Polka Dots Motorcycle Club

        To all of you out there with those Vintage Bikes, where were you?  The 49er Family Enduro, by the Polka Dots M/C, has come and gone. Now don't tell me that you did not know, that there was to be a Vintage class. I have been talking about it since last years crash and it was posted in Cycle News. The only Vintage bikes I saw, belonged to me. Yes the old 500 Triumph and the 350 BSA completed the assigned round. For all of you who stayed home, you missed a fun ride

         Now it was decided, that because of the age of the Bikes and this rider, that only one loop would have to be completed to qualify for a finishers pin. There was even some, who believed, that, me and the old Triumph, most likely would not be able to make it to the finish.

        . Now for you younger folks, back in my day all you had was a stopwatch and a speedo, to figure you time and distance. You would be busy trying to keep it on the rubber side, so all the calculations had to be done in you head as you rode.   Mike and I started on the + 71 min. We had a wrist watch and a 47 year old speedo. There we were, surrounded by all modern bikes with all their trick computer stuff.  I have great grand kids older then some of the riders. So off we went, down the trail to the first check. I was able to calculated our time and speed to the first check dead center. As the clock clicked 71.  we hit the mark. How about that, not to bad for an old dude. Then it was off to check # 2. There were some challenging section for the old Triumph but not to hard. As there were some two track stuff,  I figured I could make up the time. We made it in to check # 2, where I thought I would be again just about right on. Well what did we get?  69.5. Well not to bad. let me think about it, recalculate just a little. Off to check # 3. This sure is fun. The weather and trails were just about as good as it gets, so far. Check # 3 and still too fast. What's the problem? Well it is off to check $ 4. Then it came to me. We were using the speedo off an old BSA. We had changed the wheel from a stock 19in to an 18in. This was, because we were going to be Short Track racing at the Lodi, later that day, on the same bikes. Ok now I can nail it again.

         There is an old saying, "The plains of mice and men some times goes astray". Out of the trees and up a slope, what do I find? There was this knurly rocky up hill section, strung with New motorcycles. There was a bottleneck?  Or by some chance, have I found a mystery motorcycle junk yard? It's onward Triumph! No time to stop now.  It will be late Sunday before the Polka Dot's get them all out. Then there was dust. Talk about powder. Mike went down several times. He was eating my dust and did not see the holes, ruts, roots or rocks. Then his drive chain came off.  Also he told me that he had  been having a hard time dodging all the rocks, branches and other debris that I was throwing back at him. I forgot to worn him about the Triumph, it does that allot. Woops check # 4. Where did it come from. Time 99. Not good. Now we have to really gas it to make up time. It was hair scrambles again. Boy catching up can be a lot of fun. Before I knew what happened, we came into check #  5. We only made up 10 min. O well it was a finish. 

        We had entered the event to prove that a VINTAGE BIKE  could compete. This was the first time for Mike to ride an enduro. He talked about all the stuff that he wanted to do on the bike for next year. OK you guys I don't want to hear any excuses. To OLD? I am 71. The vintage bike is to heavy. The Triumph is 317lb light. I don't want to here it. If I can finish on my 1965 Triumph 500 anyone can. Come on guys lets get if together The 'POLKA DOT'S FAMILY 49er ENDURO' is just what we need. So you have an hole year to get it together. Besides its a blast.

See you at the next race, Ken Heuser.