Deaf fan........from ashley motocross rider

DeafMotoCross

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My name is Ashley Fiolek and this is my website,WWW.ASHLEYFIOLEK67.COM thanks for stopping by! I have a lot to share with you so lets get started!

First thing you should know about me is that I am a Motocross Racer! Since the age of 7 I have been riding and racing motorcycles. Today, 8 years later I love the sport of motocross more than ever!

So how did it all start?

Actually me and my family use to live in Michigan where almost every weekend in the summer we would go to my Grandpa Motorcycle's home in Northern Michigan (you know near Sarah Whitmore's home) and ride motorcycles through the woods for hours! I loved it! What a blast! Of course when we started I was too young to ride by myself, I was only 2 so I rode on my Mom or Dad's bike. I say I was too young but my little brother Kicker is only 2 and he already rides by himself… I will tell you about him laterJ. Anyway one day my Mom, Dad, and I went to a motocross race to watch, I loved it! I told my parents "I want to race!" I had never even ridden by myself! My parents bought me a Yamaha PW 50, I was 3 ½ years old; I rode it a little but it was difficult to ride, it had training wheels that didn't work very well so I parked it and continued to ride with my Mom and Dad. Finally at 7 while on vacation in Florida I told my parents "I wanted to ride my bike", we were at Croom in Brooksville, Florida, my Dad took off the training wheels and I followed my Mom and Dad through the woods for hours. The next day we went to a real motocross track, well I had to stay on the peewee track but I went around nonstop for 2 hours, I was hookedJ. On our way back home to Michigan my parents asked me if I wanted to race. My first race was in March of 1998 at Log Road MX, I raced the Shaft class, there were 12 riders and I got 4th! I have been riding and racing ever since.

So how did it all start?

I have had the opportunity to be involved in some awesome experiences!!! I have traveled and raced all around the United States. I have raced in Japan twice. I have been invited to ride and train at some of the most awesome tracks and facilities around. To live in our motor home for weeks at a time with my family. To represent some of the finest companies inside and outside of the industry. To do photo shoots and interviews. Write articles for magazines. Become friends with people from all over the country. Meet some of the top women and men professionals in motocross. Teach people sign language. How awesome!

Because of Motocross…

I have had the opportunity to be involved in some awesome experiences!!! I have traveled and raced all around the United States. I have raced in Japan twice. I have been invited to ride and train at some of the most awesome tracks and facilities around. To live in our motor home for weeks at a time with my family. To represent some of the finest companies inside and outside of the industry. To do photo shoots and interviews. Write articles for magazines. Become friends with people from all over the country. Meet some of the top women and men professionals in motocross. Teach people sign language. How awesome!

Sacrifice

Of course I say "Because of Motocross I have had the opportunity to be involved in some awesome experiences" but I know there is more to it than that, I am very fortunate to do what I love to do on a daily basis! There are so many people that make sacrifices for me so that I can achieve my dreams! None of this would be possible without them - My Mom, My Dad, My Brother Kicker, Grandpa Motorcycle, My Friends and My Sponsors.

Hard Work

Along with sacrifice is hard work, again this involves many people including myself. I am home schooled to better accommodate my training and racing schedule. Although I only race about 15 times a year, 8 of those are Amateur Nationals so much of my time is spent preparing for those. You might think that is easy, wake up, put some motos in and my day is done. Nope! Typically I start my day with an hour of cardio training. Next its school work. Than I ride which believe it or not doesn't include putting laps in on the motocross track unless of course I am doing motos. I usually spend hours doing fundamentals, sprints, and working sections. Than it is on to the gym for strength training. More homework - Yuck! But no matter how tired I am I always find the energy to get on IM and myspace. comJ at the end of the day.

Kicker

I told you about Kicker earlier, he is a handful, well at least for my Mom and DadJ. My Dad always says "He has his own game plan and he sticks to it no matter what the consequences". Kicker loves motorcycles too, how could he not he has been in the motor home since he has been 5 days old. He has a Yamaha PW 50 that he got when he was 2, it has training wheels but they work better than mine did. When I go out to practice starts, he goes out to practice starts, he is funny. Everyone at the races knows Kicker; when we drive around on a golf kart at an Amateur National, people are always yelling "Kicker", of course I don't hear that but that is what my Mom and Dad tell meJ. By the way just in case you were wondering, Kicker is his real name!

Deaf

I mentioned before that I have had the opportunity to teach people I have met sign language; this is really cool for me! I was born profoundly Deaf so sign language is easy for meJ. People always ask if I can hear a little bit or my friends try to test me which I thing is pretty funny. Actually I don't start to hear until 95 decibels, like jet aircraft. In interviews I am asked all the time how I can ride and shift, really it is just based on vibration and feel, probably the same as everyone else they just don't notice they are doing it (think about the start with 42 motorcycles). Or they want to know about the advantages and disadvantages. I think as far as advantages I don't have as many distractions. The disadvantages are that I have to hold my line a little more than the other riders unless of course they are Deaf alsoJ. By the way, it is OK to say Deaf not Hearing Impaired, Deaf people prefer it!

Thank you

If you have time please checkout the rest of my site, I will try to change it from time to time to keep it interesting! Also checkout the companies that help me with my program and achieving my dreams! Thanks again for checking out ASHLEYFIOLEK.COM
 
Welcome aboard, deafmotocross!

Tried your link but it's broken so? Anyone accessing her site ok?
 
:welcome: to AllDeaf forum. Wow, motocross. That is a challenge that you can have a risk to riding the motor bike. I am glad you are here and hope you enjoy reading and posting all the threads here. Have fun with us. See you around. :wave: :thumb:
 
Sweet! Congrats on your joining Team HONDA! That's awesome! Hope to see you around.
 
Hello,
wow been a long time since i rode, first thing i want (cant help it) is say, Keep the shiny side up, and the rubber side down (i hope that is the first time you read this expression, its very old) :)
lol
Ah, its an awesome feeling eh, to know that feeling of confidence on the bike and track eh
what do sort of tracks do you like best? sandy, loamy, hard packed, big berms or big jumps short or long straights?
i liked sandy tracks with hard packed berms and wide sweepers were alot of fun, in a sense i could tell if the (other riders) can ignore the deep grooves or not, that gave me bit more edge or confidence but surprises do happens (urgh) lol. At times its hard to know so its intriguing that when i ask myself is it fitness or finesse, it always comes back as a bit of both, just some days one has more weight than the other...what im saying is, i appreciate motocross is as much as it is a mental challenge as it is also physically demanding sport. It's great glad i had experienced this too. Although I didnt get to A grade or ride in nationals (in New Zealand), it didnt matter, its the enjoyment and richness of the sense of wellbeing that i gained from it at that time. I had the priviledge to test the tracks long before big race meetings since with the owner of the motocross park. It was amazing, it had everything from peewee tracks to forest tracks to Supercross. So i kind of know what you are appreciating too, may you the best of luck to reap all your dreams of winning the races on and off the track.

have fun and keep riding as long as it is fun :)

cheers
 
I grew up on a track up in Wisconsin, its pure sand whoops! Its like riding in the dunes, except its covered with monstrous whoops that want to bog down the bike and swallow you up. Its the most physically demanding track we have in the Minnesota/ Wisconsin region. The only downside is there are no real jumps, but aside from that fact I have a blast there whenever I go. Just hold it wide open and pray for the best lol. Would have been sweet to try that track Grummer! Maybe I'll have to go to NZ and see for myself.
 
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