Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1524446
August 2024 13 It's a genuine response that all too o en is not seen today. When follow- ing-up with the individual a er this self- lessness, he simply replied, in so many words, that no thanks were needed. This race meant a lot to him, and to see a young man out of gas a mile away from the finish line just didn't sit with him. He knew the feeling the younger rider was going through as other bik- ers passed them and he felt if he could make it so that they both crossed the finish line a er 24 hours of hard work and determina on, he would do ev- erything he could to make it happen. And he would do it a million mes over. Sta ng that he hoped it taught the young man a lesson – to stop and help out in any way because even the small- est things (and this wasn't so small!) to some mean the world to others. He concluded by saying that so many peo- ple think of dirt bike riders as a bunch of thugs, and so if we don't help each other, who is going to help? These are the words of a very wise man. Not only in the dirt biking/motorcycle community, for life in general. That ges- ture literally meant the successful end to the race for a 17-year-old who had been working hard to do it. It meant that he could finish and be proud of the accomplishments of his teammates. When so many others just kept riding, this individual taught the lesson that we're all in this together – and together they finished the 24-hour race, both with a sense of pride in humankind and sportsmanship. To all the Keith Taylors out there, keep doing what you do. Keep making the world a kinder place. Your not-so- small gesture during this race meant the world to a 17-year-old boy and his team. Your lesson is not lost on them, and hopefully will not be lost on all who are reading this. Thank you, Rich Albert. Ryan Leighton Ryan Leighton Luke Leighton Luke Leighton