ISDT
I always enjoyed riding long distance trials like the Welsh Three Day Trial and the International Six Day Trial, especially on a four-stroke. In the early sixties I remember spending many hours with Harry Baugh at his factory in Stroud, he was the British Team manager for the ISDT team. I would ride my machine from the Air Balloon to his factory and practice taking wheels out, changing a tube and putting the wheels back in against the clock. When he was satisfied with my time he would get me to change a magneto or points etc., then and only then would he send me on my way home. The Welsh Three Day Trial was very much the event to do well in to achieve possible selection for one of the Vase teams for the ISDT. I remember being in some of the remotest parts of Wales and an official would flag you down and tell you to change a tube, take your points out and replace them, change your throttle/clutch cable etc. Very often this would be in thick mist or driving rain and you still had to be at the next check on time. Looking back at it now it’s what drove you on to try and be the best.
Over the years Malcolm and I played at county level squash for different clubs and I just had the edge on him there, but he was also a very good golfer. He played off of a two handicap and I played off six so he had to give me four strokes, but he would never let me pick which holes I could take my strokes at, so he would generally win anyhow. That special bonding we had to succeed was always there and took us through our careers whether we were together or apart. The saddest time in motorcycling for me was when Malcolm was killed waiting to turn into a group of sections in a country lane at the Presidents Trial in Devon. I still kick myself today that I didn’t enter and ride the trial with him as it might have never happened! There are so many stories one could tell, but the final story is dedicated to Malcolm and I am sure he won’t mind me telling it.