Parking lot chatter could be sacred

[Ross]

I joined this club in 1973 when my mentor advised me it was what I needed to be connected to what interested me. He joined in the early 60's. Not really anyone special to me , only that people referred to him as 'The Colonel' and his wife had made my boy scout neckerchiefs in the early 60's.. In the late 60's he had 20 motorcycles pre 1920. Mr. Bentley. Day plus-- he commanded all the things that ran on gas and oil on Juno beach, (Canada's beach) during D day.( watch saving private Ryan) Not bad for for a long haired chopper type in 1970'S ? to visit this dude and be adopted. HIS only question to me as he sauntered out with his tweed jacket and his brier pipe was," is that BSA chopper a twin carb, Lightning or a single carb thunderbolt." We became lifelong friends till he died in his 90's. See Rick Schunk's 1999 write-up in the AMCA magazine, " A man for all season". He was later pulled from the front to get decorated by the King of England. But to me at 23, he was just my travelling companion to this meet put on by the AMCA in late August. ( i have now gone to AMCA meets for 40 years.) I guess you could figure out by now I am a Board member, but I am deeply proud of this club and what I have learned and contributed to this forum. I had three travelling companions. Bert was one and the other two represented the height of the 1930's. Their stories if there is any interest, I could tell. What a treat with my kids travelling to Davenport in '91 with a Spitfire pilot, and a Sargeant ( in kilt) AND A COMMANDER COLONEL of d Day, Canada beach. . all IN THE BACK SEAT OF A FAMILY STATION WAGON WITH PARTS TO SELL. My son won a public speaking contest in a second language contest on that trip just from talking and listing on what they said and did from 1939 till 45. his teachers didn't believe the stories. It only took some duty free ScoTch at the border(single malt of course) to let the stories flow over 859 miles from Winnipeg to Davenport. I am proud to have known personally my 3 amigos . Ted H (founder), Connie Schl, ( best HD flat head builder ever)Bob Mcl. MR President,,and many others from the early days. If you haven't joined a chapter, find an old guy, they'll steer you right. PS Rich Schultz was there when my journey started and if you haven't bought the story on the Henderson, then you aren't in the groove. JOIN THE CLUB, MAKE IT SOMETHING SPECIAL. IF YOU LOVE OLD BIKES , THIS IS IT. R

[koanes]

That's great history Ross. I joined the club in the early eighties and many of the founders were still active. A fine bunch for sure. I recently purchase some paper material from the Bill Borer (Long time HD distributer and dealer in Lacrosse Wisconsin) estate, included were Chief Blackhawk Chapter news letters and personal correspondence with Bob Mclean and others from the seventies. These gentlemen were very enthusiastic about preserving and riding their old motorcycles. Lot's of friendly ribbing about breakdowns on road rides and time spent on restoration work. Particularly interesting were discussions on what qualified as an antique motorcycle, and what did not. It's hard for me to imagine a time in the club when postwar HD and Indian motorcycles were Late Model and not welcome for showing or judging.

[Ross]

You are right about the old guys and how they were wired. Maybe that W2 generation really was the "Greatest generation" I guess it's up to us new old guys to make the hobby as fun as it was back in Bob's day. Ride on Kyle..

[AFJ]

You are right about the old guys and how they were wired. Maybe that W2 generation really was the "Greatest generation" I guess it's up to us new old guys to make the hobby as fun as it was back in Bob's day. Ride on Kyle..

Ross,
Have attended only a few AMCA events over the years due to distance,work and family but started with a meet at the Cleveland farm near Akron in the 70's. Got to meet Bob McClean, Doc Patt, Lou Lichva, Ben Chesney, Dick and Wanda Winger ('06 Pennsylvania Road Run), and a lot of other great people and share experiences with old bikes, memories and good times.
Same sorts of experiences with the CVMG rallies and the old-timers there had their stories of their times from 1939 to 1945. One special friend, a dispatch/scout rider through it all, referred to that period of his life rather lightly "as a six year motorcycle holiday tour of Europe." Later I found out from others that it included a lot of fighting in Sicily, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. In the last country, when scouting ahead of his column by motorcycle, discovering one of the Nazi death camps, filled with dead or starving prisoners.

AFJ