Getting My Very First Bike at 8 Years Old
March 28, 1979
As I woke up, bright and early, that morning years ago I was very excited. It was my birthday and I was now 8 years old. As just about every kid, I was very excited about my birthday. Especially since one of my most favorite people was coming to pick me up in a few hours. I loved my Grandparents. All of them and my Grandpa was the one on his way to my house to get me. But little did I know that, later that day, I’d be riding a bike for the first time ever in my life. Living in Detroit with my single Mom we did not have any money. She did odd jobs and bartended at night to barely make ends meet. I could never expect her to buy a bike for me.
Kmart Is Your Savings Store
Kmart was a pretty popular chain back then and they had a lot of good stuff. This is where my Grandpa took me to pick out my birthday present. As I was walking around it didn’t take long to get to the bike department. That’s when I seen it… the beautiful fire engine red bike staring right back at me. It already had a horn attached to it and I could here is silently honking at me just begging me to take it home with me. The training wheels already attached were promising me that they would never let me fall. The tires were all solid rubber with no air needed making it impossible to ever get a flat tire.
After my Grandpa paid for the bike I rode it from the door to the car. I was in love and it was the start of something very beautiful in my life.
Mound And Mt. Elliot Area
Not sure why I felt the need to put my old Detroit neighborhood out there but I did. If you grew up in the same area back in the 1970’s let me know. Contact me to say hello. Maybe we known each other. Maybe we rode with or by each other.
For the entire year of 1979 I was always on that bike. No matter where I was going I was on it. If the weather was too bad I would ride on the front porch. Houses in 1970’s Detroit had some huge front porches. Before long, the training wheels were off and I was doing sprints up and down the suburb side streets.
How I Got Started – Conclusion
So that is how I got started in my cycling adventures. I’m still riding as much as I can. Each year averaging 5,000 miles or around that mark. Bike riding has kept me in great health over the years and I am very grateful for that day back on March 28, 1979. My Grandfather has been gone for a couple of decades now. The gift he gave me has been with me since my 8th birthday. He didn’t just buy me a bike. He gave me the gift of a great lifestyle and I always think about him every day when I see a bike. Thank you, Granpa!
(Oh, and I also got a cool name from my Grandpa since I was named after him)
In Loving Memory Of My Grandfather
How Did You Get Started In Cycling?
Got a cool story about how you got started in cycling? Feel free to post a comment and share your story with us. I would love to hear from you.
50+ year old cat dad that loves cycling, fitness, and trying to eat right. I’ve been riding bicycles since I got my very first bike, a gift from my Grandfather, on my 8th birthday on March 28, 1979. Just because you have reached the 50 year old mark it doesn’t mean that you have to slow down or quit. I started this blog so that other 50+ (or even younger) can learn from me and be motivated in their own health endeavors.
To great health and well-being.
Feel free to connect with me on the below social media platforms:
Strava | Zwift | TikTok | Facebook
