Well, I've been racing competitively for 7 years now. I've raced mountain bikes, bmx, street bikes, supermoto, flat track, motocross, enduro, cross country, and anything else I could hit with two wheels. I've managed to win Two Championships in separate disciplines, travel all over the country, and see some amazing places. Not to mention the amazing sensations I've been allowed to feel. Backing it in sideways at 90 mph when you're 1500 miles from home at a national supermoto, laying it all on the line for the kind of thrills a drug will never be able to replicate. Churning through 75 miles of rough trails and tight woods, struggling to survive until you come tumbling into the finish line at the end of an enduro you weren't meant to finish. Travelling with your best friends all over the place, rampaging about and racing every square inch of a course and squeezing the maximum amount of fun out of a weekend. Sitting at the start of a section with a busted wheel and blown out front tire, wrestling your buddy until you finally kick him and his bike to the ground, just to be jousted off the back of the bike and have said buddy roost you in the face while you're still struggling to breathe.
I've felt the entire gamut of emotions, pain, ecstasy, and misery. I've entered a flat track race after dispatching a 12 pack and then some, on a bike equipped with full race slicks and the intention of doing well. All balls that night, no brain left when all eyes are on you and the pack you're battling, especially with a blood alcohol content that would get you thrown in jail on any public roadway. Somehow that blur of smiles, fumes, adrenaline, and concerned looks led to a top 5 finish and one helluva race. I've buried my face into the ground while looking a good friend in the eyes as we crossed paths midair at the end of a rhythm section of jumps. Eye to eye, straight into the ground. Tasting dirt, pain, and true friendship all in one gritty mouthful of dust and blood.
I've piled into cars in the middle of the night for cross-country drives just to get the thrill of riding over my head beside my friends. College itself was what I did when my posse didn't have something more appealing for me to do. I've been kicked out of class for bleeding too much, walked to the nurse's office because my concussion was so bad I was operating solely on autopilot, not even coherent of where I was (still made the Dean's List at one of the top business schools in the nation!) I've faxed three page medical reports to teachers to get excused absences, and taken tests early to go racing with my friends. My best friends then, and to this day, all came from the two-wheeled world. I've seen all of us hit the highest highs and lowest lows, where the only consistent aspect of our lives was our small platoon of misfits that stood together through everything life could throw at us.
On the same token, I've seen friends die in ditches. I've been there when it came time to bury my fellow thrillseekers at an age far too young to be paying prices that high. I've been in hospital rooms when friends learned they'd be lucky to walk again. I've felt my own body give and crumble multiple times. I've felt bones shatter, limbs twist, ligaments tear apart, and I've lost precious memories to head impacts. Seven years of racing, preceded by several reckless years of growing and trying to locate my personal limits. 35 broken bones, 13 concussions, 5 major operations, and number 6 going on the calendar next week. Some people only see the damage, I see a lot of life crammed in to my 27 years on God's green earth. I see a circle of friends so deep and so true that I'll never be alone. I see triumphs, I see pitfalls followed by a tenacity to recover that cannot be described. I've seen a friend go from near death and paralyzed in the dirt to running in only a matter of months. I've seen life beat my people into the ground, only to prove the human resolve that we all desire to have, but never want to be forced to dig into.
It's been a glorious chapter, and it is by no means over yet, but it's evolving, ever-changing, and growing into something else. Families are growing, my entire circle is healing from something we've done, and the common denominator we all shared before is becoming increasingly less important than the friendships we've built in the pursuit of fun. Welcome to the new age, an era of recovery followed by a would be void filled with all sorts of other joys and vices. A deafening roar of gratitude to the racing community, to all my RP boys a toast of prosperity and positive vibes, to my wife an enormous thank you for picking up the pieces, and to all those that I've been lucky enough to share some times with. My life will be forever enriched by each of you, and you'll see me again soon! Whether it be behind the lens of a a camera, on the trail, or opposite a cold glass, I'm as rejuvenated as I've been in a long time, and I'm even more hungry for a life worth living. Here's to an era of self destruction, and whatever the next chapter may bring, my friends. Just know this, I'm in the business of making memories, and you're all characters in my ongoing story line. I have big plans, big dreams, and the support to do anything. Here's to life- live it to the max. Love much, laugh hard, and lift each other up!
VITA BREVIS.
Stay up to date with Vita Brevis Clothing's blog!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Welcome to the NEW SITE!!!!
Welcome to the NEW SITE!!! Thank you so much for visiting! www.vitabrevisclothing.com has been completely redesigned, and I'm here to share with you some of the new features!
www.vitabrevisclothing.com
There's an entire new storefront for you guys to visit! Much easier to navigate and use, you can feel confident in making your orders. Now come back often and stay connected to see what's new and improved!
NEW Vita Brevis Clothing STORE!!!
First off, i wanted to make it a much cleaner, easier to navigate site. But my biggest focus was to set the platform to give you all more updates, more pictures, and more creativity and inspiration! If you'll notice, there's a lot more integration and social media than ever before! That way Facebook updates are easier to get to, videos can be found, and you guys can stay up to date on all the happenings through the blog page!
Thanks again, and please have a great time playing around the new site and features! If you find any errors, shoot me an email or message so I can fix it! Thanks again, I appreciate all the support!
www.vitabrevisclothing.com
www.vitabrevisclothing.com
There's an entire new storefront for you guys to visit! Much easier to navigate and use, you can feel confident in making your orders. Now come back often and stay connected to see what's new and improved!
NEW Vita Brevis Clothing STORE!!!
First off, i wanted to make it a much cleaner, easier to navigate site. But my biggest focus was to set the platform to give you all more updates, more pictures, and more creativity and inspiration! If you'll notice, there's a lot more integration and social media than ever before! That way Facebook updates are easier to get to, videos can be found, and you guys can stay up to date on all the happenings through the blog page!
Thanks again, and please have a great time playing around the new site and features! If you find any errors, shoot me an email or message so I can fix it! Thanks again, I appreciate all the support!
www.vitabrevisclothing.com
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
2011 Year End Banquet and Season Recap... A little luck and a lot of stubborn.
Well, 2011 came and went just like every other year- except for the fact that I'm an effing CHAMPION!!! This past year's TSCEC (Texas State Championship Enduro Circuit) Enduro season was a blast. I had a great time recapping some of the races as my 7th beer dribbled down my beard and onto my tattered VB Racing shirt at last night's champion dinner with some friends. It was a good night of sitting in an empty bar with an enormous trophy on the table, stuffing my face with wings and getting sauce on everything within a nautical mile (aka the "blast zone" if you've ever eaten with me when I'm pumped).
I recalled rolling into the long course section at Cycleland last year with a taco'd front rim, flat tire, and blown out hub that was supporting the rear sprocket with only the remnants of two bolts. As the check worker said go, I kept it classy with a Spartan kick to my buddy's Honda that sent him to the ground as I dropped the hammer and took off, only to find a log that gladly jousted me off the bike just in time for said buddy to roost me as he went by. Great day, and still came away with a podium spot!
Then I conjured up the memories of Barnwell Mountain, the 2011 TSCEC Enduro of the Year (Congrats Troy and crew!). I never thought I'd remember this one, because they say your brain can't recall pain. But when you have nightmares for six months afterwards, you start to piece the puzzle together. Part one involved me getting the assistance of another rider to remove my bike from the branches of a tree, where I apparently rag-dolled it hard enough for the bike to cartwheel up into a tree about five feet of the ground. The next highlight was getting run over by someone as I was dismounted from the bike on a gnarly off camber climb. I kept my cool and only cussed and screamed for a minute or two. I had places to be, and I was pretty well out of breath. And amidst several little Polaroid memories of pain and suffering, I distinctly remember having the conversation with myself where I was trying to determine which parts of my expired bike that I was going to remove and carry to the next check in order for it to count. On top of that discussion, nothing too heavy so that my uppercut was still strong enough to portray my frustration right into Troy's gut when I see him next. But right then, the bike fired back up and we got to the finish and limped back to the trailer to assess the damage. I still giggle fart when I see that first place trophy on my shelf. I was the only one in my class that even finished.
Then there was LTR. Played this one REAL smart. Decided to go out and buy myself a 2-stroke since I was completely unfamiliar with them and had never actually ridden one aside from a clapped out 1986 Yamaha IT 200. And instead of riding it before the race, we went to Supercross for the day. Had a few beers with the wrecking crew, screamed at James Stewart as he kamikazied Chad Reed in our corner, then stumbled out at midnight after successfully bribing Jeremy to drive us out to Lubbock to race a National Enduro. No sleep and a few more beers later, I was lined up on the starting line with a brand new bike and a mumbly nervous laugh. The kind of under-your-breath laugh that you do in situations where you have no idea what's about to happen, but you know it won't be optimal. Drop the hammer, catch second, then third gear... this bike is BAD ASS!!!! I love 2 strokes!!!!... out in front, and immediately over the bars in the very first corner in front of God and everyone else in West Texas. I remember several more falls, a few rattle snakes, and that's about it. I was exhausted.
Red River saw me get a critical pass in the schoolhouse section as I ghost rode the bike up a cliff (this is where you grab a handful of gas and hop off the bike before it gets weird, in hopes that the bike gets to the top with minimal damage). Then there was Caney Creek. Sand whoop after sand whoop, and came in to find myself a win by 6 seconds. On the race course for five and a half hours, and win it by 6 seconds. Very strange, but I'll take it!
Great stories of riding and racing all over the place. And excellent memories that I'll always have. Those tales that leave normal people confused and staring blankly as you try to explain the hilarity, until you find another enduro rider that understands. The stuff your buddies don't get, and ladies just don't care about, but means the world to you. A great year indeed, capped off with banquet food and an enormous trophy given to you by your tribe and a trophy girl that will forever be faster than you. A room full of faces you only recognize in the light of a campfire or squeezed into a helmet, laughing and clapping for you. It's a strange life, but makes for some great stories and memories. An entire department store full of people that know exactly the kind of ridiculous situations you bulldozed through to walk away with that trophy.
Here's to the 2011 TSCEC Board of Directors, all the clubs, and all the volunteers that made this season happen! Thank you all so much, and we'll hope to see you all on the trail in 2012!
1st Place - 2011 TSCEC Championship Series!!!
I recalled rolling into the long course section at Cycleland last year with a taco'd front rim, flat tire, and blown out hub that was supporting the rear sprocket with only the remnants of two bolts. As the check worker said go, I kept it classy with a Spartan kick to my buddy's Honda that sent him to the ground as I dropped the hammer and took off, only to find a log that gladly jousted me off the bike just in time for said buddy to roost me as he went by. Great day, and still came away with a podium spot!
Then I conjured up the memories of Barnwell Mountain, the 2011 TSCEC Enduro of the Year (Congrats Troy and crew!). I never thought I'd remember this one, because they say your brain can't recall pain. But when you have nightmares for six months afterwards, you start to piece the puzzle together. Part one involved me getting the assistance of another rider to remove my bike from the branches of a tree, where I apparently rag-dolled it hard enough for the bike to cartwheel up into a tree about five feet of the ground. The next highlight was getting run over by someone as I was dismounted from the bike on a gnarly off camber climb. I kept my cool and only cussed and screamed for a minute or two. I had places to be, and I was pretty well out of breath. And amidst several little Polaroid memories of pain and suffering, I distinctly remember having the conversation with myself where I was trying to determine which parts of my expired bike that I was going to remove and carry to the next check in order for it to count. On top of that discussion, nothing too heavy so that my uppercut was still strong enough to portray my frustration right into Troy's gut when I see him next. But right then, the bike fired back up and we got to the finish and limped back to the trailer to assess the damage. I still giggle fart when I see that first place trophy on my shelf. I was the only one in my class that even finished.
Then there was LTR. Played this one REAL smart. Decided to go out and buy myself a 2-stroke since I was completely unfamiliar with them and had never actually ridden one aside from a clapped out 1986 Yamaha IT 200. And instead of riding it before the race, we went to Supercross for the day. Had a few beers with the wrecking crew, screamed at James Stewart as he kamikazied Chad Reed in our corner, then stumbled out at midnight after successfully bribing Jeremy to drive us out to Lubbock to race a National Enduro. No sleep and a few more beers later, I was lined up on the starting line with a brand new bike and a mumbly nervous laugh. The kind of under-your-breath laugh that you do in situations where you have no idea what's about to happen, but you know it won't be optimal. Drop the hammer, catch second, then third gear... this bike is BAD ASS!!!! I love 2 strokes!!!!... out in front, and immediately over the bars in the very first corner in front of God and everyone else in West Texas. I remember several more falls, a few rattle snakes, and that's about it. I was exhausted.
Red River saw me get a critical pass in the schoolhouse section as I ghost rode the bike up a cliff (this is where you grab a handful of gas and hop off the bike before it gets weird, in hopes that the bike gets to the top with minimal damage). Then there was Caney Creek. Sand whoop after sand whoop, and came in to find myself a win by 6 seconds. On the race course for five and a half hours, and win it by 6 seconds. Very strange, but I'll take it!
Great stories of riding and racing all over the place. And excellent memories that I'll always have. Those tales that leave normal people confused and staring blankly as you try to explain the hilarity, until you find another enduro rider that understands. The stuff your buddies don't get, and ladies just don't care about, but means the world to you. A great year indeed, capped off with banquet food and an enormous trophy given to you by your tribe and a trophy girl that will forever be faster than you. A room full of faces you only recognize in the light of a campfire or squeezed into a helmet, laughing and clapping for you. It's a strange life, but makes for some great stories and memories. An entire department store full of people that know exactly the kind of ridiculous situations you bulldozed through to walk away with that trophy.
Here's to the 2011 TSCEC Board of Directors, all the clubs, and all the volunteers that made this season happen! Thank you all so much, and we'll hope to see you all on the trail in 2012!
1st Place - 2011 TSCEC Championship Series!!!
60 Seconds to Cycleland...
Our drive condensed to a 1 minute time lapse. Some nose picking, napping, laughing, yelling, and a punch to the face. Our wives can handle anything!
Big Thanks to Seattime.co for the footage!
Timelapse to Cycleland : 1.14.2012 from woodybepierced on Vimeo.
Big Thanks to Seattime.co for the footage!
Christmas Riding in Post
Re posted from the boys over at Seat Time:
Video of Cole and Cameron Kirkpatrick riding in Post, Tx. The snow all week made for epic conditions. It was the first time that Cameron and Cole have gotten to ride at their place in Post since the fire in April. They gave big thanks to John Hughes for braving the cold and shooting.
Filmed by: John Hughes and Cole Kirkpatrick
Edited by: Cole Kirkpatrick
Riders: Cole and Cameron Kirkpatrick
Music: Up and Down by Chad Valley
Video of Cole and Cameron Kirkpatrick riding in Post, Tx. The snow all week made for epic conditions. It was the first time that Cameron and Cole have gotten to ride at their place in Post since the fire in April. They gave big thanks to John Hughes for braving the cold and shooting.
Filmed by: John Hughes and Cole Kirkpatrick
Edited by: Cole Kirkpatrick
Riders: Cole and Cameron Kirkpatrick
Music: Up and Down by Chad Valley
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Moto Tassinari VForce4 Reeds Review...
http://www.mototassinari.com/
seattime.co
Seat Time scores a big one YET AGAIN! Huge Thanks to SeatTime.co for the hookup with Moto Tassinari, and huge thanks to Moto Tassinari for coming through with an absolutely sick product!
I rode four strokes and only four strokes up until this year. And not just 4 strokes, BIG 4 strokes. I love the open class bikes- 450's, 505's, etc. "Overkill is underrated" my friends, and my bike collection as well as gun collection speak that truth. Two strokes confused me, and the thought of pre-mix and that strange magical ju-ju that happens somewhere inside a 2 stroke did not appeal to me at all. That was up until this year when I saw and felt how much lighter the 2 strokes are, and it peaked my curiosity. With the same overkill theme in mind, enter my beloved 2009 KTM 300 XC-W. I've only started my 450 enough to keep the oil circulated since I got this beauty. I call her Alice, and we have a strange bond. My 300 is a phenomenal machine in that it is such a simple build, easy to maintain, light, and will still rip your arms out of socket with a fist full of gas.
The KTM smokers come stock with VForce 3 Reeds, so I would by no means say that I was weak in the reed cage department. After all, they're carbon fiber, and anyone that has something bad to say about carbon fiber is full of crap. It's the end all solution to all things fast. But when I got on the phone with Moto Tassinari, I learned some more about the new VForce4 Reeds, and read about them on their site some more. They took their design, modified it to do its job even easier and more bulletproof, then made it specifically for my bike, the KTM 300. Lovely.
The install didn't take long at all, especially since I already had the rear shock off. Everything I needed was there, except a hand to hold when I put a perfectly good VForce3 reed cage on the shelf for inactive duty. I really liked the design. Just in your hand and on the work bench, the 4 seemed more prepared for the evils that an off-road bike sees.
I fired the bike up and let it warm up, then stood for a listen to see if I heard any jetting issues. Strangely enough, the engine already sounded different before i threw my leg over it. A little more throaty, a lot smoother, even at idle. Off we go... My practice trail starts with a drop off the parking lot, then a small booter out of the ditch. Immediately penciled it and almost came off the back! I just wasn't ready for the power to come on that quick. Into a turn, drift out with total control. Down the hill, weave the first tree line, open it up. WOW. If you're unfamiliar with the KTM 300, it's the unicorn of motorcycles except there's a chainsaw instead of a horn, and it's covered in scars with a strange look in it's one good eye. This thing is notoriously sweet from the showroom floor. Power comes on hard, but lasts long enough that it's spread out more than the smaller screamers. It's so torquey, you find yourself a gear low at all times, just looking for the times you get to light it up. Add the VForce4 cage, and it turns this bike into a whole new beast. It comes on smoother, stays strong longer, and gives the bike an even more capable feeling! I couldn't believe the change! I've ridden bikes with big bore kits, cams, all kinds of mods, and have never in my life felt anything that offered more improvement than this reed cage. I can't wait to ride this thing on some better terrain than my back yard, it feels so much more responsive and predictable. I even caught myself playing around with some trials moves on my big bike. It doesn't just add power like some may think. It completely modifies the kind of power you get from the bike. No more trying to predict the power curve since the power comes on so much sooner. My clutch feathering is minimal now, even a gear or two higher. With the change in the torque, I can just roll it on and it pulls great. Wheelies snap up quicker and more controlled, turns get riled up immediately without losing control or slipping, and the bike just generally has a more relaxed sound and feel to it. I absolutely love the feeling of capability it has now. This is a very cool part, and it really shows that Moto Tassinari is hard at work helping you get even more smiles out of riding! Thanks for an excellent product, and thank you very much to Seat Time for the hookup!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Fall Products Video...
Here's a little video of the products available this Fall from Vita Brevis! Most of it is up on the website on the Gear page, so get yours ordered today!
Click for Vita Brevis Gear Page
Click for Full Size Video
Click for Vita Brevis Gear Page
Click for Full Size Video
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