Why We Ride: Stephanie and Greg Powers
“Our first date was riding Greg’s old childhood dirt bike; of course; it was miniature and NOT street legal. But us two thrill junkies thought it was super fun.”
Stephanie and Greg Powers aren’t your typical married couple - far from the regimented lifestyle so many of us wedded folks fall victim to. Nope, these two lovebirds bond over their need for speed and attraction to adventure - all of which they share together. Stephanie and Greg are a power couple when it comes to supporting one another’s passions. Both are avid motorcyclists, horse riders and enthusiasts, and complete gear heads in the garage.
Just a Pair of Thrill Junkies
Greg was the first to start riding when he bought his own dirt bike on his 12th birthday.
“Before turning 12 I was really into building jumps in the back fields for my BMX bike but I found I couldn't fly through the air at 45 miles per hour like I wanted on a BMX. I needed a dirt bike to do that, so with my parent’s blessing I used money I had saved up to buy my very own dirt bike. Shortly after I met two other Greg’s that also rode dirt bikes and had already built a track in a cow pasture. So we would go out, chase the cows off the track, ride until sundown and then push our bikes home so as not to get in trouble riding them at night. A kid ends up in a lot of trouble doing that - I can say that with firsthand experience,” Greg shares.
So that he could afford to buy a Jeep to trek back and forth to school and work, Greg sold his childhood ride to a cousin only to “borrow” it years later on his and Stephanie’s first date.
“We were half-way falling off but no one ever actually did - no one got hurt so it was just a really fun night. Plus we had gotten tacos beforehand - that’s the secret deal sealer right there,” Greg laughs.
Stephanie had always considered herself a gear head growing up loving muscle cars, sports cars…anything with horsepower, including horses. “I love the exhilaration of speed while at the same time learning to master my own movement. There is such a mind-body connection to both riding bikes and horses that comes from getting a ‘feel’ for it.” As someone who had never ridden on a bike, let alone have her own, she was a little scared but mostly enthralled by the illegal pitch-black dirt bike excursion through town. There was obviously a second date. Some might even say their story exemplifies “Love at first bike”.
A Familiar Passion
In 2008, Greg inherited his Uncle Roy’s motorcycle after his passing and decided it was time to go and get his license. His dad and step-mom had been riding for years and they always made it look like a good time. Because it was.
It only took one summer of Greg riding to convince Stephanie that she wanted to do the same.
“I got my license to avoid boredom. I wanted to be with Greg, sharing in the adventure. I was really interested in learning how to ride and saw us out on Saturday afternoons, cruising the backroads, checking out restaurants in the area. And we did that. We have taken plenty of short day trips with very little interest in longer over-the-road rides but instead eventually found ourselves drawn to sport bikes.
I wanted a Ducati Monster, but didn’t have Ducati Monster money at the time so I got myself a Suzuki SV because it shared a lot of similarities to the Monster. Plus it’s kind of a jack-of-all-trades; it’s not a supersport bike, nor a cruiser but it’s fast and reliable. One year, at the end of the last ride of the season I dropped my bike on myself - my confidence was shaken and I was afraid to ride again. So, Greg and I started the next year off by going to an advanced riding school at the race track. Over the years, we have both been through the programs dozens of times and actually taught a few classes ourselves,” Stephanie beams with pride.
The last two advanced training tracks are official racing courses in which Stephanie hopes to complete after a few more years dedicated to her horses. A true badass mastering the various forms of micro-commuting.
Together, Into the Future
As both Greg and Stephanie look to the future, they are excited by the idea of a growing micro-commuter community.
“People are better drivers on bikes because, well, they are so much more vulnerable. On that same note, us bikers have our ‘club’ of sorts where we stick together and pull over for one another if we’re broken down. I think it’s that vulnerability that makes us kinder, more compassionate people. And even as individuals, riding forces you to be present in the moment. To be mindful, alert, and more purposeful in your actions because the consequences could be dire.” Stephanie shares.
“And with being more focused on the road, and your surroundings you are so much more connected to your senses. The smell of the corn fields, flowers, grass, and even the blood from roadkill. These are things we can sometimes smell through the walls and windows of our cars but when you are exposed to the elements and are out in the open it’s a wake-up call to reconnect and pay attention. Something we all need in so many aspects of our life,” Greg adds. With a hopeful viewpoint on what’s yet to come, the future for these two motorheads is one filled with exploration and adventure. And where there is a path to be discovered, there’s a journey for them to take together, hand on handlebars