My long time friend and old hack pilot Mike Hardaway called me today to tell me how he had found the old Calexico BMX starting gate and asked if I wanted some pics.
I was stoked to see the pictures but being the old decrepit bmx bastard that I am, I had some mixed feelings about seeing the pics.
I had a lot of fun there, saw my little brother literally grow up at that track, remembered how the late David Garcia used to dominate that track even when the "Big Boys" from San Diego and LA used to show up. Lots of memories of friends I haven't seen in years and friends who have gone to BMX heaven.
Memories of Tom Derosier, Mike Carey, Dave Garcia (All RIP) and memories of Jimmy McDaniels, The Mason Family,and countless other who shaped the way I am.
But then I remember the infamous "Sky Jump" when me and Mike skied the first (downhill) jump and flew for awhile while desperately trying to lower the hack's front end down. Even better, putting the OM and Beckering over the first berm and beating them in Senior hacks at an SE sponsored race in the late 70s/early 80s. Winning multiple team trophies with the rag-tag "Tom's Bike Shop" team out of El Centro.
As I write this, I can almost see Tom Derosier grabbing the team manager from the Bullseye team after another yet controversial hack race and was about to deck him when an overhead transformer blew up stopping the commotion.
All this from just a few pics.
( I know, Time for my medication)
