Mama Tried Show 2018: Fast times in the home of Harley Davidson

Mama Tried Motorcycle Show is an indoor invitational in Milwaukee, WI that connects motorcycles and builders to fans and riders alike. Keeping the fire stoked all winter long. The Show features over 100 motorcycles from builders of all calibers—flat-tracker, hill climber, chopper, and bar hopper.

If we had to sum up our trip out to Milwaukee for Mama Tried Show in a single word... well we probably wouldn’t because

A.) We don’t like being told what do do, and

B.) because there are so many moment long experiences that have us a different view or angle of the show, the culture and the broad and eclectic  community of riders that were in attendance.

That said, since we don’t HAVE to, we’ll embrace our freedom of choice and say our one word to sum up Mama Tried Show would be...FAST. If we were to be so bold as to throw an adverb in there, we’d dare say TOO FAST. Mama Tried Show was slow coming as we waited out the long, cold winter months without a good ride, moto show, race or other moto-centric event. In January, it couldn’t have come soon enough. On February  25th, we couldn’t believe how fast it had come and gone. TOO FAST.

Despite our foolhardy intention to ride out to Milwaukee  out of Wyoming in the frosty winter month of February, the ice covered roads and falling snow was just enough convincing to admit defeat and take a bird out of DIA. We drove down to Denver, CO Thursday night, arriving at midnight. Whatever sleep was had was violently put to a halt of 5am when the piercing hotel alarm went off letting us know it was time to wake up. Lack of sleep be damned, we were stoked. It was that much closer to getting to MKE for Flat Out Friday, Mama Tried Motorycle Show and so many friends, new and old. Here’s the timeline that transpired after that alarm.

8AM- Arrive at DIA, with more bags than lesser men could carry. They were full essentials. Merchandise for the show, helmets in case we were lucky enough to ride on the ice, and of course our sonos.com speaker to keep our booth atmosphere “lit”, as they say. We checked our bags and made it through security just in time to catch our 9:47AM flight for MKE. Slight hold up due to Brady’s reputation for bringing live ammunition everywhere he goes. (Pretty sure he’s on a government watch list, deserving or not. Ask him about it. —> @BradyTilDeath)

9:47AM - Bird takes off to Milwaukee, WI. We flew United.com in hopes we might catch a brawl on the way, but it was actually a pretty chill flight and service was top notch, even to the likes of us dirty moto kids. Thanks for the let down, United.

1:12PM- Landed in MKE, called a shuttle from our hotel, waited in stoke as we saw other humans wearing motorycle brands, making it feel like we were right where we belonged a

1:33PM- called our shuttle again. They forgot. 10-15 minutes

1:57PM- called our shuttle again. 10 minutes, they’d be there. Party.

2:13PM- Started feeling like someone cancelled Christmas, our birthdays and that Mama Tried Show was just an incredibly elaborate scheme put together by our friend after we convinced him we died 2 April Fools Days ago. There was no Moto Show, no races, no hotels, certainly no shuttles... did Milwaukee even exist?! Why?!???!!

2:15PM- Shuttle driver arrives, he got lost. It’s real! It’s all real!!! Stoke back on. 🏍⚡️🔜

3:30PM- We’re checked in, ready to head for Flat Out Friday, the indoor flat track race hosted by Harley Davidson and Mama Tried Show.

3:45- Caught an Uber, who was gracious enough to drop by a McDonalds for us to grab a McGriddle. We hadn’t eaten yet so this was rad.

4:00PM- Waiting on McGriddles.

4:07PM- Uber driver regrets decision to stop at McDeez and is starting to hate us and the horse we rode in on.

4:13PM- Back on the April Fools conspiracy. There are no McGriddles, someone cancelled Christmas, our birthdays, there was no Moto Show, no races, no hotels, certainly no shuttles... did Milwaukee even exist?! Why?!???!!

4:15PM- McGriddles in hand, headed for the races. Cashed up the Uber guy, and stoke was back on.

4:30PM- Checked in to Flat Out Friday, wristbands on and plenty of time. First race is at 5:15.

4:40PM- We forgot the decals for the bikes/ racer we sponsored. Uber come back.

4:55- Uber got us to the hotel, grabbed decals and gear.

5:14PM- Back to BMO Harris Bradley center just in time to slap decals on, give Chris (hooligan racer) a hoodie and a slap on the ass to get out there and give ‘er heck.

Also 5:14- Is that Larry Enticer? The “Just gonna Send it” guy? Yup. Alright then, gonna be one of those kinda nights.

- 5:15PM- 10:15PM- One of the raddest, craziest, rowdiest moto events we have ever seen in all of our years of loving motorcycles. Tales of triumph, defeat, crashes, burnouts underdog stories and new relationships. (Read about our underdog story and favorite part of Flat Out Friday HERE.) We were so entertained by the show we barely remembered to turn on our camera. (See the Video for the vibe).

10:15- High Five, That was rad. Let’s look at these new sportsters for a minute, eh?

10:30PM-2:30AM- After parties and sharing mutual stoke with friends old and new. We gallivanted around to a number of ventures, most of which we didn’t get the names of, but we settled at The Palamino with some of the best humans in this industry/ community.

3AM- Sleep. Yesssssss

6AM- Wake up. It’s time. Brush your undies and put on your teeth, it’s Mama Tried Show!!

8AM- Arrive, set up our booth, fix broken stuff, realize we’re missing a box of merch. We have all plus sized gear. Rad, come on with it big belly crew. The search was on.

9:54AM- Missing box found, thanks to Maureen, our Mama Tried Show contact and all around awesome individual. Stoke on high.

10AM- 10:30PM- So. Much. Rad. We spent this ENTIRE day meeting people and sharing stories from the road, on bikes, destinations, rallies we should attend, rides we were invited to and we sold out of most sizes of what we brought by the end of lunch. This time was special. This was our community. Our people. This time was what REALLY brought us to the show. These people and these stories are the ones that make motorcycles more than an inanimate object of transport. These people ARE the culture that we are so in love with and so excited to contribute to. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts to all of the people who stopped by our booth. We can’t expression grateful we are to be a part of this with you. Thank you.

10:39PM- Headbang to Metallica cover band because metal.

11PM- 3AM- More after parties, more of the people we love, a little bit of naked Burt Reynolds mural thanks to our friends at SnackBoyz MKE. Pranking members of the incredible group of women riders, Milwaukee Rivets. (Check them out.) It was another rad night. One for the books.

4AM- Sleep.

6AM- 15 more minutes.

6:15AM- Damn.

8:30AM- Set up our booth for day 2!

9AM-12PM- More of the same, selling what we had left, meeting rad people of moto culture, and running around introducing ourselves to other brands in a rushed, semi-awkward manner, but we did it. Love all you guys.

1:47PM- Fly To Denver

5:27PM- Gear packed up, start the 6 hour drive home to Sheridan, Wyoming.

12:13AM- Home. What a weekend. What a show. What a time to be alive. Too fast, Mama Tried, too fast.

Normally speed is something we embrace here, being that our name itself is half “Go Fast.” With Mama Tried Show however, despite the lack of sleep and hustle involved, we wouldn’t complain a bit if the whole thing was still going on today, a week later. Thanks for the memories, Mama Tried Show. We’ll see you next year and every year going forward until we’re too old to rock anymore. Until next year, next ride or next show..., happy trails, until we meet again.