 105 and more. As long as I’m riding, right? But my favorite time of day to ride is just at sunset at the end of a long ride. Out with my buddies, everybody rode hard, no injuries (well no major injuries), everyone’s bike is running good, and it’s time to head back to the trucks, as Mr. Sun is going to bed. The air is cooling, and everyone is feeling great. Everything, even the air, seems to be lightly airbrushed with a warm amber hue. Riding along, I can see my shadow long ahead of me, and shadows of my dust dance on the ground as well. Now the sun has just set behind us, and the opposite sky is a dark blue fading to fuchsia over the mountains. I can feel the sweat starting to cool on my back, and look forward to a fresh one from the cooler. The gang is cruising along on autopilot, feeling like the guys at the end of “On Any Sunday,” just playing around and heading back. Man, what a great time.

“When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad,

I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don’t feel so bad.”

You got that right, Julie.