On The Pegs June 2018 - Volume 3 - Issue 6 | Page 79

On The Pegs The road to Scotland In the late 60’s and early 70’s, the Spanish factories that made trials bikes were sending their sponsored riders to the USA to put on trials schools and promote trials as well as their bikes. In 1968 the first trials school I knew about was Sammy Miller’s, for Bultaco, in St. Louis. I managed to get an entry, and went with one of my riding friends, “Doober” (not a typo!) Dotson. I rode a Greeves and Doober rode a Penton. The school was on Saturday, and then there was a trials event on Sunday. For some reason, we had to be back in Tulsa Sunday and couldn’t stay for the trial. After the school, I asked Sammy Miller what I could do to improve my riding - “Get a Bultaco” he said. So, just as soon as I could, I bought my first Sherpa T! In 1969, I heard about another school/ trial being put on by Mick Andrews for Ossa in Columbia, Missouri. So off we went - same deal, school Saturday, trial Sunday. I lucked out and won the trial, and got a trophy from Mick, which I still have. Fast forward to 1970 and Mick’s back for another school. Again, I won the trial, and also became better ac- quainted with Mick. We started com- municating by mail and the occasional phone call. In 1971 the North Eastern Oklahoma Trials Team (NEOTT) decided to have Mick do a school here in Tulsa. Every- thing got arranged and while Mick was in New England getting ready to com- pete in the SSDT he broke his shoulder. Vol. 3 Issue 3 - June 2018 P 79 They called to say he couldn’t do our school, as he was looking for someone to operate on his shoulder. Well, I had just had my first knee surgery and sug- gested my doctor. After talking to Dr. Myra Peters, she agreed to see Mick. The Ossa factory rep, Roy Weaver, drove Mick and his wife, Jill, down to Tulsa where his shoulder was repaired. He couldn’t travel for a few weeks, so he stayed with us in Tulsa and it was during this stay that he first suggested that I might like to ride the SSDT - see, all that long winded story did lead to my going to the 1972 SSDT! Logistics My wife, Carroll, as usual, was super supportive and we began to try to figure how to do it. I had to get an entry and an International competition license, both which were difficult to do - another story there. Then, how to pay for the trip, how to get a bike, etc. etc. Sammy Miller agreed to rent me a Bul- taco for about $90.00 for the week, and it turned out to be the bike he had just won the British National Championship on, tag number COT 6K. At that time, you had to arrange for your own fuel and support for the event. At the time, one of my riding buddies was Kirk Mayfield and I talked his Dad into letting Kirk go with me to Scotland. The plan was for Kirk to chase the trial in a car with gas and sup- plies for me. (btw, these days an entry includes all your fuel, and the fuel stops are manned by the British Army)