ISDT Stories?

[Chakka]

When I was young I read the book on the 73' trial so many times the pages fell out. Id love to read about some ISDT experiences / antidotes from the riders. I've always been intrigued by that greatest test of man and machine.

[TGTech]

I'd love to impart some ledgends from Massachussets for you, but I really didn't have any. To me, that event felt more like a long qualifier than Six Days, because it was "at home". Sure, the rest of the International community was there, but because we could speak to everyone, it was just like being at a qualifier. I'm sure that there were some clandestine goings on, but I wasn't involved in them.

I do seem to remember Jeff getting lost and losing his gold medal, but I don't remember the details. Maybe somebody else can recount the situation.

Dane

[Paul Danik]

I still have and will always cherish my letter from the AMA stating that I was selected to represent the United States in the 1973 ISDT, that letter is dated July 26, 1973. That letter was followed quite shortly by a letter from Doug Wilford that was sent to all of the Penton ISDT riders stating that you had better be inshape as "we" are looking for a good performance from everyone and "we" know that you won't let us down. The next 6 weeks were like a combination of bootcamp and Christmas for me. I worked for my father landscaping by day and would run on my riding trails after work to build up my endurance, then I would do some riding. Several times a week the UPS truck would deliver another package containing various items of riding gear donated by a manufacturer, for a country boy who rode dirtbikes this snazy riding gear was quite impressive, so much so that I still have most of it today.
   The trails were alot like what I was used to, mud, rocks, creeks, but I do have to say they had some pretty impressive mud bogs that could suck up a bike quite easily. I remember riding down a power line section and seeing a person up ahead, as I got closer the guy pointed to a neat little path that skirted the mud bog, that guy was Rolf Tibblin also known as the "Iron Man of Motocross". Getting to associate with many of my "heros" and persons that I had only read about was a wonderful part of my ISDT experiance. Another highlight was when the 10 riders on the Penton team assembled along with Mr. Penton for the team photo.
   A big help to me was having my "trainer", Crazy Jake Fischer rooming in the same motel. Jake and I lived fairly close and I would go riding with him whenever possible.  Even though Jake was riding for Husky he really kept a close eye on me and I have always appreciated that, I would have dinner each evening with Jake and his wife. Jake rode the last three days of the ISDT with a seperated shoulder and still earned his gold, that really says something about the man's charactor.
About a month after the ISDT was over the same mailman that delivered that letter from the AMA also delivered my Gold medal from the ISDT.  I always remember my mom was surprised that there wasn't some sort of big presentation for the medals, it was quite hard to explain that most of my reward was just to have been there and to have been able to associate with some of the finest people on the face of the earth and to be riding the best bike that was ever built. You rode hard and fast because you didn't want to let down your team, you didn't ride over your head as you had to finish.
   I hope that this gives you some of the insight that you were looking for, it might not be a wild and glitzy story but most of what goes on at those events is more about preperation of both the rider and the machine and being able to stay focused on the task at hand, a little luck isn't a bad thing either!
Paul

 
   
   
   
   

[peter kane]

Wow!  What an amazing story Paul!  You are so fortunate to have lived this and we are very fortunate that TEAM PENTON riders are sharing their stories with us.  I spoke with Ron earlier this evening and he told me about Jake with the shoulder - I can't imagine what that must have been like for him.  

Thank you all for reporting this important history - further educating us on topics so near and dear to us!

GO PENTON!

Peter Kane
V3442
Plainville, Massachusetts
[email protected]

[Chakka]

Dane, Paul,

That is so cool. To have actually been a part of all that. While you guys were riding and winning gold medals I was bombing around on an XR-75 wishing I would hurry up and grow 6" so I could ride a Penton like the ones in the magazines & the Hi-Point catlog that I wore out from thumbing thru.

Chris