Well done sir.
I mentioned I'd write this weekends meet up in the form of lessons learned, here are the first two:
Lesson #1: Never underestimate the power of ‘believing’. This trip seemed impossible for a couple of years, but it wasn’t until I perceived the trip possible, did it become a reality. Let me back up a bit. The friendships that have been made on the forum, it does something to your mind as well. After I made friends with Chopperman (who was my forum nemesis for several years) Arrabi, BassPete and various other Britons. I knew someday I wanted to attend a MotoGP round in the United Kingdom. (And actually, now that I think about it, Australia, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands are high on the Wish list, as I’ve made forum friends their too). Anyway, my buddy, Giddell, declared he too wanted to see a GP in Europe someday. The seed was planted. I had tried coming last year, but the airfares were simply prohibitive for various reasons. So instead of going to a European GP, Giddell went to Israel for a vacation, my consolation prize was to go back to Laguna…yeah I know, tough, hehe. Anyway, enter Levi, who texted me one day about 10 months ago and said he really wanted to go to Silverstone. I told him great, have fun. But yet keep planting that seed and at got to the point that I started to believe it would be possible. The lesson here is how the mind works, once you start to believe doing something is possible, regardless of the changes in the particulars, all the hurdles become something to overcome rather than perceived as unattainable. Never underestimate the power of the mind once it believes something can happen. It’s a truth I’ve heard before, though many times not put to practice. I can only imagine what more I could accomplish if I believed more often.
Lesson #2: Do the best you can on picking a mate, then hope you’re lucky. It may seem odd, that of all the lessons, I’d list the most important and absolutely imperative one as second; however, I need to set it up above because the significant change in the entire prospect of coming on this trip was that I would be making the trip alone. Originally I wanted to come with the wifey. But she decided to stay for various reasons, particularly, taking on responsibilities at home to allow me to go. I didn’t have phone service, so Gator & Arrabi were gracious to let me use their phone to check on things at home. The conversation went something like this, ‘Hey, I’m safe; I made it to the UK. How are things at home? Reply: Good good, no problems, are you having fun? Yes, absolutely, I say. Reply: Excellent, that’s why I wanted you to go, because this is your passion and it makes me happy to make you happy.’ And added, “I knew it would be possible if both of us went, so I sent you because I knew you’d do the same for me.” Never underestimate the willingness of a loved one to make possible something that they know will give you great joy. It’s humbling and you can bet I will find a way to reciprocate. The lesson here, not only should you pick wisely your significant other, but it also requires a great deal of luck, I was lucky.
(I'll upload pictures soon, though I warn you, they are of crap quality.)
