Moto Pics

Our family enjoys outdoor activities, one of which is motorcycling. The boys are members of the American Motorcyclist Association. Pat rides street and off-road and Chris and Matt are active moto-crossers. We belong to a local dirt bike club called Splinter Creek Dirt Riders (splintercreek.com) that holds AMA sanctioned motocross races.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to get this many bikes arranged for a picture but this is the first time we've tried it. December 2003. (This is the current crop and includes all we have that run... :-)

Left to right:

'71 Honda Trail 90, '88 Suzuki RM80, '96 YZ250, '95 YZ125, Chris with his '97 YZ125, Himself with the '92 Big Dawg, '83 Honda Goldwing Interstate, '78 Yamaha XS650 Special.

	Long before there were motorcycles Chris was practicing his form on a two wheeled scooter.
This is the bike that got it all started, an abandoned 1983 Honda 185 three wheeler we got for free that took us a year to rebuild. Didn't take Chris long to light 'er up!
	Wasn't too long before we acquired a couple of old Yamaha 2 stroke bikes...your typical old "been sitting in the garage" left overs. This turned out to be a sweet little YZ100 that ran like heck. "Let's race!" was next.

And so racing we did go. This is our very first motocross race. Held at Splinter Creek 3-12-95. This was my second red Ford pickup truck, a 1990. A friend who introduced us to racing helped outfit Chris in brand new racing gear and off he went...Hot Shit! (and a BIG Thanks, Don!)

Picture below was taken at St. Joe State Park near Farmington, Mo. This is an off road riding park (one of the few around) that consists of 800 acres of sand flats surrounded by Ozark hills. There are also several nice little swimming ponds to cool off in when the July days get too hot. Chris was 13 that summer and really thought he had something.

	This was the mate to Chris's bike, a venerable old 1980 Yamaha YZ250 that was way faster than I had any right to ride. That's me in my swim trunks riding like I didn't have good sense...before I ever fell off of a dirt bike. Makes me cringe to look at it now. (Taken during the summer of '96 on the now closed upper level of St. Joe State Park.)
Matt on the left and Chris showing off for the camera
	I was pretty pleased with the way this old 1988 Yamaha YZ250 cleaned up. It was one of my first efforts.
This is the '93 YZ125 that Matt had just finished re-doing from the frame up...Looks pretty good, eh? Later became Matt's first #8
This picture of Chris was taken at Splinter Creek in 1999. He is on what was his pride and joy, a '95 YZ 125	And this is the youngest, Matthew, in action riding ole Number 8
Just to show that the boys don't have all the fun...here is Jenny cruising the sand flats at St. Joe State Park. (That's Matt on the bike in the background racing the dune buggy.)	Another shot of Matthew and Mom at St. Joe State Park. These pictures were taken quite a few years back... around '96? I think
From the left: A friend, Jim Mcgee, Matt, Chris and Pat at St. Joe State Park near Farmington Mo. This 1200 acre park is solely devoted to off-road riding and is a lot of fun.	Pat flanked by nephew Kalin and Matthew on a fine ridin' day at Splinter Creek. (Summer 2001)
Matt riding number 53(on the right) taking the hole shot in his first moto of the season at Splinter Creek March 16th, 2003	This was Chris's first motocross race (at Splinter Creek 3-12-95). I later told him I was impressed with this jump and he looked at the picture and said, "I didn't really mean to do that".
Chris in action catchin' some air at Motocross at Salem, Ill. Taken in the spring of '96. (He meant to do this!)	More to Come! RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Here's Matthew looking good on the old Yamaha's last day with us. 1978 XS650 on 4-6-04

	Chris hadn't had this 97 YZ125 too long (no numbers) and just had to try it out in this winter scene at Splinter Creek.
2004 Yamaha 1100 Silverado.
Chris and ole #53 along with Lindsay and the Duramax getting ready for a fall HareScamble race at Splinter Creek 2008.
On the starting line contemplating the hole shot.	He comes out of the woods leading his class with Lindsay cheering him on.
	After 2 hours through the woods he takes the checkered flag for his class!
	A successful, if long and hard day yields a first place plaque.

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