Editor’s note: This feature originally ran in the May 2015 issue of SportBikes Inc Magazine (V5I8), written and photographed by SBI’s own Allan Lane after four days at Colin Edwards’ Texas Tornado Bootcamp.
It was after the Indy MotoGP round of 2014 that my dear friend Sheila Paul began to heavily hint that I should make the trek out to Montgomery, Texas to attend the Texas Tornado Bootcamp. I remember it specifically, since it was an emotional weekend for Colin as he was retiring from MotoGP and that weekend was his last home Grand Prix.
I had heard of Colin’s camp before from other friends, and it was always in the back of my mind that I needed to sort out my hectic schedule and make the trip. A few months later, Shea Fouchek, one of the camp’s instructors who also handles press and media, reached out about my availability for the 2015 season.
It made the most sense to attend camp just before the Austin MotoGP in April. Shea, in harmony with Sheila, was convinced these four days would change my life.
Arriving at the Texas Tornado Bootcamp
Let me back up here for a moment. I had never ridden a dirt bike before, let alone ridden one in the dirt, and I made that clear to both Sheila and Shea going in. But when you get down to it, the world’s top riders all have a rich history in the dirt, actively riding it in the off-season to keep their skills sharp.
My life had been focused on track and street riding, and my lack of dirt experience was never for lack of wanting — it was always a question of time and opportunity.
I arrived at camp on Saturday afternoon and met my campmates for the next few days. “Camp” here doesn’t mean tents or sleeping outdoors — the campus is simple but accommodating, and nearly everything is provided: towels, soap, food, helmets, gear, armor, and of course, the bikes.
The chosen steed for the camp is the Yamaha TTR125, lightweight, tough, and nimble enough for a total newbie like me while still fun for the experienced dirt rider.
After checking in and signing the appropriate waivers, we all met in the dining hall for orientation with Colin, who introduced his team and walked us through the drills, the daily Super Pole competition, the shooting range, and the evening’s adult beverages — the latter of which meant you were officially done with both bikes and guns for the day.
Bikes, bullets, and beer. If that isn’t the most Texas thing I’ve ever been part of, I don’t know what is.
Colin’s instructors all bring real riding credentials to the camp: Mike Myers, multiple WERA championships; Joe Prussiano, 2006 Texas Flat Track Series Open Pro Champion and multiple WERA champion; Jake Johnson, two-time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion; Cory West, five national championships. Sheila Paul, Shea Fouchek, and Steve Bodak round out a genuinely qualified and motivated team.
The Texas Tornado Bootcamp’s Three Tracks
The campus consists of three tracks: a covered Arena TT track, an open TT track, and a dirt oval. For a sportbike or cruiser rider, it’s tempting to just hop on, twist the throttle, and go — but that misses the point entirely.
There’s real technique here, and the instructors want you riding educated rather than just fast. Shea would compare dirt riding to mogul skiing, illustrating the motions so we’d start picking up on the bike’s movements and how to adjust to its feedback.
The curriculum is designed to be fun and progressive, and you can genuinely feel yourself improving in real time. The first Super Pole is held Saturday evening, setting a benchmark lap across all three linked tracks — starting under the Arena TT, crossing to the Open TT, and finishing on the Dirt Oval.
Every run after that measures your progress against your own previous time, though put a group of riders together talking lap times and a little friendly “I’m faster than you” competition is inevitable.
My Texas Tornado Bootcamp mates were a genuine rogues’ gallery from all over the world — the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, male and female, young and old, all sharing a real desire to get better and have a great time doing it. I was partial to the Arena track myself, which had a speed and flow I found encouraging.
The TT track is technical, full of corners you have to slow for, adjust through, and overcome. The Oval is flat-out balls to the wall, its massive sweeping left-hander slingshotting you into a tight left before flicking into an equally tight right.
Texas Tornado Bootcamp Nights: Bikes, Bullets, and Campfire
In the evenings, after dinner, some campers took advantage of the free time under the Arena track’s lights, while others sat around the fire pit with Colin himself. Amidst the crackling embers and the Texas night sky, Colin talked with, answered, and asked questions of the camp goers, making genuine connections — one of the many reasons so many attendees keep coming back.
By the second day, I had already decided I was coming back to the Texas Tornado Bootcamp the following year. The curriculum is built to hold your interest in learning, growing, and riding in an infinite loop, whether you’re a seasoned vet or a total newcomer.
Drills like the 90-degree drill, braking drills, and static throttle work all built toward the same goal, and I could feel every piece of it coming together as I found my way around the tracks.
Why and How the Texas Tornado Bootcamp Changes You
I’ll say the camp easily ranks in the top five coolest things I’ve done in my life, and it genuinely is a life-changing experience — but by no means can I claim I was proficient at it. I had never been on a dirt bike on a dirt track before, ever, and I’d never crashed as much in my life, ever, either.
But that’s the telling part of the Texas Tornado Bootcamp’s culture: no matter how many times I fell, I got back up, because I wanted to and I could.
You’re geared head to toe in the same gear Colin wears as he occasionally blasts by, reminding you what fast in the dirt actually means. The bikes are built to take a beating and keep going.
From the moment you step on the grounds, it’s clear Colin and his team have set you up for success. It’s personal for him — this isn’t about collecting a check from students, it’s about Colin actively expanding his riding family and making real deposits into the culture of motorcyclists everywhere.
There’s good reason so many riders make return visits to the Texas Tornado Bootcamp, and plenty of reasons you should make plans to attend yourself — the education, the opportunity, the riding, the camaraderie. Some of it, like a genuine off-road training experience, is simply better lived than described. Do yourself a favor: don’t just add this to your bucket list, move it to the top.
About The Author
