Mt.Garfield

MT.GARFIELD

COMPETITION

Humidity and Heat In a National Climb

WARREN HALL

HUMID HAZE and heated competition marked the annual National Championship Hillclimb at Muskegon, Mich. Assaulting the near vertical slope of Mt. Garfield were 15 Class A and 15 Class B riders, all high points men from the season's previous meetings.

Equipment that arrived to challenge the hill ranged from vintage flathead Indian Chiefs with extended rigid rear frames and strangely altered girder forks, to modernTday Twins with Earles forks grafted on in place of conventional telescopic units. All competition machinery was chained. Some motorcycles carried steel rims at the front, displayed forward riding positions, and had engines canted forward by as much as 45 degrees to offset the sudden weight transfer that spells disaster for the hillclimber.

The hill, a giant sand dune on the shore of Lake Michigan, specially prepared for the National, and used only once a year, has ditches cut across its face to provide obstacles for would-be hilltoppers. Those riders whose mounts were fast enough seemed to jump the ditches with ease, but for some of the slower machines, these gouges proved nothing but trouble. The timing tape is at the 310-ft. level; only 10 ft. of space remains in which to halt the upward bound bikes, and that leads to some impromptu trail cutting by overzealous uphillers who suddenly become downhillers.

King for the day was Earl Bowlby of Logan, Ohio. His quick ride up Mt. Garfield was achieved in 7.87 sec. Bowlby, who placed 2nd in last year's climb, appeared to have done the trick for '68 by lengthening the wheelbase of his BSA with a rigid rear suspension, built of light tubing.

Triumph-mounted Joe Hemmis, of Cumberland, Md., who has won the Mt. Garfield event four times, had trouble. He hit the lower ditch hard, but recovered to crest the hill, but fell at 220 and 290 ft., respectively, on his remaining tries.

Louis Gerencer of Elkhart, Ind., was a favorite to win the climb, but finished a close 2nd to Bowlby when he lost a drive chain at 290 ft. on his first attempt, recorded 8.55 sec. on his second run, then turned 8.06 sec. on his final try.

Riding the ex-championship Glen Kyle Vincent, Beeze Wendt sped over the top twice in three attempts, but was able only to finish 7th.

Earl Buck, 57 years young, reported the climbing seems to be getting tougher each year, but, starting well to the left, and well out of the groove, this year's "Old Man of the Mountain" managed a 6th place finish.

In Class B (45 cu. in.) competition, riders experienced less difficulty in soaring to the summit. Times were only slightly slower than Class A (74 cu. in.) recordings, and it appeared that a greater number of Class B machines cleared the top of Mt. Garfield.

Jack Taylor of Muskegon, riding a HarleyDavidson-like creation called the Snell Special, was Class B winner for the second consecutive year. His best time in two rides was 7.92 sec.

Doyle Disbennett of Columbus, Ohio, season high point man, finished 2nd in B competition with an 8.09-sec. fast time.