- Joined
- Jan 10, 2012
- Messages
- 296
I am hoping that maybe one of you "upside downers" from Australia (maybe you are the right side uppers and we are the upside downers) can help me remember the name of a guy that crossed the outback on a Norton single in the 50"s. He told me a story of he and another guy setting out to cross the outback. He said that they were about halfway across and his partner panicked and decided to go back by himself. They found that his partner had fallen victim to a phenomena that had befallen others that had done this attempt. Getting disorientated in the dust and driving in a big circle when they thought they were going straight. Sadly his partner did not make it back.
Backstory:
In the early 90's (I am not sure of the year) I completed a 2 year restoration of a barn find ($300.00) 73 850 Commando. My friend T. C. Christensen (the drag racing legend) rebuilt the engine and I did everything else. The day after it was started for the first time I rode it to the AMA Vintage Days in Columbus, Ohio. Upon returning from that trip we tuned up for a few days and headed for the west coast.
We were riding around on some dirt roads on a Native American Reservation on the coast of Washington looking for the road to the park with the lookout over the Pacific. This is the furthest West point in the contiguous United States. An older couple in a van flagged us down. The driver of the van had a British accent and was very thrilled to see someone touring on a Norton. He explained that he knew the way to the park entrance and we should follow. We parked and set out on a foot path to the lookout.
This path was 1/4 mile (.4 km) long, so we had a nice conversation. He shared the story of his trek across the outback. We exchanged addresses and when he got home to England he sent me a photo copy of the write-up that was in an American motorcycle magazine. He was for real. I am not sure but I think he may have been the first to cross the outback on a motorcycle. My riding partner and I feel very privileged to have met him and his wife. Also, he and his wife were very nice company. Of course you knew that by the fact that he was a Norton guy.
Being the fool that I can be sometimes, I will blame it on moving a few times, I have misplaced the article.
The other day it occurred to me that through this forum I have a direct connection to Norton people from Australia, and I realized that maybe someone there would know his name. I like telling the story and feel bad that I don't know his name.
Any help?
Backstory:
In the early 90's (I am not sure of the year) I completed a 2 year restoration of a barn find ($300.00) 73 850 Commando. My friend T. C. Christensen (the drag racing legend) rebuilt the engine and I did everything else. The day after it was started for the first time I rode it to the AMA Vintage Days in Columbus, Ohio. Upon returning from that trip we tuned up for a few days and headed for the west coast.
We were riding around on some dirt roads on a Native American Reservation on the coast of Washington looking for the road to the park with the lookout over the Pacific. This is the furthest West point in the contiguous United States. An older couple in a van flagged us down. The driver of the van had a British accent and was very thrilled to see someone touring on a Norton. He explained that he knew the way to the park entrance and we should follow. We parked and set out on a foot path to the lookout.
This path was 1/4 mile (.4 km) long, so we had a nice conversation. He shared the story of his trek across the outback. We exchanged addresses and when he got home to England he sent me a photo copy of the write-up that was in an American motorcycle magazine. He was for real. I am not sure but I think he may have been the first to cross the outback on a motorcycle. My riding partner and I feel very privileged to have met him and his wife. Also, he and his wife were very nice company. Of course you knew that by the fact that he was a Norton guy.
Being the fool that I can be sometimes, I will blame it on moving a few times, I have misplaced the article.
The other day it occurred to me that through this forum I have a direct connection to Norton people from Australia, and I realized that maybe someone there would know his name. I like telling the story and feel bad that I don't know his name.
Any help?