Dang. I remember when I was a kid I could go to the liquor store, library or supermarket and feel perfectly safe just putting my bike upside down in front of the store while I went in to get stuff. Heh, good luck doing that now. I think the whole crime awareness thing (for me at least) didn’t start until about ’82, when I started having to use those skinny little bike chains that were covered in plastic vinyl (mine was blue), you know the ones with that dial-lock thing (4 numbers?) LoL now that I recall those things they seem like a total joke, like someone could just rip that lock apart with two hands—SNAP!

That sucks that they took your cousin’s brand new Diamond Back. Man, those Diamond Backs were top of the line back then; really flashy chrome and usually outfitted with those Araya blue rims, right? LoL or Blue Snake Belly tires, which are practically impossible to find these days.

Your cousin was lucky though—all of those premium BMX bikes were stuff that I could only dream of owning whenever I thumbed through BMX Action magazine. I also liked Kuwahara and Red Line bikes. I still remember all those ads.

That’s cool that you had a banana-seated bike too. Those were definitely a hit in the ’70s, but once those BMX bikes came, forget it! Total embarrassment to ride one of those things. lol

Thanks for sharing these photos & the other ones of all of us together. The younger ones are sooo cute! Some of the other photos I can see Lisa & I were going through that um, awkward pre-teen phase. Leon was looking all cool…”I’m in High School, I don’t know these people….” LOL Love to you & your family, your cousin Laura

The blonde in the first picture was my neighbor “Monica” who lived three houses down at the time. She was a great playmate. I’m trying to remember her last name (maybe my mom knows)!

And actuaaaaally…that’s *not* Laura in the second pic. That’s Joni, who moved in next door to Monica. LoL, back then I actually had to juggle my playtime with both of them (they didn’t really get along).