doin it in the dirt
Active member
I found this article in irt wheels, I thought it was very fitting!
There are ATV people and there are people who own ATV's . There's a big difference. ATV people have dirt in their blood (sometimes literally), and for them riding off road falls somewhere on the priority list as food, clothing and air. Just owning an ATV doesn't make you that way. You don't have to see someone ride to know which category he falls into. there are a million clues in his clothing, language and personal life. Here are a few...
The garageIf you actually see a pesons garage, theres no question about his priorities. First and foremost, a real dirt rider keeps his quad in the garage and the car outside. If cars were meant to be indoors, they would have the upholstery on the outside and they wouldn't have roofs. If ATV's were meant to be kept in the backyard, they would have windows that could be rolled up and the plastic wouldn't turn pink (or light yellow or pale blue) when left in the sunlight too long.
A person's garage has other dead giveaways. Neatness is not one of them. There are messy dirt people and tidy dirt people, but the nature of the mess is much different from tha of an average person. The ATV person might have a mother apart or some other long term project pread out, and there could be some extra wheels stacked in the corner. There might also be a slightly damaged set of plastic in the rafters. The garage of a less committed rider is boring. There are christmas decorations, old baby seats and random boxes stacked in places. Perhaps even on top of the quad (if its inside) The garage is the center of activity for a dirt person, so there might be a stocked refrigerator or a tv. Other people see it only as a little warehouse.
The truck An Atv person has no idea what a tonneau cover is. In case you don't know, this is a product that turns a useful pickup into a Volkwagon bug with an enormous trunk. The ATV persons truck is not pristine, but thats ok. It has a trailer hitch, and it gets the job done. If its lifted, the job was done properly with upgraded suspension that results in increased ground clearance. Other people might drive anything from a mini van to a gleaming show truck with spinners and gigantic woofers in the bed.
Peripheal talents Ever watch someone try to go through a McDonalds drive thru pulling a trailer? It happens all the time with people who rent a bumper hitch from U-Haul, borrow a trailer and take their seldom used ATV out on a camping trip. They forget the trailer is back there until it goes over the curb and takes out the menu. Then it gets really interesting when they have to back the trailer out of the situation-it might be the firt time they actually back a trailer anywhere. Trailer-savvy comes eventually to ATV riders. If you have always managed to fit your quaad and all your gear in the back of your truck, count yourself lucky. For most of us, dealing with trailer hitches, lights, registrations and parking just comes with the territory, like greasy fingers and baby back ribs.
Clothes Heres a news flash--you shouldn't go to a wedding wearing a shirt that says, "I'd rather be riding my quad then going to a stupid wedding," even if you had it made especilly for the occasion. You think its funny and all your friends think its funny, but the father of the bride will go straight out to the parking lot remove the big nut from the ball on your trailer hitch and think thats funny. Believe it or not, most people don't shop for clothing at a Yamaha shop, they don't have names like O'Neal, Fox and FMF on ever shirt in the closet, and they don't understnd why you hat says such nasty things about the Sierra Club. Im just telling you this so you have awarness.
Words You probably don't know it, but no one really understands what the heck you're talking about. There are dirt riding words that have infiltrated your vocabulary to the point that you don't know when you use them. Trust me, as soon as you leave the room at the PTA meeting, the other parents are looking around asking about words like roost, berm, whoop, holeshot and ziptie. They wonder why you said "Braaaap," when you left the room, and they think that a yard sale has something to do with making money. There are dozens of other phrases and attitudes to tell how passionate a person is about riding in the dirt. You know how Eskimos have over 100 words to translate snow? ATV guys have a million words for dirt. And none of them translate to anything dealing with cleaniness or lack thereof. But the easist way to recognize a true dirt rider whose life is wrapped around his ATV or motorcycle is simple....Just go look in the mirror!
Sorry I know its long....but parts are so true. feel free to post your comments on your own quad lanuage, clothes and more, or stories you have to share...thanks
There are ATV people and there are people who own ATV's . There's a big difference. ATV people have dirt in their blood (sometimes literally), and for them riding off road falls somewhere on the priority list as food, clothing and air. Just owning an ATV doesn't make you that way. You don't have to see someone ride to know which category he falls into. there are a million clues in his clothing, language and personal life. Here are a few...
The garageIf you actually see a pesons garage, theres no question about his priorities. First and foremost, a real dirt rider keeps his quad in the garage and the car outside. If cars were meant to be indoors, they would have the upholstery on the outside and they wouldn't have roofs. If ATV's were meant to be kept in the backyard, they would have windows that could be rolled up and the plastic wouldn't turn pink (or light yellow or pale blue) when left in the sunlight too long.
A person's garage has other dead giveaways. Neatness is not one of them. There are messy dirt people and tidy dirt people, but the nature of the mess is much different from tha of an average person. The ATV person might have a mother apart or some other long term project pread out, and there could be some extra wheels stacked in the corner. There might also be a slightly damaged set of plastic in the rafters. The garage of a less committed rider is boring. There are christmas decorations, old baby seats and random boxes stacked in places. Perhaps even on top of the quad (if its inside) The garage is the center of activity for a dirt person, so there might be a stocked refrigerator or a tv. Other people see it only as a little warehouse.
The truck An Atv person has no idea what a tonneau cover is. In case you don't know, this is a product that turns a useful pickup into a Volkwagon bug with an enormous trunk. The ATV persons truck is not pristine, but thats ok. It has a trailer hitch, and it gets the job done. If its lifted, the job was done properly with upgraded suspension that results in increased ground clearance. Other people might drive anything from a mini van to a gleaming show truck with spinners and gigantic woofers in the bed.
Peripheal talents Ever watch someone try to go through a McDonalds drive thru pulling a trailer? It happens all the time with people who rent a bumper hitch from U-Haul, borrow a trailer and take their seldom used ATV out on a camping trip. They forget the trailer is back there until it goes over the curb and takes out the menu. Then it gets really interesting when they have to back the trailer out of the situation-it might be the firt time they actually back a trailer anywhere. Trailer-savvy comes eventually to ATV riders. If you have always managed to fit your quaad and all your gear in the back of your truck, count yourself lucky. For most of us, dealing with trailer hitches, lights, registrations and parking just comes with the territory, like greasy fingers and baby back ribs.
Clothes Heres a news flash--you shouldn't go to a wedding wearing a shirt that says, "I'd rather be riding my quad then going to a stupid wedding," even if you had it made especilly for the occasion. You think its funny and all your friends think its funny, but the father of the bride will go straight out to the parking lot remove the big nut from the ball on your trailer hitch and think thats funny. Believe it or not, most people don't shop for clothing at a Yamaha shop, they don't have names like O'Neal, Fox and FMF on ever shirt in the closet, and they don't understnd why you hat says such nasty things about the Sierra Club. Im just telling you this so you have awarness.
Words You probably don't know it, but no one really understands what the heck you're talking about. There are dirt riding words that have infiltrated your vocabulary to the point that you don't know when you use them. Trust me, as soon as you leave the room at the PTA meeting, the other parents are looking around asking about words like roost, berm, whoop, holeshot and ziptie. They wonder why you said "Braaaap," when you left the room, and they think that a yard sale has something to do with making money. There are dozens of other phrases and attitudes to tell how passionate a person is about riding in the dirt. You know how Eskimos have over 100 words to translate snow? ATV guys have a million words for dirt. And none of them translate to anything dealing with cleaniness or lack thereof. But the easist way to recognize a true dirt rider whose life is wrapped around his ATV or motorcycle is simple....Just go look in the mirror!
Sorry I know its long....but parts are so true. feel free to post your comments on your own quad lanuage, clothes and more, or stories you have to share...thanks
