Burn Out Pit

In everyone, there is an inner voice that is adept at recognizing crazy.  Alcohol, drugs, and ego dull that voice but cannot make it go away entirely.  Everyone also has hard wiring in their brain (frontal lobe) that allows them to problem solve, reason, plan, and make judgment calls. Drugs and alcohol degrade that ability significantly.  You cannot override how your body works by will power, no mater how big your ego is.  It is how your body works.  You can (without drugs or alcohol) make equally bad judgments by letting your ego override that inner voice.


There is a bar in Sturgis, South Dakota called The Full Throttle Saloon.  It is billed as the largest biker bar.  It sits on 30 acres about 5 miles out of Sturgis.  When you ride up, you have the option of parking outside in the parking lot or you can ride your bike into bar itself.  As you ride inside, just off to the right there is a enclosure surrounded by 20 foot chain link fence and reinforced on the bottom with dug in railroad ties...the burnout pits.

When you ride in a big guy will motion you (on your bike) over to the pit.  If you ignore him he will yell colorful things about your heritage, your mother, and your sexual preferences.  The whole purpose of the pit is to pull in and put your front tire on the railroad tie.  A brave soul (of your choosing) will lift the back tire while you burn your tire until it pops. People gravitate to the enclosure and hang on the fence.  If you have ever seen the Mad Max series THUNDERDOME, it is like that. 

The biggest problem with crazy, is that it can be really fun to watch.  If you get swept up in it, it can feel like fun until it goes to hell. 

So this guy, pulls his 20K bike into the burn pit.  He is grinning and revving he engine.  Two great looking women in bikini's climb on the fence with other people to cheer him on.  He gets his buddy to hold up the back tire and with the crowd yelling there heads off he starts his burn out.  He disappears in a cloud of blue smoke. 

You could not tell by listening if his engine seized right before or after the tire blew.  The bikini girls are gingerly taking off very hot pieces of tire that landed on faces, hands, legs, and arms.  The guy holding up the bike was limping over to he first aid tent to have the severe burn on his leg looked at.  The guy is not pumping his fist anymore.  He is talking on the cell phone and to the tow truck driver.  He looks like a guy that spent 20K in a couple of minuets without intending to. 

Trust that inner voice when you hear it.  Crazy is different than everything else.  It is not daring, adventuresome or willing to take a risk...it is crazy.   And no amount of great looks, money, social standing, or toys makes crazy worth it.  Crazy is one of the most difficult thing to extract yourself from.  Crazy is soul sucking exercise.

Don't be the guy that holds up the back tire either.

Love Dad.