Bergquist and the Swede...

The 18th annual Moose Run Hare Scrambles was a big success, with all the big names on hand to represent their colors: Mike Patrick, Gary Conrad, Howard Beach, Larry Bergquist, Dick Dean, and James Martino. J.N. Roberts was back from Europe with the Swedish Champion Gunnar Lindstrom. There were 593 Riders signed up, Plus the Swedish visitor, who was not entered, and only racing for the fun of it.

It had rained Saturday, but the weather was great Sunday with no dust. The Smoke bomb was three miles out, with a twenty foot drop off into a sandwash with a couple of smaller bumps on the other side. The leaders at this point were the two Husky's, Lindstom, the swedish star, with J.N. Roberts #2, right on his tail. Gary Conrad, #21x, on a 250 Greeves, was only three feet behind Roberts. Then there was a big roar and here came "Smokebomb" John Gaetz, #39 on a big Triumph. He cleared the entire drop-off and landed on his front wheel with a crash. He was able to get going on the second kick. Dusty Coppage #60 and Doyle Fields #22 also were right there. Larry Bergquist (my father), came thru 10th at the bomb.

Halfway thru the first loop, Larry Bergquist was able to take the lead in the rough, up-and-down hilly sections, but Lindstrom was right behind him. Lindstrom was able to pass the red Bultaco on the high, narrow, hog back trail. Later, My dad would tell me, " That guy rode the rocks faster than anyone I've ever seen!"

Bergquist was able to re-pass Lindstrom in the rough open desert and come into the pits with the lead. The Swedish star Gunnar Lindstrom was 2nd, Gary Conrad was 3rd, Followed by J.N. Roberts and Mike Patrick, in that order.

On the second lap, Bergquist and Lindstrom dualed back and forth. Lindstrom would pass Bergquist in the rocks, with Bergquist passing him back in the fast open desert and finally pulling in for the win. Lindstom was second, Conrad 3rd, Mike Patrick 4th.

Back at camp, My dad had sent a friend out to try and find his seat. It had come off about ten miles from the finish, and he had to finish the race without a seat! He had a group of friends gathered around him at his tailgate and they were all trying to figure out how to get his boot off. He was wincing in obvious pain, so I slipped in close to him and saw a huge hole in his leg. His Pipe had broken off about the same time as the seat went, and he had held the pipe in place with his leg. The pipe had burned thru his boot, thru his leg, and down to the bone. The Hole was about 4" x 4". and took a good year to year and a half to heal up 100%.

Needless to say... My old man was not the happiest person in the desert when he found out Gunnar Lindstrom was not even entered in the race!

A couple of days later, we were sitting in the kitchen and I was watching the excruciating... change-the-dressing-pack-the wound scene when I looked up at my dad and said "Geez... that really looks bad Dad". He just looked up at me and said "Yea, but I beat that damned Swede!". We both just started busting up laughing!!

Eric Bergquist