Going to Motorcycle events is nothing new to me. I have been riding across states to go hang out with Motorcycle builders and enthusiasts since 2008. Throughout the years, I have been to small parties, huge parties, corporate events and down home bbqs that have introduced me to some of the best people.Â
The last few years. I had been stuck going to the same old corporate events over and over.. while they are fun, and you get to see your people.. change is nice. Having to spend every minute from load in to load out at the same venue for up to 2 days is NOT where it’s at. You miss SO much, and so many awesome parties and people.
This year I decided to wait until all of my court cases were over to travel to any event. My PO against my abusive ex is set for another year, so I feel safe-ish.. and decided first, I needed to go to Nashville, and camp on Loretta Lynn’s ranch for the Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival. I had heard many good things over the years, including “favorite” from some pretty seasoned enthusiasts, so it was time I checked it out.Â
 got a late start on the road Thursday, meeting up with some friends, stuck by rain and inevitable time drains. By the time we finished our 7 hour ride, we got to the camp about 3am Friday morning, found the builders camp- a section of the camp that was reserved for the builders, and the only party still up when we arrived, telling us to set up our tents close by. I wasted no time flinging my tent up and crawling in, having wished I would’ve packed my Hammock, for the laziness and exhaustion I was feeling.. but passing out with my wet shoes hanging and earplugs in almost immediately.Â
The next morning everyone started rustling around about 8, tired from the preparties the night before, so I got to sit and drink my campfire coffee, have a perfect bar and watch as people slowly started waking up, driving by.. riding out to meet the day. New arrivals came in early too- a trailer of mini and dirt bikes unloaded across the road, a very nice man from Nashville named Ken with a cherry panhead that had 51 miles on it, set up camp right next to me. He told me all about her and that he works for the Grand ol Oprey and we started talking music.
As the day scorched on, I ran into my new friend Bethany who is in the Nashville Lita’s. We had met the previous weekend at the She Rides Moto event in Knoxville, along with the other Lita’s. She mentioned she would be out in the river in a bit, and I planned to meet up with her. I went to get some food from the vendors and headed back to camp to get changed for swimming.
If you’ve never been, Loretta’s ranch has a river running through it- made iconic in the wheelhouse photos of the coleminers daughter. It is a nice, shallow wading river through the camp, and it opens up to a small area where they have a bar that hosted a pig roast, and enough corn on the cob to kill a horse.Â
The swimming was awesome- tiny crayfish and all, and definitely cooled us down. A few more Lita’s had gathered around the bar and we got to chat for quite a while as the sun retreated in the sky.
It was time to stock camp before dark, so I rode down to the store to get fire wood and ice for our camp. I’ve carried much more and much crazier things on my bike, but as I loaded 2 bundles of wood onto my sissy bar, with a bag of nice cool ice across my lap- 3 seperate groups of people offered to carry it for me. Southern hospitality is a real thing, and is definitely not how they act in Indy. Just being a nice person is so normal everywhere else.
Eventually making our way back to the music pavilion, realizing the bands weren’t that great (just not my taste) Bret asked me if I ride mini bikes. YES sir. I said. He smiled and said something in his thick accent that sounded like “lets see what you can do then Miss Amy”..
And, into the pouring rain he took me, to the parking where multiple mini and dirt bikes were located. He kicked one over and handed it to me.. here we go.Â
We tore through the paths and ripped back to his camp in the constant drizzling rain and mud- I was following him as closely as I could, ripping the mini to full throttle with no glasses or goggles in a white crop top and jean shorts- into and out of a huge mud ditch, ramping up the side, I couldn’t stop laughing and smiling. How much fun can one person have? Well, the last trip I hopped on the back of Bret’s 110 kaw, and we found out. That mud pit that had opened up in the middle of the camp road was filling with water, and we had made it on the mini bikes a few times .. but I didn’t make it on the back of the 110. The incline proved fatal, as I felt the bike go vertical, I ejected myself from the bike. I landed in mud, on my ass, so no harm at all… just laughter. I couldn’t stop laughing.Â
The abject HORROR on this sweet southern man’s face when he turned to realize where I had gone, as I stood up and brushed myself off- was priceless. I was absolutely fine- I landed in mud. He asked if I wanted back on. And of course I did! We finished our ride, and he confessed he couldn’t believe I was still hanging with him after he threw me from the bike.. I had to tell him, I let go! No harm done, aside from the bruises on my ass and boob.
That evening I realized that I was reclaiming my freedom. I haven’t met new people in years. I wasn’t allowed to hang or talk to or party with anyone. Meeting new people is why I go to these events, and I had lost that somewhere.
The greatest sorrow is finding your people, and having to say goodbye to go home.
Overall I’d say I did it right. Another adventure to remember in my life, with new friends I won’t let go of.
If you have the opportunity to check it out, I highly recommend TMMR.. and it may be my overall favorite event so far- when they call it a revival- they picked the right word. It revived my soul- my faith in humanity, and my heart.
I can’t wait for the next fun thing. Let’s do it.