Ahhhh, the TransCan hangover… not the alcohol kind.
What a week, man. I’m drained, physically and mentally. The emotions that come Monday morning and into this week after the Walton TransCan are always interesting to me. For years, it’s marked the end of the summer, the end of a “family” travelling the country together and hanging out every weekend. For me, it’s a little bit different. You see, our circus starts all the way back in early June out in beautiful British Columbia, we cross the country entirely to dip our toes in the Atlantic, and then we all end up in a field in Huron County, Ontario known as Walton. The bond with people that can be created over those 10-ish weeks always amazes me, and year after year it reminds me of just how cool the people in our sport are. There were a few years where the hurt of not seeing those friends again for almost a whole year really hit, and it sucked. Some of those friends I haven’t seen again at all, but I’m grateful for our paths crossing way back when and value our experiences together.
The Walton TransCan week is a separate, yet very similar feeling. We spend a week building a little community and much like the bond that we create chasing the national series, we build the same type of relationships in just days. The friendships, the experiences, and the stories that come out of these times in our lives are something we’ll never forget. I hope everyone could make the most of their time spent in that field and I hope you enjoyed the 30th edition of the Walton TransCan.
First off, I need to attempt to remove my foot from my mouth. Wednesday at the TransCan was a whirlwind of a day for everyone. From racer, to parent, to track worker, to owner of the entire facility. Practice is held in the morning for everyone, and for some classes their first motos took place that afternoon. Most of us have Instagram saw the posts of truckloads of sand being dumped on the notorious Walton dirt. My thoughts were, ok cool, mix a little sand in, which will allow the soil to absorb more moisture if mother nature shows up – perfect. A move that I believe will pay off… eventually. However, immediately, it did not. Practice was not good – for most. Many voiced their concerns and I believe they were heard but at the time, it was too late. The track was what it was, and we all had to ride it. This is where I jumped into the pot of boiling hot water.
I raced the 3rd moto into the afternoon schedule in the 30B class on what I will call, less than ideal track conditions, but again, we all had to race the same track. However, of the 5 motos before the break, 3 were small bikes, 50’s, 65’s, and a Supermini class. The track was tough, very, very tough. Extremely technical and so very different from the Walton we all once knew. I went to the start line to help my rider for the Pro-Am class and as I stood there, I watched as they were grooming several portions of the track that when I raced, I felt were quite sketchy and found a little over my ability, and seeing that frustrated me. So, like a dumbass, I went to the socials and made an unnecessary comment. Plain and simple, I did not like that the Pro’s got to ride a track that had the sketchy (and in my opinion, dangerous) sections cleaned up, yet the kids, and my class with the older group of racers, had to race through it. To me, what it looked like on the surface, was the pros were being treated differently than what the event was all about – The Amateurs. And I did not like that. The way I went about getting my point across was not right, and for that, I apologize.
As I mentioned before, Wednesday at the TransCan is one of the longest days of the week, managing that day as a racer, parent, track worker, or owner all comes with a giant box of challenges in their own right. The scheduling for track work is laid out well in advance and runs like clockwork. During specific times, certain portions of the track are worked on based on which class is on the track, then there are allotted times set for even more track work elsewhere. Unfortunately, regardless of how the track shapes up, track work takes place at certain times, and the scheduled time for work happened to be before the Pro-Am Moto. I don’t agree with the scheduling, but there’s a reason I’m a rider and a mechanic, and not a track owner or builder. I am allowed to disagree with something, or not like something, but it is my responsibility to relay that in an appropriate manner, and I did not, and for that, again, I apologize. Wednesday ended on time, and the day – from a scheduling standpoint, went well from what I am aware of.
The track was its own beast all week, it got better each day but in my opinion was one of the most difficult TransCan tracks I’ve ever raced. With the level of track difficulty between the ECAN at Deschambault, and this past week’s TransCan in Walton, I am heavily questioning my own abilities as a rider. There wasn’t too much enjoyment on either course in the conditions in which I raced, BUT the awesome group of guys I am fortunate enough to race against made it worthwhile. Yes, I am well aware this is motocross, and more aware of what comes with that than most. And no, I’m not a p word. However, the consequences when I hit the ground these days are far greater than even just a few short years ago and that’s the unfortunate reality I have to face and live with. I don’t have the answer to my personal problem here, a simple fix would be removing the first word of my self-description, but we all know that’s a lot easier said than done.
There are a few notable things I want to mention and then I’m out –
Eve Brodeur. Legend. Period.
What you’ve done, and what you continue to do, on and off the track is incredible. In the industry and outside of the industry. You’re a class act, an absolute wonderful role model for any aspiring athlete, male or female, and plain and simple, you’re a badass! Congratulations on all your success!
The kids are alright!
There is a crop of kids emerging into the light and it was on full display this year at the TransCan, from mini kids all the way up to those on the verge of becoming a professional. Those incredibly tough track conditions I was complaining about were nothing for (most) of these riders. The future is bright, and it’s nice to see! There were a few years of just a handful of talent coming up but that has been spread across a much larger group in 2022. The next few years will be interesting to see where they end up and if these kids stick with it.
Walton Raceway
The effort has not gone unnoticed. From the facility as a whole to the social activities, to the reason why we all show up – to race. There were significant efforts put in to make improvements across all and it’s incredibly nice to see. Like anything in life, there is always room for improvement, but nothing is an overnight success. The commitment, the passion, and the effort are to be applauded, heavily.
The Weather
THANK GOD.
I hope everyone enjoyed the 30th anniversary of the Walton TransCan and made it through the week safely. The week can be as rewarding as it can be eye-opening, and the action you take with either of those feelings will play a role in shaping your future. Hard work pays off, and regardless of where you put that hard work, you gotta want it.