Brian A. Hopkins
Dirt-Devils-R-Us
My Daughter Starts
Riding with the Big Boys
(CrossTimbers Riding Area, March
and April 2006)
Most folks know that I started my daughter Summer riding at a fairly early age. She was ten when I bought her a used Honda XR70. At first she wouldn't do any more than ride around and around the house. I'd encourage her to ride out into the field at the front of my acreage, but she complained that the field was "too bumpy." She liked the manicured lawn (if you've seen my grass, you'll recognize that for sarcasm). Eventually, though, she started ranging farther from the house. One day I went out and cut a trail through the woods for her. It was so dark and gloomy down through this trail -- all leaf-shadowed and loamy-moist -- that it kinda scared her. We dubbed that trail "The Dark Passage" -- hung a sign and everything. It wasn't long before the Dark Passage was part of the normal around-the-house and out-through-the-field circuit. We needed more trails. "The Rifleman's Route" was born (so named because while I was cutting the trail, I found an old BB gun that had belonged to my son), as was "Blood Alley" (so named because I ripped open my hand on an old strand of barbed wire while cutting the trail), and these were quickly supplanted by others, each hacked out of the brush by yours truly, braving the chiggers and poison ivy and killer rabbits.
Eventually, Summer outgrew the little 70, so we bought her a Suzuki DR-Z125. (She'll tell you that "outgrew" is a relative term , as she couldn't touch down very well on the 125 when we bought it. Even now, approaching age 13, she can't flatfoot the bike. Think of it as "growing room.") We progressed to more difficult trails, logs that I'd force her to practice jumping, and other riding exercises. With her eventually becoming a fairly accomplished little rider and with me finally having something suitable to accompany her offroad (trying to ride with her on my BMW was a sure fire way to get hurt!), it was time to introduce her to some serious riding. Naturally, I had help taking her out. You don't think my buddies are gonna miss out on the chance to roost a little dirt, do ya?
Summer's first time riding with the big boys. Left to right: Garrett, Rich, Chris, Danny, Summer, and me. (Photo courtesy of Chris Marlow.)
Tackling the "Grass Track" at Lake Draper's CrossTimbers offroad riding area. This thing is a blast. Three miles of wide open dirt track with lots of sweet elevation changes and tight turns. Good time to practice your flat-tracking skills. On some of the straights, you can manage 60 mph. By her second time riding it, I think even Summer was reaching about 40. (Photo courtesy of Chris Marlow.)
Danny and I taking a breather in the parking area. "Say cheeeeeeeeeeeeeese!" (Photo courtesy of Chris Marlow.)
Garrett: "Yeah, I could ride one of these big bad 125's if I wanted to." Pssssttttt, Garrett, buddy, peel off the "Girls Kick Ass Racing Team" sticker on the side of it first. LOL. (Photo courtesy of Chris Marlow.)
Summer crests a steep hill, while Garrett watches on. (Photo courtesy of Chris Marlow.)
And I'm not far behind. (Photo courtesy of Chris Marlow.)
The worst place to crash is right at the entrance gate where everyone in the parking lot can see ... even Mom, who happened to have the camera ready. (Photo courtesy of Betty Hopkins.)
Gotta teach her to pick up and kick start her own bike. (Photo courtesy of Betty Hopkins.)
Rolling again in short order. "Now where did those guys go?" (Photo courtesy of Betty Hopkins.)
Second time out. Left to right: Rich, Chris, Tim Mushman, Summer, me, and James Pratt. Danny was also there that day, but arrived after this group photo was taken. (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
Rich catching some air on his DR-Z125. (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
Love that dirty face! (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
Chris on his daughter's Yamaha XT225. Was this before or after you crashed it, Chris? LOL. Both Chris's daughter and his wife ride their own bikes, but they're a bit apprehensive about the trails at Lake Draper. We'll get them out there soon, though. (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
Summer, a foot or more in the air, with me close behind her (right where I always was, so that I could keep an eye on her and critique her riding skills). (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
Yours truly on the CRF230F. Whoever said man wasn't meant to fly never owned a dirtbike! (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
Danny on his XR650L. (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
And Tim wins the "Big Air Award" of the day. He's riding a CRF400, I believe. (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
But Summer gets the "Most Air for Being Just 12-Years-old Award." (Photo courtesy of James Pratt.)
She did great. She fell like 4 times on the tighter trails through the woods on her first trip out, which isn't bad at all when you consider the fact that I fell there twice on my first outing. Second trip, we took her on a trail much too difficult for her skill level, but she tackled it like a champ, never once complaining, even after many, many falls. This trail was 12 miles long with deep ditches, trees down across the trails, deep and loose sand, and so on. It took us over 2 hours to complete and totally whupped my tired old ass. Each time she crashed on this trail, Summer would simply pick herself up, brush off the dirt, shrug off the bruises, get back on her bike, and press on. That girl doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. I'm so proud of her.
Maybe we'll see you on the trails somewhere soon...
Brian A. Hopkins
at Road's End, Oklahoma City
21 April 2006