this is way cool mark. hope you get some great participation. best of luck!

I got a friend here in town, that mostly just hits Mankato. What's the status of Mankato.. That place rocks my world.

I was waiting for this to surface.

I've sort of been holding in tounge in cheek about this up and coming series on a few threads! Cash is going to love this, but I wanted to let the brainchild be the one to unveil it officially!

Yeah, this ball you have rolling is great Mark! And Mikko is "Da Man" for the MN OS gatherings as we all know! So 2+2 should make at least 5 or more here!

It will be a great excuse to get some iron down off the walls more often!

As you know I may not make it to all of them, but you can count on some of my collection to be at many of them!

And even if I can't make it, someone can always stop over an grab something off the wall here that is going to be there if I'm not. (Just don't let Paul break another Pro-Neck on any of them!) LOL... It has the parts, but still ain't fixed, but it will be! (Paul didn't really break it, but I enjoy making him think he did! So don't tell him )

We still know how to have a good time BMX'n!

BTW, are we having live music again at these events? I really liked the band we had last year, let's get them booked for these events!



Oh yeah, Petey and Dehlmer (Brad and Shawn) rocked the backup vocals. With Mike as a front man this year, we will school up them New Schoolers!

KOP, You sold that Tahoe to Scott yet, so it can make some appearances fully assembled and ready to rock at these gigs?

BTW. I have a vintage Factory Schwinn Tent that can be used for these......BUT. I only have the canopy, and it is 12 X 12, not the standard 10 x 10, so finding a frame has been the fly in the ointment. ....Help? anyone, someone? Ideas, Parts (cheap), etc....

MN old school....





Meets MN new school..






I spoke with Jim H (On the dozer building Shorewood from a burning site), and he is willing to show up and make the necessary adjustments for us. Do we need a permit or anything?



Sadly, the buggy is no longer available, so we will have to improvise on packing down our adjustments.

I think we are ready boys!

One question,, How come tracks 20 years ago, are better than the ones today?

I remember riding Mankato, Albert Lea all the time. THose closes thing to a good track around, I mean really good is Faribault. I've see that first double jump take out many. It's one of those jumps where you have to speed jump really good or go for it.. I want action.

KOP-Are you going to be able to show up at some with that sweet Haro Collection?

I'm waiting for Cal to say he wants to race. When he does, I'm coming to these.

I will wear my Rondo uni and scare the heck out of all the new schoolers. I'll use clips and draw the ire of all the old schoolers. The only people who will accept me will be the pre-schoolers.

Thanks for doing this Mark.

Looks like fun!

I wish I had an old uni, even if I did it would never fit.

Ted, thanks for the album promo picture. Sales was starting to go south, but now the phone is ring'n off the hook. Yo!

TED- Is that one photo St. Cloud?

We need to see more like this all over the country! Good deal Mark! Best of luck!

Lee

Thanks Lee! This has been a slow thing coming together, but it's all working out great so far.

Mark, yes its St Cloud.

Hello kids!
I have been MIA the last couple days!
Mark, this series is going to be really cool, I bet we'll see some new faces. Thanks for getting the ball rolling!!!
Ted, have you tried PVC pipe for a frame for that tent? I have made several rain flys for my tents over the years and it worked well.

Mankato and New Ulm have both confirmed their Series dates. Only a couple more tracks to hear from.

-Rehbiens, Lino Lakes, MN
April 27 – Single Point
April 28 – Single Point
April 29 - DBL Point

-St. Michael BMX, St. Michael, MN
June 23rd – Race for Life
June 24th – State Qualifier

-Lakes Area BMX, Brainerd, MN
Saturday July 7 - Earned Double
Sunday July 8 - State Qualifier

-Mankato Area BMX, Mankato, MN
July 14th - State Qualifier
July 15th – Double

-Rum River BMX, Isanti, MN
Friday July 20th - Single point
Saturday July 21st - State Qualifier

-Pineview BMX, St. Cloud, MN
July 28th - Double
July 29th - State Qualifier

-River Valley BMX, New Ulm, MN
Aug. 12th - State Qualifier

Early 1970's in California, my buddy Nick and his bro DJ

I hope anyone reading this, understands that this really is not "All About Minnesota". This is all about helping people understand that "This was, and is our life (and a good life)". This isn't "just" all about where it all started..... but where it is headed as well.

Seriously, look at what "We All" have accomplished from this and put our hearts into ALL THESE YEARS, and still continue to do the same.....


John Sandberg 20+ years ago....



His son with the SAME jersey on in 2007, that "His Dad" wore back in the early 80's...



...and John is STILL RIDING!




John Sanberg on the gate "With His Son"!



Paul Springer and his Daughter on the same gate...



My Son on the gate with people "I raced with", or knew MANY years ago! HOW COOL IS THAT!

very cool mark. i can not wait for the day i take a gate with my son.

Is that Lou Ferigno on the gate? #16.....?

er wait.....That's Boeker's number..... Friggin' fire plug....lol

Quotable notable from Scotty B....."Yeah, my old uniform still fits great". Yeah, yeah it does, if you are into spandex.....lucky that thing stretches. The pains of owning a gym I guess....

If I could get my kid to take a gate with me I would! lol. He's too embarassed or something, lol, he just waits until I go first...

Good Old St. Paul Civic Center action!
85' USBA National




Rock on Old Schoolers! and Families

[ April 12, 2007, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: Jeff Manning ]

PAUL-I just realized, is that you on the gate with my son to?

Nope not me, it is someone else... Get this flippin snow out of here, its time to ride!

Brooklyn Park in 79 or 80 (JT in 2nd) who knew we raced against each other BITD. My buddy Dave Punt is in 4th with the blue helmet/white visor.


Bunnyhopping out in Ohio around 83

Cool stuff, Mark and Paul and Jeff.

Old school...new school... It's funny attributing that name to a group of guys who probably paid VERY LITTLE attention at school.

I think a good addition to this Old School/New School series, would be to help people to understand a little more about what we are all about, and how this all start for us, and how we are still involved with BMX today.

I am not limiting it to just the big Minnesota names in our past, I feel it’s only fair to include everyone, only because it took all of us for this sport to continue on as it has.

I hope to also include some of the original track promoters, as well as new track promoters, and possibly teams at some point once I find more contact information. So anyone that reads these that are not VBMX members, please contact me if you were a part of the Old School era, or have any contact with people from back in the day.

I am going to post these in random order as I get them from time to time.

Let’s call this “10 Minutes with Mark” (sorry Gary H., got the “10” idea from you )

1st up would be Paul Springer:

Paul Then:



Paul Now:




1. When did you start racing?
Started 1978

2. Where was your hometown when you raced?
I lived in Plymouth, MN but pedaled to Shoreview BMX & Big Willow BMX all the time from Plymouth.

3. What was the reason that you started?
Neighborhood kids were very influential. I started getting in to it by modifying my 16 inch Schwinn Sting Ray Junior with a new stem and some box bmx bars in 75-76.

4. What was the Highlight of you’re career?
The highlight of my career was qualifying and racing in the NBL Grand Nationals in 1982 at South Park, Pennsylvania. I raced 15 Intermediate and made it to the main and got 7th. This was a huge deal to me!

5. What teams did you ride for?
The only team I rode for was Casey Jones Bike Store that was located in Wayzata, Minnesota.

6. What was the highest State rank you held?
I really cannot be sure my highest state rank.

7. When did your BMX career end and why?
My career ended after getting my drivers license and finding the ladies more interesting in 1982.

8. Tell us about yourself now, and where you currently live.
I currently live in Rogers, MN. I am married to my awesome wife Nichole and have daughters Maddi (8) and Emma (5). Maddi currently races and we are working on getting Emma riding bmx this Summer. I have been back racing the cruiser class for 8 months and I am looking forward to a busy summer of racing.

9. What is something that you learned from BMX?
The sport of bmx brings perfect strangers together like they are best buddies just from the love of the sport. BMX kept me out of a lot of trouble and also got me in a little. I will always cherish the fond memories of riding all day every day as kid. I taught me how to save my money for those special bike parts.

10. Tell us one funny story that happened during your career.
I remember my parents always getting mad at me for breaking all the broom handles, dowels & tomato sticks when I was trying to break the bunny hop world record.

11. What was your favorite bike from back in the day?
My favorite bike was a 1980 white PK Ripper with Landing Gear forks with tuff wheels

12. Who were your BMX heroes?
Most of my national heroes were all the big names in Bicycle Motocross Action (Stu Thomsen, Anthony Sewell, Bob Haro, Harry Leary). Most of my local hero’s were the guys that rode on the Rondo Team. Since I have gotten to know them better in my later years that has all changed (lol). Other hero’s are Bill & Jean Cecil, the owners of BJ’s Bike & Ski (Brooklyn Park). They were kind enough to bring home a lot of bike parts to their home in Plymouth so I could go over and pick them up.

That is totally awesome! Thanks for the profile Condo!

I met Paul at Rockford last year and we've become good buds since. He has stepped up the Faction events, lending a hand with anything that needed to be done.
Paul Springer is one of the coolest cats out there, funny as all heck too.

Mark, great idea & nice write-up Paul.

I feel like I did when I started BMX. I got into racing in '83 which was nearing the end of the good years and now I'm a little late on the vintage scene. I hope this is just the beginning for us old guys. BMX was everything to me for the few years I raced and I never lost the love of riding. Now I find I can't get enough of this stuff. I'm so glad I kept my bikes and most of the other stuff I had.

I had a blast getting to know some of you at the 24 ride and look forward to more. Anything I can do to help, please let me know.

that was great mark

i have yet to meet mr springer face to face but he has become one of my best buds. a day without paul is like a day without... well... meeting him is a huge motivation in finding a way to get to rockford and maybe one of these days i can make it to mn so i can meet that beautiful family of his.

best of luck with your racing this summer paul and keep at that bunny hop thing man. you'll get it

Awww shucks, you guys are to kind...

Pauly, I want my $5.00 for saying all that stuff.

i thought you were going into a meeting. stop farting around and pay attention!

Hmmmm... I second

Nice write up MC and Pauli.

I didn't go into as much detail. The first version didn't send correctly, so I was ****ed and hurried to re-write it.. LOL!

Hi guys,

My best friend Russ lives about 45 minutes from Lino Lakes. He's an oldschooler from Colorado that now lives there. Since the early 90's he has raced on & off, lately off. We hooked up at Rockford in 05' & in his first moto on Saturday, he crashed & broke his collarbone so that was that. He recently told me he missed racing & would like to get back into it. I told him about this thread & he said he would look into it.
Have any of you seen that yellow ACE cruiser that pops up on the home page every now & then? That's his.

If one of you guys could break him off an e-mail inviting him to your event that would be awesome...

bigboodedady@webtv.net

If he does show up you can't miss him, he won the Mr. Minnesota 40-44 Masters class (bodybuilding)last year. He's one, big bastard!

Anyways, thanks in advance & good luck with your events!

Bruce

Thanks for the Heads Up Bruce! I'll send him an email today.

Sounds like he is built like our own Minnesota "Big Bastard"! Mr. Boecher...which would be nice if he would show his face on this thread (Scott you there?)

Anyway, thanks again!

[ April 12, 2007, 06:03 PM: Message edited by: Mark Conley ]

Thanks Mark!

What I actually meant to say is him being an OS'er....He raced from the late 70's to the mid 80's then took some time off before we both got back into it in 94'ish.

Just warning you, the guy likes to talk. You get him started & he's like the Energizer bunny.

b.

b,
Anyone and everyone is welcome!

75% of these guys are BS'ers, so he'll fit right in. Springer, Mikko and Manning won't shut their traps long enough to get a word in, so I just listen...

now that's funny mark!

I don't like to talk, laugh or drink beer.

Continuing with some Minnesota photo and next generation history....

Minnesota's Dave Christensen: "I Feel" Dave was one of the biggest names from BITD that really helped Minnesota become recognized even a little more so.

Not only was Dave a fast racer, but was someone who left a great impression on many people where ever he went.

Dave 1978 Schwinn Tour at Big Willow. Dave amazed everyone that day. Can anyone name all the riders "Behind" him?



Dave #50 82 Grands Where his BMX career quickly ended with an injury. Was a sad day for many of us.



Dave and his son...



And again, the next generation of BMXer's his son.



Hopefully someday Dave will pop in and give his 2 cents!

.

Mark, aren't you #3 in that photo?

Here's an interesting question for Ted Carl. Ted notice those Factory Schwinn guys were riding Sting's in 1978. Didn't they come out in 1980 to the public?? any ideas.