Motocross As Character-Builder

Story and photos by Bob Abrams

During round one of the Owyhee Motorcycle Club (OMC) summer motocross series in Garden City last June, I was in the right place at the right time. I was crouching at the back of the track behind a large feature called an off-camber roller when two young riders collided in midair. This feature is an interesting addition to the track, a place where a rider can slow down to reduce speed or race through it and jump a significant length to make a pass. In the heat of battle, neither of these two riders backed down. They both charged into the ten-foot-high roller and blasted off.  I was photographing the pair when it happened. One of the riders was knocked sideways in midair but managed to stay upright and ride away. The second kid, a twelve-year-old, crashed and was trapped under the motorcycle.

I rushed to help him get back on his feet. The combination of fear and resolve I saw in his face was typical of these kids, yet it never ceases to amaze me. As I worked to get him out from under the bike, I saw he was physically shaken but okay. He said only one thing to me, and it was the definition of determination: “Can you help me start my bike? I have to finish the race!”

So I did, and off he went.