Best Birthday of My Life

I was 7 at the time and the day and the present were both 7 months late. Still! Did you see the chrome and the white walls? Best birthday of my young life.

I had travelled the world in those first seven years, born in Las Vegas, I lived outside London, England from 1952 to 1955, came back to New York city for a month, Savannah, Georgia for 2 years, finally landing in Akron, Ohio in 1957. Yes, my Dad was in the Air Force so we moved a lot. Often.

The early years between Mom and Dad were unsettled and we ended up moving back to her childhood home early in 1957. Dad stayed in GA. While in Savannah I was an avid comic book reader, Tom and Jerry, Buster Brown, Little Archie. I’m beginning to realize now, where I got my Geek on, early.

My first Flying Machine

All the comics sported the same ads, Red Ryder BB rifles, Magic de-coder rings, and the Ultimate bicycle yet created.

The Schwinn Mark IV Jaguar.

3 speed gears, handbrakes, headlight, horn, tank, chrome fenders, white wall tires, even had two carriers and sporty rear reflectors.

It was an amazing ride and if I remember correctly it cost $79.50, and I tried to convince Dad that his only son would die without it.

he must have been feeling remorse for us leaving, so he sent Mom a money order paying for the bike, and she surprised me with it one fine summer day.

I rode that bike everywhere, got a padlock and rode it to school, everywhere until snow appeared. Then I spent that first winter polishing the chrome and wiping the dust off it, eagerly waiting for the beginning of warmer weather.

Dad passed away in August 1958, still in Savannah, but he left me with the memory of a lifetime. Time tempers all the memories and late didn’t matter in the end.

Thanks Dad! I Love and miss you.

You can see how fast it looked, and it was even better with a 7 year old piloting it.

This was not my first bike but it was my favorite.

Tell us about your first bike with a comment, or better yet post with a picture.

Like this if it brought back your own memories.