NYCONN Riders 1960 – 1961
Excerpts from the Harlem Valley Times, Amenia NY, in the 60’s
Articles have been placed chronologically and not in newspaper multi column form.
November 3 1960
Motorcyclists Enroll In Civil Defense
Members of the Nyconn Riders Motorcycle Club met, October 20 at the town hall in Millbrook to enroll 60 per cent “of its membership for active duty in Zone 2, Dutchess County Civil Defense. The club is made up of motorcycle riders and other interested people in the Harlem Valley and-Western Connecticut. At present there are 15 members in the group and plans for expansion are underway.
Present at the Millbrook meeting were Mrs. Jane Plass, deputy director of Dutchess County Civil Defense; Grant Ball, Zone 2, director; Donald LeBombard, chief of auxiliary police in Zone 2; Howard Swart, Millerton, president of the Nyconn Riders; Harold Macking, Dover Plains, secretary; Wayne Taylor, Wassaic; Lucian Taylor, Wassaic, John Vaughan, Amenia and Joseph Aguado.
The first exercise slated for the club was on October 31 when the riders were dispatched from zone headquarters in Millbrook to zone areas for duty as directed by the auxiliary police chief.
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WASSAIC December 16th 1961
Mrs. Nicholas M. Romanelli
Phone Amenia 373-8312
P. O. Box 50 – Amenia, N. Y.
FIRST ANNUAL DINNER
Eddie’s Tavern was the scene of the Nyconn Riders District No. 4 first annual dinner Saturday night, December 16. There were about 35 attending including members, wives . and lady friends. Peter Selino, the club’s vice president, Sharon, acted as master of ceremonies. Their entertainment in; part was the showing of movies of the riders in various events. Trophies were presented to Lucian (Ace) Taylor, for club participation, 703 points; Howard Swart, Millerton, road riding, 602 points; Harold Macking, Dover Plains, scramble racing, 592 points; Wayne Taylor, Wassaic, scramble racing, 589 points; Charles Buckley, Wassaic, road riding 502 points; and John (T-Ball) Vaughan, Wassaic, road riding, 481 points.
Lucian and Wayne Taylor and Harold Macking were recognized for their nationally sanctioned competitive events for which points are awarded on the basis of club activities and participation in AMA sanctioned events.
Wayne Taylor and Mr. Macking were also recognized for New York State championships which took place October 15. Mr. Taylor having earned first place and Mr. Macking second place. The club’s officers are Melvin Ziegert, president, Poughkeepsie; Peter Selino, vice president, Sharon; Harold Macking, secretary, Dover Plains; Robert Raymond, treasurer, Poughkeepsie; Bill Hum, sergeant at arms, Amenia; Marion Lafferty, point committee chairman, Dover Plains; and Charles Buckley, club referee, Wassaic.
In scoring for awards the point committee deducts points for reason of traffic violations.
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MOTORCYCLE HILL CLIMB 6/1/61
The Nyconn Riders Motorcycle Club of eastern Dutchess and western Connecticut is sponsoring a hillclimb at their grounds on Rte. 199 off Rte 22 in Millerton. on June 11 starting at 1:30 p.m. Motorcycle riders from all over this area will compete, refreshments are available.
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NYCONN RIDERS MEETING Thursday February 15th 1962
The Nyconn Riders met Wednesday, February 7, at Eddie’s Restaurant for the purpose of appointing committees for their dinner dance and riding events. Vice president Peter Selino, Sharon, named Bill Pellerday, Millbrook, as chairman of the dance. Howard Swart,
Millerton, is due to handle the sale of tickets and advertising. Their assistants are Walter Morey, Pine Plains; Marion Lafferty, Dover Plains, Pete Selino and Bill Hearn, Millerton,
Charles Buckley, Wassaic, was appointed chairman of sporting events including three hill climbs and three cross country scrambles to be held at McGhee Road and Route 199. Also
on that committee are Bob Raymond, Poughkeepsie; Lucien Taylor,
Wassaic; John Vaughan, Wassaic; and Jim McLoughlin.
Delegates to a recent meeting at Worcester, Mass., were John Sanford, Gaylordsville, Conn.; Wayne Taylor, Marion Lafferty and Harold Macking. Mr. Macking gave a report
on the meeting stating that dates were arranged for assuring top quality riders for all events.
Delegates were named to attend a district meeting in New York City on February 16. They are Bob Raymond, Howard Swart, Lucian Taylor and Harold Macking. Their next
meeting will be Saturday, February 17, at Eddie’s’ Restaurant.
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March 8 1962
NYCONN NEWS
The following dates and events were allocated to the Nyconn Riders for the ensuing year.
April 8, June 10 and September 30 — hillclimbing. April 29, July 4 and November 18 — cross country scramble All events will take place on the Richard McGhee property on Route 199, south of Millerton. The track is constantly being improved and the performers are looking forward to exciting events; Robert Raymond, Lucien Taylor, Howard Swart and Harold Macking were delegates to a sanctioning meeting at the Communities Cafe in Manhattan. Including the sanctioning of all the clubs in New York and New Jersey, the: American Motorcycle Association reported progress in connection with insurance problems.
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NYCONN RIDERS DOINGS April 19th 1962
Tuesday, April 17, Harold Macking, Dover, Robert Raymond, Poughkeepsie, and John Sanford, Gaylordsville, Conn., attended a meeting at Little Ferry, N.J. to make final arrangements for a motorcycle race to be held in Millerton, April 29. Last Sunday, April 15 members of the club were busy making ready the course. The next regular meeting of the riders will be at. Eddie’s Tavern on Saturday night, April 2).
Wayne Taylor gained third place in motorcycle competition at Chatham recently. Some of the best riders in the state competed.
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May 3 1962
400 WITNESS SCRAMBLE
Last Sunday — a perfect one weatherwise — the Nyconn Riders staged a scramble at their track in Millerton. Four hundred’ fans witnessed a most thrilling show by 65 expert and amateur riders in 18 separate events. Cycle Sport Magazine columnist, Joe Bolger, Danvers; Mass., roared to-first—place in Class II expert Following him were the Cycle Sport magazine’s editor Bob Hicks and Marty Kvinlang of Schenectady. The Class III expert race brought the only accident of the day when a New Jersey rider, George Daffin received a shoulder injury in a four— cycle – crash—-The— winner of that event was Joe Weeden, Bullville, N. Y., followed by Joe Arnone, New York City, and Warren Sherwood, Cornwall, N.Y. Class III amature was won by Joe Arone who came in second in the class III expert race. Joe is 16 years old. Class IV amature was won by Andy Zaherek of Torrington Class V amateur was taken by Ace Taylor, Wassaic, who gained first by a wide margin over Arthur Van Gaasbeck, Kerhonkson, N. Y. Class V expert was won by Ernie Allo of Brooklyn, followed by Joe Mitchell, Scotia, N.Y., and Harold Macking, Dover Plains. The Walden Playboys Motorcycle Club will sponsor a similar event on the Nycon track, Route 199, Millerton, Sunday, May 6, Starting time 1 p.m.
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June 8 1962
NYCONN NEWS
The following dates and events were allocated to the Nyconn Riders for the ensuing year.
April 8, June 10 and September 30 — hill climbing. April 29, July 4 and November
18 — cross country scramble.
A picnic originally scheduled for July 8 has been postponed until July 22. The members are looking forward to Lucian Taylor’s discharge from New Milford Hospital where he is a patient after an accident. Therefore the postponement. The Hillclimb scheduled for September 30 may, if plans are granted, be a Northeast championship.{It was the northeast championship Sportsman Hillclimb and was well attended}
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June 14 1962
NYCONN RIDERS ELECT
At a meeting on June 2 at Eddie’s Restaurant the Nyconn Riders elected officers for 1962-63. Elected were Harold Macking, president; Mike Tanner, Kent, vice president; John Sanford, secretary, Gaylordsville, Conn.; Bob Raymond, treasurer, Poughkeepsie; Charlie Buckley, referee, Wassaic; Bill Hurn, Sergeant-at-Arms, Amenia; John Vaughan, road captain, Wassaic; Herb Dam, point committee chairman, Pine Plains.
On Sunday, June 17, the club members will attend the 100 mile race at Laconia, N. H. The next regular meeting will be held June 23 at Eddie’s Restaurant.
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July 19 1962
The Nyconn Riders are grateful to the 500 spectators who braved the dust which was bad at times at their scramble on McGhee Hill, Millerton, July 4. Sixty riders competed,
representing clubs from several states. -Class I event was won by Walter Caponavich, New Milford, N. J., riding a Greeves and followed by Frank Vorob and Gene Winkler of Dariem The Class II event, the most exciting of the day, was led by Al Aldo, Bridgeport, who was hard pressed for his position by Steve Pekar, Nichols, Conn., and Ralph Durso, Beacon. At the end of the event he was a half lap ahead of the second place man. Class IV, amateur, Andy Zaherek, Torrington, led by John Denny of Wappingers Falls for a close race. Class V, amateur event, John Mould, CosCob, Conn., easily won over Elmer Van Vliet and Robert
McKay, Brewster. Class V, expert, Ernie Alio of Brooklyn led for three laps when
he overrode a turn enabling Terry Salsman of Seattle, Wash., to move into first place, followed by Harold Macking, Dover Plains, second, and Wilbur Berger, third.
On September 30 the Nyconns will sponsor the N. E. States Championship Hill Climb. This event will be the first of its type ever held in New York State. Details will be published at a later date.
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APRIL 25 1963
400 Attend Motorcycle Climb In Millerton
by Frank McDermott
The Nyconn Riders Motorcycle Club got off to a flying start last Sunday on their summer schedule of events with their first Hill Climb. There were the usual thrills, spills, chills and excitement that accompany these climbs. For those who have never witnessed a hill climb, motorcycles attempt to climb a hill which when first viewed by a spectator, seems more for mountain goats than these leather jacketed men astride two-wheel, snarling little machinos.
The object of the hill climb of course is to climb as high as one can. Each rider has three chances at the hill. His ascent is measured each time and his highest is the one that counts. Each rider as he starts up the hill breaks a string which sets off a. timing mechanism and if he goes over the top he breaks another string and he is automatically timed.
MOTORCYCLE HILL CLIMB
(From Page 1)••April 25 1963
Motorcycles are divided into five classes according to size of motor and power. The man who goes over the hill in the shortest time is the trophy winner or as in the two smaller classes it is usually the man who climbs the highest. The trophy winners last Sunday were:
Class I — 1st, Zeke Evans, Beacon, N.Y.; 2nd, Red Debaso, Naugatuck, Conn.; and 3rd, Jon Lannon, Scarsdale, N.Y. ClassII – 1st,,Ralph Purse, Beacon, N.Y.; 2nd, Don Roane, White Plains, N.Y.; 3rd, Sandy Thew, LaGrangeville. Class III—1st, Ed Sagon, Springfield, Mass.; 2nd, Earl Supernaught, Chicopee, Mass.; 3rd, Jack Moriarity, Hampton, Mass. Class IV — 1st Gerry Gagne, Springfield, Mass.; 2nd, Al LaViolette, Palmer, Mass.; 3rd Ed Deyo, Springfield, Mass.- Class V — 1st, Gates Pinsonnault, Ludlow, Mass.; 2nd, Larry Pallen, Williamsburg, Mass.; 3rd Paul Lukaskiewicz, Ware, Mass. Class V – On Road — 1st, Bruce Bennett, Adams, Mass.; Jim Hollerick, Adams, Mass.
The next event for the Nyconn Riders is on June 9, when they will hold another hill climb. On July 4, September 1 and on October 6 they will hold motorcycle scramble races. A scramble is a race over some of the toughest terrain imaginable, up hills, down dales, over jumps around hairpin turns, just about everything to separate the men from the boys. And if you think hill climbing can be exciting – – try a scramble! Your writer has attended just about all the events the Nyconn Riders have put on and has become quite a fan and recommends these events as just the thing for a Sunday afternoon. Take the family, there is fun for all!
Ther’s one criticism that could be made of the conditions on McGhee farm. How about roping off the hill where the spectators are and keep the motorcycles from weaving in and out of the crowd ? I’m sure many a mother would feel better about letting their children run about and there are plenty of other hills and roads around to practice on I am also sure the crowd would enjoy the day much better without having exhaust fumes blown in their faces by unthinking cyclists.