Trail Buzzer of the Month: Austin Horna

At Dry Brew, we live for fueling big energy and bold moves. Our crew isn’t about playing it safe. It is made up of people who carve their own path and show up in the world doing seriously cool things.

That is why we are launching something new: Trail Buzzer of the Month. Each month we will spotlight someone in the coffee cartel who fires us up. Not just because of what they do, but how they do it.

These are the go-getters. The risk-takers. The ones running ultramarathons, climbing mountains, designing robots, going to space, or diving to the bottom of the sea. What do they all have in common? They are chasing life on their own terms with Dry Brew in hand.

We could not be more stoked to introduce our very first Trail Buzzer: Austin Horna.

Here is what Austin has to say:

“What is it about motocross that lights you up the most, and what drew you into it?”

What got me started in motocross is really kind of a mystery.  I had a somewhat normal childhood, I went to large public school and my early days were all stick and ball sports.  I remember the day my friend got a dirtbike and when I saw that bike for the first time, it was love at first site.  It wasn’t long of course, before I was begging my parents for a bike.  I worked hard, received good grades, got told no for a couple years but eventually one Christmas morning, I had a Honda CR85 under a bedsheet waiting for me.  I never took the sport very far personally, as I perused a lot of different things, but that day, a new obsession was born that’s for sure.    

“What does pushing your limits in motocross teach you about life outside of it?”

Motocross is unique sport, and some of the things that are frankly terrible about it are also the things that create special human beings.  Its laughably dangerous, its grueling physically, you’ll have more bad days than good days on the bike, money/time dedication, the list goes on as to the reasons why one should just go do something else.  Conversely, what this sport gives you is: determination, exposure to failure and consequences, commitment, but in my opinion the most important gift this sport can give is down-right grit.  In my opinion, almost all things are possible in life with the proper amount of grit.   

“When do you usually reach for Dry Brew, and how does it fit into your daily life, adventures, or training?”

When I learned about Dry Brew I immediately saw the benefits and ordered a pack.  If caffeine is already a part of your diet, (which of course it is), then its a convenient, tasty way to get in a metered amount of caffeine without any of the junk that is inside energy drinks and more importantly to an athlete, without a stomach full of liquid.  Now, Im no full time athlete, im corporate professional and a couple packets of Dry Brew chews is a lot more convenient than a big mug of coffee when im all over the place day to day.  Most importantly to me, I can still have the caffeine but I can also keep my water intake high when I replace liquid coffee for Dry Brew.  Its too easy to ditch the coffee all together and just keep a couple packets in my backpack at all times. 

“What’s one unforgettable moment from your racing career or any life adventures that you’ll never forget?”

When I was younger, it was really about hanging with my buddies and pushing each other.  Those were the good old days.  I took 10 years off of riding to go to college, do an enlistment in the military, start a career and a family.  Since returning the sport, Ive met some incredible friends, we've traveled a lot, we have a camper and my family stays with me on race weekends.  It really is a family sport where all participate in the effort, and sharing those moments together is something I cherish every second of. 

“If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to live more boldly or adventurously, what would it be?”

The question I would first have is “what does a life lived boldly and adventurously mean to you?”  It’s an important question because to many like myself, the answer to that is what we peruse relentlessly every single day.  Many days, things stay the same, and its the day in and day out routine.  But as you continue to work hard and stay committed, inevitably, one day an opportunity will show up on your doorstep and you’ll typically be confronted with two choices, the “safer” choice or the “more risky” one.  Ill tell you something I’ve learned in this sport, safety is often over valued and risk is often over stated in your mind.  Take the risky route, I doubt you’ll regret it.