My first bicycle was a solid-tired BLO, brand unknown. After I outgrew it, mom and dad bought me a department store Schwinn Stingray-wannabe with ape hangers and banana seat from JCPenney's, I believe. I don't really remember what the "brand" was, but it said "Mojave" on the chain-guard. I detested that thing. Every other kid in the neighborhood had a BMX, as it was the mid-late-ish 70's. I jumped that thing and did my best to destroy it but failed miserably.

In 1982 when my 13th birthday was coming up, I asked for a "10-speed" for my birthday and got told it was too expensive. A week later my mom told me that if I came up with half the money, they'd buy go halves with me. I started saving my money and haunting bike shops. Found a really nice Univega that was just too expensive, and settled instead on a Schwinn Traveler. One of the very early Cro-Moly ones from Giant, though I didn't know it at the time. I rode the ever-lovin' crap outta that bike. Must have put five or six thousand miles on it in the four years I owned it. It was stolen about a month before I left for Basic Training. I'd still like to find who stole it and throttle them.