How it all started....
Recently I was asked "what exactly happened in California?" To be honest, I'm not 100% sure myself. From a rapid whirlwind of bike builds, to truck builds, to planning a race with promotion, marketing, deliverables, expectations, failures and success, friends lost and friends found. I'm still amazed we were even able to pull it off. So many thanks go out to The Desert Race Pit Crew, the sponsors, the racers, the attendees, and Desert and Denim . We had a kick-ass race in the middle of the desert with a bunch of strangers, but by the end of it we were finding each other on facebook, instagram, you name it. We had all become friends. I prefer the "Original 61" that heard about what someone described as "just an idea" . Well those 61 heard about the idea because it is what was missing in all our lives. That adventure, that journey into the unknown all though from the surface it seem so familiar. I mean, who hasn't been to Joshua Tree? But when you don't know where exactly in JT, you start to develop this rush of an adventure afoot, a mystery that must be answered. So the 61 came and registered for a race, with no known public location, a questionable website, rare communication via email. I mean, come on, things looked uncertain. But they came any way from as far as France, because "just an idea" could be "just the beginning" of a great adventure. Even now, as I sit here reminiscing I don't even think they could tell you what the hell really happened that scorching, blistering hot race day. We can all agree something happened that day, something that doesn't happen often, but it was there, the missing special piece to our puzzle. The race for the little guy or gal. Not the pro pro with the big sponsors and flashy bikes, not to say that isn't deserved because it truly is, but the race for the people like us, the ones who dream about being able to ride like the pros. We wanted this to be for newbies, beginners, amateur, aspiring pros and retired pros from all forms of walks of life. Two weeks before if you would have asked me I couldn't have imagined the turn out. The group of 61 ranged from such a wide array of backgrounds it was pretty amazing. Just rad motorcycle enthusiasts you would be lucky to meet. The weekend warrior that wants to experience something with his son or daughter or that talented local racer that's willing to race even if there is no money involved. Those are the legends in our eyes. No money involved you say? Can you believe all of this and more was FREE?. yes. Like FREE FREE?. Yep, that kind of FREE. None of it would have been possible if it wasn't for the greatest sponsors anyone could ask for, we owe so much to
Crawford Denim & Vintage - TRIco - Return of the Cafe Racers - CROIG - WEBIG inc - Pipeburn - Silodrome - BIKEEXIF - See See Motor Coffee - Red Clouds Collective - SIDEBURN - Chop Cult - The Rebel Social - Abel Brown - Montucky - 2 Towns Cider - Two Stroke Coffee - Women Moto Exhibit - Grits co - ICON 1000
Hopefully we will get to work with many of you again. The Desert Race... "the idea"...was right. It was just right... It was special. So special that as soon as The Desert Race Pit Crew got home we wasted no time planning the next stop on The Desert Race trail.
Joshua Tree, CA June 2, 2018.
