He was looking pretty dapper at the CXSC (as usual) - must have "grown out of" those plum smugglers.

I always did well at Waterloo, the start hill fit and first corner seemed to fit my style well. But I was always weak(paranoid someone would stick a wheel in at the inside) at turn 2. I would be pretty much tapped out by the time that last straight appeared.
In the trophy dash I got a pretty good snap and held a lead until the second corner when hulking Shawn Carmody powered by me as I cautiously held a low n slow inside protective line. I chased him into the last LONNNGGG sweeper Rob mentioned and I got by him when he somehow when he became loose afte the little jump in the sweeper center.
I remember Frank Richards cheering me on at the sidelines of the finish. I was actually pretty moved by the fact Mr Richards was being a booster for me since I was a rival of his sons-and if you remember Ben Richards you can guess we had a few "heated" after race moments through mostly 1982. But I guess since we were all out of state we were bonded as Minnesota racers first and foremost. I even had in small type "Richards=eat it" on the back of my number plate in '82-I can still remember his little brothers seeing the words while wandering the pits(what were they do-ing so close to my bike??letting air out of my tires??) and trying stir up trouble for me. Anyone else have interesting personal slogans on the backs of thier # plate?

I had a big "The Loop" decal on the back of my plate. Chicago hard rock station.

Sean, I also know exactly what your saying about that long straight/sweeper. That very race your talking about, I raced Shawn Carmody in 16x class and was sided by side with him going into that sweeper. Infact him and I were side by side the entire race (first corner and 2nd too), but somehow I got high on the 2nd berm trying to avoid his size and thus ended up in the high side of the sweeper and his inside line he kinda slightly moved over on me so I couldn't pass him (but he held his line farely) but as a last resort doubled the triple whoops before the finish and he beat me by an inch... The trophy dash would have been fun with you and Butter. I never raced Butter much, but I raced you almost on a weekly basis so that wouldn't have been new for us at all. haaahahaaaa.

Sean, did you race 24" at that race or open class to triple?? someone post the results.

Sean Miland was the rider that most keeped me in check. Him and I rode together daily, raced, crashed etc. Without having Sean around I would have had knowone in Austin to keep me on my toes. Thanks Sean!!! We had many a-good battles indeed.

Butter, make no mistake, the one time I beat you, don't think for a second I thought I was a faster rider than you, that was never my point.... You were a machine in every right! We all had great days, and some not so great.... Heeeheeee!

I taped a TW Racing ad to the back of my plate for the 1980 MN State Championships at Rochester - they were considering me for the factory team, I was determined to win every race to secure my spot on the team. It worked, as I won the race and got a factory team spot - but when I went to the NBA grands a couple of months later hoping to pick up my new bike - I was bummed to find TW was going out of biz. Would have been nice to be on the same team as Denny Davidow and Pete Loncharavich.

As some may remember, I used to have my girlfriends name on the front of my plate ... kind'a dumb in retrospect. I usually ran a Suburbs sticker as well.

The Suburbs, yes!!!! Great band!! Sean and I saw a cover band that played outside for the Austin College that played Suburbs stuff (82)... They were called "Wally Cleaver" from WI. great cover band!

yes, sean ran cruiser.
i will scan it and shoot it over to conley.

Now John, don't start up a thing with Shawn and I. You and I never raced. EVER! So you have nothing on me.

Shawn and I have a long history. I do not intend disrespect. Shawn has had a great cycling career which continues today. However, he has something I want and he knows it. He is still wearing my helmet and clothing from 1999. In a sense, we are very very close. Shawn is so active in a positive way in the cycling community that any personal issues we may have had in the past are over. I am really trying to grow up here okay.

I am out of the community altogether. So I am very very impressed by Shawn's influence in the region and can say without fear of contradiction that he has done 10X more than me to promote and propel the sport in Minnesota. Very impressive indeed. I could list the efforts but really. Should I really Shawn?

Would I still chop him or move over on him in a race?

You bet.

RICHARDS FAMILY UPDATE:

Well, this is some tough stuff. I am not sure about how much I will discuss I will tell you the great story of how I learned about the Family. Not so much what I learned due to the graphic and personal nature of it.

The story evolves from a secret training spot I have in St. Paul. A spot Frank Richards used 25 years ago to train Ben, Ted and Matt at the bottom of Ramsey Hill in St. Paul. Behind that hill there is a secret road and an entire community of people. Round the far north east side there is a road that runs parallel to 35E. It is wide and 200 meter downhill run that flattens out for an additional 300 meters or so before the stoplight to Ramsey Hill.

I live in the St. Paul midway area. In 2004 (my last year racing the track) I was on the US Olympic Long Team training for the Sprint Team in Athens. I was having a great year. I won the Olympic Trials and set a new American record in the sprint. I set the records on a 250 meter wood velodrome banked at 45 degrees in Frisco Texas.

Noting that I raced on a velodrome, I was having a problem with training. I did not have the time or money to drive to the velodrome (45 minute drive one way) 2 or 3 times a week to train. Which you have to do to compete at the Elite level. You have to train.

Then I remembered Frank Richard's secret training from his big house behind Ramsey Hill.

I came up with a plan which included riding the 5 miles or so to the spot and getting warmed up and doing a series of efforts to simulate a track workout. Between efforts I would climb up the backside of Ramsey and recover on the lower plateau and slowly pedal by the Richards house. 2 or 3 times a week I did this for 2 or 3 months in the summer of 2003 and 2004.

I never stopped or knocked on the door though I thought about it many times. Nor did I ever see anyone. I noticed cars and they did move or were not there at other times so I knew someone lived there and a 87' VW Jetta diesel and beat up old Chevy Cargo van seemed to say Frank to me.

Anyway, I never saw any of them.

Last summer I was on my home from work and I took the secret road up the bluff to avoid Ramsey Hill. Yes, I take the easiest route I can. Lo and behold I come up near the Richards house and there is Ben Richards and his F350 Crew Cab and Airstream trailer.

I rode right up on him, in a black Bell Freestyle helmet and mirrored sunnies. I had a good tan and fitness from commuting. He looked just as I expected but he did not recognize me at first and started tripping out because I stopped and stood there for a moment looking at him waiting for something. I had the lycra shorts on and he looked at my crotch and said:

"Butterfield?"

I laughed so hard and he laughed so hard it was absolutely spontaneous combustion. I nearly could not take it. Anyway we caught up a bit and Ben Richards is doing great. He has a good job in rural Minnesota Ben has a wife, 4 kids, 2 houses and so on. A little freaked in the head from childhood, but getting through it okay. His brother's are not getting on so good and I cannot say much except they are alive.

Frank is dead. He died of a massive stroke after a few sub-massive strokes the last decade or so. Ben says he was really really in bad shape. Punkie, the wife and mother died of Cancer and I guess that was equally grizzly.

So our conversation lightens up near the end. Ben mentions something about how many Squirrels there are and how the same ones have been around for 5 or 10 years near his house. I said this was unlikely since Squirrels do not live that long and for some reason I mentioned how they evolved having just read a story recently to my son about how Squirrels evolved.

I was talking along and I notice Ben had turned white and there was this look in his eyes.

"Ben, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Rob", Ben starts, "I don't believe in evolution, you should know that"

And he went on to talk about why, briefly, but really, I gotta go.

WOW...NICE STORY. if none of us had ever backed away from BMX...would we all be like Sandberg? still the same size, same disposition, same sunny attitude of optimism? Maybe BMX was my only shot at a idealistic existance. BUt then again, by all accounts Marv still "rocks" as hard as the JVC boombox his wrestler physique son carried all through 1981-and they quit BMX...so...??

From Mr. Kast.

Butter, I don't think he was trying to start anything.

Interesting story about Ben... I always thought he was a funny outspoken kid... I found humor in the entire family.

Hmmm, I don't remember Nick at that race and there he is! I do remember Darrin Isacson in the main and some other "des moines bike" guy. Darrrin was always a tough racer to go up against.

thanks Rick for the post...

a raleigh, it would have took i awhile to figure that one out. could tell it had the smoke finish.
anyhow thanks a bunch for posting, i love hearing the stories.
now if everyone else would tell some stories that would be awesome.
edit-only brad has offered up some lemke stories, others just tease, lets hear 'em guys

John

Regarding the brake housing.

I was poor. It was that simple. I had no support what so ever from my family. NONE. Which is how I hooked up with the Richards clan. I would go with Berger, but he demanded gas money or he would not take me. Well, I do not have any money. So hello Frank. Shawn helped me out when he could as well.

Later, when I was older, Frank said at first he did not like me. He did not like my face, my style, my gearing or the fact that I would not train with his kids "Ramsey Hill Sprints in a 48x17 will make you a man". Frank would say. I said I did not train, I raced. In the end Frank said he helped me to get back at you guys. I was his weapon. To get Jack and to shake things up. I did not know this. I just wanted to race. If Frank did not help me then, we are not having this conversation now. I would have been out in 1981.

The Richards kids loved me. I got daily idol worship and these punks became like little devil brothers. And Ted, that dude could nearly kick my [please review the site FAQs] when he was 12 years old. Tough kids.

Frank was a hard guy and a fundamentalist. I was a crazy teenager with free liberal ideas.

I got him so angry one day, he started chasing me. And that big man could move. His nickname in College Football was "Frank the Tank". So I ran and deeked and got away but god knows what would have happened.

If you saw the look in his eyes...

The man was 6'2" and 260lbs with hands like a vice. I was 6' and 170lbs wet. I was scared.

Nice story Rob, and thanks for kudos.

As for the video, I'll take a look for it when I go home for the holidays. I'm sure it's there somewhere.

I won't speak for John, but I think you may be reading too much into John's comment. This forum can be a cathartic experience, just ease into it.

The last time I saw Ben Richards was at the Minneapolis Armed Forces processing facility in 1986 - he was heading for the Marines, me for the Air Force. Pretty cool that you ran into him that way, glad to hear he's doing well - I always thought he was a good-hearted kid.

One of the things I remember about the Richards kids... One time in Albert Lea.. I think it was Ted.. Did not get first, he got mad and threw his helmet up in the air really high.. Then his dad came over and smacked him.. Right in front of everybody.... That shut everybody up, and was not good..

Rick Molinterno got 3rd in A Pro.....

John called me Butterfelch.

A_POLD has been calling me butter.

Neither of those have been used before with Butterfield. So I am stoked.

The Butterfelch thing gets gross if you think to much about it.

I am a vet at going to far on forums. Not virgin territory. Don't worry.

Ben was always a good kid. Ted was the evil do'er and he thrived on that energy. Matt was the baby and fighting for his space. Frank did not spare the rod and if he had a mind to, he would have let me have it on several occasions.

Name butchering is the game around here it seems - I think Sandbox has gotten the worst of it though.

These stories are great.

The Richards scared me back then. They always seemed ready to explode. In retrospect, I have great respect that Frank made it happen for them w/BMX. I'm sure like a lot of people, there wasn't sufficient funds much of the time. Even for brake cables, let alone entry fees and trips across the state.

Theo at first seemed harmless, then for a while he scared me.

Now, strangely, those two names (Richards family and Theo) are truly two who I would love to talk with for awhile. I appreciate them now, but probably didn't back in the day.

I learned late in life that my prejudices of others were often off the mark. People that I thought had life easy or handed to them on a platter, often had unimaginable difficulties that weren't public. And some people that had nothing in material terms often had more satisfying food for the soul. The older I get, I truly realize I don't know jack. I did know Jack D., but that's a different story.

The last of my philosophical observations for this evening: Nobody who did well in BMX had it easy. Every person who won races did so because they worked for it. Some pushed themselves, others were pushed by parents. Some pedaled their demons out, on the track, others created demons to race against. Some people raced to experience emotions, some raced to escape them. If you won, you earned it.

One of the wonderful facts about BMX is, whether you were racing for a #1 plate or never moved past Novice... you fell in love with it to a depth that, even today, gives me pause. Most of us here are in our 40s, taking time (and a lot of it) out of our lives to connect with people we haven't seen or talked to in 25-plus years. It's fun, it's cathartic and it's a work in progress.

Pretty powerful sport we all fell in love with, huh?

What an awesome band!

Sandycrotch & Butternutz, (that could be a movie!)

Glad there is that mutual even ground here

FOR REAL- - -- Mr. Lembke(JR. that is) is going to be with us shortly, as soon as he figures out how to turn on his dammmmmnnnn computer! Hopefully he can share some good and old times with us as well.

Lot's of GREAT stories and conversation here!

Like I could, I had to read that twice it was so good.

Paul, that pic looks like a lot of party's I remember in the Western Suburbs, you'll probably appreciate my old business logo ..

Whatever the case I mostly had fun. Loved the racing and all the fun. The scene was extremely clicky back then and I was in the Richards clan so really, I don't know that many of you like I knew Lembke, Wheels or Big Rig. I lived with Nick Kraness at his mom's house in Bloomington summer of 83. We did some absolutely insane things together. To this day I am haunted by what we did that summer. Some really really dumb things. It was great.

I thought I had no parental supervision while growing up.

Nick had less than me.

Nobody was ever home to see what was going on. The house was rude. Filthy. Nick's room... spotless.

So I am on Vintage BMX all thanks to the Judge.

The Timmy Judge thread brought me way back. To the initial rush of what BMX did to me. Like a wormhole I entered only to find you guys again.

That's to bad to here about Ted. Man he was fast. I always hated it when he raced Southern MN, you knew it was going to be a long day. On a different note whatever happened to the Engelby's?

Ted was fast and destined to be faster. Alas, that was not meant to be.

Don't be to impressed by Frank. He sacrificed his business to pay for these kids to race.

He was left with nothing.

I traveled with Theo (w/ Richards clan) a few times. Slept in a tent with him. He was pretty funny, really buff and loved to tease me. I scarcely had a muscle in comparison. He talked wild and fast one minute then super chill the next. Could not jump to save his life. I tried to teach him how to bunny hop. Like Vangen, he never really got it. Or a manual. No can manual.

I am curious about the Englby's as well. I lived with them for 3 weeks in Mankato after the Kragness stay in 2003. Talk about contrast.

Staying at the Englby's was like Little House on the Prarie. A real family living and eating together. Doing things together. It was pretty cool. For me it was like TV.

Mike was very intelligent and we had a great time on and off the bike. We played Chess a lot. And even read a couple books and tons of BMX Action. I knew in 83' that Mike was done racing BMX. He told me so late one moon filled summer night in Mankato. Then we jumped in Big Rigs fathers Volvo 245 Wagon and tore up the dirt roads. And dad's Volvo.

The first week I was there (Mankato area) I could not keep up with those kids with all the hills down yonder way. I was the oldest and fastest and I could not keep up. Everybody but me thought it was pretty funny. The little one (forgot his name) made fun of me all the time and I spent half my time trying to catch him up and put the butterclamp on his lilly white self. He was really quick on his feet and would smack me in the back of the head and run away laughing and yelling my ears were to big for my head and my legs look like Kermit the frog. Why I otta. This was also peak teen acne period. And he let me know it everyday.

In the end, I could keep up with them up the hills. Barely.

It was a great experience for me. And I was stronger then ever before.

One problem. I sucked at racing for almost a month. 17overX is tough. I won most of my races and nobody knew I sucked but I knew. My legs were like lead. The hills were the first real training I had ever done (besides racing and jumping) and the kids destroyed me every day just riding around. I grew a pant size in 3 weeks. Then from late July to the end of 1983 I felt faster and faster and faster. I should have done Grands but I was broke and it was my Senior year in High School.

The end was near. Little did we all know what was about to happen to BMX.

OUCH!

83 seem to be the defining time period for allot of the first gener's exit of bmx .... Most on here still raced after that for a couple years (sand, Sheely, Boecker etc), but you could sense the changes and we were all growing out of it. There was no road map for what was to be after bmx. Ya, Stu and gang still raced but they were getting paid, I would have stayed too. There was just nothing left, at least that's how I felt then. 8 yrs was along time. I raced from the basic bmx beginning to 83 and when it was done I realized how much pressure vanished. Wild feeling!

I often think about some of the early bird bmx crew that left IMO "prematurally". Daniel's, Vangen, Aberhamsen etc. I always thought Keith was an outstanding rider for the time period and could have gone the distance....but like Jeff Manning (cough) quit without warning heeeheehehee. I can still hear Loverboy "get lucky" blasting in Howies van all the way to god only knows where.

Ummmm, okay... 1981, maybe 82, Civic Center event and I don't think this was the Rondo Classic, just a regular Jack monumental event. I decided to travel with Troy and Marv and we stayed at the "INN" across the way. "knock knock", Its Mike Vangen and he's got a case-o-beer, stolen Levis he just grab'd from teh nearest dept store....whatever! Five minutes later Shan Lynde, Miland, Tracy, Tribbett and many other came to the room. At this point sleep isn't looking so great.... Troy just gets blasted with Mike and starts feeding beer to Shan Lynde.
BIG FUN: I remember Troy through'n a beer bottle out the window and hits Shan's head before its departure.......smash! parking lot! I hear a light go off in Troy's head and before you know it the lamp is out the window along with the TV, light stand, etc and I'm beg'n Troy to stop at this point, of course I get crap from everyone, because I'm a wuss (Shhhhah!). Then he picks up the dresser and starts squating it, yes squating it and it breaks. By this time management is in the room w/ cop and I'm sent to go get Marv down in the lounge. Nice!!!! I just came to race. Marv makes it up to the room and that's when T and M got into it because we were getting tossed out, mind you this is 1am.... There is a booth at Denny's not far from that "HOTEL" that was my bed that night.

Troy, when you join us here, I want your version. LMAO!!!

Want more??? I gotz plenty!

I did see Troy Lembke sometime ago at a mutual friends 4th of July party. Troy borrowed some kids bike, talked 5 people into laying on the ground and bunny hopped them. It was pretty cool.

I just re-read a bunch of posts: If there's an implication by some of a tension between Rob and I, it's purely unintentional. I'm very glad you're here and contributing, it's very enjoyable. And I was very happy we never had to race each other BITD, Rob, because you would have kicked my fanny even if you couldn't turn the handlebars to the left.

Springer: awesome photo of the band in the early years. Beej looks like he's 13. Still one of my all-time favorites.

Regarding Nick: Rob described Nick's home situation accurately. He had some junk in his life, yet was always clear about defeating it. He was -- and I hope still is -- a great, largely self-made person.

Brad: That story about the hotel is wicked!

John, it goes even deeper, but I'd like to hear Troy's version for laughing purposes. Shoot... Miland can contribute to that story too. I do know there were a few Hotel incidents that involved police, etc. so if I'm missing out details, please join it. Butter, you were probably there too.
And Troy if your reading, this is a place to laugh about old times (no hard feelings at all). We only have fun here and I can't wait until you're part of this.

I just got off the phone with Troy. It was nice to talk to him again and he's making his way on here today or very soon.....stay tuned!!!!!


Here's another Marv story... Des Moines (jan 83) and Troy brings his gal with and they decide they want there own room , Marv caves in but warns Troy about no funny stuff in the HO-TEL..... Right!!! (I'm keeping this clean because Troy's daughter (16) reads this too). So its Marv and me in our own room.... I get my 8 hours of "Brad Sleep" and I awake to snoring about 5am.....Look over and Marv's sleeping next to me fully clothed (thank god), needless to say I didn't need any coffee.... I think I clicked on HBO and woke him up laughing at "up in smoke".

I guess it explains a few things in my life---I had Troy and Mark C as my bmx mentors. As far as the bulk of riders from the metro? I always pictured John Sandberg as a squeaky clean(like a tennis pro) kid with a pro attitude-I guess because I was from Austin I had a picture of how kids from the Richfilled/Bloomington area lived but I was way off. I now know you guys werent any different than me really. I was basically intimidated by the presumed sophistication of kids from Richfield like John was. I felt much more comfortable around kids who seemed a little wrung out from something.
my mentors and bmx local idols-


Mark Conley-local kid dedicated and connected to everybody cool seemingly. Had a mini truck. blonde cali surfer hair. seemed to not mind a dumb shy kid like me bumming a ride.

Troy Lembke-had a aggressive macho outgoing attitude that I wished I could somehow break through to...his stories were like listening to a pirate at his secret lair. man-how much is true??? and yeah he kinda scared me too.Would have made a great sidekick to Ghengis Khan?

Brad Apold-even though he and I eventually came to compete against each other often- I knew Brad from the "old days" in the seventies. He should have been a stuntman...I never had seen a young kid so able to wheelie a stingray. I think as he gets older his youthful fearlessness subsides. too bad really.

Dan and Pat from Rydjor....these guys were great role models. Two young guys doing it on thier own terms in the biz. Plus,they ran a mx track before bmx. They rode those scary as all hell early mx bikes in the back alley behind the shop...they were gods.

What a riot! Great hotel story. I was involved in my fair share of Hotel fiacsco's with Troy and god forbid Vangen happens to be there. And thank the all mighty lord it was not Pot we ingested. Racing hung over really sucked. I cannot imagine how I could have raced if we used the hoobie.

Not just hung over but no sleep. 16 and 17 years old. These stupid kids should be sleeping 9 hours man. Troy was not good for sleep. Or your ego. Go to a lake or park or mall and off goes Troy's shirt and you disappeared. The guy was cut. Girls would stare. My girlfriend Tamara would stare. I was like come on now girl.

I remember Troy's lower back was so thick and strong. The muscles around his spine bulged out and it looked like a valley. Spinal erectors to hold a house. And he always had an 8 pack and to this day, I have never seen more than a blurry 4 pack on my body. Like slightly under water.. oh there they are.

I look at my back and she is flat and white and no spinal erectors to speak of.

Then of course in 82 and 83 Troy was a like rocket on a bike. I know he made me faster. I swear had he stuck with it in 83' and we would have gone to Grands, we would have gone one and two. Troy hates 2nd place but I had his number by then. Oh yes Troy now you remember. Old frog legs was on the job. Oh how funny.

On a Sandbox note: There is no tension between us. There never has been an issue, beyond the original have/have not's of youth. When I hit the sport John was already a star. In fact nearly all of you people posting pre-date the Butterfield by years. I was 1981-1984. That's it.

All I remember is John and the team looked like pro racers as I cranked along in jeans and a long sleeve Queen Concert shirt. I was a kid and you know, Tremko looked awesome then Rondo looked great an you guys won all the races. And I was new and way on the outside.

Ted Carl somewhere in the middle. I did get to race him a few times and happy not to deal with him on a regular basis. He was, from a pure speed stand point, one of the fastest guys around. I mean in the country fast not just local.

There has never been anything between John and I save for the mutual relief that I was a year older. John was really really quick. When you have your handlebar in front of your rival in the first two cranks, you pretty much have your rival. I watched poor Tim Krone try to reel in Sandberg for 2 years. It made John faster as well. But Krone never made up the difference at the gate. I witness Krone beat John just once in that time.

John is a wise guy. Quick wit and curl fro. We would have had a blast had we been friends. I am sure it would have been more PG rather than X rated due to violent the nature of Troy and Vangen. And of course Butterfield. I am sure I had a contribution especially when we were in town in my domain where Troy had to stick close to me.

Which reminds me of the first time I met Troy. And man am I blowing up this thread so really sorry about that guys.

1981. I was 15x. I had been racing 2 months and had not lost a race. I went Beginner, Novice, expert in 1 month. (I had been jumping and riding skateparks 1/4 pipe etc... since 1978). I was racing at old Brooklyn Park. (LAME LAME LAME LAME). I was feeling pretty good. I practiced goes with the local pro's and pretty much lit them up. Met Berger and DC and watched Sandberg and so on. It was pretty cool.

I won my class and open and was walking over to pick up my trophy when I past Troy doing his hair in the mirror and flexing his arm. I started too chuckle and Troy took note and jumped in my face with much aggression.

"What are you looking at?

And it went on. This guy was in my face. I was 6 inches taller than Troy. I was a really good boxer but could not see how I could hurt this guy and if we went to the ground I was dead meat. I am the worst wrestler ever. I nearly ran away but he finished letting me have it and went on about his business. Nice hair Troy.

Later that summer we were sort of buddies. He took a shining to the Butterfield. Showed me how to lift weights when I was 16. Sort of. He worked out like nobody I had ever witnessed. Super fast movements and super aggressive. Not like I expected really. It explained why he was so fast. he would take 225 and rattle of 15 full squats in about 10 seconds. CRAZY!

Sean, make no mistake, the fire still burns, but its best I put out the fire.....but slowly! I still ride, but on a competitive level I'd rather not. Racing those Nationals this year was allot of fun. The whole feeling I got was total time warp. I wish I was OKie bound right now.

I told Troy today that when he comes up for the Condo event he can ride my FMF24" bike for the event. Can't wait to see him ride.

Troy 2 summers ago

Troy 6 years ago at my 40th B-day party ............... Wearing a diaper




Troy holds the world can stacking record

I know, how bout Troy's shelf-o-bmx accomplishements??? Troy, whats your highlights? The 82 Grand's surely one of them. I don's always remember who did what in class unless it was my class.

Oh wow, I forgot Troy was a lefty.

Looking good. Not as tan. Pull up that shirt Troy. You still got em? Or has age and beer put a little creek over the top. Sorta blurry? Don't worry. I have a one pack. And man is it hairy.

Guitar and all. But was Troy a south-paw on the hand brake?

Speaking of south paws....Hey Mark, were was that pyramid-o-beer cans taken? I see trophies!

great stories guys, hasn't been this fun to read in a long time.
if there is any other aba paper stuff you guys are looking for, let me know and i will check. my year end point issues are mia, i layed them somewhere out here at the yard when i dug them up the 1st time.

We've needed some new stuff to talk about. Keep it coming. It's great to hear all the stories and get people's perspective of how things were back then.

I wish I had some input on all this, but I was just a newbie on the scene and was scare of all you guys.

You and I knew each other somewhat and you were pretty friendly to me. The first time I met you, you came to White Bear to ride with Tony Ashford, Mike Loch, and Rich Stanger. Do you remember Mike Loch's backyard full of wooden jumps?

Here's a picture of you from winter of 84-85? Is this the Patterson you were talking about? What's the story on the RBP deal?


Here's another one of you. I'm thinking this is '83? Tony is #47

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

RBP was late 83' through Winter/Spring-84'. That was the Richards/Butterfield Project. Frank Richards pulled the plug because everybody was calling it Rob Butterfield Products. That was it for Frank. He was quite upset and the first shipment of Butterbars had just arrived.

That is my new Patterson in this pic. My first was from Nate and it was the low slung Brent Patterson ultra long 21.5" top tube. And the ESP stem pushed it out even further. The new version was better for me. Not so low of a top tube.

The bike in the pic is the best race bike I owned until 1997 when I raced the Schwinn cruiser. The new technology just made that much difference.

The other image is my Raleigh. I am in lane one #6. Look at that fork... Ahhhhhh! Really slow bike.

You asked: You and I knew each other somewhat and you were pretty friendly to me. The first time I met you, you came to White Bear to ride with Tony Ashford, Mike Loch, and Rich Stanger. Do you remember Mike Loch's backyard full of wooden jumps?

Of course. These were my riding buddies. I had to ride from N. St. Paul to White Bear Lake to find any trails or people to ride with. Tony was obsessed with gate starts and did 100 a day for 3 years. Rich and Mike were a blast and the 1/4 Mike had was huge. We had some great jumps up in White Bear. Both wood and dirt jumping areas we made (they made)

Rich and I were really into Tennis and I watched Wimbledon with Rich and played Tennis with Rich in the summer of 82'. I still do it today in between the Tour de France coverage.

I stopped hanging around with them late the summer of 82'. I was sixteen. Won my second state jumping contest that summer, broke four bikes that year and three bones. The last one was my left leg. I was very close to achieving and flying 360 tabletop. I think it would have been one of the first. I really don't know. I was so close.

On my final run I went faster and jumped higher then ever before and had it nailed. I landed it and the bike kept spinning me and I got all hung up in a knarly crash twisting my left angle half way around.

Snap.

I stopped jumping and freestyle at that point. I was done. Now it was pure racing. Rich and Mike stopped racing after that. I had a cast for 6 weeks and I pulled out this skinny little leg just a couple weeks before the first indoor race of the year. The second image of Troy and I on the gate may be that race. I sure look slow in that shot. Last out of the gate. Behind Troy even.

Not so fast Rick.... I remember you raced Miland, Lynde and myself somewhere and the main ended up being an ultra crash fest or something.....What happened that day??? I wasn't so graceful. LMAO!!!

I think you should change your screen name to The Butterfield!!

All in favor?

i have no recollection of that day other than that pic i sent to someone to post a long time ago. it was early spring 83
i don't have it in front of me, but i remember it was albert lea. milo was not there, unless he did not make the main- which is doubtful. any way i wrote the finish order on the back of that pic.
biggs was first, visorless dork me in 2nd, a guy from sparta that came over with me was 3rd and lynde and you, 4 and 5.
i think in past exchanges between us, it may have been close to your last race. or did you quit in the summer.

Rob, do you still see Rich? If you were into tennis, you probably remember Chris Cox too. Good racer and a hugh tennis fan.

We had a lot of places to ride in WB. I remember the dirt track at the school by Mike's house. Those guys would keep making the gap jump bigger and bigger. I remember you eating it big time. We would have races from the school parking lot, through the dirt trail, and back. I would bail at the gap jump and you, Mike, Rich and some others would jump that thing all together. Fun times. It was a sad day when Mike & Rich quit racing.

Tony was nut about doing starts. I remember he had a gate with lights in the high school gym. It was pretty cool doing starts behind the bleachers as the basketball team was trying to practice.

I don't know if you saw this picture a few pages back, but this is Mike and Rich from '83

Ya, it might have been towards the end for me. I just remember it all went wrong that day...haaahaahaa!!!
I had a few days like that.....take like, the days Miland and me were side by side at the Austin first corner and I was usually forced (Cough) off the berm into the weeds, water and gators.... That track was just never right....haaahaahaa. I remember when it finally became a track and not a path the 5 of us, the park and rec and of course Larry Miland built that famous triple jump (KOP post picture here). We were all staring at it all quiet..... " so who's going to try it first?" well I did, I just made it too. I was always the jumping "try it out" guy..... Lucky I'm still alive!

of course if it was a crash fest that would explain finishing ahead of you guys. lol

butterbars, man you were ahead of the times. that could have went somewhere. did voris dixon make those for you guys?
i too always thought if was rob butterfield products.

chucky, a gate in the gym?! man who did he have pull with?
that would have been awesome.