I was eight years old.

Christmas day in upstate New York, my dad wheels in two 50cc Yamaha into the living room for myself and my 6 year old brother. I was beside myself, jumping up and down, I have a dirtbike!

Then I look outside...oh, it's upstate New York. In December. Craaaap. (or the equivalent reasoning of an eight year old).

So the bike sat in the hallway. And sat. And sat. Not without company though- I would sit on the bike, lean in to the handlebars, moving my shoulders back and forth pretending I was dodging trees or some shit.

It was the middle of February- there was a bit of a "warm snap" (as in, slightly above freezing) and much of the snow had melted. It was finally time. I hopped on- boots, jeans, a jacket, and my bright red half helmet (like the kind the hipsters wear these days, only slightly smaller). Bike is started, I'm looking out the backyard- it was a few hundred feet to the woods, but to me it was Bonneville. Shoulders low, just like I "practiced" in the hallway, tension and anticipation building in my right hand, and I twist the throttle. Twist, as in, completely peg the little fucker, like I'm trying to wrestle a baby out of the jaws of a lion.

My lightspeed dash across Bonneville lasted about 30 feet when I hit an icy puddle. The bike spun around under me- I was tossed off, landing in an icy wet mess. Like a shot, I bounced up, my arms held high over my head in victory, jumping up and down- "that was amazing!" That was 30 years ago.

Some of the best times I had growing up were spent tooling around the yard with my dad and little brother. Probably the only good times I had with my brother, who just got worse and worse until he finally put a bullet in his head at 16. But when I ride now, when my dad and I cruise down the road together (me on a Virago, he on his Harley), exploring backroads or going to flat track races, I still think about practicing figure 8's in the backyard, his two little boys copying his every move, trying to make him proud. I know he thinks about it too, and we don't have to say anything about it.