LEAP OF FAITH

My love for motorcycles didn’t come at a young age, it didn’t come from my upbringing, and no, none of my close friends persuaded me to get a bike. I’ve always considered myself to be the black sheep of my family — the one who was always running in the complete opposite direction and purposefully refraining from something because someone told me I had to do it. Hardheaded could be another word for it, but I guess I think of myself to be a little unpredictable, impulsive, and carefree.

I grew up never really knowing exactly what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go, I just knew I wanted to be different from everyone else and I wanted to be able to be me while doing so. I went to college to get a degree in what I thought was the most broad and least boring major I could think of at the time: marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship — because I’m indecisive like that. After graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I moved back to my hometown of Sheridan, WY and got a signage job to hold me over until I figured out what I was going to do with myself. It was within the first couple weeks of being home that my then boss had asked me at my interview: “have you heard of Go Fast Don’t Die?” I shook my head no and all he had to do was show me their IG page while continuing to tell me that they were working with them and several other up and coming lifestyle brands to hold my attention. After weeding GFDD’s vinyl stickers and decals for a couple months (you’re welcome), I saw a job opening pop up on the local chamber of commerce’s website at a company that had the same owners as Go Fast Don’t Die. Would I be working directly for Go Fast? Probably not, but it was something. So, I applied and hallelujah, I got the job.

Here’s the thing, no one ever tells you the struggle you go through after graduating college and being thrown into the working world. I didn’t have any hobbies or passions, nor did I feel like I was working toward anything and it left me with such an unsettling and unfulfilled feeling that burned inside of me. I needed a challenge — something that got me out of my comfort zone. I had never ridden a motorcycle before, never rode dirt bikes, or had any sort of knowledge about motorcycles in general. Heck, I didn’t even know how to drive a stick shift. I wanted to learn though, and I wanted to feel excited about something again.

Two months after I got that job I bought my first motorcycle: a 2012 Harley-Davidson XL883N Iron 883. Fast forward to almost exactly two-years later: I just traded in my beloved sportster for a 2012 Softail Slim FLS last month.

Over these past two years, I’ve not only grown as an individual and rider in my professional career and personal life, but I have also had the privilege of watching Go Fast Don’t Die grow into something that stands for so much more than just riding motorcycles. Luckily for me, these guys have played a huge part in helping me get to where I am today and have allowed me to play a part within the GFDD crew.

No matter who you are, where you come from, if you’ve been riding all your life, or are just starting today: my advice to you is to take the leap of faith. I promise you, in the end, you will have learned something about yourself that you didn’t know before.

- Amelia ⚡️