It occurred in the 1929 International Six Days Trials. The race started in Munich, Germany and went to Austria, Italy, France and finished in Switzerland. L. A. Welch in his 488cc OHV Royal Enfield had been selected as a member of the Great Britain No 1 International Vase Team. Also running were Fred Bicknell and Betty Lermitte, the Enfield trials specialists. To expedite things at the borders, passports were sent in bulk by car whereas riders just went cross country where there were no official border guards. In a remote corner of Italy near Lake Maggiore, Bicknell's Enfield developed rocker trouble. Another rider (the article reproduced below claims it was Betty Lermitte, although Bicknell in an article many years later mentions it was Edith Foley), towed him with a rope. The rope kept on jamming in the front wheel and Bicknell took several spills. After eighty miles he gave up. His passport, however, had already crossed the border. He had to spend a week in a local inn until the paperwork was sorted out. Notice the comment that another rider collided with Lermitte because... he had fallen asleep while riding!
It occurred in the 1929 International Six Days Trials. The race started in Munich, Germany and went to Austria, Italy, France and finished in Switzerland. L. A. Welch in his 488cc OHV Royal Enfield had been selected as a member of the Great Britain No 1 International Vase Team. Also running were Fred Bicknell and Betty Lermitte, the Enfield trials specialists. To expedite things at the borders, passports were sent in bulk by car whereas riders just went cross country where there were no official border guards. In a remote corner of Italy near Lake Maggiore, Bicknell's Enfield developed rocker trouble. Another rider (the article reproduced below claims it was Betty Lermitte, although Bicknell in an article many years later mentions it was Edith Foley), towed him with a rope. The rope kept on jamming in the front wheel and Bicknell took several spills. After eighty miles he gave up. His passport, however, had already crossed the border. He had to spend a week in a local inn until the paperwork was sorted out. Notice the comment that another rider collided with Lermitte because... he had fallen asleep while riding!
They were better men (and better women) than I, I'll tell you that!
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