A bit of Nostalgia (bikes)

Over the weekend Sue and i went just a mile up the road from our van to an old fashioned Scramble meeting in Berrynarbor, Devon. Most of the bikes there were those of the early 60s 70s and 80s. Bikes like BSA Victors, Cotton,Matchlesses, Triumph Metisses, Czs, Jawa, Greeves,AJS etc etc. These Scrambles usually go under the name of "Classic" or "Pre 65" events, they bring back so many memories of early TV scrambling days (with Murray Walker) when Legends like Jeff Smith, John Banks, Dave Vickers, Aurthur Lampkin,Chris Horsfield, Badger Goss, Dave Thorpe,Dave Curtiss and loads more were riding. Just the fantastic sound as 25-30 Bikes (mostly 4 strokes) roaring off the line, the awesome, long lasting smell of "Castrol R"is just wonderful. Although this event has a british championship status it is fairly "Laid back"and because it is by modern standards comparitively cheap to compete in, it attracts a different class of rider. A lot are up and coming, maybe young sons of ex scramblers or garage owners sons, or in a lot of cases ex good scrambers who are perhaps getting a bit long in the toothe, this class allows lots more good years riding, in some cases well into their 60s.
Click on any picture to enlarge it.
This picture was taken at the highest point on the track overlooking the beautiful village of Combe MartinThis picture shows parts of this long (over a mile) exiting track, with natural hills and jumps, none of those "Yankee Whoop de doo's" !!!!



I have to admit a couple of the pictures on this blog were taken at the same meeting last year.




This is 2009 Classic scramble champion Scott Hayworth in action.He was riding here today, scoring a couple of victories.
I would love to be able to post the results of some of the races but i left the Programme with the results back at the Caravan. I can say there were some fantastic racing with one set of races, featuring one of the youngest competitors in the shape of 20 year old Tim Dalloway against the oldest in the shape of 70's-80's ex British champion Andy Roberton (63), in the end honours were even with a win apiece.

Joke of the day.
Then the fight started.

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the shed, the boat, making beer . . . Always something more important to me. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, " When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway. " The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp. =============================================== Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the van, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50 mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. I cuddled up to my wife's back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, " The weather out there is terrible. " My loving wife of 5 years replied, " And, can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that ? " And that's how the fight started . . . =============================================== After retiring, I went to the Social Security office to apply for Social Security. The woman behind the counter asked me for my driver's License to verify my age. I looked in my pockets and realized I had left my wallet at home. I told the woman that I was very sorry, but I would have to go home and come back later. The woman said, ' Unbutton your shirt '. So I opened my shirt revealing my curly silver hair. She said, ' That silver hair on your chest is proof enough for me ' and she processed my Social Security application. When I got home, I excitedly told my wife about my experience at the Social Security office . . . She said, ' You should have dropped your pants. You might have gotten disability, too .' And then the fight started . . .