I was going to post this in the two wheeling thread, but it deserves to be seen outside that niche.
In the mail today, I had a very nice card from @whispered secret AKA Ann Jones. Some of you know and some of you don't know that her father was a big time motorcycle rider in the early days of the sport.
He competed in trials and races and Ann's posted quite a few photos and anecdotes about that in the two wheeling thread. Worth looking at even if just from a historical viewpoint. These were the days of rigid bikes that could punish a rider over some miles.
Well, inside the card was one of her father's motorcycling medals, from the six days trial in (if my failing eyesight didn't betray me) 1937. Here's a newsreel about that year's trial.
I am honored and humbled beyond expressing it. Your father's medal, Ann? I'm hardly worthy, but I will wear it in tribute and ride my comfortable cruiser with the easy-glide suspension and pretend that I'm half the badass your father was.
Thank you. It's really something.
What a great thread this is
That is so lovely.
He taught her to play poker. That's so great. Looking forward to any photos and information.
@Jerseyfornia my sister has been staying with us and I was telling her about the stuff on this thread. She is 12 years older than me and remembers Hap Alzina visiting Birmingham to go to the BSA factory. Apparently he visited our home and taught her to play poker!!
She & I have resolved to visit the National Motorcycle Museum next time she is down - expect some photos!
My MC brothers are fully impressed with your dad, Ann.
This thread is mint!
Gingerbread house took forever (lots of waiting for bits to set) and isn't quite finished. I ran out of icing and need to buy more today, hence I didn't get round to reading stuff until yesterday evening.
It was fascinating, lots of names from the past, people I grew up around - George Rowley, Fred Rist, Alan Jeffries, the list goes on! I went to the ISDT in 1969 in Germany. I didn't pay it very much attention but I remember dad being disappointed with the GB team and I see they didn't do well.
Dad loved that BSA Gold Star!
OK. I shall spend the afternoon reading all that. I have a gingerbread house to make this morning, which might, depending on how successful it is, result in photos!
So, like I was telling you guys up top, Ann's dad was a badass and a big deal in motorcycles. So you can understand how humbled I am to be the steward of a medal he earned.
Ann, on that site I linked earlier, there's a post from 2014 from a guy trying to get some facts about your dad for a book.
A search of his name on the site yields quite a lot of results.