Where did you come from?

Discussion in 'Free Zone' started by CBone, Jul 31, 2018.


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  1. LLPoolJ

    LLPoolJ iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Moreno Valley
    Name:
    James Johnson
    Current Bike:
    Specy Epic, Stumpu and Enduro
    Same place as Dbl Wide pictured above grew up in a Dbl Wide in the Valley. Mead Valley that is. Survived moved on up to Moreno Valley, more of a lateral with paved streets. Just good ole White trash with ambition.
     
  2. HBkites

    HBkites Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Huntington Beach
    Name:
    Sharone
    Current Bike:
    Why S7, Revel Rascal, Spark RC
    I was born on the other side of this planet... On the eastern shore of the Mediterranean (Israel).
    Grow up biking, swimming, sailing, surfing....ect.
    Move to CA in 1986, and spent most of my life in HB.

    Went to college at SDSU, and that is when I bought my first"MTB". 1991 Fuji with a rigid fork, rim brakes, flex stem.
    I had been on and off the bikes most of my life. The latest streak started in 2012.
     
  3. MTBZen

    MTBZen Member

    Location:
    Socal and NY
    Name:
    Gary
    Current Bike:
    2017 Trek Pro-Caliber 9.6
    Born in East LA (for reals, eh) Moved to OC around 3rd grade and grew up in City of Orange. Bounced around OC a bit - Orange, Santana, Mission Viejo, Costa Misery - and then moved down to Temecula for cheap houses....realized I was in the middle of nowhere and now I'm in Corona an exit away from the OC where I still consider home and do all my shopping, eating, recreating, etc.....still in the middle of nowhere, but a little closer to the fwy. Also have recently become bi (bi-coastal that is) with a place in NY, but spend 90% of time here.

    Came to IMTBTrails by way of STR and have been riding bikes the better part of my life and even tried a stint at road racing in high school back when USA Cycling was USCF and started a cycling club at my high school that was made up of exactly 2 people including myself....let's just say I went to a football school.
     
  4. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Born in St. Joseph hospital in Orange California. I did the math, my mom was not “yet” married to my dumbazz father who was I believe an insult to the Marines at the time. He moved us to Bell, a suburb outside of Chicago so we could live with his parents while my mom worked. You can see where this is going. So my Mom left him and moved to Lancaster California where her parents lived in a trailer park on the east side out off Avenue I. Married an auto mechanic named Dave Watson who opened his own business called Dave’s Corvair Service in Lancaster on Yucca. He actually did pretty good at it.

    When I was in 7th grade they built the house my mom lives in now out in Kings Canyon out on the West side of the Antelope Valley. There I became a country boy and went to Quartz Hill Highschool where I barely got a Diploma. That’s the extent of my vast education. Rode Moto’s since I was 7, raced Moto through Highschool. Became a mountain biker in 1992.
     
    Maddog, Cyclotourist, mike and 20 others like this.
  5. CBone

    CBone iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Antelope Valley
    Name:
    Tucker
    Current Bike:
    Intense Primer
    I'm not familiar with Kings Canyon Mikie. Where is it at?
     
    Cyclotourist, mike, Danmtchl and 4 others like this.
  6. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Whom Mikie Watson has found to be an amazing guy. :coffee:
     
    Maddog, Cyclotourist, mike and 9 others like this.
  7. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    If we were playing battleship it would be about G-4 and 220 Street West. :)
    1AAF923A-E9CB-46E1-A6E5-47D001D4B323.jpeg
     
  8. CBone

    CBone iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Antelope Valley
    Name:
    Tucker
    Current Bike:
    Intense Primer
    That is out there for sure. I bet it was a great place to grow up. It kind of makes sense when I think about where you live now. No city boy left in you:thumbsup:
     
    Danmtchl, Cyclotourist, mike and 5 others like this.
  9. evdog

    evdog iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    San diego
    Name:
    Evan S
    Born in Calgary. I lived there til I was 17, when I moved to Vancouver for school. I did some hiking and backpacking but had mostly been into stream fishing. At UBC I had some roommates who were mountain bikers, so I rode my no-name bike with them on the trails around campus. Got a used Rocky Mtn before second year, and a friend who grew up in North Van took me up to ride Mt Fromme later that year. Hooked. We discovered Whistler in 2001. There were just a handful of trails then but it was life changing. Broke every part on my Cove bike the remaining days that season then found a crack in the frame. Came back the next year with a Santa Cruz Super 8. Did a couple seasons of DH racing. Came down to San Diego for work in 2006. I was not happy about that trip as it was late August and Whistler was in full swing. What was supposed to be a few weeks turned into a few months then a few more of back and forth travel. I finally had to make a decision whether to move down full time or not, which I did. There is too much to see and do down here not to take the opportunity. Been here every since.

    Ladies Only 1997
    EvanAFrameLadiesMar00.jpg
     
  10. Sidewalk

    Sidewalk iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    The road is where I call home
    Name:
    Josh
    Current Bike:
    N+1
    Originally from here. Born in Corona, lived mostly in Moreno Valley.

    Graduated early and joined the military. Boot in Cape May, NJ. "A" School (technical training) in Yorktown, VA. First unit (USCGC Sedge, 180' bouy tender) was in Homer, AK. I bought a car in Virginia ('86 Chrysler Lebaron GTS turbo) and drove it to Homer when I was 18. Got as far west as Dutch Harbor, AK and as far east as Seattle on that ship.

    1.5 years in Alaska, then I drove that same car to my next unit in Alameda, CA. That trip was quite the adventure. Did 3.5 years at that land unit (MSO San Francisco), cool place, still miss it to this day. Then transferred to a ship (USCGC Munro, 378' high endurance cutter) at the same base.

    Traveled all around the world, literally, on that ship. Top of my head: 15 countries (not including Canada on my first ship or visiting Ireland, France, and Germany on my own). From Russia to Djibouti, I circumnavigated the globe traveling west. On our way to the middle east the great tsunami that hit Sri Lanka occured, I saw some of the devastation first hand. After leaving the middle east we went through both the Suez and Panama canals.

    From that unit I was transferred to an antiterrorism unit (MSST San Diego). Lived in that region for the next 8 years total, two on active duty.

    Moved to Norco due to the horses being too expensive to own in San Diego. Between renting a duplex and boarding costs, it was about $2500 a month. Unsustainable with our income at the time.

    Lived in Norco for a little over two years. I recently filed for divorce, and am now in Loma Linda. I have no long term plans right now. I may or may not stick around.
     
  11. tbarnesarc

    tbarnesarc Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Taylor
    Current Bike:
    Stumpy Evo Mullet
    Born in Santa Ana at Western Medical. Dad, was college dean and professor at Santa Ana College. Mom was a stay at home mom. We moved to Laguna when I was in 4th grade. Attended TOW, Thurston and graduated from LBHS. Lived in SD for 5 years; 3 in Point Loma while attending Woodbury Univerisity's Architecture program. Our class was the 1st SD class through the program. It is now a well established and respected just like Burbank campus. Moved back to Laguna for 1 year after then back to SD to live in PB for 2 years but the party scene was too much. Also where I started mountain biking; sycamore cyn to be precise. Moved back to Laguna in 2004 to work for a well respected architecture firm as a junior designer. Have been living in the same place in Laguna for the past 14 years. Started really mountain biking in 2005ish on an Iron Horse warrior. Used to take that thing down TnA believe it or not. Oh, I have been back at that architecture firm I moved back to laguna for. It's been two years last month now. That's about it.
     
  12. Marty657

    Marty657 Member

    Location:
    Upland
    Name:
    Marty
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz TB2C
    Born in Pensacola Florida where my alcoholic father was in the Navy, then back to his home in Harrisburg PA. Moved to St Petersburg FL. so my dad could play golf year round where he became a pro golfer....who cares I liked baseball and got to play 300 days a year but could not fulfil my dream. Next up was the oil field off shore of Louisanna, moved to CA in 92 but did not get the MTB bug until 2002 or so. Started MTB late in life but love doing it.
     
  13. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    You forgot about the part where you met me and it changed your life for the better! :whistling: :confused:
     
    Luis, Cyclotourist, Mikie and 5 others like this.
  14. tbarnesarc

    tbarnesarc Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Taylor
    Current Bike:
    Stumpy Evo Mullet
    Forgot to mention Gary actually. We have more history there buttercup. ;)
     
    herzalot, Luis, Cyclotourist and 6 others like this.
  15. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    :cry:
     
    Cyclotourist, Mikie, mike and 3 others like this.
  16. Grego

    Grego iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    joe
    Current Bike:
    WFO9
  17. Paul Hales

    Paul Hales Member

    Location:
    Mornington Peninsula, Australia
    Name:
    Paul Hales
    Current Bike:
    Norco Torrent custom build
    I was born in a doctors surgery (and calling it that might be generous) in Strathgordon, Tasmania while my father was working on the dams as a tech for timeclocks.
    Due to this I don't have any birth records which occasionally makes life 'exciting' :bang:
     
    herzalot, kioti, Cyclotourist and 5 others like this.
  18. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Born and raised in Fountain Valley, Ca. Grew up there, went to FVHS. Didn't know what I wanted to do for school, so ended up getting my AA at OCC, then transferring to CSU Fullerton and getting my Bachelor's in Chemistry. I moved to Tustin and lived with a couple friends, then graduated and got a job with the State of CA doing environmental cleanups. Shortly after, heard about a position opening for my current job as a HazMat Specialist at Anaheim Fire. I lived in Tustin for about 5 years and then bought a house in Old Town Orange. I met my now father-in-law during an inspection at work and he was a chill guy. He called me up two days later sounding all nervous and odd on the phone and ended up telling me he thought his daughter and I would get along. We ended up going out on a blind date and the rest is history. Now we're coming up on our 7th year anniversary, moved back to Tustin and bought a house and have two boys, 5 and 2.

    I rode bmx as a kid, but mostly street and my main mode of transportation. I have a brother that's 3 years younger and we were home a lot by ourselves since both my parents worked. My dad did a ton of outdoor stuff with us and was a huge roadie. Commuted on his bike quite a bit, did the Solvang Century every year and we rode together a lot when I was a kid. I started getting into mountain biking in college. I remember seeing a MTB Action mag one day and had some cool stuff in it. I just decided it looked like fun and a way to get some exercise. Like a lot of other people, got a quick reality check when I realized what my $500 'budget' would actually get me. Ended up finding a deal on a 2004 Kona Coiler for $1400 and rode it until the wheels fell off. I was hooked. I ended up riding with a couple guys that started taking me on DH stuff and I was terrified, but the rush was so addicting. I crashed a lot. Like a lot a lot. Then I took my first actual trip to ride 'DH' at Bootleg. So many small victories there, small drops, more speed, just had so much fun. I remember seeing people hitting the road gap there and thinking how amazing that must feel and how awesome it would be, but thinking it was out of my realm. One of the most satisfying riding moments of my life was hitting that gap. So many good friends and good memories riding. I've met some awesome people.

    35999838611_485aa65668_c.jpg

    42066375190_0d4d30cac7_c.jpg
     
    Luis, scan, Mikie and 16 others like this.
  19. Chevrolegs

    Chevrolegs Member

    Location:
    Bakersfield, ca.
    Name:
    Steven
    Current Bike:
    Bronson
    Born in Artesia and raised in Anaheim. Lived in Bakersfield for four years for work, but I've been back in OC for three and loving it. I can definitely say I'm living the dream.

    I've been mountain biking since 2003.. my first bike was a 1998 Stumpjumper that was too big for me, but I loved it!
     
  20. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I was principal of FVHS from 2004 to 2014. After your time, but not by much, I’m sure.
     
  21. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    10 years as a HS principal? You have my deepest sympathy. And utmost respect. A truly difficult and thankless endeavor.

    My wife was an elementary principal and we jointly decided there are things more important than salary.
     
  22. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    13 years total - so far. Hard work but I love it!
     
  23. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    You need to get together with @Faust29 :)
     
  24. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Oh we have talked. My experiences aren’t even close to what he experienced as AP in Florida. I cringe at his stories.
     
  25. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I have 1000 more! Some memories I've suppressed... :Roflmao
     
  26. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Not too far. I graduated in '99.
     
    Sasquatch9billion and Danmtchl like this.
  27. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    10 years after I started my career at UPS! Now I feel old.
     
  28. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I'm cornfused. You started at UPS in '89 or '09?
     
    Danmtchl likes this.
  29. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Well if I started in '09 then I wouldn't feel old. Does that answer your question?
     
  30. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Ah, 30 years. It's retirement time soon, isn't it?
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?