What I have learned. . .

So, if you are a mom that is getting thrown into this big dirt pile and don't really know what is going on, I want to say "Welcome!" And you are not alone. I am learning something new everyday. I was telling my neighbor last week that there needs to be an orientation for parents of kids going into middle school. Everything is so different then it was the last 6 years in elementary. I really feel like I was thrown into a lake and now it is time for me to sink or swim. That is also how I sometimes feel about this whole dirt bike thing. "Ummm, yes, can you direct me to the Dirt Bike Mom section of the book store?" Well, sister, if you find one, let me know. Until them, we can just learn from each other. I will just start with what is fresh on my mind and post updates as we go along and learn more. Chime in at any time. What I have learned as a Dirt Bike Mom: 1. Your kids are going to want to look like the guys racing on the Speed Channel, but it is really not necessary. When we got our two oldest their first dirt bikes we got them all the cool gear and the matching everything. I will have to admit, they looked very snazzy. However, my pocket book looked way empty when Christmas was over that year. You can buy a lot of new stuff from the clearance section of your favorite store (mine is Cycle Center of Denton - they know my name in there now!). I always find something for one of the riders in my house on the clearance rack for 40-50% off. My middle guy, he likes to find stuff on Craig's list. Now, you can get good stuff cheap on Craig's list. Some of it is kind of worn, but middle man likes it that way. He doesn't what to look like a newbie out on the track, so faded or torn is ok for him. There is also eBay. You can find some crazy good stuff there, especially on helmets, plastic replacements, and graphics for the bikes. And then you have your other internet stores. Rocky Mountain is one that we have bought a lot from, and they have a "Clearance" tab on their front page. I always make sure my guys have on riding pants, to protect from scratches and burns. A helmet - ALWAYS! And if they are on a bike (vs. a 4 wheeler) some type of neck protection. Anyway - your kid doesn't have to be all matchy-matchy unless they are racing. And at that point, you have already busted out your wallet, so keep passing the cash out! 2. The best training they will get is spending time in that seat just learning their bike. Really, you can get them all types of training and classes when they are starting out, but the best thing for a beginner is just doing it. Starting, stopping, changing gears - it all has to be practiced until it is second nature. And I am finding that consistency in that seat time plays a big part too. The less time they have between practicing, the less they forget.

Back on the Dirt Road

Well, since my first post life has changed. We found out that my oldest son has Juvenile Arthritis. As you can imagine, I have been really busy the last few months wrapping my mind around this, and working with my son to get him on the road to recovery. He is doing really well now, but getting on his bike has been a challenge. He has a Suzuki 85 Big Wheel (I think it is an 85), that is very tall. While he is very tall for his age, the bike was not comfortable to him. After months of trying to get him to get serious and ride, he finally admitted to his dad that he was scared. Poor kid, who could blame him. And really, I was kind of glad that he finally made the call. He has the JA in his legs, so if he were to take a fall, he would for sure be injured. Well, long story short, we got him a 4 wheeler last week, and he rode it over the weekend. He had so much fun. My middle son rode his bike and is slowly getting better and better. This was the third weekend in a row that he rode his bike. Mom's let me tell you, the best teacher is seat time. Just doing it over and over and over. We had them both take a motorcycle course, which was good. But consistently having them ride those dirt bikes is the key. Anyway, on Saturday, as my husband was working with each one of his three boys to get the to them going in the right direction, I realized that this was exactly what I wanted. I was looking for a hobby that would bring he and the boys closer. I wanted a hobby that he could get excited about and would get the boys excited about. And I wanted a hobby for all of them that they would all enjoy doing together. It was a good feeling realizing that these dirt bikes, and 4 wheeler, were doing exactly what I wanted them to do. And it was worth every penny!

Moving right along

Today I went to and ASI (Advertising Specialties Industry) show. Got some great ideas for my Dirt Bike Mom line. I am very excited! This has been a great week as far as moving forward goes.

Last week I registered the website DirtBikeMom.com, and I have been searching the internet for site templates. Can you say BEATING? There literally must be a billion website templates out there. This evening, I found a template that I think will work, at least for now.

Also, a friend of ours is going to develop my logo! Which is VERY exciting to me! I can't wait to see it all come to life!

Off to a GREAT start!

OK! I am doing it. I am Dirt Bike Mom.

My boys started riding dirt bikes last Christmas (2009) and love it! My middle one wants to be a professional rider when he grows up. So, we have gone and gotten all into this dirt bike thing.

Today, I decided to take a BIG jump and register the domain www.dirtbikemom.com with GoDaddy.com. I had it all done and went in to customize my page while the site is under construction. As I was looking around, I noticed that I had registered the site as a .biz rather than .com! So, first rattle out of the box, and I screw it up. Nice Job Mom!

I am very excited about this adventure and where it might take me and my family! I am certain that it will be smooth sailing from here forward. LOL!