Mom, don't buy a turkey !

[Paul Danik]

" Don't buy a turkey mom, Augie and I are going to a turkey trials tomorrow".

It has been about 55 years since I spoke those words to my mom just before Thanksgiving, and sure enough, when Augie and I headed home after the observed trials there were two frozen birds on the seat between us.

That particular observed trials was held by the Leaping Links Motorcycle Club, they mostly did hill climbs, but once a year they would hold an observed trials. They used a property that also had a stock car track on it that ran by the name of North Hills Speedway, just off of Mt. Nebo Road for any of you folks that know the area. Today, the site is buried under route 279 just outside of Pittsburgh.

Augie had a 250 Bultaco Sherpa "T", I was on my Steel Tanker which had a short enough wheelbase that it could negotiate the sections. Augie and I had a section of trail on the nursery property that was full of logs and rocks that we would always try to ride slow and without dabbing, that section gave us each some good practice for riding observed trials, as well as falling over at low speeds!

If I remember correctly, Mick Andrews laid out an observed trials near the Amherst, Ohio quarries many years ago and the Penton boys rode their Pentons in it. Maybe someone in the know will chime in to either confirm or deny my remembrance.


The guy sitting on his Steel Tanker in the photo sure has a smile on his face, must have zeroed the last check ! Possibly some of you will recognize the rider, and maybe the shop name on his jersey.