Flyin Hawain

[Gavin Housh]

I was looking at the pics from VMD and I believe that in picture 21-23 we are looking at the Flyin Hawain, John DeSoto with Mr. Penton. Correct me if I am mistaken. Gavin

[OhioTed]

That is absolutely correct, Gavin.  Although a complete rendition is upcoming in the next POG newsletter, here is how that scene came to be.  Your intrepid POG camera crew was cruising the MX pits at VMD, when we happened upon the one and only John DeSoto.  We immediately set him up in front of the camera, and John gave us a nice interview.  A bit later, during the formal "Legends Autograph Session", I observed John Penton strolling about.  Then I saw DeSoto again, and asked him if he knew JP.  "Sure!", he said, so I pointed out Mr. Penton and said, "Well, there he is."  DeSoto then snuck up behind Mr. Penton, gave him a big bear hug, an Indian rub, and then spun him around so JP could see who was teasing him.  The old friends then exchanged greetings, while the POG cameras clicked and whirred.  Captured!  I love being in the right place at the right time.

[Paul Danik]

In reading this thread it occured to me that John DeSoto and John Penton go back to at least 1970.  John DeSoto taught a moto-cross school at the INTER-AM that John and Ted Penton put on at Honda Hills in October of 1970.  They promoted the event under the name of Mid-States International Moto-Cross Association.
    I still have the information packet from that event, the John DeSoto MX school was $6.00 and was held on Saturday from 9 - noon. I attended that school and sure got my 6 bucks worth.

Paul

[OhioTed]

It sure was a pleasure to meet John and the other pros at the Legends event.  DeSoto is such a character, and if I'm not mistaken, he was racing in the 60+ class.  Wow!  I think he and T. Landers have both got an inside line on a fountain of youth premix.

[tomale]

John Desoto showed up at the spokane race last weekend, wow was he fast, He pasted me on a uphill off camber corner, as he did, the rear wheel slid abit and  I tagged his rear wheel, He managed to stay up and he was gone.....followed closely by our own Randy Skivers former National #35 on a very cool BSA.... I am not sure how all of this happened since I was not going all that fast. After all it did not take him more than one more corner to leave me completely in the dust..... A great ambassador and yes a character....
good to see the hero's of our sport.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)
72'sixday (project bike)

[deek]

Thom

Where were you hiding. Sorry we didn't connect. For sure John DeSoto is a great guy, spent about 15 min chatting. Had a pix taken with my cell phone, but my buddy didn't push the button right, grrr [V]. Till next time Thom.

Dale

[tomale]

Dale, were did you park, I was all over the pits and I did not see you. hope to see you sooner than later, take care my friend.


Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)
72'sixday (project bike)