Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

Ed Hinds~His Velo, And His Dale Carnegie Oranges I 'FLEA GOES INDOORS ~ PART THREE ) Roll Through Morocco . d1f!erent Tanner motorcycle conquer asa en Sammy hopes to ~ (Concluded 'Ibis Week racing, In Fes a small boy ran up and said in good English that he would guide me, "Small guide, small price, only three Dh". He then offered to get on the bike and show me the town. 1told him thls was a good idea and I would only charge him three Db for the blke ride. He took me all over town, sometimes In a big circle to get in the most riding he could. Alter several hours he left and did ask for a little money, r gave him a dime and he was haPpy. This may sound cheap but I was living on about 5 Dh ($1) a day and it was a regular eJq>ense. . It's funny but traveling like thls you really get down and count pennies. CARTONS OF CAMELS One thing you have to see is the once a week market day in a small town. ln the south they have everything tram camels on down for sale but the one r saw started with horses. There's lots of livestock but also everytblng else you could think of all either under tents 0.1" just set up out In the sun. Sing"rs and storytellers entertain. Lots of restaurants are set up under tents where the people can sit on rugs, drink mint tea and eat lucnh. These markets are easy to find, you just follow the Arabs. The roads are full of people for miles heading for the market. I wanted to see some part of Morocco that had not been changed too much by the tourists so r headed for the south central area at the edge of the Sahara Desert. I left Marrakech (probably the best big city in tbe country) and headed soutb, planning to take a side trip to two canyons on the edge of the desert. r crossed the Atlas Mountains over a high winding road. The country changed rapidly from wet to dry andl was in the desert. I spent that night In a sports bostelln the town of Ouarzazate near the first canyon. They have a camping spot there but it charged more tban tbe hostel. Lots of signs to the camping spot but only one little one to the hostel so you have to watch for things like that. 'Ibis town was one of the first 1 got to where tbe old section was of mud. It's rammed earth which is just packed mud and rocks tben plastered over wItb smooth mud. There is often some sort of design carved in the mud to give it a little class. These things are big tbough, parts are built fort-like and at least four stories high. That's a lot of mud. The gorges of the Dades a.qd Todgha had been mentioned in tbe tourist literature as being very wild and beautiful. On the map (by Michelln 17 and very good) tbe roads up both canyons were marked as fairly good dirt ones.. They were connected by a road across the IlPper ends of them, so r planned to make a big circle and see them both. For the first few miles there seemed to be quite afew ears but soon tbe road crossed a river that stopped 90% of the traffic. It was a funny ford, a sort of wide dam built out of large rocks. There was a crowd of little boys waiting to push any cars that got stuck. With tbe amount and size of the holes In that rock wall I'm sure those kids came out at night and mde the holes. I got across ok but that big fishtail Vela muffler was making like a flsh. The canyon du Dades which I was in was really great. At times the road was right along the river with rock walls 15 feet apart and going up ten stories above you. 'Other places the road would climb up the sides of the gorge and at places tbe area looked like a half size grand canyon. It got to be that the only traffic was bicycles and donkeys. Alter coming 35 miles up this canyon the road forked at a v1llage, and no matter how much r pointed at the road on the map everybody said no way through. Good tblng it was a scenic trip because it got a lot like work horsing that big blke through the rocks and ruts of the same road a second time. r slept across from the army headquarters in the town of Tineghir; the ground was like concrete but it was either there or an expensive hotel. Only worry was it seemed everybody In the town let their dog out that night because the whole area was full of them harking and chasing each otber. The towns in this part at the country are all buut along rivers. They were narrow therefore and seemed to stretch for miles, with lots of palm trees. it all made a pretty picture with the big mud "apartment" building and the green trees seeming to choke up' the narrow river valley for as far as you could see. The town at Erfout was my destination By Ed Hinds for tbe day, it was described intbetourist brochure as being a real desert town and the end of the paved road to tbe south Of the two ways to get there, the long paved l'oad or a short dirt one, 1 chose tbe short way hoping it wouldn't be like tbe previous day and force me into retracing my steps. it didn't start out too well, just a small sign and some wheel tracks out across the hUls. 'Ibis area would be very familiar to the desert riders as it looks a lot like tbe Mojave. By the time 1 made the first small village the road had joined others and was bigger and better but there was no sign as to which of the several roads leading out was tbe right one. I stopPed to ask questions and the old Arab hospitality sure showed UP. They did lots of pointing at the map and gave me the directions to the proper road. Then questions as to who I was and whatl was doing, a little English and French and lots of sign language. Next they asked me in to where they worked for a glass of tea. After that they explained that one of them was leaving for the next town on his moped and would show me the way, after much handshaking, off I went, complete with guide, across the desert. ARABIAN JACK MORGAN That moped rider would make a good desert racer, he could really move out on the rocky trall we were following. There was a big road construction project going on which will be nice. when done. Must have been several hundred men working on it and I didn't see a piece of motorized equipment anywhere, all Pick, shovel and wheelbarrow. 1 caused a real work stoppageaseveryone had to stop and watch the motorcycle go by and then talk about it for a few minutes. We made the next village with no trouble but things changed from tbere. Smack in front of me was this great wide sandwash on the side of town with a few wheel tracks leading out into it. Everyone assured me that the road was on the otber side and was "perfect" from there on Into Erfout. Being more inqulsitive then smart! put It in low and went at it. r know that's the wrong way to ride In the sand but wItb clip-on bars you use a special low gear crawl with the feet out real wide. Those type of he prepares for tbis Saturday's trail bike riders who tb1nk their races are too easy should try one lap witb low bars. They will know they have put in a hard day after that. A couple of hundred yards of wrestling that Velo through tbe sand was plenty for me. MANY CARTONS OF CAMELS The road really was tbere and was fairly good for a ways. All of a sudden it became real clear that this just wasu't the California desert, the place was full of camels. You just don't see too many of them in the Mojave. At first they were all around in the distance, must have been a hundred or more, tben I rode right in to a herd of the things. They didn't look too friendly but I just had to get off and take a picture of a camel by the bike. Shortly after that the road was drifted over by a huge sand dune. it was sort of funny as the road surface looks like hard mud and it just ran right into thls great big pile of sand, no tracks up over it or off to the side. I backtracked a little and found where a little track did go around and between some dune and it was only covered by small piles of sand. There was an Arab standing on a low hill watching me, so I figured if I got stu<;k I could always get him and one of his camels to pull me out. I had no trouble there after all and from then on it was easy going. To end a good day in the Sahara desert I went for a swim in a rather big river, it's really a great way to live. After doing a little more than one hundred miles on dirt roads I tblnk the next time 1 come down here 1 would have a good trail bike, that Vela may be racy looking but it is no dirt machine. it did attract attention though, sometimes unwanted. I entertained a great crowd of Arabs one day when in a very rare moment the bike wouldn't start. Everybody gathered around to watch the5how.Alter about a hundred or so kicks It did start and I received a flne hand and a cheer, no encores though. If someone would just bring over his full dress Harley he could really drive tbe Arabs wild. There are all sorts of way to enjoy Morocco and this was just one of the many. Any way you go, from staying. In ttre big hotelS down to camping out every night, 1 tb1nk you will enjoy thls country as long as you do it by bike. How fer Cen You Get Away from It All? Class A speedway motorcycle racing championships at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Tanner, at 30 acknowledged to be the all time king of flat track racing, believes he ls just anotber rider inthedemandtng sPort of short track speedway riding. He bas won nearly 400 flat track main events, many of tbem on tbe half-mUe dirt track at Ascot Park, where Tanner ls the most popular rider ever to appear. His record in speedwayracing,bowever, ls anotber story. "I spend more time on the ground tban I do up on the bike," Tanner said, describing hls style somewhat facetiously. "'Ibis is tbe most 'fun' racing there is, for tbe riders and for the fans, but I just haven't got the hang of it yet." Tanner proved he has his better moments on the speedway bI winning a main event at Whiteman Staatum, Pacoima, earlier this month. He ran away from the field. It was his first main event victory in almost two seasons of Class A speedway riding. A top competitor describes Tanner's style this way: "He rides the outside groove, like he does In flat track racing. When the outside groove is fast, you can't beat him, but he doesn't seem to have the Inside groove mastered yet. Most of the restof the guys like the inside better", Can Tanner live UP to his billing as motorcycle racing's winningest rider on the extremely tight course laid out il. hard packed dirt on the Sports Arena floor? He'll face 15 of the nation's best in three nighls of hard, fast action. Following Saturday's opener, there will be Indoor Class A races Sunday, Sept. 7, and Saturday, Sept. 13, to declare an overall Californla speedway racing champion fer 1969. ....... '68-1/2 PUR SANG - Make otter for quick sale. (213) 724-5080 days, (213) 4745688 Eves. VIC VILA sells to highest bidder; Sept. 30th hls Daytona record-setting slAgle cyl. 500cc DaHC Manx Norton and spare parts. Minimum bid $700.00 for machine 'and parts. Write, 477 Fuego Ave., Pomona, CaliforJlia, 91767 for description of this fabulous machine and spares list. FOR SALE: 1967 Triumph TR6 "C" Parts: Complete Front Wheel, $30.00; Set of Mufflers, $20.00; Complete Energy Transfer System, $25.00; Call "AI" Days: (714) 5414131; Eves: (714) 675-5008. TRIUMPH '69 Bonnev11Ie. 2,000 miles, Immaculate condition, Bates mufOers, 1-1/2 cases Kendall GT-l racing oil plus Dunstail megaphones. Leaving country, must sell thls week. $1150. Call: 636-0191 weekdays 8:00-6:00. YAMAHA 100cc Single TT bike, super .fast & dependable, fully set-up, race ready. Must see & ride to apprectate. Must sell - very reasonable. Wo: (213) 439-6943 or (213) 597-5880. MOTORCYCLE MECHANIC WANTED Mainly 2 stroke experience on Yamaha and Kawasaki. References plus experience. Most progressive shop In town! Phone (213) 842-4847 for appointment with service manage,:. 1967 SUZUKI X-6, 25Occ, street, rebuilt, excellent condition, fairing & tote box, $350. (213) 281-9829 after 7:30 p.m. Have you ever talked about far away places during your coffee break? Ever give that pretty girl who works with you the eye and wish the two of you were in South America? Something like that happened in a Seattle, Wash. office In March of this year. Gary Breasau and Lucille Morris worked In a shipping office and often went to lunch together. They were looking at a travel book one day and commented on the beautiful scenery In South America. "Why don't we go?" Lucille asked. Gary wasted no time agreeing. PassportS and shots had to be taken care of and preparations in general took several months. They quit their jobs and headed south from rainy Seattle. Nine dollars In gas money brought their two Honda 90's the 1600 miles to Los Angeles after many weeks on the road. Luc11le says they averaged about 150 miles a day and were able to cruise from 40 to 45 m.p.h. They have nothing but good to say about the treatment they've received from strangers along the way. The only harsh incident of the trip so far was being awakened by wild boars while they were camped for the night at Big Sur• They hope to reach Tierra Del Fuego at the tip of the Americas in two years, staying on the road and working when necessary. The Hondas are the first bikes either one has owned and Lucille had never ridden until they bought this pair for the trip. Gary says if the bikes break dawn, they'll throw the packs on the backs and start walking. Whewl METRICS ARE HERE !! European made and British fasteners of every dlscriPtion available. Metric nylon insert lock nuts in stock. Great cataiog $1.00. Dealers please write. Grizzly Engineering and Machine, 812 S. Missouri, WATERFORD, Calif. 95386. HODAKA 90 - Desert ~eady, extended forks, girlings, expansion chamber, tork brace, etc. Also street equip. Good cond., never raced $275.00. (213) 331-6177. '66 TRIUMPH 50Occ, dirtequip.,CerianJ forks, Bates seat, Deltar ai:--cleaner, exc. conditicn. $650.00 or make offer. (714) 530-3422. Continued Page 30 S ~ '-l ...J (.) G

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