A little while back, RC (RipVanWinkle over at the OS site) posted this picture from a "Bicycle Dealer Journal" from 1973:
I kinda freaked cause I recognized this guy
The guy in the pic is my old BMX sponsor and the first person to give me a job: Tom Derosier (RIP) One of the great but unknown people in the early history of the sport. He would do anything to help out a kid who wanted to race
After bugging him for years, he finally gave me a job at the shop. I'll never forget his words "You hang around here so %@#$ much, you might as well work here"
I worked with some of his sons including one of my sidehack pilots John Derosier
His oldest son took this picture just a few feet from the shop
I spent Christmas 82 with the family and like always, they treated me like one of their own. Sadly he He passed away in a few weeks later in January 83 but the memories never faded and sometimes jumped at me as the case was when RC posted the picture of the journal
RC sent me the booklet. As much as i wanted to keep it, I knew I had to do the right thing. Last week was Mrs Derosier (Tom's wife) 78th birthday. And as such, the perfect occasion. The Journal was passed around throughout the party and many a smile was seen. Best of all Mrs D
The whole family wanted me to say thanks for such a great gift and I wanted to share the story with my UK cousins
