http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1aw6708VSA

Keith Adams Burnin' daylight motorcycle trials - sports video

If you don't know the history one might think of this video as a little narcissistic, but let me tell you Keith's story first:

I first met Keith Adams in 1975 I believe.  He was just about the only serious trials rider in Idaho at that time.  A completely self taught rider after all we are talking Idaho.
He was kind enough to let me come up from Pocatello to his home in Oakley, Idaho and show me how to ride trials.  I cannot tell you how much he taught me. He also became a very good friend.  I of course was about 20 when I first met Keith but as I think back after all these years he is probably the most humble person I have ever met.
He became infamous on the National Trials circuit  as the crazy guy from Idaho who wore tennis shoes instead of trials boots. 

What seemed like a crazy thing to do, once you got to know Keith made perfect sense for him.   This was the days of No-Stop trials and he told me by wearing tennis shoes he always made sure to know exactly where his feet and pegs were and always took great care not to bash into these large boulders insuring not to be knocked off his line or stopping forward movement.  He also said it allowed him to move around on the bike better.   If you ever watched Keith ride he was as smooth of rider as you would ever find.  Once everyone got to see him ride, he earned every national champ riders full respect.

Before I met Keith he attended Idaho State University on a full scholarship.  He was the starting quarterback for the football team and as you can see by this video a very gifted athlete.   I think he also played on the basketball team at ISU and I don't know how many other sports.

Keith was a school teacher when I lived in Idaho and later a principal.  School teachers didn't make much money back then, even less in those days than now.  It was always a struggle financially  for Keith to hit all the national trials competitions each year.   I remember he had this Chevy Vega hatch back that he would have his partially disassembled trials bike stuffed in the back.  This was back in the 70's-early 80's, before the days of bumper carriers and besides a Vega no way would have had a hitch on them any way.  I swear he put more miles on his cars than any Vega in history.

Keith being the smart fellow he was always looking for ways to help finance his trials travels.  I remember one year he was raising pigs at his small rural lot just to pay for the travels.  If I remember right the prices dropped right as he was ready to go to market.   One day he told me of his idea to do trials riding promotions for high schools and tie it into the Drug Free programs at schools.  As I remember he actually did this for several seasons.  From the look of the video he still is?   His goal was to show kids that they could get high on sports instead of drugs.  These trials demonstrations were the nexus of the video here.

I have to say he was about ten years earlier than, as I remember, other Trials Demo's started.  He really was ahead of his time.   Now that you know the history it helps put this well made video into perspective.

I will let you do the math on how old Keith is from the video.   This is a pretty amazing video, and I don't care how old you are.
You can see what this man is doing and I have to tell you it makes me humble.   
Thanks Keith you're still inspiring me after all these years.

Hey it's Thanksgiving tomorrow and Keith is one of the great friends I have made riding trials which is one thing I am thankful for, but many others.


Jack Betty

Selling my 4rt Repsol.   Big Bore 270cc head installed.  Trials setup plus Trail riding extras.
Trail seat/ extra gas tank combo.   Bar Brush Guards, extra taller rear sprocket.
programable throttle body / ECU  and software, plus stock throttle / ECU
$5000 or best offer.  Great condition.

Thanks
Jack

This is very sad, and Jay how true your words are.
I was cleaning up my files today and came across a e-mail I stashed as a keeper 14 years ago.
Much has happened in those fourteen years.
I think about the loss of co-workers and friends in that time frame and it is a wake up in the journey along life's milestones.

Jack

Not sure who wrote this:

-------------------

Happiness

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a
baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and
we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have
teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that
stage.  We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets
his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice
vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.  If not now,
when?  Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit
this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.  For a long time it had seemed
to me that life was about to begin -real life.  But there was always some
obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished
business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.  Then life would begin.
At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life".

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.  So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure
it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend
your time...and remember that time waits for no one...

So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until
you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until
your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you
get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until
spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare,
until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a
drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to
decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...Happiness is
a journey, not a destination.

Thought for the day:

Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.

Brian, Dave,

Thanks for Great trial. Great weather and good friends.  Kirk's right, doesn't get any better.   Gordon, it appears your 5 minutes of practicing in the driveway was about all you needed after a extended absence.  Glad you didn't spend ten minutes. 

Jack

http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news287.htm

Anyone who wants to protect our rights for public use of National Forests should read the linked article written by County Sheriffs in the Northwest.
Very interesting article how the National Forest rules become laws without congress approval.
Also mentions that the National Forest Service was not originally established as law enforcement agency.  Law enforcement, as set by Congress, was the individual States responsibility with the Sheriff Dept. being the lead agency.  This jurisdiction includes BLM land,  national and state forests.
With the support of special interest groups the federal government has over taken the Sheriffs department constitutional designated roll of law enforcement on county lands.   A National Police Force if you will.....
Remember we elect our Sheriff's.  They have grassroots feedback on what best supports the wishes of the County residents.

Very sad news.  Our thoughts are with you Karli.  Take Care. 
Jack Betty