Aloha mongoosedrummer, thanks for the post ..

I am loving and embracing these stories as I have been away from the sport for so many years and those buried memories are coming back slowly!

Indeed, BMX once thrived big and bold way back in the 70s/80s.. however it has disappeared into obscurity as far as I can see. Maybe the new track I've read about will raise BMX from the dead in true Lazurus style. If so, I'd check it out and take photographs + videotape the riders.

DA KINE!

Here is a pic featuring my first-ever Mongoose chromoloy frame - shot at Flats in Pearl City
(excuse the horrendous "quality"):



Have the best day sir.


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Indeed, BMX once thrived big and bold way back in the 70s/80s.. however it has disappeared into obscurity as far as I can see. Maybe the new track I've read about will raise BMX from the dead in true Lazurus style. If so, I'd check it out and take photographs + videotape the riders.



BMX is not dead! you should have been at Hooters last night for the video contest put on by duane at the bikefactory. there were 8 teams which submitted their videos, and well over 60 people there. it was awesome. not as popular as the 70/80's, but still here. you got to get on a twenty or two four and ride!

kl

kl,

Give us the heads up next time...............

JK

Awesome Perfectnut! Thanks for the words...

Another stunning picture of BMX history from Paradise! Killer air! You rock! This thread kicks!

Mahalo!

It only dies if you let it boys, like KL said, get out there and ride. Me? I'm headed out to the Chandler BMX track tonight with Leasure. The Hawaiian spirit for BMX will live through us on tonight. LOL!!!

Thumper,

Post some pics of you guys riding if you can! I would love to see some Hawaiian transplants representing on this thread.

JK

KL-

Well, I guess the termites gnawing on the wooden leg of history has struck a nerve.. please post up a message next time something BMX-related crops up..

Are those teams dirt BMX or street ride freestylers?

Have you heard of a guy named Russell Hirota (sp?).. he is a self-proclaimed bike sprinter and said he may have raced against some BMX guys and "blew them away".. <not my words>

Actually I am thinking seriously about getting another bike.. at first I figured on a cyclocross bike but maybe a 24 might be more fun!

Of course the one-eyed Benjamins are a factor too.. we shall see..

Thanks for the message btw..


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Ya, that would be turbo cool.. also if mongoosedrummer has pics that would be a bonus.

The remains of the BMX ancients are nothing more than fragmented memories and sleeping traditions lying in a bed chamber of traditions, rituals, other worldy ghosts in the caverns of the mind.

Brooding like the hapless bridesmaid with a sore throat, the ancestors of yore have a much richer theology of BMX proverbs than I do, so where are these modern divines hiding??

The well-bred BMX man is only subject to general rules of the dirt, of the street, the vice of folly just aching to coax diversity into their own passions.. the opening scene of the ridiculous, maybe?

Great is the difference, so drink deeply from the parental cup of quality and of patriotism and save your loyalties for the on-stage humor.. the tragic comic of Macbeth proportions..

Suspicions arise on this car-wash of horrors, so eat hot-buttered popcorn and observe the world according to Freud.. just another mind game. Let BMX live in typical life cycles of the universe.

And God Bless the elders.


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www.shootsbrah.com or www.rideblacklightning.com for local bmx stuff. since there aren't any tracks yet, its only street, dirt jump type events.

ride on, kl

Perfectnut, I PM'd you some pics as requested. Cheers!

Thanks mongoosedrummer!

In your honor, I shall post a picture of Mark getting a little air at Pearl City Flats back in 1980. This date stamp of mine, it is a wild guess. Mark gets totally amped..

MARK MIYASHIRO:



What is so epic about this picture, and about this era, is the music. Songs of pure magic. Words filled with wisdom, with pure energy, with all the wishes of a BMX rider just prepping to get amped.

Unforgettable. The hair, the eyes, THE look of man with mischief on his mind!

SO... I present to you, Mr. Rick Ashley:



Now Mark and his bike, a chrome Robinson, had been together for sooo long. Mr. Ashley realized this while his pop-shop-bubblegum-Barry Manilow-Bee Gees-like radio hit "Never Gonna Give you Up" skyrocketed to the top of the Billboards stack as Mark and Mr. Ashley had this synchronized-ovaries-kinda-like thing going on, a real gem. Beauty personified. I really wish I had that "thing", maybe I could have raced faster and jumped higher. Who knows??

See these lyrics to appreciate the deep and magical connection that these two had. Words that move me like a rollercoaster does to my newly crowned molars.

These guys truly understood the undefinable connection that one had to their bike, the invisible tether, an elastic that stretched, but did not at all snap.

We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other guy
I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Imagine getting down on one knee minutes before you hear "Tires on the Gate!" to pay tribute to Mr. Ashley, to his words, lyrics that one could have coined during a milk bath earlier in the week. To once more reaffirm words of assurance to your BMX bike.

Just immerse yourself in the cesspool of emotion and close your eyes... pucker your throat and sing it!

Hail to the BMX chiefs and to Mr. Rick Ashley.


-p

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P,

I have felt connections with certain bikes that I have owned. Almost where I treated them as animate objects in my mind. I am sure alot of us did having spent so much time riding. But, you take it to another level bro. Thats probably why you got such sick air. You and your goose were one.

JK

Please tell me you are kidding about the whole Rick Astley thing!

L M A O !!!

Anyone know someone who still has a Palolo Valley Riders jersey or has a pic of one. Perfectnut? Would be cool to have some tshirts made from that design.

JK

JT was kind enough to send me the names of a couple of the gate starters. Derrick Takeshita and Newton "Timmy" Akiona. I would like to also thank them for the countless hours they put in making Hawaii BMX happen. Funny thing is I worked with Timmy Akiona several times in my "adult life" I never put 2and2 together until JT pointed it out. Also we can't forget race promoter Toku......Who deserves mad props for all that he has done!

JK

Good day JK-

I simply don't know the answer to this one. I'll surely ask Guy Yoshimura or Clarence next time I see either of them.

A new "old school Palolo Valley" design would be epic!

For sure.


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Great post.

You have the connections and the names down! Thanks for revealing those guys.. I really wonder what those guys thought while queuing us BMXer's up, moto after moto. Week after week. Month after month. Year after Year.

Like JK said, BIG UPs to those folks..

As you mention the race promoter and gate starters, I feel a picture is forthcoming.

CAMPBELL INDUSTRIAL PARK:



I can ID the guy directly behind me (I'm the dork in 4th spot, inside, going into this berm). That happens to be Brian Cayetano.

Can you name the two frontrunners?
Remember that giant steel ball and the old, crinkly water truck? EPIC, like fine china and Schlitz malt liquor beer.

PAIEA PAUL and REID KAWAMAE in the pits:



Check out the little yellow sticker DOT on my number 3 on plate 837. Wasn't that the DOT used to signify a pass of bike inspection?

Reid had that sweet Cooks Brothers bike and I loved my red Mongoose. I called it my RatGoose.

Looking at this photo brings a flood of emotions from deep inside me, bursting out with the force of a giant squid thrashing about in turbulent waters. I mean, look at my face for God's sake, what the heck was I thinking back then? When you were in the BMX pits, what did YOU think about?

I know that back in the day, the 70s, it was a time of existential existence where I felt like I defined myself by what I did and from there such a form that "evolved" became me. My being emerged from my pre-ordained experiences and this gave me meaning. What an acid trip, reflecting back. Being honest to myself, I didn't think or contemplate too deeply before racing or jumping -- there was no "active consciousness regarding safety" or common sense, for that matter. I speak of advanced reasoning real-time, like consideration of consequences, whatever the infinite possibilities might be, or not be. I mean, during the event(s) that took place, BMX racing, practicing and jumping, specifically. Anybody mediate as a young BMXer?

The frightening truth is, I felt like Paul Anka - in mind and in talent.

Even resembled the guy <moans>

PAUL ANKA:



** Awful hair (male version of The Supremes) and owner of the cheesiest record of the 70s **

Back in the pits, I must have rue in the day, waiting for the inevitable, as if my life was one big puzzle and the future served as only a universal maze stamped with my name on it with each momental activity serving only as a quantum tunnel to what would soon become "my" future and then, instantly, just another past moment.. to be captured by Kodak or some other photographic reality-based cheap cologne-like Aqua-velva-ish imitation of my life, my existence. A satirical horror film depicting my simulated existence. Uh, I like the "action one", make a note of that....

I offer Paul Anka's words as solace (and a cruel reminder of our 81's Class "song").. <rolls eyes>

Good morning, yesterday
You wake up and time has slipped away
And suddenly it's hard to find
The memories you left behind
Remember, do you remember

The laughter and the tears
The shadows of misty yesteryears
The good times and the bad you've seen
And all the others in between
Remember, do you remember
The times of your life (do you remember)

Reach back for the joy and the sorrow
Put them away in your mind
The mem'ries are time that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow

Here comes the saddest part (comes the saddest part)
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life

Let us all toast the BMX demi-gods of yore and revel in feelings of euphoria towards ourselves and those artists that created exceedingly great songs, like There's got to be a Morning After, Hooked on a Feeling, Joy to the World and Billy, Don't be a Hero. This is stuff of legend.

Let us not forget Rick Ashley either. Legendary.

The cherry on a sundae of human misery.


Have a wonderful day.


-p

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P,

You my brother have the coolest shots......You are holding up this thread! Hopefully others will come and remember our roots and post such cool memories and photos. I can't help you on who the guys in the shot are.....sorry. The guy in the front on the red goose looks familiar but I can't quite pull the memory. I'm sure I'll recall it at some wierd hour of the night.

The yellow dot was the sticker from the safety check! What a cool little detail to remind us of things from our BMX past. I remember the steel ball and the water truck.....most definately......memories. I my friend swear up and down that bmx in my childhood helped define who I am today. I learned alot about life back then. Things like loyalty, friendship, and dedication. Things that I sometimes face in my "adult" life tend to make me reflect on things we did when we were riding jumping and racing.

The look on your face is classic of how I often felt at a race. Anxiety, anticipation, joy, panic, frustration, confusion, butterflies, sweaty palms, pounding pulse, fatigue.....all in one day. And for just 5 bucks. We can't forget the joyous moment you have in the shower that night blowing your nose.....The black booger that only hawaii dirt can provide!

JK

I got this cool shot from Safari Cycles Jim T. Legendary Hawaii rider Rory Ingano jumping at Wheeler.

Here is one more from Jim T.

Team GT Hawaii on Kauai. Reyn Oshiro, Brady Oshiro, Kimo Akiona & Ken
VanOrman. Photo probably from 1983.

Here is one more photo from Safari Cycles Jim T. Gary Turner (GT) and Rich Long (now deceased), the engineering and business brains of GT Bicycles. Photo from OCT 1982 when GT BMX was the #1.

Greetings JK-

The shower thing, nice visual.. haha <cringes>

You were far more mature than I at such a tender and innocent age. I was just compelled to do what I did, I was driven to the aspects of BMX sport without self-explanation. Just a strong inclination to attack the dirt and "express myself", as the current self dictated. Hard determinism?

Maybe.

My self (previous, current, nextly) is continually evolving and changing and tweaking and upgrading. And downgrading and switching and masking and flashing.. itself as my landscape and environment blinks here and there and everywhere.. so my "me", the true "I" behind the curtain of my self, does live on..

I really appreciate the photos you kindly posted, such cool pics!

Let us continue to pay tribute to our BMX commrades, so here is my next pal.

TAYNE TOMA:



I wish I had some Danny-ish stories to share about Tayne, but alas, I have none.

Ahem, 'scuse the gnarled picture, I had this one dug up from some Egyptian-Hawaiian tomb.

Tayne seemed to be a painfully shy type, hardly ever spoke a word. So he learned early on that the tongue can be a flaming fire, ready to set ablaze one's life, if so abused. Or perhaps not.

It could be that he was ridiculed in grade school for excelling in Social Studies, or maybe scorned for his beautifully talented piano playing, or was it bad piano lessons instead?

Was there a time when some wiseguy glued a quarter to the ground and Tayne "found" it, but reality torched him in the backside, having discovered it impossible to pry off God's Green Earth?

I would be mentally damaged if the truth about Noah's Ark's doom has revealed to be Global Warming, yes I would, and perhaps Tayne too. 'Specially if he voted for Gore.

At least he could take great pride in his "Duke Kahanamoku" styled tan. So buff!

Whatever the case, we love you Tayne - hope you come visit Vintage BMX.

.. and pardon my miscalibrated guesses above, as I had to just take a stab, a shot in the dark. Who knows, maybe I am partially right. Or not.


Have a fine and dandy day.

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Hot shot of the legendary Rory!


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P,

OK. That's something I have never been accused of. My parents, wife and friends will surely chime in if I was labled "mature". Simply being on vintage smacks of immaturity...... ....

Nice shot of Tayne. Even his jumping style is shy . He is hiding his face from the camera.....

Keep the pics flowing my brother. I look forward to your visual time machine posts as well as your verbal musings.

I leave you with some pics with this survivor. Rolland Tangs mongoose left as it was back in the day.



Check out the The Bike Shop decal.



Hopefully Rockne Tang can be convinced to bring out his bike from storage. Huh Rockne?

Later,

JK

that mongoose is awesome! all parts correct too, just like it came out of the box.

I'm back, BUMP>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Glad to see you back. Now post some cool pics! We love pics!

JK

Jeeeeeeeezzzzz!!! Where you been changstar?!

More Greg Leasure!!!!!!!

test pic.

[/img]

I still have this jersey, Campbells indust, 1978, probably in last place.



Changstar

guess who?

The last factory Blue Max rider. my team mates were karim Richardson, older bro of Jason, and ken Aman. I later was moved to the Mongoose team.

Nice shot Jason. I remeber that style!

You weren't on Blue Max the same time as Brian Gass?

Greetings-

So I wrote that stupid post about Paul Anka back on March 7th, a Friday, and it was nothing more than a random display of divergent thinking back at the time as I was inclined to burst about whatever it was I happened to be pondering about and wallowing in, anyways.

Then on Saturday the 8th (formerly the "Day after Tomorrow") I went ahead and had breakfast with my father and decided to park my car in the friendly neighborhood of Kapahulu-ville. The street I chose ran very near to the Waikiki Firehouse on Kapahulu Ave, across the street from the zoo. Honestly, I am not at all sure about what Zip Code this beautiful piece of frozen architecture happens to "inhabit", but I feel confident that the lynch mob will not seek to destroy me if I guess wrongly. Then again, I could cry that I am permanently damaged from the papercut I sustained on my middle finger last week, so I do have a medical excuse.

Going on, I then alarmed the car and SUDDENLY .. <Xanadu flashback > ..

In another random event that only an alien could appreciate, I hear this rhythmic white noise:

.. Gooood moorning yess-terr-daaay, you wake up, and time has slipped awaaaa-yyyeeee
.. and suddenly it's hard to find, the memoriesss you left behind
.. do youuu rememberrrr, do you rememberrr

Now that was not the strangest part I suppose, but this part most definitely was..

There was an old cassette-driven ghetto blaster from the 70s blaring this song from an empty two car garage, with no cars in it. Not only that, the house seemed to be uninhabited and no warm bodies, aside from perhaps celestial types, could be found anywhere this very strange "thing" going on.. What a total trip!

This proves, at least to myself, that the Universe does indeed possess a sense of humor..

This really does call for a celebration and a picture.. YAY

THE ALA MOANA PARK JUMP:



This was shot with a 110 camera and later in the day I broke my chrome Mongoose frame at this very jump. I have a picture of the frame someplace, can't find it. Not surprisingly, I'm finding these pictures in the same manner as an infant discovers the alphabet.. slowly and by pure luck. You might remember this jump, it was located right in the center of the park, beach side where all those high concrete walls are now situated. There was this big gravel pile there for some construction and we were getting rad off it.

Yes indeed, I am "Hooked on a Feeling".. well, its "More than a Feeling".. I suppose..


Have a Coke and a Schmile ..

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Changstar, the helmet gives it away!

This must be the great Jon Llacuna.. super Pic man



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THAT IS RAD

I really appreciate the tones and colors, as they are not out to accost me in any way. The trees add a parallel dimension of naturally green cognition that is environmentally advantegous in that Mother Nature can no longer be considered a superstition.


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Thanks for that visual picture sir, a map that points to a prize that we salmon strive towards, aching to spawn to a higher layer of actuality..

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Brian Gass wanted to turn pro, blue max could not afford him to do so. As Brian left, I was his replacement. Funny my first race for Blue Max, I met Brian and felt he might be mad that I took his spot. But he was totaly cool, and we hung out all weekend. I always remembered how cool he was to me, so when it was my turn to leave the factory Mongoose team I treated my replacement as a new friend right from when we met. It always feels strange going to your first race without your past sponsor, then see the new guy on your old team. My new friend was Tim "Fuzzy" Hall.

Changstar

Those of you that are on bmxhawaii forum, I am still waiting for my activation code to be sent. How long does it take? Is there problems going to a AOL email? Would love to start posting.

Changstar

P,

Too funny. You are a brave soul parking on Paki Ave. I avoided that park during the BMX heyday. It was the land of "Eh brah I like try ride" or "brah thats my bike". I have some kind of residual fear of the area. Odd thing is I just took my son to Paki park today to play on the jungle gym. Then came home to the coincidence of your post. Yes the universe has a sense of humor.

Changstar,

I got my activation pretty fast....I think like two days. Looking forward to your posts.



I have a load of old shots to post but need to scan the pics first. Just picked them up from Rockne Tang today. So check back often. If you are of the old school youre gonna love them. I leave you with this pic kindly provided by JT of Safari Cycles.......The one and only legendary Hawaiian.....Rory Ingano.....Kicking it at McKinley HS across from Flamingo's.......Circa 1980.

JK

Must of been from Rory's Ickey (SP?) Schwinn days. I remember him telling me he rode for them.

Thanks for the clarification on Gass Changstar. Just for the record Changstar and I had many great battles on Hawaiian BMX tracks. Great times for sure. He is a good friend and great racer.

John Llacuna! I remember his big smile used to always see it when we went to the bike shop! There is this kid/local rider in San Jose that looks exactly like him that I just met. Funny!

Here's another cool pic from JT of Safari Cycles. March 1979 Safari Cycles/DG sticker giveaway "frenzy". Thanks Jim, I remember that!

Thanks Thumper, we had so many good times. It is good to know that I will be a part of BMX in the memories of others. Sometimes it feels like the past is lost. The bike shop that Rory rode for was EKI cyclery, yes it sounds like icky. I was a bit sad that I was not included on the vintagemongoose.com web site. I guess being 2000 miles away didn't help, kinda like Andy Ruffel. For the record, I was the last factory Blue Max rider. I think I am the last factory Mongoose rider to be on the team when Skip still owned it. If not it would be Travis Chipres, but that was just about the same time Skip sold it, I think Skip stayed on for a while as company president. I guess you could say we were the last riders for BMX products. I was on a list of up and commers represented by Bob Hadley. Bret Allen was the TM and signed me on. My first nat for Blue Max was the ABA Hawaii national. My best was 2nd in 17 & over X. After many years I have gotten in many mains but never won one. Everything but a win. It was maybe one of the toughest am classes in BMX history, names like King, Griggs, Culinan, Griffin, Haden, Pavlovski, Townsend, Carter, Sheepdog, just to name a few, not much room for anyone else to get in the main. Somehow I was lucky enough to make a few mains.

Changstar

Changstar was an inspiration to me when I was in high school, that's why it was so bitter sweet to kick his arse on a regular basis once I got into his class! Ah, the memories!

Now I've got to head over to Home Depot to get some parts for my bike! haha

Actually, I'm heading to the ABA Winter Nationals here in PHX, no race, just work.....ah, da buggahs lucky I not goin' race dis weekend, I stay in good shape cuz!

-Leasure

JASON, dats an awesome pix. I luv this type of pix with full gear on. Bonus; the face mask. It is totally RAD!!!

Changstar,

The past is definately not lost...........It lives on here! That's why I post. To keep our Hawaii Roots alive.

JK

Leasure quote,
"Changstar was an inspiration to me when I was in high school, that's why it was so bitter sweet to kick his arse on a regular basis once I got into his class! Ah, the memories!"

Ahhh, beter change regular basis to rare basis. Let us think back to our little tour of 1994. Changstar made every main and Leasure had no skin on hands. He he he. I do believe I have beat you more than you have beat me. But you have done beter at Nationals as of late. Of course we will never be the same age so we cannot compare. Unless, I happen to try the 35 and over 20 inch class. Wait how old are you? Young Grasshopper you. I might have to wait till you tun 35. If I can't win I'll make sure you don't either. Bwahahaha. Just kidding little bro, I am proud to watch you race now and have to keep you representin your Hawaiian roots. Be on the look out though, it seems we have a new wave of old school hawaiians getting back into it. And I know Thumper can still kick some arse, so if we need to I will get him to come back out to play and keep you in check. Do a "can can" at the next race, wait can you do that with clips?

Changstar

Here's another cool shot courtesey or JT of Safari Cycles:

1. Bo Ikeda jumping at Mililani. I think it's Lance Sugimoto on the left and Kevin Lau on the right (not positive). circa 1983

Team GT Hawaii guys. L-R, Kimo Akiona, Ken Van Orman, Barry Ikeda and Rory Ingano.

Photo from JT of Safari Cycles:

Hey Jeremy and Paiea!
I found this post by chance and I was reading... WTF!!!111 DAMN, you guys are taking me waaaay back. All those vintage pics are awesome. I wish I had kept mine but since I moved to Cali in 90'... Oh well, I'm glad you guys saved yours. Keep the pics coming.

Sup Hawaiians!
Mike Tyau

Michael,

WOW!!!!!! Glad you found the site!!!! CANNONS CLUB IS IN THE HOUSE NOW!!!! Go check out BMXHawaii.com too. I'm sure you seen all the cool shots of you that Paiea posted here on Vintage. Cool huh? Hope life is treating you good.....You live in Cali now? IT'S GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

JK