Yep, that’s my picture. Since a bunch of you have asked, I'll "Fess up". That kid in the swell Davy Crockett coonskin cap and the jeans and the boots is me. It was my first solo ride in front of our house at 1504 Bervy Street in Bay Park Village in San Diego. Isn’t that a great name for a street? Say it with me, “Bervy Street”. Most of my later childhood we lived on 50th Street. Not nearly as cool a street name. But the street number was catchy. 6465. Go ahead, say it with me, 6465 50th Street.
But I digress. Getting back to the vintage black and white photo . . . that was indeed me on my brand new red and white Schwinn cruiser. My mom had given it to me for my 6th birthday, in late December of 1954. Too bad we didn’t have color photos back then. I loved that red bike. Suddenly my world expanded. I was no longer limited to how far I could walk. Now it was more like, hmmmm . . . how far can I ride? God bless those Mesopotamian chariot makers back in 3200 BC for inventing the wheel. Probably they wanted to see how far they could go, too.
The coonskin cap pretty much makes the picture. Not the best protection for my noggin, but I did see myself as the spittin’ image of Fess Parker.He was in black in white in those days too. Life was black and white in the 50’s, and I’m not just talkin’ about photos.
I guess it’s been close to a lifelong love affair with a bike for me. Today I’ve traded in the coonskin cap, jeans and boots, for an ANSI approved bike helmet, spandex shorts, and clip in bike shoes. Never dreamed I’d wear spandex! And of course, I’m in color. Oh the bike is still red, but its got 19 more gears on it and weighs half as much.
I know, you want to see me in my fine riding form today some 55 years later. Here’s a picture of me on one of the MS Bay To Bay Bike Tours that I’ve done over the years supporting the National Mutiple Sclerosis Society. I used to ride only for fun. Now I ride for fun and a purpose. Usually just to get some exercise and to have a little time to contemplate life. Sometimes to fellowship with some riding buddies. But mostly it’s still about having fun, and I get to see life at a little slower speed than what we usually experience in our cars. You notice things on a bike that might not be seen in a car. Like that toilet dangling overhead from a couple of blogs ago. Or maybe just the amazing colors of the sky and the ocean.
Love that picture. Pure joy. Pointing to the One who makes all things possible on yet another breathtaking sunny blue day, while serving a purpose supporting those challenged by MS.
Inside there’s still that little kid with the coonskin cap and boots experiencing the joy of his first solo ride on his red bike. Today after a blessed lifetime of rich and deep experiences, the joy is even greater. Thank you Lord for the gift of this life, this health, this heart, this world all made for your glory. Let me be a picture of your grace and love.
Yep, that’s my picture. What's your picture?
Think I’ll go for a ride!
Think I’ll go for a ride!
Davy Crockett, Fess Parker, and a boy's first bike. Wow. What great images from yesteryear capturing a boy's growing-up experience. Thanks for the journey back in time.
ReplyDeleteKind of a 'Baby Boomer' thing, huh, Jack? But I guess you and I can't escape that!
ReplyDelete"Be sure you are right; then go ahead."
ReplyDeleteThis was Davy Crockett's motto -- and has been mine too, all these years. I was living on 1228 East Weber Road in Columbus, Ohio and kept removing the training wheels from my bike ... and falling ... and having to beg my father to re-attach the training wheels for another iteration.
Never got a coonskin hat, but we had an original Kentucky (not Tennessee) rifle from the period -- with an authentic powder horn. Son Jesse still has those artifacts from the pre-Civil War period.
You're about to get me back in the saddle again, Ron. No, I'm not shifting to the Old West and Gene Autry; and I'm not talking about the bike saddle -- you're inspiring me to get back into blogging.
I posted about 200 entries a few years back, mostly during my circumnavigation of North America trip. They remain online, a mostly unexplored collection of random thoughts. Fortunately, there's a great benefit derived from writing -- it's nice to have readers, but not really necessary.
Anyway, keep 'em coming, buddy. I have a birthday around the corner, too, and may just decide to engage you in a blog-off (blogathon? Blogorama?).
Meanwhile, you reign as king of the blog frontier.
Interesting how if you look at the date on my photo at the top of the blog, it shows Jan 55. Fess Parker and Davy Crockett were all that in those days. Fess was part of the Disney franchise and sure enough, when Disneyland opened its doors for the first time in Anaheim later that year, one of the main features was . . . "Frontierland".
ReplyDelete