Finally. A three-day weekend.

That stretch after the holidays to Memorial Day offers little relief in a mandatory day off. Unless, of course, you work for the government where every other weekend is a three-day vacation.

So, for those of us keeping the country financially afloat, Memorial Day weekend is a much looked forward to affair to not only remember loved ones lost and honor the true heroes who gave their lives working for our country, but take some time off and relax.

Or go dirt bike riding.

The snow is gone (hopefully), it's warm and the riding weather is near perfect. And so much can go wrong. Don't throw a much anticipated three-day weekend down the drain by forgetting the essentials and failing to prepare.

So, all you need to enjoy a three-day weekend of riding is a case or three of PBR, lots of gas and your dirt bike. OK, we kid. Well, actually include that as well as the rest of the supplies we detail below. The holiday weekend dirt bike rider falls into two categories: The camper who trail rides for three days or the Motocross racer who spends his days at the track.

Whether you trail ride or race BRING water. Check out How To Stay Cool This Summer While Riding Motocross and How To Stay Cool This Summer While Trail Riding On Dirt Bikes . You don't want your weekend ruined by dehydration or heat stroke. Make a checklist. We started one for you with our Pre-Ride Checklist (<--click). But don't forget the gear. Helmet, gloves, boots, googles, pants, jersey and anything else you normally wear for protection and riding comfort. The last thing you want is to amble back home for your forgotten gear or buy another helmet from a local shop.

Don't forget spare parts. Spark plug, tubes, tire pump (or tire repair kit ), tools and a hardware set. Usually nothing goes wrong if you're staying on top of service intervals but unfortunately everything can go wrong and it's always unforeseeable. So, bring what you need for minor repairs and maintenance needs. Don't forget the GoPro camera either. It's a great way to document your weekend and prove you lived through a gnarly crash or bear chase.

A 3-Day Weekend of Trail Riding and Camping

We'll assume you're covered with the camping gear. As for riding dirt bikes it's wise to bring a GPS system. It's fun to get lost except when you actually get lost. Campgrounds usually have maps too so pick one of those up and get familiarized with the grounds.

Crashes happen and body parts break so bring a first aid kit for you and a trail kit for your bike. Don't ride alone and bring a flashlight. An hour of riding always feels like 15 minutes so before you know it, the sun sets and you'll need to find your way back.

Grab a hydration pack if you don't have one. Unlike riding a 20 minute Moto and heading back to the pits, you'll need to bring water with you on the trails and the easiest and most efficient method is putting on a hydration pack and sipping water as needed while riding.

Most campgrounds require a spark arrestor and you'll need current OHV tags. Bring cash for park fees.

A 3-Day Weekend of MX Racing

Just bring your garage.

And an extra set of everything. We'll make it easy:

  • Air filter
  • Oil and oil filter
  • Chain and sprockets
  • Grips
  • Spark plug
  • Gear
  • Tires and tubes

Your toolbox should have at a minimum:

  • Spoke wrench
  • Tire pressure gauge
  • Chain brush
  • Lube for everything
  • Premix ratio/mixing cup

You'll need several jugs filled with fuel, cash for entry fees, food and chairs to relax between Motos. Luckily, many tracks have some available amenities so if you forget the basics you probably won't be too out of luck. Plus, wash stations on-site help clean the gunk off your dirt bike between rides. So, if you want a shine before the next Moto, bring the Maxima SC1.

Let's see, anything else? Oh, find all of the above and more on our Memorial Day Essentials page we created to help you get started and jog your memory of what you might need.

When preparing for a three-day weekend of riding it's always best practice to prepare early by making a checklist and having the truck or trailer loaded a day or two early. Frantically running around at the last minute usually results in forgetting that one tool or part that makes a difference between a memorable weekend or a ruined vacation.

Check out these articles for additional suggestions and advice while at the track or riding the trails: