2013 - Midwest Motorcyclist

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Open Terrain: Exploring the World and Soul by Motorcycle You Learn It All From Riding Sand by Nicole Espinosa Forcing control with a tight grip, stern intention, and expecting only your own vision for the outcome.… Isn’t that how we got our way as young children, and in many other situations throughout our lives? If that preschool “sandbox logic” carries over into adventure riding in sand as an adult, then we’ll be in deep trouble. Luckily for me, I opened my riding horizons by taking a dirt training class with Coach2ride in the backcountry of San Diego, California, before being set loose in trail sand traps at the ADVRider’s Death Valley Noob Rally back in 2010. What helped to keep me upright in that tough terrain was the simple instruction of adopting a light grip to guide the bike through sand while allowing it to dance and skip beneath me. Similarly, this turned out to be a true revelation when applied to other tough situations in life. Take, for instance, this crazy journey I find myself traveling with my dad as he faces ill health and a diminishing mind. He entered this last year as a physically strong and very independent 76-year-old who had a beautiful home on the market, with every intention to cash out and retire in the desert. A surprise heart attack in 2013 Schedule For more information, visit www.misupermoto.com December, and then a subsequent brain injury from an accidental overdose of meds, set both of us on a new and unexpected path. Becoming my dad’s caretaker, I find myself faced with helping him make major life decisions. But, with dementia taking hold and so seriously affecting my dad’s world as he knew it, I ride the fine line of honoring his wishes, while at the same time helping him navigate through this new tough terrain of deep forgetfulness. Similar to riding sand, I apply a loose grip while handling my dad’s financial affairs. I bring his bills to him when they’re due so he still feels in control. I’m also faced with forcing him to have a live-in caretaker who would prepare his meals and monitor his meds, but he absolutely refuses to have anyone living in his home. So, I honor his vision instead of forcing what I believe 2013 Great Lakes SuperMoto Championship Race #1 June 2 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI Race #2 July 19 Downtown West Branch West Branch, MI Race #4 August 25 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI 2013 MI Supermoto Test and Tune Dates April 7 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI April 14 Jackson Speedway Jackson, MI April 21 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI April 28 Jackson Speedway Jackson, MI May 19 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI June 23 Jackson Speedway Jackson, MI July 14 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI July 28 Jackson Speedway Jackson, MI August 11 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI September 22 Jackson Speedway Jackson, MI September 29 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI October 13 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI October 27 Jackson Speedway Jackson, MI November 3 Auto City Speedway Clio, MI *Weather permitting***Rounds one and three of the 2013 Michigan Supermoto Championship will also have a Test and Tune practice from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. in conjunction with the race practice. Practice only fee is $35 on race days. Sponsored in part by would keep him from getting hurt again. With this more loving approach, it allows my father to dance on what appears to him to be his own will and, as a result, we’re both happy with his strong recovery. Even though this path involves much more from me as his caretaker, I find I’m more fulfilled in giving back to the man who raised me as a single father through my teen years. To anyone out there on a similar life path that requires a lot of giving, there is one simple answer for how to get through it in one piece: Don’t forget to give to yourself. Your sanity depends upon it. So, that’s what I set out to do a couple of weekends ago amidst Thanks to Aerostich, my DRZ is sporting the amazing Ortleib thin dry bag saddlebags for a tight profile. the hospital madness. My brother relieved me so I could take off for a weekend adventure ride with my boyfriend to visit friends in the beautiful desert community of Borrego Springs, California. It was a wellneeded weekend of relaxation, good friends, good food and good riding set in one of the larger and more beautiful places in the U.S., Anza Borrego State Park. Getting out in nature with my bike and loved ones filled my soul yet again, so that I can carry on in my new life path with a smile on my face. As I tackled some of the sandy trails and whoops in Borrego, I attempted to put some sand riding tips to the test: drop tire pressure, stand and lean back a bit to get the weight off the front wheel, loose grip, initiate turn with a lean on the inside, and come out of the turn shifting weight to the outside peg with throttle, and if you dig yourself into a hole, rock the bike back and forth while pulsing the throttle to get out. I used my DRZ without dropping the pressure in the tires on that trip, but will be trying a much lighter and smaller dirt bike with lower tire pressure this coming weekend. The key to sand dominance seems to be mucho practice. So, since we have the Morocco trip coming up in October, I need to get as much sand practice now as possible. Applying these skills to the smaller bikes now will translate to higher confidence on larger bikes, like the BMW F800 I’ll be using in the Moroccan dunes later. Foundation is a common 26 www.midwestmotorcyclist.com Time to put some sand skills to the test. thread that continues to weave its way through my life these days. I feel that many of us are in a time of transition, with life throwing us curves, where an ability to roll with these obstacles helps us come out the other side a little less for the wear. Whether on a bike, or with my dad, I’ve learned to float across these difficult terrains without using force. And, even though letting go may be one of the toughest things to do sometimes, it may just turn out to be the best thing to put us on the right path. Thanks to the great guys at onanymoto.com, my new Dunlop D606s and Drive Systems Superlite steel sprocket gave me a huge leg up in the sand. Nicole Espinosa is Mom to two great kids, founder / owner of www.ruggedrider.com, Managing Editor of Adventure Motorcycle magazine and soon-to-be RTW motorcycle adventurer. Communication welcome for Nicole: nicole@ruggedrider.com May 2013
We provide the routes for your next tour. 2013 K 1600 GTL Base MSRP: $23,650 including ABS Tour confidently: now through May 31, enjoy some valuable additions to our most popular touring bikes. Find your way back to reality - no charge: Enjoy a free BMW Navigator IV GPS with your purchase of a new BMW R 1200 RT now through May 31, 2013. Keep going in the right direction - and keep your bike protected: Receive a free GPS AND engine protection bars with your purchase of a new BMW K 1600 GT or K 1600 GTL now through May 31, 2013.* 2013 K 1600 GT Base MSRP: $21,200 including ABS BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan 39933 Ford Road, Canton, MI 48187 734.981.1479 www.bmwmcsem.com BMW Motorrad Dealer of Excellence “Redefining your motorcycling lifestyle” SM 2013 R 1200 RT Base MSRP: $17,350 includes ABS • Saturday, May 18, 2013 • Annual Spring Open House Demo rides, Refreshments, and much more. The best way to kick off the 2013 riding season. Mark your calendar and be there! Midwest MotorcyclistTM * Visit BMW Motorcycles of Southeast Michigan for details. Always ride safely and wear proper protective gear. 27
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2013 - Midwest Motorcyclist

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