Jesse, you just encapsulated my childhood growing up in Southern California. I would be on my Stingray every morning by 8 am, racing up and down my parents long driveway that led to a big back yard, with a detached, 4 car garage and tons of smooth concrete. We would haul @$$ down the driveway toward the back, then throw our bikes sideways, like speedway bikes, into a long powerslide, and try to see who could "cross it up" the longest and with the most style. Later we would wheelie up and down the street for as long as we could, use every driveway approach openings for small ramps and race through our improvised tracks at the nearby church, or the dirt track we built and held races on weekends. We even used to stage crash scenes in front of the church, just to see if people would stop. To me my Stingray was the ultimate expression of freedom for a young boy. I was able to explore my town from end to end. From riding over to the nearby performance auto shop on summer mornings, tochecking out the cool cars and boats at "Rims" pinstripe shop, to the local hobby shop to buy my next model car kit. I can easily say, looking back, that my bike definitely helped shape the person I am today, a 53 year man working for a large auto manufacturer. Keep up the great work Jesse. You have been putting out some great stuff!
you staged crashes to screw with church people! HA ha! I wanna buy you a beer! Wow, you really had it made with your parents place! Thanks for the compliment!
Yes we had a lot of jumps off board on the sidewalk... that's what caused me to post this... I was born in 71, and did a lot of jumping my sadly mediocre little bike in 1978-79, banana seat, tassles streaming off the handlebar ends, and rubber hand grips. Plus that Sugar Bear cereal mascot relfectors in the spokes. I also believe I had a Honeycomb cereal license plate. Breakfast cereals were big on helping out with biking accessories
Jesse, you just encapsulated my childhood growing up in Southern California.
ReplyDeleteI would be on my Stingray every morning by 8 am, racing up and down my parents long driveway that led to a big back yard, with a detached, 4 car garage and tons of smooth concrete. We would haul @$$ down the driveway toward the back, then throw our bikes sideways, like speedway bikes, into a long powerslide, and try to see who could "cross it up" the longest and with the most style.
Later we would wheelie up and down the street for as long as we could, use every driveway approach openings for small ramps and race through our improvised tracks at the nearby church, or the dirt track we built and held races on weekends. We even used to stage crash scenes in front of the church, just to see if people would stop.
To me my Stingray was the ultimate expression of freedom for a young boy. I was able to explore my town from end to end. From riding over to the nearby performance auto shop on summer mornings, tochecking out the cool cars and boats at "Rims" pinstripe shop, to the local hobby shop to buy my next model car kit. I can easily say, looking back, that my bike definitely helped shape the person I am today, a 53 year man working for a large auto manufacturer.
Keep up the great work Jesse. You have been putting out some great stuff!
Brad
you staged crashes to screw with church people! HA ha! I wanna buy you a beer!
DeleteWow, you really had it made with your parents place!
Thanks for the compliment!
We did the same thing in the 70's. Only we never wore helmets.
ReplyDeleteThis would explain a lot ;-)
Yes we had a lot of jumps off board on the sidewalk... that's what caused me to post this... I was born in 71, and did a lot of jumping my sadly mediocre little bike in 1978-79, banana seat, tassles streaming off the handlebar ends, and rubber hand grips. Plus that Sugar Bear cereal mascot relfectors in the spokes. I also believe I had a Honeycomb cereal license plate. Breakfast cereals were big on helping out with biking accessories
Delete