Colin Edwards’ Boot Camp Will Make You Faster & Safer, Texas Style

“How much fun can riding a Yamaha TTR around a flat dirt track be? Doesn’t audio all that exciting, ” I thought in order to myself as I cordially accepted a good invite to the Colin Edwards Texas Tornado Boot Camp over Halloween weekend break. Four days of slow, choked up pit bikes putting around toned, featureless tracks failed to get our adrenaline going. To keep the stoke high, I envisioned evenings drinking beer and relishing in stories from Colin Edwards about their glory days of racing. 22 many years of professional racing, culminating with 2 World Superbike Titles and 12 Moto GP podiums would surely produce endless hours of entertainment. That alone would be worth the trip.

The Texas Tornado Boot Camp has been in operation given that 2011 and has hosted many professional motorcycle racers, including Edwards’ old teammate Valentino Rossi. The 20-acre facility, hidden away in the this tree forests near Montgomery, TX, is impressive in many ways. The old western city motif of the buildings indeed strengthen the Texas Tornado moniker Edwards held while racing and the protected dirt track arena, at 300’ x 100’, has the largest obvious span structure I have ever seen. Behind this mammoth structure is situated a 1/8-mile dirt oval plus a dirt TT track. The main “saloon” acts as the indoor gathering region, dining hall and holds the particular rider/instructor accommodations. Both bunk rooms and VIP guest rooms can be found and every conceivable amenity was accessible. Riders can literally show up using the clothes on their backs, as protection gear can be provided and all your meals are included.

The instructor roster for the Halloween night edition of the boot camp read like a who’s who of motorcycle racing, encompassing all disciplines. Seven trainers and Edwards shared their wisdom with our group of 24, with more than 25 national/world titles amongst them. I have never been to an training camp with as many titles spread between the teachers. As lauded as these professionals are in their particular disciplines associated with motorsport, they were also strikingly approachable. Texas hospitality was running serious, no doubt an absolute requirement handed down from the equally affable Edwards. There was also a certified and professionally practicing EMT on duty throughout the camp and a employees photographer (every rider received a memory stick with all photos and videos in addition to a group print).

A large portion of the particular students descended on the “little western town” from far reaches of the globe; Brazil, Australia, Germany and France were all represented plus provided one of the highlights-the opportunity to experience people with vastly different cultures. I would really prefer to add that the foreign visitors skilled Texas culture and not American tradition!

Each day consisted of a group warm up, then free of charge riding to refamiliarize with the well-maintained Yamaha TTR motorcycles and get the feel for track conditions. Teaching sessions followed, each covering specific skills, then drills that enable immersion in these new skills. The groups are split by ability levels and the camp can deal with pure beginners with their own team and instructor. After the prescribed skill sets of the day have been practiced to every student’s satisfaction, each day ends in the “superpole. ” This is a race contrary to the clock, one rider on the program (made up of all three tracks) at a time. These tests provided an absolute gauge of improvement and guide ended the day with camaraderie and support, as everyone pursued the common goal of getting faster.

The small, “under-powered” TTR’s that initially didn’t seem that exciting proved to be ideal. The smaller size and lower top speed makes them safer, but also encourages you to find, and at times, exceed your limits and comfort zone. Within the first few drills, it is apparent that the experience aboard a larger, more powerful bike would be entirely different and not nearly as productive or even fun. The “flat and featureless” dirt tracks proved to contain a myriad of tiny bumps, textures plus differences in moisture utilized for grasp and line selection is extremely challenging due to the complete absence of hole! My preconceived notions concerning both bike and tracks were squashed into oblivion thirty minutes into the first day.

Each day contained some form of friendly competition. These ranged from slowly performed skill testing competitions to all offered, head to head racing. One of the more entertaining and after that exhausting competitions was the one-hour life span race, accomplished solo by a brave few, and by teams of 3 things to consider. The Le Mans style get started and bike hand-offs provided especially challenges, and watching the tutors display their incredible bike taking on skills added entertainment value. Probably the most intense competition was the four-up, head-to-head, two-lap races. Amazing to see restful and calm people turn into cold-hearted killers, stealing your lines, almost all battle your own control issues exactly as competitive juices tend to erode freshly engrained skills.

Another daily feature within the camp was the guns…. yup, guys. This is Texas, after all. The necessary hand copy breaks required during the day were hammered out with the same expert instruction being the motorcycle skills. The head shooting driving instructor for our group had an incredible south florida background, including stints in Presidential Security under Reagan, military and additionally law enforcement. The weapons ranged from pistols, rifles, shotguns, all the way up to an incredible 50 caliber rifle that might look like something out of the game Call of Duty. All gun experience culminated with a 5-gun timed competition, and this Halloween model of the boot camp had us esteem in costume. I am not a gun person at all but I was both of these entertained and grateful that I discovered guns, shooting, and honestly, around gun policy and life from a military. (Colin hosts military veterans free of charge through a program called Compete for The Wounded. ) As divisive as gun policy seems to be, every camper visibly enjoyed these disturbances from the motorcycles.

Every day stopped with the usual storytelling about what happened aboard the bikes, and sensible meals prepared by the staff. One of the streaks was real pit smoked THERE ARE MANY, which teased riders all day, aromatic smoke wafting across the grounds by means of dawn ‘til dusk. Beer because conversation flowed freely, students as well as the instructors chatting as if they were just one friends. Friendly competitive games were definitely borne nightly and Edwards’ “my house is your house” manner seriously a welcome change from the roped down from and credential carrying of the racing paddocks.

There were countless “takeaways” from the get away, all skills, techniques and tactics to thinking that will improve both on- and as well off-road riding. Edwards sums forward what he feels are the primary things camp attendees take home around with them:

"The number one thing I want our clients to take coming from camp... head up & female ahead. Eliminate time between applying the most important brakes and throttle, no over the time. If you're coasting, the probable is riding you, you're not in control. Always have an input into the motor bike 100% of the time. What we teach electronic camp translates to any type of motorcycle riding on or racing that you're doing. For the motocross, off-road, SX/MX guys, music have a flat corner or two. If you think there's no rut or berm to decrease into, then flat track this. The bike is always loose; it comes down to an understanding of FEEL. It comes down to more training on LOOK. "

Edwards’ philosophies, combined with those of a variety of instructors, all the drills, friendly challenges, and occasionally surpassing my limits resulted in dropping my superpole time merely by more than 10 seconds in the few of days of the camp. Similar positive aspects were seen across the board, from campers charges abilities. The pure beginners the truth is posted the largest drops in superpole times.

The Colin Edwards State Tornado Boot Camp’s value, i feel, is only partially based on the skills, tricks and wisdom taught by a wonderfully qualified staff. Yes, all these will definitely make each rider safer, faster and invite more enjoyment aboard his or her exercise bikes of choice, but there was so much more inside your camp experience. The Texas hospitality, the shooting experiences, real BARBECUE, differing cultures, down-to-earth attitude within your former and current pros, each intangibles made this camp so much more several other another learn to ride clinic. Marquee sign or reader board yourself up to gain speed, some safety and enjoyment, but also for the awesome reminiscences that your visit to the Texas Tifón Bootcamp will surely produce.

Check it out: www.texastornadobootcamp.com