Northern Notes: The final one … for now

“Hey, Danny, thanks for showing up!”

Dear readers, I sincerely apologize for not delivering last Friday’s Northern Notes column. No excuses, but I’ve been in a funk over the last six months … actually, I’m lying—it’s been for more than a year and I finally made a move.

Everything is well, as far as health and my personal life are concerned, but it’s time for a change. I’ve been working in the moto-media-marketing world since 2005, and I’m thankful to everyone who has given me an opportunity to be surrounded by my favourite sport since then. I’m spoiled, really. There have been many once-in-a-lifetime type experiences; I picked up new skills and suffered through countless learning experiences. Those times were often painful to endure, but afterwards, when you take time to reflect, without those learning experiences, how do you learn?

So which road am I going down this time? I’m tossing on my blue collar and joining the construction trade!

Done laughing yet? Okay, take your time, it is hilarious, the thought of little Danny in a hard hat, mucking it up on the job site and trying to read a measuring tape.

For a while now I’ve been toying around with the idea of joining Kyle Keast’s Metal Works team, which involves covering up sections of commercial, industrial, condos and such with a ‘wet system.’ It’s like tiling on the side of a building, covering concrete, but the tiles are made up of aluminum and they look pretty trick when they’re all mounted up.

Well, I finally said screw it, dropped some of my media obligations (which, sadly, includes this column) and bought a new set of overalls and steel toed boots. I understand it doesn’t sound as glamorous or cool as wring for a motocross magazine, marketing dirt bikes or action-cams, but as I said above, I’m due for a change and this is it.

Last weekend was ‘training day,’ and then this was Week One with KMW. It went well; I’m tired and ready for bed, but it was a great time. I’m learning new, ‘real world’ skills, and it’s been a nice break being off computers and phones for 10 hours a day. Of course, working alongside my good buddy Keast, his Dad Jaime and Uncle Jody is a light hearted time. We also have my friend Jeff McKinnon and his pops, Bruce, on the crew. All good guys, getting the job done and having a few laughs along the way. I think I could get used to this contraction stuff…

Don’t take this as me stepping away from motocross or media completely, but rather, I’m going to cut down on my media generation and coverage. Just enough so I can get my fill of racing, keep my creative juices flowing and of course, share my opinions on all things moto. I would like my writing to come to me more organically, rather than feeling like I have to do it. Does that make sense?

Who knows, you could see me back in the pages of MXP, launching a website or producing some epic documentary on dirt bike riding in Canada (we’re due, right?)? For the time being, however, I must take a step back from increasingly busy world of media and content generation; social media has quadrupled the workload of all media/ marketing guys and I just can’t keep up with it all.

Before I disappear on you, let’s run through some ‘Northern Notes’ before I depart you here today….

Jeremy Medaglia. What’s shaking with little “Samson?” I had read somewhere last week stating that Medaglia had signed a deal, so I sent him a quick note to see if he could share some details, but Jeremy says the deal is still on the table and he’s willing and waiting for either an MX1 or MX2 ride, two-stroke, or four-stroke; he doesn’t care, he just wants to get out there and get back to winning races and fighting for a title.

Following a dismal season with Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasaki, which saw Medaglia and his KX250F suffer some DNFs (how many???) and some bad luck, it seems like the two parties wouldn’t continue dating in 2015. You never know, it’s still early and with more time to prepare, Medaglia and LE could easily make sweet music together. Redemption Racing GP Bikes KTM’s Josh Snider has talked to Jeremy, but it’s only talk and far from anything ‘real.’ In speaking with KTM/ Husqvarna Canada’s race manager, Andy White, he says that Jeremy and his father Derrick have been in touch regarding a possible ‘side deal,’ that would have Jeremy on KTMs or Huskys and pitted out of his own rig (Shawn Robinson’s R&M Motorsports truck and trailer?).

My boss, Kyle Keast, is putting down the hammer, trying to get as much work done as possible before spring comes. He’s planning to head south in February, and then it’s game on for a full season on the national tour. He’s got a new fifth wheel motorhome trailer, a big orange beard and a belly full of fire to get back into the top-five battle in the MX1 class.

Last year didn’t go so hot for the Machine Racing Yamaha rider; after spending two weeks down south, he returned home to suffer through a few small but painful injuries, which held him back from training and riding like he normally would. His plan was to race only the eastern rounds, so he could spend more time building up his business. He’ll be the first to tell you he was out of shape and not prepared last year, but he’s confident he can be back to where he was before his big femur bust in Kamloops 2012.

Can Keast get back into that top 5 mix with some box-toppers at a Gopher Dunes, Sand Del Lee or maybe one of the sandy, rough Quebec rounds? Here’s hoping the big guy makes it to round one, fit and healthy. He’s proved us wrong before.

Mark Stallybrass won’t share the 2015 schedule with me yet but I believe there could be a change in the Western region, specifically in the province of BC. The crew at Popkum Motor Park have been begging to host a round of the Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals since they first opened their tracks to the public, but it’s not always as easy as saying ‘Hey, bring a race here.’ The Wastelands track in Nanaimo, BC (on Vancouver Island, Popkum is on the Mainland, about 45 minutes east from Vancouver) would most likely be the one to be cut, in my opinion. It’s expensive to get vehicles and semi trucks over to the island on the ferry, the track isn’t referred to as a “favourite” on the circuit and with Popkum so close to Vancouver and other bigger city centres, it should encourage more vehicles through the gate. But, that’s all talk for now. We should see the complete 2015 Canadian National schedule released shortly.

All right, folks, thanks for reading and I appreciate everyone who takes time out of their day to read my random thoughts, opinions and views on Canadian motocross.

See you at the races!