Hard to believe another year is disappearing in the rear view mirror.
The months — and miles — have passed quickly by, and I’d like to take this opportunity to revisit just a few of my favourite columns of 2014.
First up, in early January, I reported on million-mile motorcycle man Glenn Turple of Red Deer.
Turple’s first machine was a broken-down 1926 Harley-Davidson. It was a bike he never got to ride, and it wasn’t until 1946 that he and his late brother Rex bought a 350cc Panther from Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles of Saskatoon.
He didn’t look back. Several motorcycles later, he and Rex opened a small shop in a shed on their farm, calling it Olds Motorcycle Sales.
They soon moved to Red Deer where they changed the name to Turple Bros. Motorcycles, selling and servicing mostly British and German machines, but in 1959 they took on Honda.
“The Hondas were reliable,” Turple said of the product. “They could go further and faster for the size, and the CB450 outperformed a British 650.”
For Turple, it’s always been about the ride, and according to his notebooks he calculates he’s covered more than one million miles.
In recognition of their contributions to motorcycling, Glenn and Rex were inducted into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame this past September.
Next, in early May, I wrote about Rockyview Motorsports Park (RMP) — a much-needed road course and training facility to replace Calgary’s defunct Race City.
At the time, I said the four-kilometre European-style track and driver training facility complete with a unique skills pad planned for 640 acres of land just northeast of Airdrie, a small city very close to Calgary, could soon be under construction.
The company behind the proposal had earlier filed an application for approval to Rocky View County. They were hoping for that approval within the calendar year so work on RMP could begin in earnest.
Dominic Young, president and chief executive of RMP, wrote in an email to me dated Dec. 12: “I can advise that County Administration review of the application is nearing completion and we expect to have hearing on the application approval quite early in 2015.”
Let’s hope we can soon prepare to start our engines.
In late June I wrote about Dark Side Racing, a nitro-burning Top Fuel drag racing team from Calgary. Throughout the year, they love to fire up their 10,000 horsepower dragster at local car shows.
Dark Side’s David Fedorowich of Calgary has a serious penchant for speed, and he’s been building, tuning and racing since the early 1970s.
Now, Dark Side Racing has taken on the issue of men’s health. The team (David, wife Kelly and son Nikolas) uses their high-profile Top Fuel racing operation as a platform to raise awareness about prostate cancer, and have fostered a strong alliance with PROSTAID Calgary.
A dynamic presence wherever they are, the crowd always enjoys interacting with the team, and spectators are often allowed to slip behind the wheel of the dragster.
Their first appearance of 2015 will be at the 49th annual World of Wheels at BMO Centre in Calgary from Feb. 20 to 22, where Dark Side Racing will be launching their PROSTAID Calgary Raffle fundraiser.
I’m an advocate of youth learning trades and skills – regardless of whether they go on to use them or not. The knowledge and work ethic can only do them good, in my opinion.
That’s why, in mid-October, I was happy to write about auto body teacher Jason Budd and the large shop he shares with three other instructors at the Calgary Board of Education’s Career and Technology Centre (CTC) at Lord Shaughnessy High School in southwest Calgary.
The school is a state of the art centre for career and technology studies, offering programs such as auto body, welding, pre-engineering, cosmetology, natural resources, photography and culinary arts, both high school and pre-apprentice levels.
Budd’s job is to show young students how to take a twisted and bent piece of metal – and turn it back into a car. I’d say those would be fantastic skills to have under one’s belt.
It’s been a great ride. All the best in 2015, and as always, don’t hesitate to get in touch with comments, suggestions or story ideas.
Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have a column tip? Contact him at 403-287-1067, gregwilliams@shaw.ca, or visit gregwilliams.ca.
WHAT’S NEXT
Jan. 9 – 11: Calgary Motorcycle Show at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park. Something for everyone who appreciates powered two-wheeled adventure. Show runs Friday, Jan. 9 from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults (15 and over), $10 for seniors (65-plus) and $10 juniors (six to 14). Children five and under are free with paid adult, and $38 for a family pass (two adults, two juniors). Ladies night is Friday night, when women get half-price admission after 5 p.m. Visit http://www.calgarymotorcycleshow.ca for more details.
