Needful Things

To ride again, I need to following:

Profile Cups and Bearing for American BB. I still have the custom profiles from BITD. Nice and short.

Redline cruiser bars (nice bend). I have a set of Free Agent bars but dont like them at all.

Some sort of pedal.

I have some lame wheels but I can fix them up a bit just to ride (not race).

I am searching ebay for these items but if they happen to be in town and the price is right, maybe, just maybe, I can get up to the barn to hurt myself this winter.

I deserve it...

... or do I?

Here is my 6 year old assisting the cutting of our Christmas tree. I hope the Andersons down the block don't find out where there tree went.

Sorry to hear all that Rob. VBMX has proven to be a very emotional healing place for many, me included.

We do need to get Marvin and Troy on board here. Kinda funny, but this thread just keeps going and going!

Thanks Mark

It is sort of funny how I found this and when I found this thread. And yes, she is long. I could not imagine reading this stuff from another region. When I did browse, I was moderately suprised to find similar scenes pretty much everywhere. Interesting to a point.

Marv cant type. Come on now. Not sure if Troy can with those burly fingers.

Can you type Troy? Get it done. Give us a shout.

It took 15 minutes on the phone just trying to explain to Troy where the "ON" button was. I'll call him and bug him again about getting on here.

Troy called me today but I missed the call... I'll tell him to saddle up today and that Mark will get his VBMX sign on figured out. Our little eager-beaver!

Butter, interesting things going on......man! I hope the best for all of it.

What type of autism is your son? PM me if you'd rather.....

Oingo Boingo huh? Still, my personal favorite.....enjoy and sue to bring back Troy boom box memories... Oingo is probably my band ever

Rob, sorry to hear about all the tough things going on in your life this year - I hope the best for your Mom and all yours, and here's to a better year in 2009.

Suuuuuure you did

Hey Rob,

The paper I speak of is/was called Minnesota CYCLESPORT. No images of you, pretty cloudy photos.

Wiggly on the gate? I'm as solid as a rock, you don't even know I'm there. I wiggle now, but it's not on the gate.

Yes I did race the Land 'O' Lakes National on the outdoor track at the Barn. Not much competition that weekend, I took 1st all 3 days.

That outdoor track only ran for that season.

Got legs??

Sorry to hear about your MOM

Thanks Shawn, that means a lot. You know my mother. She always liked you. Not as much as she liked Nathan, but Nate would sing an old Police to her all the time. Serenade if you will.

"Leanne, you don't have to wear that dress tonight..."

B-APOLD-Oingo Boingo was the bomb. Danny Elfman, that guy bleeds notes. The layers and intensity of that music are so insane. And a great voice to go along. Sort of like Radiohead in terms of how well the music weaved together. Crazy sounds deep in the tracks that you only find on the 100th listen.

Butter, I meant to attach this on the last reply, but I got busy......sorry.

The best!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Fc9lvRMy0

Nathan had charm to be sure.

On a different note, I just got a text message from Mark Lukens - the Alt BMX freestyle team will be doing a show this Saturday night at the MN Rollergirls match - he's saying they go on at 6:30. You can probably find more info at the MN Rollergirls website.

Another note,, there will be a mini Faction gathering tonight at Station 4 in St. Paul.. We're going to meet Suicidal Tendencies about 9:00...... be there.

Those RollerGirls scare me...

Brad, did you see they have a Knitting For Charity event?

They're nice girls, really ... if anyone wants tickets for Saturday let me know before the 5:00 today and I'll get you covered.

Mark Lukens???

Wow! He has Carlson staying power in the scene. i raced him in 97'. Well, he was in a race with me a couple times. Mark and I raced at completely different speed. Mark like to sight see a bit. I was always in a hurry.

Manning: Minnesota Cyclesport? What a great local rag. I have the issue you mention and I do get a nice big shot of me published, with no caption, in the results pages. That editor at Minnesota Cyclesport had a keen eye and clearly a very intelligent person. Good looking as well. Well endeavered.

No, your not a wiggler. I was kidding about that. I just did not like being next to people faster than me.

MANNNINNG!!!!!!!!!!!

Station 4 tonight... S.T.

When Jerry says mini, he means mini.

Yes, I had to go setup the booth this Morning.

Someone post the Sheely, Lembke, Apold trio band shot.... LMAO!!!

Yes, Pauli I could get a hall pass....smarrt allek!

Actually, I thought about barn'n out a bit Friday if the stars aline.
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I am ALL in for Friday practice, I have something new I need to test out.

Waffle Bowl, you can with to the Maple Plain Jamboree if you keep your hands to yourself.

That's Mike Muir on the left in that pic.

Maybe we should meet at the Keg and Cork before or after the meeting? I'm a maybe for Friday at the Barn, if I can get over this cold I have.

They are ALL coming out of the woodwork!

Just got this email:
Hi Mark,

The website is great first of all, I couldn't believe it when I saw all of my old buddies on there... I know who you are and I used to race from '79-'94 and in my time I was, I hate to say it, one of the most successful Minnesotans to race BMX, at least at the time. I was wondering how I could get some pics in the photo collections??

Take care,
Gary Mercado

whatchu testing? a g cog?

that time before a faction gathering, when KOP was dangling willie huebner showing up. i did an addy search on a bunch of names, gary being one of them. anyhow, it's like no one left the area, there is a ton of guys still around the cities.

great to see though, hopefully some more will show.

Monster Energy Drink has a new Hi-Test donut they are in the testing stages with

How old was Gary??? Mike Engelbys age? Ted Richards age? Am I close??

Welcome Gary!!!! got any pics? Man you raced along time

Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z

Gary Mercado

Welcome to the party. I just got on last week. You might remember me from "BMX man attacks Mars" and "look what Troy brought home for dinner"

Scabbies?

The memories brought me so low in atmosphere, I nearly lost my tool.

Now I am done for a while. your turn Gary.

Gary, is not bragging... He was one of the best..... We got some more photos coming.. Stoke..

Somebody's gonna have to rent the Xcel center just so we can fit everybody in the door for the Condo. We're cutting plywood right now and have some biker buddies set to jack a tanker load of Coke syrup early next week.

Indoors w/ clips (for some), now that would be interesting.

Okay so I am not done.

I know Gary. You will not get an argument from me. Total props.

Back to Manning:

I was wrong. The issue of Minnesota Cyclesport you are speaking of covered the Gold Cup in the Spring of 98'. There is not an image of me in the results. I was thinking of the previous Summer 1997 issue covering Land O'Lakes Nationals in Shakopee.

I just pulled it out. Hmmm. Did I say that? Anyway, wow 30lb newsprint really looks like stool over the years. Great Shot of Gene O. and Sheely. Lukens and Dave Hass as well I think. None of me or you. A good story about the Pro Cruiser race. We had half a lap on those guys.

We raced Pro Open Cruiser not 31-35 cruiser. The reason: I turned pro, mostly to avoid the entry fee.

If a Pro shows up, the ABA allows for a Pro Open. Amateurs can then race Pro Open. And no entry fee is need due to the 100% pay back. Let's all turn Pro. That is all I can say. So what if we are a bunch of old guys in Minnesota. How is that different than the 80's? I mean aside from the age thing.

It was fun reading Minnesota Cyclesport. I think I am going to pull out a couple old ones and get a good solid laugh. Shawn, remember the Alien Issue? Think about that for a moment. Then consider the name of the Alien Stephen Colbert alludes to as his Financial Advisor.

Hmmm.

I think auto-pro would be fun. However not really feel'n the 20" Vet-pro class at nationals....Eeeeeek...Those guys are INTO IT man.

Not worried. I know all of them. They would be scared. Especially The Jackyl.

I have his old Redline.

I would not even attempt racing those guys, I may add, unless I was capable.

Just mouthing off otherwise.

Which I am still good at. I am married. Get LOTS of practice.

Only one of us has to be a Pro. The rest can race Pro Open and class.

I see very little wrong with this scenario.

I would have to agree with Gary's comment. I've seen some old footage of ABA Grands, and Gary was 1,2,or 3 almost everytime.

SUPER FAST!!!

rob, unless you re-classify, your still pro.
so just show up, and the rest will happen.

Gary raced on the Factory PENN CYCLE TEAM !!!!


[URL=http://g.imageshack.us/img123/pennteam2iu1.jpg/1/][IMG]

Gary was on Sheely's Wheels for a couple of years too - welcome Gary! Glad you found us.

I am considering briefs instead of boxers, more range of motion securing the coconuts.

It would seem that Mr. Carruth should be handing out Tee's that are "Old Topics Of Fire".

50+ posts in less then 24 hrs. Better yet, all new old school flashbacks and catching up.

Well....I've got a little photo folder started by another recent email that was sent to me (not Gary M).....So maybe I should wait for the next 24hr clock time to start I guess. These pics are quite...........

There was a guy that followed around the southern MN loop and just took photo's of various bmx riders, etc, usually Austin/Albert Lea and Roch. I'd see him at races and finally asked him, "your here allot does your son/daughter race?" and he said no kids, just taking pics. I can imagine his collection. If I remember we was probably mid 50's, maybe 60's then though.

Ya, this thread has come alive again.... Lembke, WTHeck are ya?

Butter, I PM'd ya.

I got-it now!

I finally figured out the reason you Minnesota guys have such a large number of posts on your thread...

You guys are so old school that BITD when you raced the jumps were only about a foot tall or so and we know all about those one pedal starts... which translates into less crashes and gate flips and not as many head injuries...

I know here in New England we progressed into the two pedal start and even moved onto using heavy equipment to build our tracks, unlike you guys still using a wheelbarrow and shovel.

I mean our tracks were so gnarly and with that new fangled two pedal start we started racing upright and crahed alot...
Because we can not remember sh_t!

Yah, you Team Tremco guys know, you've experienced it first hand!

Long Live NEBA

Oh Geeeeez, let get my shovel..

I was doing 2 pedal starts in 1977.

S.T. show was insane. 2+ hours of Pabst, elbows and footsoles.

Next Faction gathering is tomorrow, 10am, Richfield HS. The Santa Express is coming to town. Cocoa afterward. Check you decoder to make sure the firmware is v2.4.1. Embeded message in this post.

Yo, Mark any word on the date for the Condo?

I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!
- Ralphie in A Christmas Story

With a rubberband start?





I'm waiting on Doug still

Yo Dudes,
The Suicidal Tendencies concert was amazing. Me and Mike sweated it out in the front row the whole time. It was a big sweaty mess.... Check these pics.. This is front row!

I think that guy is the old man with the walker on Family Guy ...

There's another guy who took a lot of photos BITD - Jim Kleinehans? or something like that, his wife had two kids that raced - younger kids, one's name was Dusty. Anyone remember the names?

Here we go kiddies!

These are from Dan Quigley/Penn Cycle. He said he has photos from 1979-1994 and said it would take a couple weeks to scan and send to me.

So here is a sample of things to come