‘Duggie’ wins a trophy!
Contributed by Alwyn
Here in South Australia, on the Southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, there's a town called "Goolwa". It is located at the mouth of Australia's biggest river, the River Murray. On the weekend of 10-11 January 2004, I entered ‘Duggie’ in the ‘Blood ‘N Tars’ Annual Bike Show held on this occasion in the Goolwa Town Hall.
There were between 60 and 70 entries that filled the venue completely. I nominated 'Duggie' in the ‘Best Original Condition’ category. He was knocked off by an immaculate 1924 SW Douglas (Doug Hill, owner) but I’m told that it was only after a great deal of dissension among the judges that the SW won out in the end.
It was said the ‘accoutrements’ displayed, which included an old Douglas ‘pisspot’ helmet, ancient and well-worn leather gauntlets, a plunger hooter that worked and a neat despatch box on the carrier (aka first World War vintage) were the things that won it for the SW.
However, the public got it right even if the judges didn’t, for ‘Duggie’ was awarded the ‘Peoples’ Choice’ award for... wait for it... 'Best Bike of the Show’.
The trophy was made by 'Rosco', a member of Mud ‘N Tars. It comprises an electric clock mounted on the face of the drive sprocket (if it’s fair to call a serrated belt pulley a sprocket) of a 'Soft-tail' Harley that ‘Rosco’ had the misfortune to crash on the incline out of Old Noarlunga on the Victor Harbor Road (near the Pedlars Creek dump turn-off)
He suffered severe injuries in the accident, so there's some symbolism inherent in the trophy from the point of view of its origins. The sprocket is huge - 320 millimetres in diameter (that's over a foot!) and perhaps fortunately has circular weight reduction penetrations at 45º pitch. It has brass hands, a sweep second hand and brass numbers at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions. The inscription plate reads...
| |
|
MUD 'N TARS
2004 BIKE SHOW
PEOPLES' CHOICE
Best Bike of Show !
|
|
|
|
