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)