FE's experience

 

 

 

 

 

I posted this a few years ago, and even if you don't do bmx, the principles still apply to life.

 

My wife asked me a while ago "why bmx?".

She figured by now I'd have grown out of it...

It got me to thinking.

Why?

Well, I guess its like this. BMX taught me everything about life.

I learned to face each day with no regrets. Go after your dreams, and make them come true. Because no one else can do it for you, YOU have to do it for yourself.

I mean, who would think that a scrawny kid from Raleigh NC. Could have done what you've read about in all the previous pages?

I was always a small kid, It took me longer than most to grow up, but BMX taught me that even though I wasn't this big hulking kid, I could still excel at life.

My teachers always told me that bmx was a waste of time... Ha, they are still teaching, making $30-$50K per year while I'm using what I learned from BMX to make more than double that!

BMX taught me to work on stuff. When my bike broke, I had to fix it, because paying someone else to do it was out of the question. And after learning how to work on my bike, I used that experience to start working on my cars. Which has saved me THOUSANDs of dollars over the years. I used that practical experience to learn to do all kinds of things, like plumbing, electrical, drywall, framing, woodworking, arcade repair, ect.

BMX taught me that if someone else could do it, I probably could too. I'd go to a contest or a show and see a trick, then I would work it out and figure out how to do it. It may have taken a while, but when I turned pro, I could pick up any flatland trick out there and within a week, I could do it. Which gave me confidence that helped me learn tons of other stuff not bmx related. But, its the same principles. Just keep trying what you are interested in, with enough practice you can be good at whatever you set your mind to.

BMX taught me that "regret" is a poor mans disease. Most people never get off their duffs and DO IT! No one's gonna do it for you, do it yourself. Live your life like today is the last day you get to have fun, and do those things you've been putting off. You don't want to go to bed at night "wishing" you had tried something! (poor is not lack of money, its lack of experience)

I remember when I learned decades, which are not that hard of a trick, but they are a totally MENTAL trick. You have to see yourself doing it and GO for it before you will pull it.

I jumped all afternoon, but never really went for it... Then Greg came really close to pulling one, and I though "what the heck, I'm going for it" and I almost pulled it right then! BMX taught me to have confidence in myself.

You may strike out a hundred times before you do it, but all that doesn't matter. When you pull a trick for the first time, it is all worth it.

BMX taught me that your only as good as your word. Lots of guys would say, "yeah, we'll meet you at the spot". But, some were dependable others weren't. Thats life, YOU are only as good as your word. If your going to be there, say so, if you don't think your mom will let you, don't give your word. In life you only have your reputation. Take care of it! Be a man of your word. I was sponsored many times because of my commitment to always follow through with my word.

BMX taught me that perfection is good. I placed in the top three in EVERY contest I ever entered. Because I worked hard at being consistant. I wanted to be able to do a trick 10 out of 10 times before I would use it in competition. That push for excellence really helped my in life, as most people are not willing to do that amount of work. But, it is worth it.

BMX teaches confidence. My boy John, who lived next door to me, and I rode with everyday, was VERY shy when I met him. He was so shy that one day his english teacher wanted him to do a presentation in front of his class. He walked into school each day after that and walked right out the back door and waited in the woods until school let out. Just to avoid going in front of his class... He was that shy. I watched him improve at flatland until he was good enough to compete, and when he did start competing he did very well. BMX grew his confidence until today where he is a highly successful business owner who does sales (in front of people) everyday! He also runs a ebay business that sells all over the country, (his ebay id is johnboy74, if you need a custom seat for your motorcycle).

BMX taught me to be persistant. I mean, you have to be persistant when you are trying tricks, sometimes it takes months to get it really dialed. But, learning that persistance it critical to success and to eliminate life "regrets".

I had to ask my wife out 9 times before she said "yes"... BMX gave me that persistance, when most guys would have quit. And the payoff was definitely worth it!

So, go ride your bike, the lessons you learn can change your life.

 

 

Here is one of my first videos from way back in 1986, I'm pretty sure it was the first rider made video, careful... It's VERY cheesy.

 

 

 

And here is one of my good friends who started Eastern Bikes years later, (you can see me on the ramp with John and Greg)

 

 

 

Fun times.

 

 

 

I like GJS stuff, it is worth a fortune on Ebay...

 

I was always a GT/Dyno guy personally, although I did ride a Bully for a while. And I rode for Schwinn for a summer, but I hated that bike... Weird, since it was free, I just couldn't ever get used to it.

 

 

 

As for the 80's, it was a different time... Personally, I miss the 80's, it was so fun to be a kid then. Today's kids seem so jaded compared to the stuff we got away with back then... Half the stuff I did then would land me in jail today if I were a kid trying it now.