Guest Commentary—The Road To Inspiration
When speedonthewater.com co-publisher Matt Trulio first pitched the idea of a story-series following one boat—with two owners—through a season of events and adventures, we had a few questions.
Kelly O’Hara and Kiran Pinisetti hope the story series will inspire other performance boat fans to hit the road, enjoy new waterways and make lifelong friends in the process. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.
How did Trulio, an accomplished and respected performance-boating journalist, come up with the idea for the series? What was his goal, and why us? Was it just because he liked our boat, a DCB Performance Marine M37R catamaran we called Cowboy & Indian in tongue-in-cheek honor of dairy farming and ethnic heritage?
“I want to write something fun that inspires people to do what you’re doing, hitting the road and experiencing new and familiar places, for a season of adventures on the water,” he explained. “This country has so many completely beautiful waterways, and each one has something different to offer. Like the people involved.
The authors often looked back at their guest for the year and wondered what they had gotten themselves into.
“And as for why you guys, yeah, OK, I like your boat,” he added then laughed. “And the name.”
Of course, we had more questions but we liked the fundamental goal of inspiration. The story series had to inspire.
During the Boyne Thunder Poker Run week, the Cowboy & Indian crew (third boat from left) joined a group of friends for a trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes. Photo by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.
In other words, to motivate, to spur activity. To incite feelings and, more importantly, action.
Our main goal has been to share our poker-run experiences through each story in an effort to motivate readers to get involved however it best suits them. We hoped to inspire our fellow performance boat owners not inclined to leave their local waterways to travel across the country to join an entire group of people with common interests. There is a wealth of knowledge to be shared and acquired in such groups. There are stories to be told, and joy to be shared. People to meet.
We call them “the friends we have not yet met”—and we met many, too many to list, from all over the country this summer with Trulio on board observing and sometimes even writing while we were underway. We look forward to meeting readers who, inspired the Cowboy & Indian story series, and have decided that it’s now their time to get out and live their own adventures.
Kiran and Jessica Pinisetti at the Hartwell Lake Charity Fun Run.
Equally important to us was inspiring support for charitable organizations through poker runs and other boating events. We sponsored and attended events whose purposes were raising both awareness and financial support for worthy benefactors. The volunteers who organize and coordinate these opportunities for our boating family to give back have our admiration and appreciation.
We hope the series inspires others to work hard to achieve and live out their dreams. Many of the events we participated in this year were bucket-list items not so long ago. Our boat was a bucket-list item not so long ago. The goals we set for ourselves and our pursuit of them afforded us the opportunity to embark on our season-long, boating road-trip adventure.
The Cowboy & Indian DCB M37R was the company’s first catamaran to be equipped with the then-new Mercury Racing 500R outboard engines. Photo by Tom Leigh copyright Tommy Gun Images.
Setting and achieving goals for ourselves in our everyday lives results in realizing and experiencing travel and events in our poker run lives.
Last but far from least, we hoped to inspire people to engage. The joy we found in supporting deserving charities through participation in poker runs throughout the country, surrounded by many of our closest friends, cannot possibly be overstated.
The season wasn’t all business for O’Hara, Pinisetti, Trulio and their road-family, particularly during the rain-soaked inaugural Bago Big Bet event in Wisconsin.
The ultimate reward for participating in these events is getting introduced and interacting with the incredible individuals or families that the charitable organizations serve. Those stories, from that of a child battling a life-threatening disease with support from an outside group to a veteran battling PTSD with the help of a service animal, are the ones that truly inspire. Each story that unfolded during a season on the road reminds us how fortunate we are in our daily lives and provides real examples of pushing on through unthinkable circumstances.
Scenes from a season on the road with Cowboy & Indian.
It’s typical for the event organizers and beneficiaries to thank the participants at these boating events for their attendance and support. Their gratitude is appreciated. But in truth, we, the participants are the beneficiaries. We get back more pure joy than we could ever hope to give.
To all of the organizers and volunteers at not just the go-fast boating events we tackled but the countless others we didn’t, thank you. Your courage, determination and commitment to making this world a better place is amazing.
We set out to inspire with the Cowboy & Indian story series. We leave it inspired.
The full Cowboy & Indian crew included (clockwise from left) Jessica Pinisetti, Matt Trulio, Sally the Wonder Pooch, Julie O’Hara, Kelly O’Hara and Kiran Pinisetti. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
Related stories
Cowboy & Indian Summer Event Tour—The Final Roundup
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part IX—Road Family
DCB Owners Regatta A National ‘Family’ Reunion
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part VIII—On Sacred Water
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part VII—The Rides That Matter
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part VI—Enter The Back-Up Boat
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part V—Look Mom, No Truck
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part IV—The Homecoming
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part III—Umbrella Coverage
Boyne Thunder 2024 Day 1—A Lunch, A Party, A Dog Named Sally And A Cold Shower
Commentary: When Go-Fast Boating Guys Have Too Much Time To Kill
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part II—No-Wake Zone Confidential
Cowboy & Indian Summer Tour, Part I—Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants In South Carolina
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