‘I like to go fast’
Loch Lomond Motocross kicks off season with new management
Riders came from all over Nova Scotia for the Loch Lomond Motocross kickoff Sunday and although turn out seemed a bit low, the new managers are excited about the upcoming season.
“We collided with a date last night in New Brunswick,” said Dave Shaw, one of the managers. “But I know the guys want to be here and we’re going to do everything to accommodate the people on both sides of the fence, the riders and the spectators. We want to make this good.”
Shaw and Brennan MacNeil took over management of Loch Lomond Motocross, a not-forprofit organization, last year. For them, it’s the love of the sport that drives them.
“I love the sport. It’s great for all of the family — brother, sister, mother, father. It’s good for all ages,” Shaw explains. “To me it’s like bowling. You see everybody of every age and gender here. It’s perfect.”
For some, being family friendly isn’t as important as the speed.
“I’ve been riding since I was four and racing for about six years now,” said 16-year-old Brad Barrie. “I liked bikes always and I like to go fast.
“The adrenaline rush of it all makes it all worth it. The late nights in the garage, getting pissed at the bike when it’s not working, the training in the gym, all worth it.”
For serious motocross pros, training in the gym is essential.
“Motocross is very, very physically demanding,” explains Shaw. “Cardio is huge. They gotta train… Riding is one thing. Going to the gym is the second thing. Diet, everything. It’s a fullblown sport. It’s more than just sitting on the bike and going around for 10 minutes.
“It’s a sport … It’s a growing sport. Here we have hockey for kids in the wintertime. I encourage people to go and look at the reasons why we put kids in hockey. Do we do it for ourselves? Do we do it for the kids?
“Here’s another sport, that’s 12 months of the year, you can have your kid into or anybody into it … In summertime, you’re outdoors and not freezing in the rink. Come on out and see for yourself.”