EVERY year the exploration parties
scour the Southern California des-
erts and mountains for the roughest,
toughest sections, places that no man or
beast has ever been, and then, turn a
couple of hundred motorcycles and riders
loose praying that they will all return.
This year’s Riverside Bombers’ Cactus
Derby was planned with devilish care
and fiendish anticipation, only to have
Max Bubeck on his Indian traverse the
425 miles of non-productive sand and
rock with only a three-point penalty. It
was a heartbreaker for the planners, and
another scalp for Warrior Bubeck.
Starting at 12:01 A.M., Sunday, Sept.
17th, in pairs from Box Springs Grade
outside Riverside, the 166 starters head-
ed in the general direction of Cajon Pass
—but not on Hiway 66—to the first
check. Then over a spur of the San Ber-
nardino Mts. to a pinpoint named Lu-
cerne (if you have a map of Southern
California, try to locate it), and from
there amice rough desert ride into a nice
dry sandy river wash into the breakfast
check at Poe. This was a nasty ride.
After breakfast there were miles of
sand, which gave many of the riders
a pretty bad time, into Kelso.
From Kelso to Amboy was pretty fair
going, and then a nice bit of mountain
going to 29 Palms and the noon check.
This‘stretch was one that caused a lot
of points to be lost, as it was tough.
Fair going to Windmill, and then up
the mountain to Big Bear where it was
raining. The rain resulted in rider dis-
comfort, as many of the contestants had
discarded their coats, jackets and sweat-
ers at 29 Palms.
The desert from Big Bear offered some
good tests, but the last nineteen miles
over the hills back into Box Springs was
the toughest going on the entire route.
Many of the old Cactus Derbiers,
Green Mountaineers and Big Bearers
didn’t think this year’s Cactus as gruel-
ling as some in the past. However, only
51% of the starters showed up at the
finish, and by the looks of machines and
riders it was obvious that they hadn’t
been bowling on the green. Guess next
year they’ll have to run the lads down
the Grand Canyon—and what’s more,
they would probably have a go at it.
As is usual, with the Cactus, the
course was perfectly marked which is a
great help to the riders, and which no
doubt was instrumental in the remark-
able scores posted by the leaders.
Chuck Pollard, of the California High-
way Patrol, rode herd on the run. He
even helped with a few welding jobs at
the breakfast check. Chuck and his or-
ganization are to be congratulated on
the fine job of public and safety relations
they are doing for motorcycling in Cali-
fornia.
The old timers took full advantage of
the checking locations which were in the
main located some distance after the
real rough stuff, and were thus able to
hit them right on the nose.
Lammy Lamoreaux had himself a
private run—he poured it on to see how
fast he could go, and not get disquali-
fied, as he figured the scheduled pace too
slow.
Dottie Ellison, Triumph, was the first
lady in, with 913 points.
RESULTS
SOLO CLASS
1. Max Bubeck, Indian......997 pts.
2. George Gunther, Matchless 995 ”
3. Del Kuhn, A.J.S.........994 ”
4. John Bolotin, Triumph....994 ”
5. C. A. Veldhuizen, Triumph 994 ”
6. Everett L. Lower, Triumph 990 ”
7. Paul Rasmussen, B.S.A....988 ”
8. Charles Howseman, Matchless 988
9. Bob Sothern, Triumph....988 pts.
10. Ralph Adams, Matchless. . .987 ”
11. Merten Michel, H-D......987 ”
12. Jack Green, H-D..........987 ”
13. Wally Albright, A.J.S...987 ”
14. Paul A. Campbell, H-D...987 ”
SIDE CAR CLASS
1. Swede Belin, Harley-D....982 pts.
Pete Peterson
2. Larry Bornhurst, Harley-D. 966 ”
Harold Laidlow
3. Eddie Ryan, Harley-D.....939 ”
Douglas R. Blum
TEAMS
1. Hilltoppers—Total Points 2,974
Nick Nicholson ..........A.J.S.
George Gunther...........Matchless
Del Kuhn .................A.J.S.
2. Hilltoppers—Total Points 2,970
Bob Sothern .............Triumph
Paul Rasmussen ...........B.S.A.
Tony Veldhuizen...........Trumph
3. Tri-City Total Points 2,906
Dave Doney ...............A.J.S.
Keith McClintock..........Indian
Ralph Couste .............Norton