Manchester Lyons

Carlsberg comes to mind, probably the best Club in the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the old club members for all the help and support they have given me in the past. The Isle of Man is just one example of all the members especially in the Manx 400  mucking in to help all the competitors. Without them and this goes for every club, where would we have been?

Being a member of this club also had its draw backs, what I mean is the practical jokes. One of which nearly cost me dearly.

In 1971 I had successfully completed the Manx Full Day Trial with the help of Bob Westow in the navigation section. I’m not sure where we were overall but it set me up for a good week.

Next day was spent in preparation for Mondays Hill Climb. Everyone stayed at the holiday camp, god help anyone else staying there for their holidays. Everyone went to the dance hall for the evening; I arrived somewhat late as usual. I was sitting with Bob Melling, Eamon Kerr amongst others, had a beer, went to the loo, when I return there’s another one, except little did I know it had other ingredients, bacardi, gin, and so on. A couple of these and an hour or so later I’m not walking so good, inevitable I’m sick, really sick. You know carrots, but I haven’t eaten any carrots. And so to bed.

Problem, next morning my legs are not part of my body anymore and the pain in my stomach. Lucky no breathalysers, I surely would not have passed, even more amazing I still managed to win even with the sabotage from my own team mate Bob Melling. It was all part of a perilous week, not from the scooters I might add.

Eamon Kerr has sent me some 8mm cine film which I’ve included here, quality is not too good but just gives a bit of insight to the week.