Guest post with words and photos by Jan van Endert
I met the American Chastin Brand at the last round of the 2023 DTRA season at Greenfield Dirt Track. He was there with his friend Anna Serena. After a small talk with Chastin, he invited my son, Oskar and me to his place in Georgia, saying ‘Well man, if you are in the States, just come around to Reynolds in Georgia. We have enough sleeping possibilities and a flat track next to my house and lots of motocross and enduro possibilities around.’
This all sounds good, but is it worth to fly to the States? Yes! Yes it is and I promise everyone, a trip to this place will never be forgotten.
The weather in Germany was a pain, no riding, lots of rain every day and too cold to work in the garage, so I checked my son’s school holidays and the AFT schedule and spotted a short track race in Senoia. In that moment I realized, that Senoia is in Georgia. It immediately felt like sun is shining again.
I contacted Chastin (above) through instagram and five minutes later he responded in his Southern style, super friendly and easy and invited me and Oskar to his place with the announcement, that on the first holiday weekend he would be organizing the Wildsville Scramble, on his property.
A few weeks later we jumped on a plane, flights are cheap when you don’t have to fly on Fridays or Mondays, and after a 90-minute drive from Atlanta airport, we arrived at a place I have to call paradise, cause that’s really what it is, if you like bikes, cars, good people and a neighbourhood where you can do what you want, cause there are no neighbours in the hood.
We arrived on a rainy night, but the atmosphere was great, nice old vans and pick-ups like it was a custom car event, but stuffed with cool bikes bikes from all periods.
There was this big hall, like a huge hangar with a big open door, full of bikes, cars and cool stuff everyone would fall in love with.
We met Chastin and it was like meeting an old friend again, he introduced us to some people and after a short time we felt like we were a part of this big family.
After a first night in our rental car in cheap sleeping bags we had just bought at Walmart, we were introduced to many other people and our new home for the next days, an old Greyhound bus which was converted into the cosiest camper you can imagine.
So the next two days were full of racing, fun and just having a good time. It felt like Flat Out Friday but in the countryside. Everyone from little kids to really old dudes were riding on tracks through the forest, with little streams, hills, a small lake and a few jumps.
Drew Perlmutter looking like the cat who got the cream
From old Triumphs and Matchless, sidecars and customized Jetskis, Harleys and vintage dirt bikes to modern enduros and motocross bikes there were all the bikes you can imagine, and everyone had this special smile in the face you just get on a motorbike around good humans. It was pure fun to watch. The tracks were great with some difficult parts and a nice little jump at the end.
In the evening there was a ceremony and The Hot Rod Walts were playing, people were all over the place just having a great time and on Sunday after breakfast it was time to ride for fun again.
This year the flat track oval was too wet for riding but we had the chance to do some laps on it a few days later and it was just awesome.
Even though the dates for the Wildsville Scramble in 2025 are not fixed, we will come back and hopefully lots of friends from Europe will join us.
Chastin at work
We stayed a whole week at Chastin’s place, where we spent lots of time on the bikes, Flat track and motocross together with Anna Serena who stayed also a few days longer. Every day was better than the previous one, as we drove around the countryside, we spent some time in Chastin’s workshop while he was signwriting on different bike parts, including an old Arlen Ness bike from the 70s. In the evening we had dinner together with Chastin’s wife Lauren and his daughter, or we drove to the nearest Mexican restaurant/ Those Mexican restaurants in Georgia are the best.
This place and the Wildsville Scramble is magic and cause I am a photographer and not a writer I hope that my pictures can show that a little bit better than my written words.
Thanks Jan. See jan's photographer at https://www.van-endert.com/
Follow his son, Oskar's racing on Instagram at @oskarsmx
Follow @wildsville.ga while you're at it too
If you'd like to read more about the people behind Wildsville in Sideburn, we featured Chastin on the cover of Sideburn 45 and then again in Sideburn 50. Anna Serena was in Sideburn 48 and the photography of Drew Perlmutter was in also in Sideburn 50.
