I'm sure you're wondering why I'm writing about being the girlfriend of a motocross track owner, I'm sure you're thinking "how does that really effect you?" or " How does it effect your home life in any way possible". Obviously I'm going to write about it hint the name of this post, but I know that there are several HATEFUL people out there that are going to say you do none of the work, he does all of it. That is true when it comes to all the physical track work. While it has its effects on him, a whole different set of responsibility falls on me when it comes to the track.
West Craven MX is run by Joseph Sawyer, my boyfriend of two wonderful years... that feels like way longer. We are in eastern North Carolina, with quite a few other tracks around us. As I'm told almost daily, he has a sand track, and he has more them one track on the property. There are three separate tracks to take care of, on about 100 acres worth of property. That probably doesn't sound to bad, but he also has a full time job with 40+ hours a week at that job. He's a tree climber at a local company, he works outside all day in the heat, and cold.
I work from home, I'm trying to start a photography business, so basically I sit inside and edit pictures a majority of my day. I try to keep the house clean, I do all his laundry, and I almost always cook him dinner. I take care of all the dogs needs, and run whatever errands he needs me to run any day of the week. We co-exist very well, if you ask me. When I have a migraine day he takes care of the things that need to be taken care of, like the dogs, and dinner on that day. All after he's worked a long day outside, I couldn't have asked for a better man.
Now getting to the track, after he's worked all day, 5 days a week he comes home 9 times out of 10 to work on the track in the afternoon, sometimes in the rain. He's a perfectionist kinda, which to me is not a bad thing, because I am too. But that being said it means he over works himself almost always. When we first started dating he had a race coming up, I sat in the house with our dog and watched tv while he was out at the track in the pouring rain til 1a.m. Finally I hopped in the truck and drove to the track, and told him he needed to come inside, eat, and take a shower. Begrudgingly he came inside ate some leftovers, and took a shower. I managed to get him to sleep 3 whole hours, but 4 a.m. rolled around, he was up with his work clothes on and back out to the track to keep working on it, even though it was already perfect. The next day his mother, and grandmother came to me and thanked me for making him come in and take a shower at the least, then a told them he slept for a few hours also they were stunned. They thanked me profusely. At the time I didn't understand why, or what I was getting myself into when I agreed to be the mans girlfriend. After that first race with him, I came to realize I have the best man at my feet, in the whole world, aside from my daddy of course (a southern girl thing, we love our dads with everything we have).
Aside from being up all night with him while he pushes dirt, and making him eat, sleep, and shower, I've been introduced into the dirtbike family. Now I've been part of the horse show family for nearly 20 years, but the motocross family is completely different. The motocross family is loving, hardly any are stuck up, and almost all of them would lend you whatever you need to ride or having a running bike. I've met some of the most.......... colorfully minded people while dating everyones beloved Dirtwiz (his nick name at every single motocross function). But I've also met some of the nicest, and some smart people also. The Nettleton's, Farrah Nettleton is one of the nicest, and coolest moto moms I've met, her son Mason is a super funny kid also. The Bailey's are a super nice family as well! They come from up north near New York. Along with both families their moto trainer Chris Canning comes down here to do a camp or two he brings a lot of families down with him in the winter who I also think are just so nice. Corey Ridel, Nicole Fredo, Jeff Coats, Kenny Fowler, I could name so many more who I appreciate the new friendships and acceptance from. Also I wouldn't have met my home decor buddy Christianna Conn without him!
Being the girlfriend of a MX track owner is basically having a boyfriend that puts work before you, but that's okay because you love him so much you just want to see him reach his goals, and I have been here to see so many goals reached. I want to see him succeed, and be happy with his success, just like he supports me with my photography business and gives me advice on it. And in the process of me wanting him to succeed, I find I've succeeded when he does. I've managed to keep him healthy while on the road to his successes. Being a MX track owners girlfriend to me, means a hard working man that eventually comes home to me every night, having the help of mx family from literally across the country if need be, having that support system is so under appreciated sometimes.
I understand how hard he works, I see how under appreciated he is sometimes by all people not just some MX people. My point is, being his girlfriend at a motocross track means, family you didn't know you wanted, friends you didn't know you needed, and all kinds of growing and evolving relationship wise, and just in general. A track owner who puts all his time into making everyone happy is an invaluable man to have around. I'm ready for the rest of my life with him, and his track.
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