Desert Rat

[Farmjohnny]

Thanks, Mike! They are on the way!

Tom

[Farmjohnny]

Thanks Mike!

The second pic is in Jean at the end of the first 200 mile loop. Joe is getting off the bike and I am getting on (red helmet). Keeping the thing lit is a big priority about this time (*%$#% Amal carb)!
The kid gassing the bike is only 13 years old.

And that's me and my Greeves at Dick Mann Rally 1985.

[Farmjohnny]

As I researched all of this stuff and in talking with all the guys, I found myself wondering about the mind set in Lorain as of March 1st of 73.

They had the new 250 about to be introduced (with some of the early mag write ups happening or already in the can) and with the ISDT coming to US soil the expectations for the year must have been sky high.

Pre-running.

Previous 400's had been held at the Mint Gun Club.
The drill was 8 loops, 50 mile each.
It was dubbed "The Silt Bowl"
Those that rode it know why.
Those that don't know what its like to ride in 2 foot deep silt, go open up an 80lb bag of Portland Cement, drop in your car keys, turn it over a couple of times and then try to find them....in a hurry... when you are exhausted....in the dark.

Due to a myriad of political and logistical obstacles and amide even some controversy, it was decided that the 1973 event be moved to Jean, Nevada and an all new, more challenging coarse be set up, consisting of 2 loops around a 200 mile coarse that wound though Nevada and even parts of California. Bikes and buggies on the same coarse, Bikes on Monday the 19th and buggies on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Early whispers were "it's fast".
And brutal.
The coarse was destroying bikes at an alarming pace. Seizures, flats, busted wheels, broken frames, and some big get offs. And this was just pre running......
Joe and I avoided all this nonsense by just not pre-running. Problem solved.
We didn't have the resources to waste anyway. We were geared for the moon and dialed (we thought).
Many others started rethinking their plans.

Tires were upgraded, taller gearing installed, bigger tanks mounted, (all 5 Penton teams used the big aluminium Hi Point tank) and frames were gusseted.
The only thing we changed that week was to pull our second light off (a high mounted pencil beam) and change the wiring for our lone Oscar over to a hot set-up that Carl showed me one night over at Sportsman. It may have been pointed a crazy direction after all the days activities but I had a great light on that bike. It allowed me to see, with great clarity, exactly what it was that I was about to slam into at ludicrous speed. Yes, I rode the night(mare) section.Thanks Carl....

For those of you looking for such things the hot set up was to isolate the light shell from the bike and run the tail light feed from the Motosplat to the ground side of the bulb. Instant sun.
Kids don't try this at home, your results may vary.

And this was just pre-running.

[Tom Penton]

Tom,

I went to the Mint in 1970, as a spectator. Uncle Ted gave me a call and said he'd pick me up at George AFB (on the way, just off I-15). He wanted to go up and check it out, maybe enter a Penton the next year.  Stayed overnight at one of the cheap Las Vegas Casino hotels and ate even cheaper casino food.  I remember Uncle Ted decided to do a little gambling. He bought $5 in quarters which he assured me that when he ran out he was done for the night, and he proceeded to feed the one arm bandits. Well, he didn't get too far: about $3 in, he hit the jackpot for about $50 (400 hundred dollars today?). He scooped up the winnings and said "I'm done", and he was!  I was impressed ... those who knew Uncle Ted might have thought he'd be the personality to get hooked.

Cousin Mike's Super 8 of Tom in Desert


Tom Penton

[tooclose racing]

Can I just say - as a total outsider, sorta East Coast rider at all of age 14-15 during these years - this entire thread of discussion is PRICELESS.

Thank you Tom Roe and others. Thanks Tom Penton for the Super 8 film which is just like "OMG!".