The annual BMX Spring Fling took place in St. Augustine this weekend so, of course, had to go. The weekend schedule is fairly relaxed, and this year they again had some special guests. No charge to attend, either.
So here are some photos:
My friend Chelsea put together this Skyway for me more more than a year ago, but I didn't bring it last year due to my broken arm. This year we arrived in time for Friday's races. We thought we were just going to watch. She wound up racing the Skyway in the retro class plus a friend's '84 Torker in both the '80s and powder puff classes. So that meant six motos plus three mains. She won all of them--every moto, every main. Former pro Tracer Finn did the evening's announcing.
Saturday was for the big show. No classes, no awards. Just show off your bike. 
Special guests included Bob Haro:
And Eddy King:
And Mike Buff:
And Pete Loncarevich:
Before leaving St. Augustine, Chelsea and I stopped at the local skatepark for a few minutes. Then we loaded our car (thank you, Lincoln) and headed home. 
Mndsm said:
All those tuffs...
Can never go wrong with Tuffs. Even though he just sold the company, former owner of Skyway, Ken Coster, again joined us. He's super-nice guy and also a car enthusiast--has a '69 Camaro and a '74 Z28. When I met him a few years ago, I told him about the Graphite Tuff Wheels that I had in storage. "That doesn't sound very fun," he said. He was right. Plus I already had a Skyway frameset. So this year he got to the see the final build. The black S&M is my daily.
WilD
Dork
4/9/18 4:19 p.m.
This is a very distinct bicycle subculture I am really not familiar with. Thanks for sharing.
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
I'm so friggen jealous right now!!! Haro, Buff, King, Pistol Pete, PK, the Condor? I think my brain just exploded.
Sounds like an awesome time.
-Rob
rob_lewis said:
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
I'm so friggen jealous right now!!! Haro, Buff, King, Pistol Pete, PK, the Condor? I think my brain just exploded.
Sounds like an awesome time.
-Rob
Totally worth the trip. Also there: Mike Dominguez, Dave Voelker, Brian Blyther and a ton of industry people. I met Greg Esser. His family owned MCS when mine was made in 1983. He was also NBL's #1 pro in 1979. "Send me a picture of the welds, and I'll tell you who put that frame together," he told me.
agent orange cap... muttton chops..
bmx..
yeah.. we'd be friends..
Very jealous.
Mndsm
MegaDork
4/9/18 6:52 p.m.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Some day, I will build a strike zone. And some day, I will have Mike Dominguez sign it. Grail bike.
84FSP
SuperDork
4/9/18 7:17 p.m.
Wow all the big names in one place - super jelly. Also loving all the PK Ripper goodness in those shots.
It's been a few years but that looks like a glorious Mongoose motomag
In reply to Mndsm :
I have/had a frame. Left it in our building in IL when I sold it to my friend. It’s probably still there if you want it.
Mndsm
MegaDork
4/9/18 8:01 p.m.
Pete Gossett said:
In reply to Mndsm :
I have/had a frame. Left it in our building in IL when I sold it to my friend. It’s probably still there if you want it.
Unless it's free, I cannot afford said frame currently. I am........not wealthy. I do want it, though. I remember you mentioning that the last time I said something about a strike zone.
Ian F
MegaDork
4/9/18 8:33 p.m.
Very cool. I was actually on my 20" a few months ago at Ray's in Cleveland.
I still have my old heavily customized Predator from 1982, but other than puttering around it's too small for me to ride. Eventually I'll part it out since I gather some of the parts on it have some value.
Lof8
Dork
4/9/18 9:16 p.m.
Looks like a fun get-together! My wife and I have a pair of SE cruisers and Love St Augustine. Post up a few weeks in advance if you remember next year. We’d love to check it out!
Not knowing this post was here, I spent a few hours today reading old issues of Freestylin' and BMX Action from the 80's. Crazy.
R.L. Osborn on the future of freestyle, a bike test on the "new" SE Quad Freestyle with Standing Gear, Woody Itson joining Diamondback (!).
Looking through those old issues I still remember many of the pages I cut out of the mags to hang on my wall.
Awesome event- thank you for sharing!
Just got in from street riding and see this thread. Was out on an old Redline Proline I ride almost every night. Flights, Ukai's powder coated red, JP pedals & hubs, DK stem, Redline titanium seat, slam bars, etc. etc. I'm sure people in the neighborhoods I ride in think I'm nuts when they see an old guy (60 very soon) whipping down their streets at warp speed in the dark on a 20" BMX bike.
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paranoid_android said:
Not knowing this post was here, I spent a few hours today reading old issues of Freestylin' and BMX Action from the 80's. Crazy.
R.L. Osborn on the future of freestyle, a bike test on the "new" SE Quad Freestyle with Standing Gear, Woody Itson joining Diamondback (!).
Looking through those old issues I still remember many of the pages I cut out of the mags to hang on my wall.
Awesome event- thank you for sharing!
I'm in some of those old mags AND with a GRM connection, Spike took some of the pics.
Looks like a lot of fun.
I am go to get a BMX bike and try out BMX for the first time later this year.
Saron81
New Reader
4/10/18 10:53 a.m.
Cool pics! Looks like a good time. I’ve been out of the vintage bmx scene for a few years now, but need to get my Pro Performer back together to ride with the kids. I have a early 90s Mach 1 I ride around with them, but it’s not the same. When I’m on the pp it’s like I’m 13 again, lol. Lots of memories on a similar bike....
Heres my 86 Pro Performer in its former glory.... sold some of the parts on it... need a stem and front brakes to get it back on the road.
Heres a sweet bashguard Master I built:
And the last DC ride I went on:
Need to get back into it.
In reply to NOT A TA :
Your likeness may well have been on my wall when I was younger then. The pics that grabbed my attention back then were usually the ones that didn't have the "big" teams in them.
