When life knocks you down, how do you find the strength to rise? For Samantha, the answer roared to life at the 2022 Adventure Bike Rider (ABR) Festival.
After heartbreaking fertility struggles, Samantha discovered an unexpected path to motorcycle recovery and resilience through the thrill of off-road riding. What began as a fun trip with her husband, Mike, transformed into a personal journey of empowerment. A journey where she learned how to trade broken dreams for the challenges and triumphs of the trail.
This is the story of how Samantha found strength in the dirt, overcoming adversity and embracing the freedom of two wheels.
The road untravelled
When Samantha Brooman married her childhood sweetheart, Mike, she was happy with the occasional pillion ride. What she had in mind was raising a family.
But life had other ideas. After a series of emotionally draining fertility treatments, setbacks and much heartbreak, Samantha and Mike had to accept they’d remain a family of two. Raising a growing brood was not to be.
Hoping to navigate their heartache over their lost future and find a new direction, Samantha and Mike headed to the 2022 ABR Festival. That’s where Samantha’s passion for motorcycles was born. The festival’s energy ignited a spark. Samantha loved the bikes and knew her days of riding pillion were over. It was time to get her own licence, and her own bike. This was the beginning of Samantha’s journey towards motorcycle recovery and personal resilience.
The spark of motorcycle recovery is kindled to a flame
The spark ignited at the ABR Festival quickly kindled into a determined flame. Samantha put her plan into action. A bike from eBay (a 125 that had seen better days, to be honest) and a CBT from a local motorcycle trainer were her first steps. With each twist of the throttle, her journey to overcome adversity and newfound resilience gained momentum.
As any budding biker knows, the CBT certificate is great when you first get it. But soon after, you’ll hanker for bigger bikes. Within months, Samantha went straight for the full A licence with DAS training. This allowed her to ride whatever she fancied.
Samantha’s rapid progression wasn’t just about obtaining a license; it was an act of reclaiming control, laying the foundation for her future adventure biking experiences. After just two attempts at both Mod 1 and Mod 2, Samantha rocked up at the 2023 ABR Festival 2023 with a two-day-old full licence in her pocket, and a huge smile on her face, eager to explore the challenges of trail riding.
Embracing the dirt on her first trail riding experience
With her newfound license in hand, Samantha eagerly embraced the dirt, diving headfirst into her first trail riding experience with Phoenix Trails. The free training and rideouts offered at the ABR Festival proved irresistible, a true siren call to adventure. With expert training from the Phoenix coaches and the beginner-friendly Frantic 125 trail bikes, Samantha’s first ride had her hooked.
She’d only had her licence two days at this point, but her experience at the festival convinced her that riding bikes was what she wanted to do. This wasn’t just riding; it was a step into freedom from the dream future she’d never attain. A step to overcoming adversity through the thrill of adventure biking.
Back from the festival and off the dirt, Samantha was determined to push her limits with her riding. She bought a bright red Kawasaki Z650 – the same model that she’d done her bike test on – and named it Connie, which would have been their daughter’s name. This bike, like her newfound passion, symbolized her new beginning, a testament to her growing resilience.
Tackling foreign roads and tougher trails
With ‘Connie’ as her constant companion and Mike by her side, Samantha embarked on an epic European tour with their biking friends in October 2023. Despite her relative inexperience, Samantha tackled foreign roads with a determination that belied her novice status, logging more miles than she had in the UK.
This wasn’t just a European tour; it was another step in overcoming adversity and building motorcycling skill. A testament to her growing confidence and unfailing determination. The challenges of the road fueled her passion, and she returned with an insatiable desire to deepen her skills, ready for more adventure biking.
The taste of foreign trails inspired Samantha and Mike to expand their horizons. They invested in a Honda CRF250. Local green lanes became their proving ground. They combined their solo tours with expert guidance from Phoenix Trails on Salisbury Plains to build on their ABR Festival experience.
With the combination of riding their local lanes and the coaching from Phoenix Trails, Samantha and Mike were hitting the trails with not just a lot of enthusiasm, but also constantly developing skills. Riding bikes on and off road was an unrivalled adventure. An adventure that seemed to open the world and beckon them towards new horizons.
But once more, life had other ideas. In March 2024, Samantha was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer, which changed their plans once more. This news, a stark reminder of life’s fragility, would soon test her resilience and reshape her journey, transforming her into a powerful cancer survivor.
Finding strength in the dirt: Samantha’s motorcycle recovery takes the rough trails with the smooth
Even as chemotherapy began, Samantha’s spirit remained unbroken. By the 2024 ABR Festival, halfway through her treatments, Samantha remained determined to reach the goals she’d set in 2022. Sure, she had already gained her licence, got herself a bike, and started on her riding adventures. But the more she did, the more she realised there was to do. She knew her adventure biking journey was far from over.
Against formidable odds, Samantha arrived at the festival, not just to soak in the atmosphere, but to conquer the Bridgestone Adventure Trail on her beloved ‘Rhonda the Honda’. This was yet another display of Samantha’s unwavering resilience and commitment to personal triumph.
“I realised at that moment, riding the trail on my own bike […] that I’m far stronger and more resilient than I ever give myself credit for.”
Samantha Brooman, off-road trail rider.
“It was amazing. I’ve never felt more proud of myself. I realised at that moment, riding the trail on my own bike, just one year after gaining my licence – and with the added bonus of cancer! – that I’m far stronger and more resilient than I ever give myself credit for,” Samantha recounts.
Although Samantha’s arduous journey through cancer treatment isn’t quite over, Samantha has been declared cancer-free! Her passion for riding and her battle with cancer were deeply intertwined.
“I’ve taken Connie to every blood test. I’ve ridden her throughout my treatment. I’d say that being on the bike and being at the ABR Festival gave me the fight when chemo and cancer had stolen it all.”
The very act of riding was a key part of her healing process, her very own motorcycle recovery that has led to her becoming a true cancer survivor.
Adventure biking into the future
With her health on the mend, Samantha’s focus now turns to the open road and the trails that beckon. What’s next? More riding, of course, and the allure of tasty new motorcycles – the AJP PR7 being the latest, thrilling addition to her off-road arsenal.
The spirit of adventure biking is alive and well. Looking ahead, 2025 holds the promise of an exciting off-road expedition to Portugal, a chance to reunite with her European riding companions and push her limits further. This is a continuation of her journey using motorcycles to fuel her recovery and power through overcoming adversity, with the same courage that defined her battle with cancer. And if Samantha’s past is any indication, her future is brimming with possibilities.
If you’re inspired by Samantha’s journey of becoming a cancer survivor with the aid of trail riding adventure, Phoenix Trails is ready to guide you. We offer training for all skill levels at Salisbury Plains, the Peak District, Kent, and the West Pennines, and are proud headline sponsors of the training zone at the ABR Festival.
Join Samantha in supporting vital cancer research with a donation to Breast Cancer Now through her fundraising page. Your contribution will help others find their own path to resilience.
