http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1aw6708VSAKeith 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
