Basic Rakefile - directory issue

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
#^syntax detection

#
# I had an issue where the directory command would do nothing,
# seems that the "dir1" task must be used before it creates a dir
#

# does nothing on it's own
directory "dir1"

# this creates triggers the creation of dir1
task :default => ['dir1'] do
  sh "rake -T"
end