Every ride has moments that stay with you forever.

One of those moments happened at Brookside Park (VA) when I met my first Mile Monsters hero — Jaxson, also known as “Tunez.”

Before I even arrived, Julie — better known as “Raindrop” — warned me. “Just wait… you’ll see why he’s called Tunez.” and he likes to twist the throttle! 🤣 She was right.

The second Jax got near the bike, you could see the excitement in his eyes. This kid absolutely loves motorcycles — and I quickly learned he enjoys twisting the throttle and testing that rev limiter whenever he gets the chance. ROFL.

We met at the park and I was introduced to his whole crew — his sister, dad, and mom. Big hugs all around. Within minutes it felt less like meeting strangers and more like reconnecting with old friends. We sat near a park bench overlooking the playground while the kids ran off to the swings and slides. That’s when the conversations really began.

They shared their experience living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) — the doctor visits, treatments, and the constant fight to stay ahead of a disease that slowly weakens muscles.

But what stood out most wasn’t the struggle. It was their strength as a family. You could feel it in every conversation, every laugh, every moment together.

After a while we walked down toward the creek that runs through the park. Of course Jax had one mission.

“Toes in the water.” No hesitation.💦

We laughed as he dipped his feet into the creek and enjoyed the moment. Somewhere during that walk the topic of fishing came up — and I told them I’d have to take him one day. They had never been fishing before. That reminded me of another motorcycle trip when I met another fellow Monster — Chris Hopper, better known in the long distance community as “That Guy.” I ran into him during his 125,000-mile record-breaking ride attempt up in Maine. One thing I learned quickly about Chris on that ride — he liked to stop at random lakes along the road just to drop a fishing line in the water. To this day it’s still unclear whether he was fishing because he needed dinner that night… or if he was just soothing the soul and clearing his mind after miles in the saddle.

Probably both. And honestly, that’s part of the magic of riding.

Standing there by that creek with Jax, I realized that one day we could make something special out of that idea. Maybe even get a whole crew of Mile Monsters together for a fishing derby someday. Now that would be a day.

Eventually we made our way back toward the parking lot where my bike was parked.

Jax climbed right up on my bike like he’d been riding for years. Seeing that smile while he sat there might be one of my favorite motorcycle photos ever. Before we wrapped up the visit, I had one more surprise for him. Another GeoCoin that I wanted to donate to him.

That little guy touched my heart more than he probably knows. He’s young, full of energy, and just trying to live life like any kid should — while DMD tries to get the best of him day after day. But Jax fights.

And he fights with spirit.

That day was the moment when something truly sank in for me. What the Monster GeoHunt meant. What Mile Monsters really means. And what it truly means to be riding for a reason.

And someday… We’re going fishing. 🎣🏍️💙