lou,
ant told me about what was going on and im sorry to hear this happens to anyone. take it from someone who knows (kinda) what you are going through….
this might sound ramblish in some spots, but im just gonna start typing.
circa 1983…. ive got a cool bmx bike and i take it over to the empty lots in town were we have jumps set up and ride my bike. sure im on a baseball team and a soccer team but most people in small southern NJ towns were back then….. anyway
come around 84 or so, joe moved down from jersey city, bringing tales of racing at braddock and the armory, bmx had now become most of my life, i wasnt into the team sports anymore i liked the freedom of being on my bike.
1985 saw the beginning of freestyle for me and YES, i had now found what i loved. by about 86 i was super into riding my bike and would do so every chance i could, it was around this time my little brother started skating and hangin with a different “crowd”, for some reason my parents decided that skating was a more acceptable sport and did nothing to support or encourage me with my riding. even after they found him growing weed….. i still got the slack for being on my bike
i would get “that bikes not gonna get you anywhere”, “your riding that damn bike again” and other such negativity.
i kept riding
i went to a king of street contest in NYC in 88 and when i got back i was grounded. i kept riding.
fast forward to 94 or so……. im still riding my bike, i now know alot more people that ride then ever before including rodney and adam….. ive recently started talking with my folks after a few years of not. (i moved out of the house just after graduating high school and moved into NYC) my father is now into riding mtn bikes and is actually starting to race them.
they see how im still riding and how it makes me happy and finally have the courage to apologize to me for not understanding how much it meant to me and for not backing me when i wanted to go to contests or shows…… only because they can now relate to how much being on a bike means….
i still ride, my parents both ride mtn and road bikes, mom even worked in a bike shop for a bit. my lil bro still skates and the whole family now gets together and chills.
in a nutshell, i was harassed growing up by my folks because of riding, probly also because of the music i listened to and the way i dressed… i guess mohawks are a bit unnerving. but they now realize that it was just who i was and they are now and have said to me that they are proud that i didnt give in to them and stop riding……
lou, maybe your dad will realize that too.
and to go with daves post
brian pleva
VW dealership parts manager
married with 2 kids
own my house and 4 cars
wife has a masters degree in music history
still ride bikes and have a pretty extensive collection of old bikes too
hope it makes some sense