As thrill-seeking, BMX punks, my friends and I would do things in our riding and in our off time that were less-than-advisable-like most young people.
We rode without helmets and did stunts riding our bikes down the middle of downtown streets, on one wheel, no handed, and in the dark.
We made a skatepark out of any street, supermarket, or drainage ditch we could find. One of my old BMX pals -who now flies jets for a living- was seriously injured just before I met him, attempting a jump. We still never wore helmets.
Rent-a-Cops scorned over a few handrail grinds and skidmarks on the marble. We didn't care about the cops, we were street riders! A few of my bolder comrades would carve wall rides on the inclined lower story of the old Bank One tower in Downtown Fort Worth.
Before it was destroyed by a tornado and remodeled into condos, the glass incline at the Bank One tower was actually the roof to the basement level of the building. Nobody ever considered that it was a one story drop if you were to fall through.
One of our favorite summer hobbies,back in the day, was known as lake jumping. I grew up on a pretty large lake in Tarrant County called Eagle Mountain. Close to my house were many boathouses and very long docks. Most were unattended the majority of the time.
On particularly hot Texas days, we would drag a small ramp down to the end of the dock. Then, riding a bike with a life jacket strapped to the handlebars, you'd take off pedaling down the dock, as fast as possible- With no life preserver of course **with shoes.
On particularly hot Texas days, we would drag a small ramp down to the end of the dock. Then, riding a bike with a life jacket strapped to the handlebars, you'd take off pedaling down the dock, as fast as possible- With no life preserver of course **with shoes.
Tales From The Eighties
