I was fortunate to fly to round eight of the Harley-Davidson Canada flat track series in Strathmore Alberta this season and it only seems right to share some of my thoughts on the trip.
First of all let’s talk about the flight itself. Flying on one of our discount airlines out of Hamilton, about a dozen or so of us flat track people headed out for our western adventure. While not looking forward to a seven hour stop in Winnipeg, we were all eager to see what the province of Alberta had in store for us. On the plane to Winnipeg I ended up sitting with my wife of course but also had Hall of Fame member Kurt Biegger sitting beside me as well. Over the next couple of hours Biegger shared stories not only about racing but also about being a young boy growing up in Hamilton. Although he is known as a pretty serious guy when it comes to the racing world, Biegger had me laughing out loud several times as he spun nostalgic yarns. In reality it was like sitting beside the racing equivalent of Yoda, and it was great to be entertained for a couple of hours by his wisdom and hilarity.
After a $40 breakfast and a few alcoholic drinks in the Winnipeg airport, we boarded plane number two to continue our journey. When we finally landed in Calgary we were greeted by the smoky haze of distant forest fires that seemed to have been present since leaving Ontario. We split up a bit at this point. With the Bauers and Biegger hopping into a rental car and Clayton Isherwood heading off to see family with Tyler Seguin in tow, the McCullough’s continued on with us as we were picked up at the airport and given a lift to the track in Strathmore.
This is where I really have to mention the hospitality that was ever present throughout the weekend. From the moment we arrived at the track, people we had never even talked to were offering us a place to stay, food to eat and so much more. I ended up at a little gathering on the outside of the track that went on to the wee hours of the morning and included many beverages and some mystery meat cooked with a blowtorch. At one point Darrell McRae pulled out a photo album and shared some stories about the “glory days.” I spent the next couple of hours laughing at his tales while also amazed that he was still alive, as he kept me stocked with beverages, the mystery meat and whatever other edibles he could scrounge up. Finally feeling the effects of all of the above as well as single digit temperatures (shorts, a t-shirt and sandals apparently aren’t the suggested attire for Alberta nights); I staggered off to the bus for a little shuteye.
Race day was a blast. The track was fast and racing was great despite the Expert class being a bit lean. Although the crowd wasn’t huge, I have never seen one that was more enthusiastic. One fan was so pumped up that I even bought him a t-shirt off the Flat Track Canada crew. I had people helping me with paperwork as I announced and at the end of the races I met an excited couple named Chany and Ben. Ben was originally from Leamington so he is a racing fan since forever but Chany was at her first race and was hooked instantly. I also got to meet Royal Adderson finally and along with buying me a beer he put on a pretty good show on his XR 750.
The next day we piled into the Hesmer’s bus and drove to Calgary for a little fun at Olympic Park. While wreaking havoc on the luge ride was a blast, perhaps it was the ride on the bus that will be more memorable for me. On the way back to Strathmore it was me, my wife Kim and the Hesmers as well as Dustin Brown and Hunter Bauer. I spent the ride talking to the two young superstars about cars, girls, music, and of course, racing. With both youngsters having an incredible season in 2018, it occurred to me that perhaps I was sharing a ride with the two riders who could very well hold onto, or at the very least fight tooth and nail for the number one plate in Canada for the foreseeable future. As I sat during the ride soaking in their youthful exuberance, I thought about how cool it could be years from now when I share the story about the bus ride in Alberta with a couple of young men who may just turn out to be the greatest Canadian racers of their time.
If things all go according to plan for myself, Brown and Bauer, hopefully I can share these stories at a Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the two of them in 20 years or so.
<
Discussion about this post