Vintage JackPine Pics

[gopat]

All,
While rummaging through some old family Jack Pine pics I created a photo gallery (see link HERE ). I put names to photos where possible but there are quite a few of the first pics that are nameless. Feel free to add comments if you know any names or the approximate event year. Just click on a thumbnail image to view a larger photo and to add a comment.

Also, I could not find an archive of old Jack Pine pics on the Lansing Motorcycle club site. A Google-search shows some from motorcyclemuseum.org, but not a nice collection. Does one exist anywhere?

 

[Wolverine423]

How well did you know Bernie McGovern?

 

[gopat]

He was my dad, so I knew him pretty well...
How did you know him?

If you iced raced with him you may be interested in these: Ice-Racing-Pics

 

[Wolverine423]

This is Dewayne Dusendang - Duke's oldest son. Your father was a good man. I remember you from the ice races. Your father hooked me up with a ride when I was 14 yrs old - I believe it was your brother Greg's 250. I was a class champion on that bike. Good times back then! We also did some woods riding with him as well. Your father and my father would put on quite a show together! They were fast & smooth!!

 

[gopat]

Oh, yeah! So Cool! Oh, those two really loved the ice....

I want to put names to those pics.... Is that your dad on the ground, changing the plug in pic: IceRacing-02-1971" ? It has been so long... I will re-name pics as needed if you can verify that is him...

See above for the link.
I sent you an email...

 

[katoom125]

wow! do those pictures bring back memories (the ice racing at wabasis Lk in particular)
I looked for pictures of both my wife and I as we raced there too but didn't see us. I was usually on the 125 and she rode side hack with Carol Degraw (my wife was the "monkey") - they did better than I did usually!

thanks for the memories & YES, I knew (and liked) your dad too - he was a very special person. I also raced with Greg too - mostly dirt stuff.

 

[Wolverine423]

Pat, those photo's sure bring back some of the happiest memories that I've shared with my father. Although the photo #17 brings a tear to my eye - I can almost tell you what he is thinking. My father on the left and Woody Woodworth on the right. Duke isn’t in the best of health right now. I sure would appreciate it if you could take the time and email me the photo’s that you have of him.

Bernie and my father were two of the most determined & physical rider/racers that I’ve ever known!

I'm going to look at all the photo's and see if I can put some names with them.

 

[E_Langen]

Was McGovern's the BMW dealer on South Division?

 

[gopat]

Please give Duke my best regards and check your email.

Ok, I re-posted the ice racing photo gallery that has comment capabilities... So refresh your browser and add any comments that might be handy. I could not recall that it was at Wabasis lake. Then I will rename the photos to with these details and make them available for uploading via a zip file.

This has been a rewarding experience for me. Organizing these pics was like playing with a jig-saw puzzle, since there were few details written on the back. It really brought me back to the ice to see my dad on that Beemer. The pics don't show it much, but I recall he put his right foot over the right cylinder cause his right knee couldn't bend to the peg. Side car racing allowed him to still do his thing...

I knew I had to share these pics with others. These racers were a tight knit family and loved their sport. A real community. Just look at pic #20, you don't see any Cadillacs or fancy trailers in that parking lot. I hope these pics warm your heart as much as they do mine...

 

[gopat]

Yes, McGovern's was on 2301 S. Division and then moved to East Beltline and then to 29th Street, just East of the Beltline.

 

[E_Langen]

If I remember right there was a Bultaco dealer on S. Division. Was that the same place?

 

[Richter415]

Your brother Greg is the BRP rep for my families dealership. He is the best rep we have ever had, and he told me once a few stories of motorcycle racing. Great guy as I am sure the rest of the family is.
In fact I saw Greg today, I don't think the snowmobiling trip was going very well.

 

[foxmichigan]

Pat, Thanks a Ton for posting those. Photo number 26 Art Blough sticking his tongue out at Jim Grewe, with Gordy Howard on his Harley Sprint right behind them. Jim is on a Kawi Big Horn. Photo 23 number 66e I believe is Jack Hendler, and that is also him smiling in the fun pic. Cheers, Al Stover

 

[fatherandson]

These are some great pictures. Sorry...I do not know anyone in the pictures, but I believe 1968 was the first year the Jack Pine was run out of Missaukee County (not Lansing).
I am a member of LMC, but was only two years old in 1968. I would be happy to try to get the pictures posted on our website. We have a club meeting this weekend and maybe I can get some commentary from the older members.

Mike Maurer, Jr.

 

[MuddyBuddy]

Thanks for sharing those, great pictures!

 

[katoom125]

I could not recall that it was at Wabasis lake.

.

we were at Camp Lake quite a bit too and another lake I can't remember the name of - most of those photos were not at Wabasis Lake. At Wababsis we almost always parked out on the ice - no houses close by at all. My wife was always afraid that with all those trucks on the ice, we'd break thru.

anybody remember the day one of the bikes (side car as I recall) left the track and hit the announcers tower knocking it over? I can't remember who was on the bike but the 2 announcers "took a ride" that day - they were OK, nobody hurt.

lots of good times on the ice. I especially liked the "tractionized" class (no screws/studs in the tires allowed) - what fun that was!

 

[YAMAHUNT31]

I will also have Ken and Virginia take a look at these photos....see if they can remember. If I can get my dad down state, I will have him look at the Ice Racing photos also, he did a lot of that in the early 60's.

 

[fatherandson]

Yama - I sent an email to your cousin Jeff. We need to get a reference to our website and some more captions.

 

[Wolverine423]

This is a GREAT thread that is sure to put smiles on some faces! I too will check with my dad for some vintage hill climbing photo's.

 

[_JOE_]

This is a GREAT thread that is sure to put smiles on some faces! I too will check with my dad for some vintage hill climbing photo's.

:cool: Sure did for me. I don't know any of those people, but from this thread it's obvious how great our sport and it's enthusiasts are. It's great to see a family tradition being passed down through the generations. Hats off to you guys for preserving the old memories and letting some of us younger guys see how it used to be. Thanks! :ride:

 

[xcracer1123]

DW..i think i'l wait 30+ years and then whip out the PINK panther special, dont think i have forgotten :)

 

[gopat]

Gee Thanks!

Thanks to everyone for your responses! It brought old memories and buddies right out of the carpet, er ice... I found a few more ice racing pics, so I will update that site and add the comments posted here to the applicable photos.

I think the LMC web site would be the ideal place to host a variety of Jack Pine pics. I would certainly be willing to help in any way.

Speaking of the LMC site. I just found something interesting. Checkout this pic: JackPine-09, now check out the LMC background image at: JackPineHistory. Notice that the fans on the rock can be traced to the JackPine-09 photo. Bet it came from the same camera, just one click later...

Can anyone tell me what year it was taken or who that rider is? I took a guess but it is just that...
Th anks!
Pat McGovern

 

[Wolverine423]

DW..i think i'l wait 30+ years and then whip out the PINK panther special, dont think i have forgotten :)

Oh I'm sure that picture will surface again some day - Cody & you will never forget that bet! You two are lucky I didn’t go for the other bet at Roselawn 2...Good times fo sho!

 

[mjbike]

Nice post!
Ahh the good old days, tractionized tires,compression release on a 2 stroke for braking, Blendzall and castor oil smell in the air. wrenching out of the back of pick up '67 Ford pick up on a sunny winter day........ those pics bring it all back.

 

[fatherandson]

I talked to the webmaster of the LMC website and there should be a link to these pictures available in the near future.

Mike