By Susan Creek

When I was growing up in the 1960s and ’70s, most girls didn’t ride dirt bikes.

My brother had a small dirt bike, and I once asked my dad if I could get one. He told me I would have to wait until I was out on my own and could get one for myself.

When I was 25 years old, I got my first bike, a Yamaha XT125. During the next 25 years, I had a few dirt bikes and several street bikes.

During my years of riding on the street, I always felt a yearning to be back on the trail.

Fast forward to 2012, when a friend decided to enter a local hare scramble and asked me if I wanted to come along. I had no idea exactly what a hare scramble was, but it sounded like fun.

At the age of 54, I signed up for my first AMA race and found myself on the starting line at a very wet and hilly venue.

I was riding a heavy Yamaha XT250, which is technically a dirt bike, but is also street legal—a dual sport.

I think I made it about a quarter mile before struggling in the mud and running my battery dead. The day was a total fail competitively speaking, but I was instantly hooked.

I had discovered a whole new world filled with other people who shared my love of off-road riding.

I realized that I needed a true off-road bike and went right out and bought a 2012 Yamaha TTR230 and started driving to races.

At the age of 60, I am now in my seventh season of racing in the Women’s class of AMA District 17 in Illinois. The women’s class in my district includes all females 12 and older, so the majority of my competitors are three or four decades younger than I am.

Young riders are typically fast and fearless, so I try to ride smart and stay as competitive as I can.

I am still riding my TTR and have now competed in more than 100 races. I am often amazed at the amount of abuse today’s bikes can withstand on the trail. After more than 200 hours of riding, my bike is still as dependable as ever.

In 2014, I was fortunate enough to win a national championship in the Women’s C class of the East Hare Scramble Series, which included the muddiest race I have ever ridden.

Attending the AMA Championship Banquet in Columbus, Ohio, in 2015 was the experience of a lifetime.

I definitely didn’t follow the typical path that most of today’s younger riders follow, but racing has been one of the most positive experiences of my life. The racing community is filled with wonderful people, and, even though we’re competing against each other, there is always camaraderie among the riders.

I am grateful to all the friends and fellow riders who have assisted me and helped me learn along the way.

One example that sticks out in my mind is one of my earlier races, where I kept crashing on the same downhill. I couldn’t figure out why other people could ride downhill without falling, while I seemed to end up on the ground every time.

One of the promoters noticed that I was locking my front brake up at the top of the hills and pointed it out to me after the race.

I simply didn’t know any different, but I have never forgotten that he took the time to educate me and help me become a better rider.

I plan to continue riding as long as I’m able to do so. I’ve learned that it’s not always about being the fastest, but more about riding within your limits and staying on the bike.

I may become less competitive over time, but whether you finish first or last, there’s still nothing that compares to the adrenaline-filled exhilaration of conquering a tough, demanding trail and emerging from the woods to see the checkered flag waving as you roll your sometimes battered body and bike across the finish line.