Hey everyone! Hopefully you all had a wonderful week enjoying the fantastic weather here in the great northwest! So if you guys followed my last blog you knew what a crazy week I had. Well, this week was a whole different kind of crazy! It was a little different schedule than I am used to, but the week was still great.
So after a week filled of moto training, practice, racing and watching racing, I decided I needed a break from all the craziness. I realized I haven't got to really enjoy the nice weather we have had lately, and knowing all too well that the weather could change any day I really wanted to take in my fair share of sunshine. So I had it set in my mind that I would just "relax" this week. Well, I was wrong about that...so far. In this week I have raced 8 motos total, shot a wedding, a commercial photo shoot as well as a fun shoot. Most people know me for racing, and others know me from my photography business.
Before I go into detail of my photography business I will give you all a recap of my races from this week. So again I raced TNMX in Portland. I love that track and it being so close to my house, it's just one of the things I usually do on a weekly basis. It's great training for upcoming races, also it's another gate drop and that's something I always look forward to. This past week was pretty dead considering most people probably were still on their "motocross hangover." The hangover being from a week filled with riding, the TNMX anniversary race, and then the Washougal Nationals the day after.
Anyway, I won my motos and grabbed both holeshots on my MotoSport bikes in the women's class. I didn't race a boy's moto that night, which was a bummer because I love racing with the boys more than the girls most of the time.
After a long night of racing I came home and got my bikes ready for the weekend. I knew I wasn't going to be racing Saturday because I was going to be at a wedding all day, so I took all of Friday to get ready for Sunday. I won't go into detail about the wedding yet, but basically I was in Oregon from 10am to 930pm. I got home and my family loaded in our motor home and we drove 2 hours north to the new Straddleline ORV Park to race the first race since the grand opening. We pulled into the track at midnight and went to bed. I woke up the next morning to a light mist and perfectly prepped track. There were some changes to the track that looked sick as well as more dirt added to the track! Honestly that was the best track I have ridden in a long time! I signed up for the women's pro class along with 250 Int.
After the first practice I was feeling good and my bikes were dialed in! The track developed gnarly deep ruts and the soil was super tacky and just perfect all around. I was listening to Brian Barnes announce that the day had contingency to all bike brands, as well as a money purse of $1000 to the open pro class. And since there were only a couple of pros signed up at that time, I decided to try my luck out and I signed up. The class is free to pro riders and I figured it be a good chance to maybe win some money : ) Unfortunately, by the time the pros went out, there were 7 of us and my chances at easy money had greatly diminished! I just don't understand why Tommy and the rest of them didn't want to share any of that purse with me? But he did promise to take it easy on me, haha. At the drop of the gate I missed a gear and it was nothing but rock eating after that. By the first corner my goggles were cracked and I had enough dirt in them to start a garden! I couldn't see a thing and the race quickly became something that I was watching, from behind! I was bummed on how the moto went but the day wasn't a total bust.
In the first women's moto I grabbed the holeshot and was leading until the second to last lap when I fell in a corner. I got up and took a 2nd in that one. In the second moto, I again got the holeshot and this time lead the whole moto and didn't look back, lol. So that day ended great, an overall win, 2 holeshots as well as some cash from my results.
As I mentioned earlier I have a photography business, J29Photography. J29 started when I would have down time from an injury or something. I would use my mom's old camera and just take pictures of my friends at the track. Eventually I got a better camera then a website and I started doing portraits and other jobs. I realized I could make photography more than a hobby, but also a career. So over the past year I have been doing more photo shoots, weddings, senior sessions and selling my work to businesses. I think it is safe to say I love photography just as much as I love riding my dirt bike, at times.
Anyway back to Saturday. I was at a wedding all day. My good friend, as well as mechanic for the AMA Nationals was getting married. Mitch Rask and Kayla Smith have been friends of mine for a few years now and they are like older siblings to me. I had the wonderful pleasure of shooting there special day and it was amazing! The most beautiful wedding I have ever been to! Everything was simply perfect and elegant! It was an honor being the one to capture it all; congrats to Mitch and Kayla Rask!
Even though my weekend had little down time, I think it is safe to say it was by far one of the best weekends of the year! And to top it off early this week I had 2 more photo shoots that brought some great coverage to my portfolio, and what is more important my time shooting was a blast! I love making people happy when they see my work as well as meeting new friends and fans of my work!
It's definitely an odd balance, motocross and photography. But I think everyone should try to enjoy their life and find some sort of hobby, or profession, just something that they put effort into and bless other people with. I know that I am doubly blessed to have two passions that bring me joy. I look forward to the rest of the summer and the upcoming races I plan on doing. If you're in the Portland area, don't forget to head out to P.I.R. this weekend (Aug. 6-7) for round 8 of the P.R.O. series and race on the extended track. Every year the track is phenomenal for this weekend event and you don't want to miss it! I will be there with my family so stop by and say "hi" : )
Until next time,
Jessie #53
