by Andy Bowyer
One Industries Thursday Rev Up
Thursday, October 20, 2011 | 11:20 AM
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. So much has happened in the world of motorsports since the last time I put down some ink. “Put down some ink” is a term my grandfather used when he was sending hand written letters to my grandma while he was fighting the Germans in France during World War II. I think it’s sad how the true written word has lost its place in modern times. Hand written letters carried so much more, what with the penmanship of the author, the feel and smell of the stationary, and the whole concept of both traveling great distances to their intended recipients. Today we hear a ping at our laptops and click back to the inbox to discover an e-mail. The written word will always be the written word, but technology and the hyper tempo of modern times has tarnished it to an extent.
Such is the case with a lot of things.
It seems like we don’t take enough time to do things right and offer proper respect. I suppose one of the quintessential human flaws is that we allow efficiency to overrule substance. I think we all need to slow down a little, with everything we do, and give each obstacle the proper attention. I suppose this came to me this evening while I was celebrating my nephew’s second year on the earth with my family. Lincoln Dale Bowyer is the first person I’ve ever been able to watch grow from the first time he opened his eyes, through his first steps, and all the way till he held a hand on the throttle for the first time yesterday on his battery powered four-wheeler. It’s amazing how quickly babies grow and learn. Suffice to say the kid will be forever spoiled, but when I bought him his present today I made sure that he sat with me and watched me assemble it, put the bubbles into the “engine,” and attach the proper parts before we took it for a spin. Part of me wished I could have taken the damn thing out of the box and just let him tear off with it, but the process of doing it properly made it that much better when we were racing circles around his Mom’s car in the driveway.
Lincoln pushed “Tomater,” (which is a tow truck that has bubbles flowing from the side pipes to give the effect of exhaust) as fast as his tiny legs could manage, and my heart just swelled up. As he was running he had his head tilted to the side so he could watch his plastic truck “blowin’ smoke” as the bubbles poured out the pipes.
Life is such a miracle. It’s a gift we all take for granted as we push to go faster, jump higher, and win more frequently. We live in a world of competition. From Wall Street to the classroom to the supercross stadiums, life is competition. Survival (and prosperity) of the fittest is the theme we all live. We are so passionate about the highs of victory, yet devastated by failure and tragedy. All of us are guilty of overlooking what is most important in the wake of our competitive nature. I know I do it all the time.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Case in point, I drove home from Charlotte Motor Speedway last Saturday night disgusted that the race was boring, and my brother Clint didn’t perform well. It was all that was on my mind. The only solace was getting home in time to watch the Monster Energy Cup live on SPEED. And while Ryan Villopoto was able to pull off the inevitable and I was proud of the sport I love the most, I was still kind of left wishing for more. Maybe a high stakes take out, or somebody to challenge RV more.
Sunday was a lazy day that saw me go for a Harley ride and just kind of nomad around North Carolina. When I got bored with that I sat down to watch television and flipped to the Indy race in Las Vegas. I don’t watch Indy racing much at all but I was marveling at the speed the cars were racing at and tightened my focus at how close the cars were at 220 mph. I still thought, “Well, they aren’t even rubbin’ or anything so how exciting can this be?” Then came the tragedy that struck Dan Wheldon and his family. Upon hearing the news of his passing, an overwhelming lump of guilt tightened my throat.
Then came the news of the plane crash with Rick and Dan Huseman.
Such tragedy is familiar within the motocross community. All of us have lost someone dear to us while they were riding or racing their dirt bike. The consequences of our trade are perhaps the most severe in all of motorsports. Every time we throw a leg over we challenge the ultimate risk. Yet, we bicker and complain. We want our brothers and sisters to go faster, jump higher, and win more. That is our primary focus. And that’s perfectly fine. If we dwell on negative consequences we quicken their fruition.That said, the dreams and ambition behind all forms of competition are a very good thing. Life is too much of a painful mystery to dwell or be timid. Each human being only has so many granules of sand in their hourglass. The very best we can do is to do our very best with the time we are allowed.
But, be grateful and cherish every moment. Get your ass out of bed and greet the sunrise with your fists clenched and your heart in the right place. Take more time to enjoy the little miracles that surround us every day. And if you attend or compete in a sporting event or race, bow your head and close your eyes during the prayer. Do it for appreciation and gratitude of the moment. Moreover, take the time to do it right with everything you do. Give more substance and respect to every moment we are allowed to compete in the race of life.
Happy birthday, Lincoln Dale Bowyer. Godspeed Dan Wheldon, Rick and Jeff Huseman.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
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Nice article Andy, and a good message. As I get older, I can tell you ever time I go to the line, I try to just take a minute, close my eyes, and soak it all in.
Andy,
Great read!! I think we all take things for granted in our lives most of the time. I agree with you 100%! Let's just slow down, sit back and analyze our lives and things we do on a daily basis.
Godspeed DW77 and Rick and Jeff!
From one Moto junky to another. That was touching. Thank You. Seriously.
That was an awesome message. I have a 4 1/2 yr old daughter that I try to cherish every moment I can with. One day I'll be gone but with her, not forgotten hopefully.
I was a sailor and the saying goes... Fair winds and following seas to Dan Weldon, Rick & Jeff Huseman. Let's not forget the 3rd person in that plane crash, even though he might not have been famous, Daniel Hicks.
Andy,
Best Rev up to date! You hit the bulls eye brother! Best regards and many blessings!
Nice story Andy! Great you can spend time with the little one, because they are only little for short time. Time that can't be replaced or brought back. As my hour glass runs closer to empty and I continue to chase my ass in a circle, I have to stop to see what is going on around me. Cool that you were able to stop,listen, enjoy, and reflect the moment.Cheers!
Andy, that was one of the best Rev Ups you've ever written!!!
It brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye...Thank you.
Great article Andy!!! I really enjoyed your insight and stories!! Keep up the good work.
great read. I have 3 wonderful little grandsons! a 5 year old, 4 year old and 1 year old. I cant wait to get them riding, the 4 year old knows no fear, that said, I try and cherrish every moment i can with them, they live 700 miles away.
Great read as said, I have a 7 and 5 yr (boys) and they are growing up fast. At 40 out at the track you have to take it all in weekend by weekend, If they pick up motocross and take it serious on their terms great! It's family time and that's all I care about......Take it all in cuz who know's when your gonna have to hang up your boots!!!
excellent article, good job dude
4 1/2 yr old daughter here, Good stuff.
Right on, Andy. As always.
. . . and good call on RV winning the MEC last week!
Good job! Thanks for the reminder......
Be a kid! Ride a dirt bike! Life: live it to the fullest!
Pro Hill Climb rider, Shawn Farnsworth, died the weekend before, so it was really a terrible 10 days or so for the motorcycling competition community.
Cherishing every moment with your loved ones is always a great way to live. If you can figure that out early in life, you'll avoid a lot of regrets.
Well said Andy,none of us are gonna be around all that long no matter how ya slice it. I think its Important to live life with the knowledge it aint forever. As I get to the 1/2 centry mark, I'm getting kinda soft",
Well said Andy,none of us are gonna be around all that long no matter how ya slice it. I think its Important to live life with the knowledge it aint forever. As I get to the 1/2 centry mark, I'm getting kinda soft",
One of these so called "aggressive drivers".....(A - holes), for short, triggered a flashback from 40 yrs ago instead of pizzing me off, He nearly killed my wife of 1 day and I last week, I wasn't mad, i pulled off the road and broke down, I never break down, ya see my sister was a fatality on her wedding day 40 yrs ago...the image of the car full of wedding stuff, and just how fast the couples new life was over, triggered my very 1st breakdown. Smell the flowers folks. Right on time Andy, ty.
didnt do that 4 times
@joemotocross589- ya you did! All four times! You are right though, sometimes we need to stop and smell the roses before we head up to the big track in the sky, stuck riding Hodakas for eternity. Cheers my friend!
@cz, Im guilty as charged ya old war wagon!!! Yeah, imagine having to ride that thing everyday.....LOL
Special kinda hell....LMFAO.....lol.......
St peter to CZmark, "yep- check,,2012 Kx450, right over there sir".....St Pete to vetmx, "check , nice life -try the new KTM, right over there,.......NEEEEXT!!!!" Ahhhhhh,..... Joe......Joemotocross.....we have ya penned in for the 71 Hodaka, dirt squirt"......stock suspension buddy sorry..............try to do better next life ehhh....." Still lmfao!!!!!! Joe.
Much respect Andy,
I do need to get my butt out of bed with my fist`s clenched and my heart in the right place. Have garage full of motorcycles that have sat too long. Have a beautiful wife, 21,18 and 17 year old children that i love and miss dearly when away on my 24-hour shifts but when I`m home, get too caught up in this "tight spiral" of life. Time For A Change!
That was very well written and insightful article. As I have aged and with the recent birth of my son, I have learned to appreciate life and family more. I cherish the time I spend with my riding buddies and my nephew, who also rides. I can close my eyes and smell the dirt soaking in the early morning dew, and I can feel the brisk cool air as I dawn my gear. I can hear the morning silence break to the violent power of a 450 warming up. I love life, my family, this country, and motocross!!
Great article Andy. If this article doesn't move someone profoundly, they are not alive.
Dang Boyer, you are getting OLD!!!! Congratulations on a superbly written article. Every word is so true and yes, we certainly have to enjoy the little things in life and not get caught up in our competetive nature of faster higher etc
Yeap, I got old too!!!
My boy is 3 1/2. So amazing!
Andy, I'm glad you have settled in NC. It's a great place to raise a family. Ever been to Yadkin County?