Where the Dirt Feels Like Home.
I am someone who values resilience, independence, and experiences that challenge me to grow. Outside of academics and career preparation, my life is shaped by the things that keep me grounded — movement, the outdoors, mechanical work, and the freedom that comes from pushing myself mentally and physically. These parts of my life have played as much of a role in shaping who I am as anything in the classroom.
Riding became a major part of my life the moment I got my first bike in 2023. I’ve always loved anything with an engine, but dirt bikes brought out a whole new kind of excitement for me. There’s something about being out in Ocotillo Wells, riding with my dad, my friends, or whoever joins that day, that just feels right.
The desert has a way of pulling everything else into the background — it’s just you, the machine, and the open space in front of you. I love the mix of focus, freedom, and adrenaline that riding gives me. It’s one of the places where I feel the most myself.
My path into off-roading came naturally as my family shifted from time on the water to time in the desert. Trading the boat for a long-travel Raptor opened the door to a world that felt raw, loud, and completely alive.
Baja is a different kind of energy — dirt in the air, engines echoing through washes, trophy trucks blowing past crowds only feet away, and helicopters chasing them down the course. It’s chaotic, gritty, and full of people who live for the sound of an engine at full throttle.
Being part of that scene made me fall in love with it instantly. The culture, the noise, the dust, the adrenaline — it all feels like home to me.
I love getting as far away from everything as possible — no crowds, no noise, no pressure. Just open space. Camping is my way of resetting. There’s something unmatched about being miles from anyone, sitting by a fire, listening to the night settle in around you.
It’s rare to find places where the only sounds are the crackle of wood and the wind moving through the desert. Those quiet moments remind me to slow down, breathe, and just exist for a while. Being outside keeps me grounded, clears my head, and brings me back to myself every time.
