I have a proposition for you. How about if you do some work and I’ll take possession of it, for no fee. Of course, I’ll let you use it, as long as you meet my terms. I may revoke your right, however.

That, in a nutshell is what you have to agree to if you want a press pass to the AMA Nationals.

Every year out at Thunder Valley Motocross Park here in the Denver area they hold one of the races that make up the AMA Motocross Championships. This year the event is set for June 27. I figured I’d go and take advantage of my press affiliation to get in free and get some preferential treatment in doing my coverage.

I contacted the appropriate people and they sent along the 2009 Pro Motocross Media Guidelines, complete with a waiver for me to sign and return to them. Sure this is just standard stuff and if you want to play you have to play by their rules, but I read what I was about to sign anyway.

Holy smokes! Read this:

Media Members agree and hereby do assign to MX Sports and its affiliates (collectively, “MX Sports Entities”), all copyrights in any or all still or motion picture . . . or any other form of media captured . . . MX Sports hereby grant to Media Member a royalty-free, non-exclusive, limited, revocable license (“Licensee”) to use the Works, illustrating, describing, relating to, or referring to the Event(s) for editorial purposes only.

Oh, thank you so much for allowing me to use my own pictures for free.

I’m still going to go to the races, but I’m not sending in the press credentials form. I’ll pay my way in and I’ll jostle with the crowds to get the best coverage I can. But I’ll own my own work.

Recent from the National Motorcycle Examiner
An experienced motorcyclist’s lessons in humility

Biker Quote for Today

Well, sister, the time has come for me to ride hard and fast. – Rooster Cogburn

Do you do it in the dirt? To be honest, I’ve only been dirt-biking once but after going to the MX races at Thunder Valley Motocross Park this past weekend I have a serious yen to do it again.

On a cold, gray day following two days of rain, the operative word was “mud.” And watching these folks, from the very young to the decidedly older, slinging mud and plowing furrows through the curves was just a kick.

This event was the state championships but don’t ask me who won in what class. I wasn’t there for that. I was just out for a good time and I really had one. I can give you some of the particulars, though.

First off, Thunder Valley is owned by the City of Lakewood, and is privately operated by Sherri and David Clavaugh. You pay $25 for a year’s membership and then you pay $12 each day you come out to ride. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday all year round, excepting, of course, days when the snow shuts them down.

On occasion, as on this past weekend, there are scheduled events going on. The Sports Riders Association of Colorado sponsors races around the state, of which this championship run was the season finale. In June or July each year Thunder Valley hosts a national motocross event that draws the top pros from around the country, along with about 20,000 spectators.

The course is set into the slope of the hogback, on 130 acres on the west side of Rooney Road. If you’re coming down CO 93 from where it crosses I-70, Thunder Valley is that dirt-bike track you see just to your west immediately south of the interstate.

One thing I really like about it is that it’s really open. You can go anywhere you want around the track to get whatever view of the racing that you want. Tunnels let you into different parts of the infield but you can just walk across the track as long as there aren’t any racers coming. Of course you sign a waiver when you pay your admission fee. It cost me $13 to get in on Sunday but I’m not sure if that is the standard admission fee.

So I tell you, the roar of the machines, the way the riders pop up and drop down on the whoops, the way the mud goes flying on those curves–it was all a blast. I’m definitely going back, and who knows, maybe I’ll figure out a way to get my hands on a dirtbike of my own. I would LOVE to ride that track!

Biker Quote for Today

Riding fast on the road is only limited by your mental health. Riding fast on the track is only limited by your ability.