1971 it was. Bought a Sierra Brown Schwinn Varsity with my paper route money. Cost exactly 104 dollars with the tax. The freedom I felt on that bike hooked me into it and 4 years later I bought a Schwinn Super Sport for exactly 148.40. Toured all over the Midwest and down to the Gulf Coast on it. Since then I have ridden the west coast and the Philippines on a bike. Bucket list item is a cross country self supported ride. Super bucket list is to ride to Alaska, but not sure I want to deal with the bears.