1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:17,741 --> 00:00:20,227 My name is Alden Olmsted. 4 00:00:20,261 --> 00:00:22,781 When I was 19 years old, I dropped out of college 5 00:00:22,815 --> 00:00:26,095 to start a BMX bike company, that ultimately failed. 6 00:00:27,096 --> 00:00:28,821 And I never forgave myself. 7 00:00:40,868 --> 00:00:44,630 I do remember way back 8 00:00:46,425 --> 00:00:52,086 to the levee for a ride 9 00:00:52,121 --> 00:00:58,127 like being shot from a bottle 10 00:00:58,161 --> 00:01:02,579 on that first ride 11 00:01:04,719 --> 00:01:09,690 when I flew above ya 12 00:01:39,858 --> 00:01:43,931 BMX. It stands for bicycle motorcross. 13 00:01:43,965 --> 00:01:47,762 It started in the 1970s with kids in Southern California 14 00:01:47,797 --> 00:01:51,697 outfitted their Schwinn sting rays to mimic their motorcycle heroes. 15 00:01:53,251 --> 00:01:57,117 Community. A group of people living in the same place 16 00:01:57,151 --> 00:01:59,740 or having a particular characteristic in common. 17 00:02:00,982 --> 00:02:03,433 I had one, but not the other. 18 00:02:08,921 --> 00:02:12,166 I grew up in Northern California, in Sonoma, 19 00:02:12,201 --> 00:02:14,858 small town of about 6,000 people. 20 00:02:14,893 --> 00:02:18,793 Classic, old, wine-country town. Grew up with a single mom. 21 00:02:18,828 --> 00:02:24,316 One brother. My father had left a few years earlier to go save California State parks, 22 00:02:24,351 --> 00:02:29,045 and do some, kind of, amazing things that I would find out about later. 23 00:02:29,079 --> 00:02:34,361 But as a kid, what I knew was I didn't have a dad. 24 00:02:34,395 --> 00:02:37,295 I think not having a father around for me 25 00:02:37,329 --> 00:02:39,952 added to the feeling of not feeling normal. 26 00:02:39,987 --> 00:02:42,955 A rebellious, challenging child. 27 00:02:42,990 --> 00:02:46,407 A lot of tough times of feeling very alone. 28 00:02:46,442 --> 00:02:48,306 I assumed it was me against the world. 29 00:02:48,340 --> 00:02:49,410 No one was going to help me. 30 00:02:49,445 --> 00:02:51,654 My mom loved me, put food on the table. 31 00:02:51,688 --> 00:02:52,827 She didn't have the bandwidth, 32 00:02:52,862 --> 00:02:55,865 I think, to go further, to encourage me. 33 00:02:55,899 --> 00:03:00,352 Whatever I was going to do, succeed or fail, I was going to be on my own. 34 00:03:00,387 --> 00:03:05,150 My first BMX experience actually comes back to my dad a little bit 35 00:03:05,185 --> 00:03:08,118 because he did visit every couple of years. 36 00:03:08,153 --> 00:03:11,777 He showed up on this one birthday and he said, "We're gonna get you a bike." 37 00:03:11,812 --> 00:03:15,229 We went to all these yard sales all over Sonoma and Napa, 38 00:03:15,264 --> 00:03:17,576 trying to find the right bike, one we could afford. 39 00:03:17,611 --> 00:03:19,682 We finally found this bike 40 00:03:19,716 --> 00:03:23,237 that was, kind of, goofy-looking, and my dad bought it for me. 41 00:03:23,272 --> 00:03:27,137 I don't know if I loved it, but I loved spending the day with my dad. 42 00:03:29,243 --> 00:03:30,589 And, um... 43 00:03:31,866 --> 00:03:36,008 Spending the day with my dad to find the bike was a pretty, 44 00:03:36,043 --> 00:03:39,771 was a pretty big deal, and that was like this big moment. 45 00:03:39,805 --> 00:03:42,670 I felt, kind of, normal because I finally had a cool bike. 46 00:03:44,293 --> 00:03:48,124 As soon as I could ride, my world was expanded. 47 00:03:48,158 --> 00:03:51,196 And that freedom of being on a bike, challenging yourself, 48 00:03:51,231 --> 00:03:54,234 and succeeding, I think, is why BMX is still popular. 49 00:03:55,752 --> 00:04:00,654 I do remember getting into the BMX world via the magazines. 50 00:04:00,688 --> 00:04:04,036 It was like your telephone line to what's going on in the outside world, 51 00:04:04,071 --> 00:04:07,143 and I started noticing which bikes were better than other bikes. 52 00:04:07,177 --> 00:04:08,972 I remember I was finally big enough to jump. 53 00:04:11,630 --> 00:04:14,944 When you first catch air on your own bike, your own power, 54 00:04:14,978 --> 00:04:16,635 you just feel amazing. 55 00:04:16,670 --> 00:04:18,844 You just feel like you could go do anything. 56 00:04:18,879 --> 00:04:21,295 I would be out 'til the street lights went off. 57 00:04:21,330 --> 00:04:23,918 Hours practicing all up and down the block. 58 00:04:23,953 --> 00:04:28,095 All of a sudden, I had something that I had and nobody could take away. 59 00:04:33,721 --> 00:04:36,345 When I was a freshman in college, and I started to put two and two together, 60 00:04:36,379 --> 00:04:40,349 and think I might actually drop out and start this BMX bike company, 61 00:04:40,383 --> 00:04:42,178 I had no idea what to do. 62 00:04:42,212 --> 00:04:43,697 Who do I ask, Who do I talk to? 63 00:04:43,731 --> 00:04:46,424 I didn't want to talk to my mom because she was already upset. 64 00:04:46,458 --> 00:04:49,047 And my friends were already... had stopped riding bikes. 65 00:04:49,081 --> 00:04:54,984 So I wrote a letter to Bob Haro, my hero of the BMX freestyle world. 66 00:04:55,018 --> 00:04:56,330 He was a guru. 67 00:04:56,365 --> 00:05:00,023 He, kind of, invented freestyle BMX, the trick riding part. 68 00:05:00,058 --> 00:05:04,338 He had created something from nothing, and I really respected that. 69 00:05:04,373 --> 00:05:08,411 There was a clear style to a Haro bike, the Haro team. 70 00:05:08,446 --> 00:05:12,001 So Bob Haro, I really felt, was kind of like the Steve Jobs of BMX. 71 00:05:13,347 --> 00:05:15,556 And then he wrote me back. 72 00:05:15,591 --> 00:05:19,146 In the letter, he said I could call him back, so I did. 73 00:05:19,180 --> 00:05:20,423 He definitely told me, 74 00:05:20,458 --> 00:05:23,081 "I'm not saying you should drop out of college," 75 00:05:23,115 --> 00:05:25,773 but he said, "If you want to make bikes, 76 00:05:25,808 --> 00:05:28,328 "you could try CycleCraft." 77 00:05:28,362 --> 00:05:32,332 Well, I already knew who CycleCraft was because they made good bikes. 78 00:05:32,366 --> 00:05:33,988 So they were very popular. 79 00:05:34,023 --> 00:05:38,545 They had their own team, and a lot of the pros raced for CycleCraft. 80 00:05:38,579 --> 00:05:40,754 They were a very good company. 81 00:05:40,788 --> 00:05:45,103 And when Bob told me, "You know, maybe they'll weld bikes for you." 82 00:05:45,137 --> 00:05:46,794 So I looked up who the owner was. 83 00:05:46,829 --> 00:05:48,796 His name was Joe Martino. 84 00:05:48,831 --> 00:05:50,626 We initially had a great report. 85 00:05:51,523 --> 00:05:54,008 I didn't know him in any other way, 86 00:05:54,043 --> 00:05:57,115 other than that, he was the guy that was gonna make my bikes. 87 00:06:15,202 --> 00:06:21,657 My mom was not supportive of my dropping out of college to start a bike company. 88 00:06:21,691 --> 00:06:25,523 My mom grew up in a very traditional household. 89 00:06:25,557 --> 00:06:28,871 You do not drop out of college for any reason. 90 00:06:29,768 --> 00:06:31,529 But at the time, this was in my gut. 91 00:06:31,563 --> 00:06:34,255 This was, like, a huge burning passion 92 00:06:34,290 --> 00:06:40,400 to start this company on my own, and I saw no other way. 93 00:06:40,434 --> 00:06:44,024 Eliminating the flex in the frame is the goal of the bike builder 94 00:06:44,058 --> 00:06:45,819 if you're building a racing bike. 95 00:06:45,853 --> 00:06:52,204 What made Homestead Bicycles unique was a twin-tube stabilizer bar 96 00:06:52,239 --> 00:06:53,758 that stiffened the rear triangle. 97 00:06:55,518 --> 00:06:59,384 So when kids are racing, they're on this thing called a gate. 98 00:06:59,419 --> 00:07:03,215 There's eight of them across, the gate slams down, and everyone tears off, 99 00:07:03,250 --> 00:07:07,530 and they're trying to get to that first turn the fastest they can, 100 00:07:07,565 --> 00:07:11,154 because they don't want to get stuck in this crowd of kids. 101 00:07:11,189 --> 00:07:13,433 So at the time, I wasn't sure it was going to work. 102 00:07:15,089 --> 00:07:18,472 The other thing that made the bike unique was that I painted 'em all green, 103 00:07:18,507 --> 00:07:21,130 and named it after a lizard from South America. 104 00:07:21,164 --> 00:07:23,512 I sponsored a kid. I went to the races. 105 00:07:23,546 --> 00:07:26,066 I handed out stickers, I printed fliers. 106 00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:28,240 I've made T shirts. I tried to do everything, 107 00:07:28,275 --> 00:07:31,934 but I didn't feel like an equal to the other companies, 108 00:07:31,968 --> 00:07:34,246 because again, they had the one thing I didn't have. 109 00:07:34,281 --> 00:07:35,282 They had community. 110 00:07:36,145 --> 00:07:37,871 I tried to find business partners 111 00:07:37,905 --> 00:07:40,977 and investors during the time when I ran Homestead Bicycles. 112 00:07:41,599 --> 00:07:43,463 Homestead Bicycles. 113 00:07:43,497 --> 00:07:48,433 It was hard to convince people of this vision if they weren't bike riders. 114 00:07:48,468 --> 00:07:51,401 So I wasn't able to find the right person. 115 00:07:51,436 --> 00:07:54,681 But it did confirm my feeling I had from being little of... 116 00:07:54,715 --> 00:07:56,268 It's just me against the world. 117 00:08:15,391 --> 00:08:18,774 The best shot I had with Homestead Bicycles was right at the end. 118 00:08:18,808 --> 00:08:22,294 This guy, Ken, that owned a shop in the Santa Cruz Mountains. 119 00:08:22,329 --> 00:08:23,779 He was excited about my bikes. 120 00:08:23,813 --> 00:08:26,575 He loved him. He wanted his whole team to ride 121 00:08:26,609 --> 00:08:29,543 the exclusively Homestead Bicycles racing team. 122 00:08:30,924 --> 00:08:32,339 I'm like, "This is it." 123 00:08:33,374 --> 00:08:34,755 And I called Joe Martino. 124 00:08:36,274 --> 00:08:38,794 No answer, and I called back the next day. 125 00:08:39,277 --> 00:08:40,554 No answer. 126 00:08:40,589 --> 00:08:42,625 It took a couple months to get a hold of him. 127 00:08:42,660 --> 00:08:45,421 Finally, he answers the phone kind of, sheepishly, 128 00:08:45,455 --> 00:08:51,254 and I ask him, "Hey, Joe, I got 20 more frames coming." I had paid for 50. I had 30. 129 00:08:51,289 --> 00:08:54,637 And he, kind of, waffles and says, " Oh, I don't know how to tell you this, Alden, 130 00:08:54,672 --> 00:08:56,501 "but I'm retired." 131 00:08:58,330 --> 00:09:00,022 And I said, "What about my bikes?" 132 00:09:00,056 --> 00:09:01,989 I'm sure they got welded, they're at the shop. 133 00:09:02,024 --> 00:09:05,027 Just mail 'em. And he just said... 134 00:09:07,823 --> 00:09:09,583 And I said, "What do you mean?" 135 00:09:09,618 --> 00:09:11,240 I... That's $1,800. 136 00:09:11,274 --> 00:09:12,828 90 bucks a frame 137 00:09:12,862 --> 00:09:14,795 times 20 bikes is $1,800. 138 00:09:14,830 --> 00:09:16,417 Big deal back then. 139 00:09:16,452 --> 00:09:21,215 The closest I came to, you know, feeling like a real company, it all went out 140 00:09:21,250 --> 00:09:23,493 because I couldn't provide any more bikes. 141 00:09:25,323 --> 00:09:28,326 I woke up one day and I thought, 142 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,261 "If I stop, who's going to ask me to start it again?" 143 00:09:32,295 --> 00:09:33,538 And I thought, "No one is." 144 00:09:34,159 --> 00:09:35,609 This is all on me. 145 00:09:35,644 --> 00:09:39,993 If I stop it, it stops. So I just... I let it go. 146 00:10:08,711 --> 00:10:11,921 My life right now is, kind of, rough. 147 00:10:13,923 --> 00:10:17,099 Although it's carefree, I guess, is the positive way. 148 00:10:17,133 --> 00:10:18,134 But it's tough. 149 00:10:19,515 --> 00:10:22,518 I've been bouncing around since my dad passed away. 150 00:10:35,151 --> 00:10:39,190 Life has been a challenge to remain positive. 151 00:10:40,881 --> 00:10:45,334 Getting older and being a dishwasher or doing odd jobs 152 00:10:45,368 --> 00:10:48,095 is, obviously, not what I want to be doing at this age. 153 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:55,965 I think it's been difficult for me to maintain a stable financial life 154 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,416 because I just have too many dreams. 155 00:10:58,450 --> 00:11:00,211 I have too many things I want to create. 156 00:11:00,245 --> 00:11:02,489 I've thought about it as a curse a lot. 157 00:11:02,523 --> 00:11:04,491 People say, "Oh, that's so great what you do. 158 00:11:04,525 --> 00:11:05,975 "You have these things you create." 159 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,151 Why can't I just focus on one thing? 160 00:11:09,185 --> 00:11:10,911 Why can't I do a day job? 161 00:11:10,946 --> 00:11:14,432 I don't know. Why do I need to be fulfilled, 162 00:11:14,466 --> 00:11:17,884 to do something that I'm pouring myself into? 163 00:11:17,918 --> 00:11:21,819 My dad poured his own life and my mom's life and my brother's life 164 00:11:21,853 --> 00:11:22,923 and my life. 165 00:11:22,958 --> 00:11:25,615 He poured everyone's life and it didn't work. 166 00:11:25,650 --> 00:11:27,583 Is that what I'm taking after? 167 00:11:27,617 --> 00:11:30,862 I never wanted to be anything like my dad. 168 00:11:30,897 --> 00:11:36,074 I've made a couple films, going back to college and doing what I had to quit on. 169 00:11:38,145 --> 00:11:41,493 I've done some state park work, things I can hang my hat on. 170 00:11:41,528 --> 00:11:42,909 But where does it get me? 171 00:11:50,330 --> 00:11:52,194 I can admit it now. 172 00:11:52,228 --> 00:11:55,197 I had been in a king-sized funk since my father died, 173 00:11:55,231 --> 00:11:58,648 and it took a serious blast from the past to snap me out of it. 174 00:12:01,065 --> 00:12:03,688 That slap in the face came in the form of an email 175 00:12:03,723 --> 00:12:06,553 from a friend I hadn't spoken to in years, 176 00:12:06,587 --> 00:12:09,521 and a curious link to a BMX collectors website. 177 00:12:13,042 --> 00:12:15,769 The whole thing that started this documentary 178 00:12:15,804 --> 00:12:18,461 was this one kid that posted a bike 179 00:12:18,496 --> 00:12:21,671 on a website called BMX Museum, and he put it out there 180 00:12:21,706 --> 00:12:23,259 because he didn't know what kind of bike it was. 181 00:12:23,294 --> 00:12:25,779 No stickers on it, but it was one of mine. 182 00:12:25,814 --> 00:12:29,334 When I looked closely, there was a different dropout, 183 00:12:29,369 --> 00:12:33,925 and I noticed that that was a CycleCraft dropout on a Homestead bike. 184 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,790 The dropout is the rear part that the wheel slides into. 185 00:12:39,517 --> 00:12:43,176 What the heck was a Homestead Bicycle frame doing on this website? 186 00:12:45,730 --> 00:12:50,217 I drew those dropouts so I knew what mine looked like. 187 00:12:50,252 --> 00:12:55,119 Did the last 20 bikes I paid for actually get welded but just never shipped? 188 00:12:57,397 --> 00:12:58,985 Had Joe Martino at CycleCraft 189 00:12:59,019 --> 00:13:02,505 sold them after I quit Homestead and just pocketed the money 190 00:13:02,540 --> 00:13:04,162 for those 20 frame and fork sets? 191 00:13:08,857 --> 00:13:11,307 Then I started wondering about the 30 bikes I did get. 192 00:13:12,446 --> 00:13:14,345 I wondered how many were still out there. 193 00:13:15,070 --> 00:13:17,348 Was anyone still riding one? 194 00:13:17,382 --> 00:13:21,179 With nothing holding me in LA, I decided I had to know. 195 00:13:21,214 --> 00:13:26,115 Maybe I'd find out where I went wrong with Homestead and what I got right. 196 00:13:26,150 --> 00:13:29,843 And just maybe I could find out what happened to my life 197 00:13:29,878 --> 00:13:31,707 by finding those missing bikes. 198 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:38,748 I always get depressed going to my storage unit. 199 00:13:38,783 --> 00:13:42,822 Seeing proof that my life is still in transition. 200 00:13:42,856 --> 00:13:46,342 But I knew I kept one file folder, and I knew there were a few receipts. 201 00:13:47,447 --> 00:13:50,139 I don't remember writing down serial numbers, 202 00:13:50,174 --> 00:13:53,177 but maybe there's the name of a shop or a name of a kid. 203 00:13:53,936 --> 00:13:56,283 Anyone who bought a Homestead. 204 00:13:56,318 --> 00:13:57,940 I knew my own bike would be in there, 205 00:13:57,975 --> 00:14:00,046 and I wanted to verify which serial number it had. 206 00:14:06,431 --> 00:14:07,432 Oh, boy. 207 00:14:14,819 --> 00:14:16,856 Here we have, uh... 208 00:14:19,306 --> 00:14:20,411 Serial number. 209 00:14:22,689 --> 00:14:24,208 Let's check it. 210 00:14:28,591 --> 00:14:31,767 Wow. Serial number 001. 211 00:14:35,115 --> 00:14:36,392 Oh, man. 212 00:14:36,427 --> 00:14:39,257 So I know I had a Homestead Bicycle file. 213 00:14:46,747 --> 00:14:48,059 No, it's not it. It's not it. 214 00:14:50,027 --> 00:14:51,028 Let me try one more. 215 00:14:57,827 --> 00:14:58,932 Homestead Bicycles. 216 00:14:59,139 --> 00:15:01,072 Wow! 217 00:15:01,107 --> 00:15:03,419 So there's my fictitious business name statement, 218 00:15:03,454 --> 00:15:07,389 doing business as Homestead Bicycles. 219 00:15:07,423 --> 00:15:10,875 After I ran one ad inBMX Action magazine, it was called "Go" 220 00:15:10,910 --> 00:15:14,568 at the time, I got letters from all over the world. 221 00:15:14,603 --> 00:15:18,814 Airmail from Germany, I think. 222 00:15:18,848 --> 00:15:22,197 "Hamestead Bicycles." This kid wrote me, I think from... 223 00:15:22,231 --> 00:15:24,958 My gosh, I think from Czechoslovakia. 224 00:15:24,993 --> 00:15:26,926 There's Fairview, Alberta, Canada. 225 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,239 Just from one ad placed in BMX Actionmagazine. 226 00:15:30,274 --> 00:15:32,448 This is the power of that magazine at the time. 227 00:15:32,483 --> 00:15:35,279 So this is a picture of the basilisk lizard, 228 00:15:35,313 --> 00:15:38,765 the paint was based off of, the green with the blue specks. 229 00:15:38,799 --> 00:15:41,699 That's my first drawing back in high school of a basilisk. 230 00:15:41,733 --> 00:15:47,153 So there might be some receipts from bike shops that bought, that bought the bikes. 231 00:15:47,187 --> 00:15:48,119 This is the first receipt. 232 00:15:48,154 --> 00:15:49,672 Moby Dicks Bike Shop. 233 00:15:49,707 --> 00:15:54,850 One bicycle frame. Santa Clara, California, Homestead Road, oddly enough. 234 00:15:54,884 --> 00:15:57,646 Sweet! Here's another one sold to the pedal pusher. 235 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,751 There's another receipt. A good lead. 236 00:15:59,786 --> 00:16:02,616 This one is April 20th, 1993, 237 00:16:02,651 --> 00:16:04,791 on consignment, Homestead frame and fork. 238 00:16:05,343 --> 00:16:06,241 Oh, there we go. 239 00:16:06,275 --> 00:16:07,345 This is it. 240 00:16:07,380 --> 00:16:10,348 That's a good piece of proof. 241 00:16:10,383 --> 00:16:14,456 50 bikes from CycleCraft, Homestead frame and forks. 242 00:16:15,491 --> 00:16:19,944 Oh, yes, Haro designs. 243 00:16:19,979 --> 00:16:21,773 This is where this whole thing started. 244 00:16:21,808 --> 00:16:25,191 Maybe I need to track down Bob Haro and see if he remembers this letter. 245 00:16:27,779 --> 00:16:29,471 When I'm telling you I had nothing to lose, 246 00:16:29,505 --> 00:16:33,026 I'm saying I had nothing. 247 00:16:33,061 --> 00:16:35,442 So I headed up the coast to the exact spot 248 00:16:35,477 --> 00:16:39,170 where the last Homestead was sold to track down the last guy to sell one. 249 00:16:43,243 --> 00:16:45,038 Is this Ken Kingsley? 250 00:16:46,488 --> 00:16:48,593 Hey, this is Alden Homestead, man. 251 00:16:48,628 --> 00:16:50,147 I know. It's been a long time. 252 00:16:50,181 --> 00:16:51,113 How are you doing? 253 00:16:53,460 --> 00:16:56,705 I'm doing good. It's been like... 23 years, man. 254 00:16:59,018 --> 00:17:01,675 I'm actually trying to track down these 30 bikes. 255 00:17:05,196 --> 00:17:06,439 Oh, my gosh. Okay. 256 00:17:06,473 --> 00:17:09,442 It turns out I might actually be up in Felton Scotts Valley. 257 00:17:09,476 --> 00:17:12,031 I don't know if that's too much for you to come over the hill and meet me? 258 00:17:20,384 --> 00:17:24,733 The last place that I sold bikes at and worked at 259 00:17:24,767 --> 00:17:29,220 was a bike shop on Highway 9 in Felton, California. 260 00:17:29,255 --> 00:17:33,052 So I haven't talked to Ken or even thought about him in 23 years. 261 00:17:38,333 --> 00:17:41,094 Did you ever think we'd be here in this position? 262 00:17:41,129 --> 00:17:42,130 Not really. 263 00:17:42,164 --> 00:17:43,924 Did you ever think you'd see me again? 264 00:17:43,959 --> 00:17:45,064 Probably not. 265 00:17:45,098 --> 00:17:47,928 That was my big moment of you saying, "Hey, I love... 266 00:17:47,963 --> 00:17:49,068 "These bikes are cool." 267 00:17:49,102 --> 00:17:51,104 Let's outfit our whole team with Homestead Bicycles. 268 00:17:51,139 --> 00:17:52,036 We did. 269 00:17:52,071 --> 00:17:53,486 I can't believe you remember names. 270 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:54,832 So it should I write them down or... 271 00:17:54,866 --> 00:17:57,352 No, I gotta a list for ya. Oh, you gotta list? 272 00:17:57,386 --> 00:18:00,976 Don't know if you remember any of them or not, but we got Shane Ellett. 273 00:18:01,010 --> 00:18:02,529 Shane Ellett? 274 00:18:02,564 --> 00:18:03,737 Yeah, he's in Boulder Creek. 275 00:18:03,772 --> 00:18:05,877 Chad Steven, I think is in Boulder Creek. 276 00:18:05,912 --> 00:18:09,812 Chad I do remember. Chad was the kid that would ride with me down 277 00:18:09,847 --> 00:18:11,331 -at Henry Cowell, I think. -Yeah. 278 00:18:11,366 --> 00:18:13,264 He came riding once or twice. 279 00:18:13,299 --> 00:18:16,060 And then there's Amber Howard, which is the only girl rider. 280 00:18:16,095 --> 00:18:17,579 Which actually rode one of your frames. 281 00:18:17,613 --> 00:18:19,788 -A girl rider? -Yeah. 282 00:18:19,822 --> 00:18:21,479 She actually did very well recently. 283 00:18:21,514 --> 00:18:22,894 Really? I did not... 284 00:18:22,929 --> 00:18:24,206 Then you have Nate Escoto, 285 00:18:24,241 --> 00:18:26,243 -which is one of our senior riders. -Nate I remember. 286 00:18:26,277 --> 00:18:29,211 He was probably about 22 then. Just got out of the military. 287 00:18:31,248 --> 00:18:33,319 Ken was pretty sure Nate was still around. 288 00:18:33,353 --> 00:18:35,597 And that I might find him at a pump track south of Santa Cruz. 289 00:18:38,738 --> 00:18:41,327 Get out. Now way, man. 290 00:18:41,361 --> 00:18:43,294 Fancy meeting you here. 291 00:18:43,329 --> 00:18:45,883 How you doing, man? Thanks for taking my call. 292 00:18:45,917 --> 00:18:48,817 Sheesh, how long's it been? 23 years? 293 00:18:48,851 --> 00:18:50,163 Something like that. Yeah. 294 00:18:50,198 --> 00:18:52,821 Dude, it's good to see you're still riding, man. 295 00:18:52,855 --> 00:18:54,029 Thank you. 296 00:18:54,063 --> 00:18:57,274 We were introduced at Ken's shop in Felton, California. 297 00:18:57,308 --> 00:18:58,896 Yeah. 298 00:18:58,930 --> 00:19:01,381 And that's when I first saw the Homestead bike. I thought it was pretty cool. 299 00:19:01,416 --> 00:19:04,833 You told me about, this was your baby and your project. 300 00:19:04,867 --> 00:19:06,731 And you were putting together a racing team, 301 00:19:06,766 --> 00:19:10,390 and you and Ken had invited me on a joint venture 302 00:19:10,425 --> 00:19:12,565 to, uh, join your team. 303 00:19:12,599 --> 00:19:14,291 -Yeah, well... -Off we went, 304 00:19:14,325 --> 00:19:16,810 we toured all over the country with your bike. 305 00:19:16,845 --> 00:19:19,296 I raced it in Arizona and Nevada, 306 00:19:19,330 --> 00:19:22,057 all over Southern California, Oklahoma, 307 00:19:22,091 --> 00:19:23,955 -at the Grand Nationals. -At the Grand Nationals? 308 00:19:23,990 --> 00:19:26,061 You raised the Homestead? I had no idea. 309 00:19:26,095 --> 00:19:28,305 Yeah, it handled well in turns. 310 00:19:28,339 --> 00:19:29,685 It was good in traffic. 311 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:31,963 Zippy little ride. I liked it. 312 00:19:31,998 --> 00:19:33,931 Where did your racing lead after that? 313 00:19:33,965 --> 00:19:36,278 I just reached the point where I just had enough of racing. 314 00:19:36,313 --> 00:19:39,281 I've been racing my bike since I was 13 years old. 315 00:19:39,316 --> 00:19:42,457 Walked into Ken's shop, and I gave my bike to 316 00:19:42,491 --> 00:19:44,631 my good friend, Shane Ellett, 317 00:19:44,666 --> 00:19:47,186 who raced on our team. He was a younger kid, 318 00:19:47,220 --> 00:19:51,638 and I handed my, uh, my Homestead to the young gun. 319 00:19:51,673 --> 00:19:54,193 Do you think Shane still lives in the area? 320 00:19:54,227 --> 00:19:56,505 Pretty sure he does. I think he's an electrician now. 321 00:19:57,265 --> 00:19:58,507 I remember you. 322 00:19:58,542 --> 00:20:01,372 I'm sorry. I'm sorry I don't remember you. 323 00:20:01,407 --> 00:20:04,686 I'm glad for everyone's memory because, Ken... Ken has got a great memory. 324 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,377 He gave me these five names. 325 00:20:06,412 --> 00:20:07,758 Apparently, you've got a great memory. 326 00:20:07,792 --> 00:20:09,415 -Yeah. -Do you mind if I... 327 00:20:09,449 --> 00:20:11,831 -Sit down. -Yeah, yeah. 328 00:20:11,865 --> 00:20:14,696 So when did you know that I had my own company? 329 00:20:14,730 --> 00:20:16,870 Well, right from the beginning, 330 00:20:16,905 --> 00:20:19,666 you had a cult, I think three bikes. 331 00:20:19,701 --> 00:20:22,290 It was promised that, you know, 20 more were coming. 332 00:20:22,324 --> 00:20:23,705 -Or... -So you remember that, too? 333 00:20:23,739 --> 00:20:25,120 -Yeah. -Yeah. Okay. 334 00:20:25,154 --> 00:20:26,984 When they came, I got one. 335 00:20:27,018 --> 00:20:29,676 I rode it for about three years. 336 00:20:29,711 --> 00:20:32,886 I won 17 races in a row on it. 337 00:20:32,921 --> 00:20:33,956 What was cool about it? 338 00:20:33,991 --> 00:20:35,889 Why did you like it, if you rode it that long? 339 00:20:35,924 --> 00:20:37,512 It was a fast bike. 340 00:20:37,546 --> 00:20:42,171 When you would put the pedal down, the power'd go right into the bike. 341 00:20:42,206 --> 00:20:44,553 - Into the ground. Yeah. - It was snappy and fast. 342 00:20:44,588 --> 00:20:46,900 Well, let's talk about your bike. 343 00:20:46,935 --> 00:20:49,834 And where is it now? And I'm, I'm hoping you have it still. 344 00:20:49,869 --> 00:20:52,147 -I do not. -You don't have the bike. 345 00:20:52,181 --> 00:20:55,081 No. You came all this way. I'm sorry. 346 00:20:55,115 --> 00:20:57,290 It's okay. Do you know what happened to it? 347 00:20:57,325 --> 00:21:00,293 Um, it went to somebody else on the team. 348 00:21:00,328 --> 00:21:02,813 Yeah. And do you remember who else was on the team? 349 00:21:03,434 --> 00:21:05,125 A girl, Amber. 350 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,195 Okay. 351 00:21:10,993 --> 00:21:13,582 Hello, Amber. My name is Alden Homestead. 352 00:21:13,617 --> 00:21:16,861 And I got your number from Ken Kingsley. 353 00:21:16,896 --> 00:21:19,312 I made a bike called Homestead Bicycles 354 00:21:19,347 --> 00:21:21,107 that I think you may have ridden. 355 00:21:23,109 --> 00:21:25,007 You did ride a Homestead. 356 00:21:25,042 --> 00:21:28,908 Awesome. Do you mind if I stop by and ask you questions about the bike? 357 00:21:33,602 --> 00:21:35,604 The story just keeps getting more interesting. 358 00:21:35,639 --> 00:21:38,400 I didn't know that Ken had any girls 359 00:21:38,435 --> 00:21:41,783 on the bike shop team. So that's pretty awesome. 360 00:21:41,817 --> 00:21:44,648 This is an angle that I did not expect. 361 00:21:53,277 --> 00:21:54,174 Hello. 362 00:21:56,384 --> 00:21:57,350 Hello. 363 00:21:57,764 --> 00:21:58,903 Hi. 364 00:21:58,938 --> 00:22:00,319 -Amber. -Hi, Alden. 365 00:22:00,353 --> 00:22:01,872 -Alden, nice to meet you. -Nice to meet you. 366 00:22:01,906 --> 00:22:03,460 Wow. 367 00:22:03,494 --> 00:22:06,601 Did you know your mom was a BMX racer? 368 00:22:06,635 --> 00:22:09,535 You didn't? Well, you're about to find out... 369 00:22:09,569 --> 00:22:11,433 -Yeah? -...how awesome she was. 370 00:22:11,468 --> 00:22:13,918 That was the first bike that I was on 371 00:22:13,953 --> 00:22:16,645 that really, kind of, awakened this, like, 372 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,338 love of biking and just being on a bike in me. 373 00:22:19,924 --> 00:22:21,719 I just loved it. 374 00:22:21,754 --> 00:22:26,586 This adorable little green bike and Ken told me about it. 375 00:22:26,621 --> 00:22:30,728 I joined the bike team, and he said, "You know what?" He's like, "You're pretty fast." 376 00:22:30,763 --> 00:22:32,420 I think I have a good bike for you. 377 00:22:34,111 --> 00:22:36,665 So he showed me this cute little green bike 378 00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:39,530 and it was called the Homestead, and I got on that, 379 00:22:39,565 --> 00:22:43,914 and I remember it felt like it just fit me perfectly, and I-I loved it. 380 00:22:43,948 --> 00:22:46,986 What was it like to get on that starting gate and actually race? 381 00:22:47,020 --> 00:22:51,646 So, it was super intimidating, but I decided to go for it anyway. 382 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,407 So I got up on the gate and had my little bike. 383 00:22:54,442 --> 00:22:56,513 I think that's why I got so attached to it. 384 00:22:56,547 --> 00:22:58,825 It was my comfort. I was comfortable on the bike, 385 00:22:58,860 --> 00:23:03,485 so I felt the confidence to just go for it and try it out. 386 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:07,869 I just took for granted all these years that, you know, my bike's just came and went. 387 00:23:07,903 --> 00:23:11,666 Not even a chapter in BMX, just a... half a page. 388 00:23:11,700 --> 00:23:15,842 To hear from people that are complete strangers, that I never even knew 389 00:23:15,877 --> 00:23:22,021 to think of like a girl being confident on one of my bikes is, it's just bizarre. 390 00:23:22,055 --> 00:23:23,919 I guess, let's get to the nitty gritty, why I'm here. 391 00:23:23,954 --> 00:23:26,439 So, the film is called 30 Bikes. 392 00:23:26,474 --> 00:23:30,201 And so I want to know which one you have. 393 00:23:30,236 --> 00:23:32,169 Do you have any idea of your serial number? 394 00:23:32,203 --> 00:23:34,136 Oh, my gosh. I wish I had it. 395 00:23:34,171 --> 00:23:36,345 I don't have the bike anymore. 396 00:23:36,380 --> 00:23:37,623 You don't have the bike? 397 00:23:37,657 --> 00:23:39,452 No. 398 00:23:42,697 --> 00:23:45,078 I was disappointed that Amber didn't have her bike, 399 00:23:45,113 --> 00:23:47,184 but being so close to Santa Cruz, 400 00:23:47,218 --> 00:23:49,531 I had to go see if there were any bikes at Camp MayMac. 401 00:24:15,143 --> 00:24:16,972 Man, this just used to be so manicured. 402 00:24:17,007 --> 00:24:18,215 I'd water it every day. 403 00:24:18,249 --> 00:24:21,045 The Homestead Bicycles was a part of this track. 404 00:24:30,538 --> 00:24:31,987 The kids would come up here and they'd say, 405 00:24:32,022 --> 00:24:33,920 "Oh, there's a new guy running the track." 406 00:24:33,955 --> 00:24:36,854 And then someone would say, "Yeah, he makes his own bikes." 407 00:24:36,889 --> 00:24:39,374 And I remember kids asking me, "Where can I buy one?" 408 00:24:39,408 --> 00:24:41,652 And they were good kids. We had a lot of fun. 409 00:24:42,204 --> 00:24:43,551 This is the bike shed. 410 00:24:43,585 --> 00:24:45,932 This is where we housed all the bikes for the kids to ride. 411 00:24:47,624 --> 00:24:50,765 Wow, Some memories are coming back. 412 00:24:50,799 --> 00:24:52,594 Just being in here is pretty amazing. 413 00:24:52,629 --> 00:24:55,321 I'm hoping I find something. Let's see what we got. 414 00:24:55,355 --> 00:24:59,981 We got Diamondbacks, Diamondback, Diamondback. 415 00:25:00,844 --> 00:25:03,502 We got GT's, Diamondback. 416 00:25:03,536 --> 00:25:04,503 What is that? No. 417 00:25:07,057 --> 00:25:08,299 Shoot. 418 00:25:08,334 --> 00:25:11,820 There might just be one frame... sitting... 419 00:25:13,373 --> 00:25:14,271 No. 420 00:25:16,584 --> 00:25:18,344 Nope. 421 00:25:19,034 --> 00:25:20,415 Back to the drawing board, huh? 422 00:25:21,036 --> 00:25:22,313 Man. 423 00:25:22,348 --> 00:25:24,868 It's not looking good for one missing Homestead. 424 00:25:30,667 --> 00:25:32,289 I was getting ahead of myself 425 00:25:32,323 --> 00:25:35,326 visiting Camp MayMac, without tracking down the guy who gave me the job, 426 00:25:35,361 --> 00:25:36,604 Neil Sundblad. 427 00:25:38,329 --> 00:25:40,090 Neil the Wheel. 428 00:25:41,091 --> 00:25:42,851 Dude, it's been a long time, man. 429 00:25:42,886 --> 00:25:43,956 Good to see you, man. 430 00:25:43,990 --> 00:25:45,682 -Wow. -That's awesome. 431 00:25:45,716 --> 00:25:46,924 -How you doing? -Great. 432 00:25:47,235 --> 00:25:48,098 Yeah. 433 00:25:50,514 --> 00:25:52,551 You know, the last time we met 434 00:25:52,585 --> 00:25:57,003 was on the starting gate at Santa Clara PAL BMX track. 435 00:25:57,038 --> 00:25:57,832 Exactly. 436 00:25:57,866 --> 00:25:59,316 -You remember that? -Yeah. 437 00:25:59,350 --> 00:26:00,420 You do? 438 00:26:00,455 --> 00:26:02,940 Wow. Did you ever think we'd be meeting like this? 439 00:26:03,631 --> 00:26:06,047 God does mysterious things. 440 00:26:06,081 --> 00:26:08,083 So how'd you get the name "Neil the Wheel"? 441 00:26:08,118 --> 00:26:11,259 I tended to take your wheel in the turn... 442 00:26:11,293 --> 00:26:13,123 I would T-bone you... 443 00:26:13,157 --> 00:26:14,952 Give you the elbow and they 444 00:26:14,987 --> 00:26:17,230 gave me the nickname "Neil the Wheel" 445 00:26:17,265 --> 00:26:20,440 because you never know where I was coming from on the turn. 446 00:26:20,475 --> 00:26:22,822 -I kind of got to start and say thank you. -Yeah. 447 00:26:22,857 --> 00:26:26,136 Because, you know, if you wouldn't have met me 448 00:26:26,170 --> 00:26:28,379 -and offered me the job at MayMac... -Yeah. 449 00:26:28,414 --> 00:26:30,658 -then I never would've met Ken Kingsley. -Yeah. 450 00:26:30,692 --> 00:26:32,798 I never would have sold my bikes 451 00:26:32,832 --> 00:26:35,352 in Felton, in Santa Cruz and-- 452 00:26:35,386 --> 00:26:37,941 -All over. -Had kind of a second life with the bike company. 453 00:26:37,975 --> 00:26:39,252 That's great. 454 00:26:39,287 --> 00:26:41,530 So it's pretty crazy how it all worked out. 455 00:26:42,290 --> 00:26:44,499 I got to ask you, why me? 456 00:26:44,533 --> 00:26:46,639 Because I was looking for a Christian 457 00:26:46,674 --> 00:26:50,332 that loved God and wanted to work with kids. 458 00:26:50,367 --> 00:26:53,508 I know. But you only knew me for five minutes when you offered me the job. 459 00:26:53,542 --> 00:26:54,613 I already prayed about that. 460 00:26:54,647 --> 00:26:56,787 I knew God was sending someone. 461 00:26:57,857 --> 00:27:00,895 -And I was desperate, too. 462 00:27:00,929 --> 00:27:04,726 'Cause I didn't want, you know, the thing to end. 463 00:27:04,761 --> 00:27:10,214 We needed someone that knew how to do BMX and jump and ride 464 00:27:10,249 --> 00:27:11,630 and show the kids the way. 465 00:27:25,195 --> 00:27:26,783 I went down to a local coffee shop 466 00:27:26,817 --> 00:27:28,923 to research a name Shane had given me, 467 00:27:28,957 --> 00:27:30,096 Logan Alexander. 468 00:27:31,408 --> 00:27:32,996 I found him on Facebook, and turns out, 469 00:27:33,030 --> 00:27:34,998 he's actually only about 20 minutes away. 470 00:27:47,735 --> 00:27:49,184 -Hey, good morning. -Hey. 471 00:27:49,219 --> 00:27:50,496 -Are you... You're Logan? -Yep. 472 00:27:50,530 --> 00:27:51,842 -Logan Alexander. -That's right. 473 00:27:51,877 --> 00:27:53,223 -No way. -How's it going? 474 00:27:53,257 --> 00:27:55,121 -Good. Shane gave me your... -You got your list? 475 00:27:55,156 --> 00:27:56,260 Your name... I got my list. 476 00:27:56,295 --> 00:27:57,710 I'm just making sure you're the right... 477 00:27:57,745 --> 00:27:58,746 Yep, that's me. 478 00:27:58,780 --> 00:27:59,954 So you knew Shane? 479 00:27:59,988 --> 00:28:01,127 -Oh, yeah. I knew Shane, yeah. -Okay. 480 00:28:01,162 --> 00:28:03,509 We used to race and ride BMX, for sure. 481 00:28:03,543 --> 00:28:05,062 Well, man, you know the big question. 482 00:28:05,097 --> 00:28:06,719 Shane gave me the short list. 483 00:28:06,754 --> 00:28:08,410 Do you still have your Homestead? 484 00:28:11,931 --> 00:28:13,553 - Here it is. - You got it? 485 00:28:13,588 --> 00:28:14,727 Yeah. 486 00:28:14,762 --> 00:28:17,143 Dude! 487 00:28:17,178 --> 00:28:19,145 One of the chrome ones. 488 00:28:19,180 --> 00:28:21,838 Yeah, I got... Picked out the first chrome one, actually. 489 00:28:21,872 --> 00:28:24,081 -I remember now. Yes. -Yeah, look at this bad boy. 490 00:28:24,116 --> 00:28:25,773 -Yeah. -Dude, that is so sweet. 491 00:28:25,807 --> 00:28:29,017 I can't believe it. Look 23. 492 00:28:29,052 --> 00:28:31,986 I didn't know what it was gonna feel like to find these bikes. 493 00:28:32,020 --> 00:28:33,297 I really didn't, 494 00:28:33,332 --> 00:28:36,024 but it's kind of like finding a child. 495 00:28:36,059 --> 00:28:37,854 This is well worn, man. 496 00:28:37,888 --> 00:28:39,718 -Yeah. I still see some use. -You got some... 497 00:28:39,752 --> 00:28:44,205 -Uh, might be a little bit bent, but it still looks good. -Thatt's all right. 498 00:28:44,239 --> 00:28:47,242 Do you ever remember riding around and people going, 499 00:28:47,277 --> 00:28:48,830 "What kind of bike is that, man?" 500 00:28:48,865 --> 00:28:51,764 Yeah, actually, I remember I was at PAL one time, 501 00:28:51,799 --> 00:28:54,629 and some kid saw me, he was like, "Is that a Homestead?" 502 00:28:54,663 --> 00:28:56,044 I was like, "Yeah. Yeah. How do you know?" 503 00:28:56,079 --> 00:28:57,666 He was like, "Oh, I've heard about 'em." 504 00:28:57,701 --> 00:28:59,323 It was lightweight. I remember that. 505 00:28:59,358 --> 00:29:01,636 I think my bike weighed like 23, 24 pounds. 506 00:29:01,670 --> 00:29:03,086 That was really nice. 507 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,054 -I think I was able to bunny hop like 33 inches back then. -Wow. 508 00:29:06,089 --> 00:29:08,470 - I could not do that anymore. You know? -- Yeah. 509 00:29:08,505 --> 00:29:11,025 I wanted something that had some character, some soul. 510 00:29:11,059 --> 00:29:12,612 Definitely unique frame 511 00:29:12,647 --> 00:29:15,581 and unique look, unique following. 512 00:29:15,615 --> 00:29:18,515 Semi cult following, you know. People knew about them 513 00:29:18,549 --> 00:29:21,863 and mystical sort of thing to have that appeared once in a while. 514 00:29:21,898 --> 00:29:24,245 To have a Homestead was sort of a special thing. 515 00:29:33,219 --> 00:29:35,601 I figured it was time to go back to where I grew up, 516 00:29:35,635 --> 00:29:37,879 the little wine country town of Sonoma, 517 00:29:37,914 --> 00:29:40,468 and follow up on a consignment receipt I found in my files 518 00:29:40,502 --> 00:29:42,332 for the Good Time Bicycle company. 519 00:29:43,747 --> 00:29:46,370 It was the only bike shop in town growing up. 520 00:29:46,405 --> 00:29:48,890 Maybe the guy who ran it, Doug McKesson, 521 00:29:48,925 --> 00:29:51,134 would have a record of who he sold that first bike to. 522 00:29:58,210 --> 00:29:59,901 You couldn't have scripted it better man. 523 00:30:00,868 --> 00:30:02,283 The bike is still on the side. 524 00:30:02,317 --> 00:30:04,423 It's worn. It looks like it's maybe 525 00:30:04,457 --> 00:30:06,114 as old as my bike company. 526 00:30:06,149 --> 00:30:08,116 -How you doing, man? Good to see you. -Good. How're you? 527 00:30:08,151 --> 00:30:10,463 -Wow! -I don't remember you being that tall. 528 00:30:10,498 --> 00:30:11,706 Yeah. 529 00:30:11,740 --> 00:30:14,847 -I was just a little squirt when I was here. 530 00:30:14,882 --> 00:30:15,986 You got my phone calls. 531 00:30:16,021 --> 00:30:18,575 So, you know, I'm trying to track down these 30 bikes. 532 00:30:18,609 --> 00:30:21,164 That's number, serial number two, right on my car there. 533 00:30:22,786 --> 00:30:26,686 So that was... The one that you would've had was green. 534 00:30:26,721 --> 00:30:30,587 Um, towards the end of the run, I had a few of them chromed 535 00:30:30,621 --> 00:30:33,832 and, um, I just never got stickers for the chrome ones, but... 536 00:30:36,904 --> 00:30:37,939 It's very cool. 537 00:30:37,974 --> 00:30:40,114 -It was cool bike, though, huh? -Yeah. 538 00:30:40,148 --> 00:30:42,357 Just have some kid in the neighborhood 539 00:30:42,392 --> 00:30:44,877 have the chutzpah, you know, to kind of come along 540 00:30:44,912 --> 00:30:47,086 and actually design something that was cool 541 00:30:47,121 --> 00:30:49,778 and then follow through and have it done was really neat, 542 00:30:49,813 --> 00:30:51,780 so didn't buy it for me. 543 00:30:51,815 --> 00:30:54,887 -But I put it on consignment for you. -Okay. 544 00:30:54,922 --> 00:30:57,096 You don't remember, specifically, it selling. 545 00:30:57,131 --> 00:30:58,995 -I don't. -And I'm gonna guess you don't 546 00:30:59,029 --> 00:31:00,720 have receipts in this box. 547 00:31:00,755 --> 00:31:02,481 -- No. All gone. -- Okay. 548 00:31:02,515 --> 00:31:05,725 But as far as my brand and my unique thing, 549 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:09,005 you think I started something that maybe I could restart? 550 00:31:09,039 --> 00:31:11,076 I think people wanted something different. 551 00:31:11,110 --> 00:31:12,698 Certain part of the nostalgia sells. 552 00:31:12,732 --> 00:31:14,838 But if it really functions and it works, 553 00:31:14,873 --> 00:31:19,808 then you can bring it into the market today and be something unique. 554 00:31:19,843 --> 00:31:23,674 I guess if I relaunched Homestead Bicycles today, it would... 555 00:31:23,709 --> 00:31:29,542 it would be having a second chance at my first big dream in life. 556 00:31:29,577 --> 00:31:31,372 You've got the perseverance, you had it back then, 557 00:31:31,406 --> 00:31:33,650 which is kind of the neat part of the whole thing. 558 00:31:33,684 --> 00:31:35,479 And here you are again, coming around at it. 559 00:31:35,514 --> 00:31:36,687 I think that's what it's about. 560 00:31:36,722 --> 00:31:38,793 It's just sticking with it and you have something unique, 561 00:31:38,827 --> 00:31:40,553 and it will sell if you get the word out. 562 00:31:54,774 --> 00:31:57,846 So I'm looking for all 30 bikes. 563 00:31:57,881 --> 00:32:00,711 -I have one. -You have, You do actually have a bike? 564 00:32:00,746 --> 00:32:01,643 Yes. 565 00:32:04,439 --> 00:32:06,683 Oh, sweet. 566 00:32:06,717 --> 00:32:09,099 -You got... Ooh... -It's got a little... 567 00:32:09,134 --> 00:32:10,583 Just needs a paint job, man. 568 00:32:10,618 --> 00:32:12,137 -Yeah, it does. -That's nice, though. 569 00:32:13,552 --> 00:32:15,795 -What number? Oh, number 12. -Twelve. 570 00:32:15,830 --> 00:32:18,419 All right. Number 12. Found another one. 571 00:32:18,453 --> 00:32:20,766 Why did you want a Homestead? 572 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:25,564 Um, well, knowing the founder of Homestead Bicycles had something to do with it. 573 00:32:25,598 --> 00:32:28,015 These Homestead designs are still out there. 574 00:32:28,049 --> 00:32:30,845 And, uh, this is not the first person I've heard from 575 00:32:30,879 --> 00:32:31,846 that still has their, 576 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:33,537 their sweatshirt or their T-shirt. 577 00:32:33,572 --> 00:32:36,092 So this is pretty awesome to see. 578 00:32:36,126 --> 00:32:40,959 So Homestead Bicycles went from roughly 1991 to 1995. 579 00:32:40,993 --> 00:32:42,995 You're telling me that you would like to see 580 00:32:43,030 --> 00:32:45,066 Homestead Bicycles 2019. 581 00:32:46,481 --> 00:32:47,482 Definitely. 582 00:32:48,242 --> 00:32:49,588 My biggest fear, 583 00:32:49,622 --> 00:32:52,211 if I were to relaunch Homestead Bicycles today, 584 00:32:52,246 --> 00:32:54,903 would be just a failing all over again. 585 00:32:54,938 --> 00:32:59,460 Falling into the rut or the traps that I fell into before. 586 00:32:59,494 --> 00:33:02,532 Now I think I would embrace the niche and go for it. 587 00:33:02,946 --> 00:33:04,189 And go all in. 588 00:33:04,223 --> 00:33:05,742 So where you headed next? 589 00:33:06,915 --> 00:33:09,573 This kid that I sponsored from Auburn, 590 00:33:09,608 --> 00:33:12,645 he lives in Eureka now, and he just found me on Instagram. 591 00:33:22,586 --> 00:33:26,314 When I met Neal, my first and only Homestead sponsored rider, 592 00:33:26,349 --> 00:33:28,420 I knew I needed a good rider, 593 00:33:28,454 --> 00:33:32,113 but I knew I couldn't afford much in the way of a pro rider, 594 00:33:32,148 --> 00:33:35,496 so I probably had to find a kid that was 15, 16, 595 00:33:35,530 --> 00:33:38,257 you know, just about to turn expert. 596 00:33:38,292 --> 00:33:40,708 So I remember I called him up and I said, "Hey, Neal, 597 00:33:40,742 --> 00:33:42,917 if you're up for it, I would like you to be 598 00:33:42,951 --> 00:33:45,333 the Homestead Bicycle factory rider." 599 00:33:50,545 --> 00:33:51,926 Hello? 600 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:54,446 Are you Neal Skadden? 601 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:57,035 -Dude. What? 602 00:33:57,069 --> 00:33:58,898 I don't even know what to say, man. 603 00:33:58,933 --> 00:34:00,176 -What's up, man? 604 00:34:00,210 --> 00:34:01,763 -Jeez. 605 00:34:01,798 --> 00:34:03,662 -Good to see you, brother. -Good to see you. 606 00:34:03,696 --> 00:34:05,077 There's a few things that happened. 607 00:34:05,112 --> 00:34:08,322 Your finding me on Instagram was one of the things that 608 00:34:08,356 --> 00:34:09,875 got the wheels in motion. 609 00:34:09,909 --> 00:34:12,947 Think about maybe it was time to tell the story that there was, 610 00:34:12,981 --> 00:34:14,742 -I mean, I left something on the table. -Right. 611 00:34:14,776 --> 00:34:16,537 You know, when I closed down the shop, 612 00:34:16,571 --> 00:34:19,850 the company, maybe I, maybe I left something there. 613 00:34:19,885 --> 00:34:21,266 -- We're here for two reasons. -- Right. 614 00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:23,337 One of the things we're here for is, 615 00:34:23,371 --> 00:34:26,305 -do you have a Homestead still? -Yes, I do. 616 00:34:26,340 --> 00:34:27,548 All right, 617 00:34:27,582 --> 00:34:29,377 because I have been meeting people 618 00:34:29,412 --> 00:34:31,276 -that have these great stories. -Right. 619 00:34:31,310 --> 00:34:32,691 They're excited about the bikes. 620 00:34:32,725 --> 00:34:37,247 They love the bikes, but mysteriously moved or gave it to someone. 621 00:34:37,282 --> 00:34:39,905 -So... -I still have it. I don't have it here. 622 00:34:39,939 --> 00:34:41,562 -Okay. -But I still have it. 623 00:34:41,596 --> 00:34:43,702 -Still have it. -It's 019. 624 00:34:43,736 --> 00:34:45,428 -- 019? All right. -- 019. 625 00:34:45,462 --> 00:34:46,670 Okay. I got to get my book. 626 00:34:46,705 --> 00:34:48,569 We'll write it down before we leave. 627 00:34:48,603 --> 00:34:49,915 You thought we had reality before? 628 00:34:49,949 --> 00:34:52,952 This is reality because you're going to see old man BMX. 629 00:34:53,677 --> 00:34:55,610 All right, let's rock, man. 630 00:34:55,645 --> 00:34:58,544 Now, with the camera on, I gotta just... Gotta get used to it. 631 00:35:33,959 --> 00:35:37,825 You showed up and gave me this brand new frame and everybody's like, 632 00:35:37,859 --> 00:35:40,586 "Where'd you get that?" They were just like, patting me on the back. 633 00:35:40,621 --> 00:35:43,348 I remember your friends, well, seemed to be impressed, and they were like, 634 00:35:43,382 --> 00:35:46,316 "Dude, you just got, some guy shows up and gives you a frame." 635 00:35:46,351 --> 00:35:48,870 It was great. I mean, a couple races in, 636 00:35:48,905 --> 00:35:50,941 I was in magazines and stuff. 637 00:35:50,976 --> 00:35:51,977 He was ready to go. 638 00:35:52,011 --> 00:35:53,047 He was all in. 639 00:35:53,081 --> 00:35:55,291 And he was exactly the kind of kid that I wanted. 640 00:35:55,325 --> 00:35:57,155 I don't know, what did that do for you 641 00:35:57,189 --> 00:36:00,986 confidence-wise, or whether or how'd that make you feel or ride different? 642 00:36:01,020 --> 00:36:05,715 Riding for Homestead let me travel to more places to further my riding. 643 00:36:05,749 --> 00:36:11,030 It kind of showed my parents that it was more than just a passing fad. 644 00:36:11,065 --> 00:36:13,309 What happened? Did we just kind of fade away? 645 00:36:13,343 --> 00:36:14,931 Did you stop racing? Did you call me? 646 00:36:14,965 --> 00:36:17,244 Did I call and say, "I can't respond to you anymore"? 647 00:36:17,278 --> 00:36:18,452 I don't remember. 648 00:36:18,486 --> 00:36:21,351 You called me in '93 or '94 649 00:36:21,386 --> 00:36:23,595 and offered to give me a whole 'nother bike. 650 00:36:23,629 --> 00:36:26,114 and everything. Come racing for you some more. 651 00:36:26,149 --> 00:36:27,909 I actually turned you down 652 00:36:27,944 --> 00:36:30,222 because I was like, at that point, I was almost, 653 00:36:30,257 --> 00:36:32,293 I thought I was done with riding bikes. 654 00:36:32,328 --> 00:36:36,124 It's time to get a job and a car and do all this different stuff. 655 00:36:36,159 --> 00:36:37,747 And where are you now? 656 00:36:37,781 --> 00:36:39,611 Yeah, at 44, I'm back riding bikes. 657 00:36:39,645 --> 00:36:41,475 You're back riding bikes, around the skate park. 658 00:36:41,509 --> 00:36:42,614 Well, good to see you, man. 659 00:36:42,648 --> 00:36:44,063 -Good to see you, man. -Glad we reconnected this. 660 00:36:44,098 --> 00:36:45,203 I don't think this is the end. 661 00:37:19,685 --> 00:37:21,618 It's been a while since I've been out here. -It has been a while. 662 00:37:21,653 --> 00:37:22,723 -How are you doing? -Good to see you. 663 00:37:22,757 --> 00:37:23,862 Good to see you. 664 00:37:23,896 --> 00:37:25,553 -So you got my message? -I did. 665 00:37:25,588 --> 00:37:27,797 -You heard I'm trying to track down the bikes. -Oh, yeah. 666 00:37:32,388 --> 00:37:34,113 Oh, the boy's put a tire on it. 667 00:37:34,148 --> 00:37:35,943 -Oh, sweet. 668 00:37:35,977 --> 00:37:38,048 -I told you they wanted to put it back together. -Nice. 669 00:37:39,084 --> 00:37:41,535 Sweet. Whoo-hoo! 670 00:37:43,088 --> 00:37:44,952 Wow! Well, another bike found. 671 00:37:44,986 --> 00:37:47,886 -021, right? -Yeah. 672 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:49,922 Well, I've got to tell you on this journey, 673 00:37:49,957 --> 00:37:53,719 people have been asking me, and it started at the first person we interviewed. 674 00:37:53,754 --> 00:37:55,583 -Okay. -Said, "Are you making more bikes?" 675 00:37:55,618 --> 00:37:58,655 -Yeah. Yeah. Well, I wanna know. -And I said, 676 00:37:58,690 --> 00:38:01,140 "Well, I didn't plan on it, but it's looking like 677 00:38:01,175 --> 00:38:02,935 -that's how things are going." -Yeah. 678 00:38:03,798 --> 00:38:05,455 If I make more bikes today, 679 00:38:05,490 --> 00:38:09,045 I don't want to just make bikes to say, "Oh, I did Homestead right." 680 00:38:09,079 --> 00:38:11,737 I need something that changes my life. 681 00:38:11,772 --> 00:38:15,189 Because I'll be honest, I don't like my life right now. 682 00:38:15,223 --> 00:38:17,433 So if I didn't know there was this demand, 683 00:38:17,467 --> 00:38:20,470 and I didn't know people liked the bikes as much as they did... 684 00:38:20,505 --> 00:38:22,196 -That sounds silly to say. -Yeah. 685 00:38:22,230 --> 00:38:25,475 -But I just didn't know. -It's a classic, man. I'll never get rid of mine. 686 00:38:47,980 --> 00:38:49,603 What's up, man? 687 00:38:49,637 --> 00:38:53,020 What do you remember about the beginnings of Homestead Bicycles for you? 688 00:38:53,814 --> 00:38:55,678 First off, you were the coolest guy 689 00:38:55,712 --> 00:38:57,956 in the world to me when I was 16. 690 00:38:58,474 --> 00:39:00,855 It was very exciting 691 00:39:00,890 --> 00:39:03,271 to be there, like with you in it. 692 00:39:03,306 --> 00:39:07,621 Other than knowing the creator, what was different to you about the Homestead? 693 00:39:07,655 --> 00:39:10,693 Having a cool bike that I loved to ride 694 00:39:10,727 --> 00:39:14,386 and was original and was unique. 695 00:39:14,421 --> 00:39:17,113 That was it. That was enough for me. 696 00:39:17,147 --> 00:39:19,115 Here's the big question. This is why we're here. 697 00:39:19,149 --> 00:39:21,220 Where is the bike now? 698 00:39:21,255 --> 00:39:24,672 The bike ended up in my dad's house, right? Down in the garage. 699 00:39:24,707 --> 00:39:27,261 And my dad may have taken it to a recycle center. 700 00:39:27,675 --> 00:39:28,814 Oh, man. 701 00:39:28,849 --> 00:39:31,748 Do we remember at all what serial number that was? 702 00:39:32,093 --> 00:39:33,647 I don't. 703 00:39:33,681 --> 00:39:37,961 Do you remember telling me it was maybe time to put the company down? 704 00:39:37,996 --> 00:39:42,794 At that time, it felt like maybe you've taken this as far as it can go. 705 00:39:42,828 --> 00:39:45,313 I felt like you needed to grow beyond it. 706 00:39:46,591 --> 00:39:49,835 Yeah, I mean, that probably was the truth at the time. 707 00:39:49,870 --> 00:39:53,805 Do you realize that that conversation we had was what caused me to think 708 00:39:53,839 --> 00:39:56,394 that maybe it was time to put down Homestead Bicycles? 709 00:39:57,015 --> 00:39:59,811 Did that feel like defeat? 710 00:39:59,845 --> 00:40:01,053 At the time, 711 00:40:01,088 --> 00:40:03,470 you telling me to put Homestead down or to let it go 712 00:40:03,504 --> 00:40:05,195 felt like relief. 713 00:40:05,230 --> 00:40:08,026 Who's to say that you shouldn't spend your life 714 00:40:08,060 --> 00:40:10,373 pursuing the things that you're passionate about? 715 00:40:10,408 --> 00:40:12,340 Yeah, there's a lot of truth there. 716 00:40:13,341 --> 00:40:14,860 Any of those kids that rode at camp? 717 00:40:14,895 --> 00:40:17,932 Do you know any kids that might have a Homestead today? 718 00:40:17,967 --> 00:40:20,383 I believe it was the summer after you were at MayMac. 719 00:40:20,418 --> 00:40:23,662 You and I built the BMX track at Mount Gilead. 720 00:40:23,697 --> 00:40:26,458 Think there were probably six in that shed. 721 00:40:29,634 --> 00:40:32,222 Wow, man. I definitely don't remember this. 722 00:40:32,257 --> 00:40:33,292 -- Now... -- That's pretty cool. 723 00:40:33,327 --> 00:40:34,984 We put that up a number of years ago 724 00:40:35,018 --> 00:40:36,468 for all of our campers. 725 00:40:36,503 --> 00:40:40,058 Now. Do you remember if there are any Homesteads in the shed? 726 00:40:40,092 --> 00:40:41,922 I'm not sure. 727 00:40:41,956 --> 00:40:44,925 I don't know how to identify a Homestead. So... 728 00:40:44,959 --> 00:40:46,374 Well then, this'll be a good opportunity. 729 00:40:46,409 --> 00:40:48,687 -I'll show you. -Okay. All right. 730 00:40:48,722 --> 00:40:52,139 So these were the rules of BMX in this track that I made up. 731 00:40:52,173 --> 00:40:53,796 I forgot about this. 732 00:40:53,830 --> 00:40:56,074 And this is how to take care of the track, 733 00:40:56,108 --> 00:40:57,972 shovel and patch it for major repairs, 734 00:40:58,007 --> 00:40:59,491 rake it, sweep it, 735 00:40:59,526 --> 00:41:02,563 um, water it and then ride it as much as possible. 736 00:41:02,598 --> 00:41:05,566 A ridden track is much better than an unridden track. 737 00:41:06,256 --> 00:41:07,844 I totally forgot about this. 738 00:41:09,570 --> 00:41:13,091 -Well, you have a legacy here, Alden. -I forgot. 739 00:41:13,125 --> 00:41:14,472 -It's just easy to forget. 740 00:41:15,542 --> 00:41:16,543 Wow. 741 00:41:24,102 --> 00:41:26,138 I got to tell you, it still looks like a fun track. 742 00:41:26,173 --> 00:41:28,140 I got half a mind to rake this thing 743 00:41:28,175 --> 00:41:31,523 once it dries out in a month, then come out here and ride it, man. 744 00:41:31,558 --> 00:41:34,595 You're always welcome to come back and work on the track, Alden. 745 00:41:34,630 --> 00:41:36,597 -You're always welcome. -What you're saying is, 746 00:41:36,632 --> 00:41:38,806 -free labor is always welcome. -Absolutely. 747 00:41:38,841 --> 00:41:42,085 -Free labor is always welcome at summer camps. -Yeah. That's right. 748 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:43,915 All right, let's go see if we can find one more bike. 749 00:41:43,949 --> 00:41:44,950 -All right. -Come on. 750 00:41:48,195 --> 00:41:49,265 Well, here they are. 751 00:41:49,299 --> 00:41:51,612 I don't know what they look like, Alden. 752 00:41:51,647 --> 00:41:55,685 Well, they... Yeah, they had a twin stabilizer bar. 753 00:41:55,720 --> 00:41:56,859 Rear end. 754 00:41:56,893 --> 00:41:59,896 Um... These are cool bikes. 755 00:41:59,931 --> 00:42:02,796 This is a... This looks like SE racing, 756 00:42:02,830 --> 00:42:04,901 SE racing, SE... 757 00:42:05,764 --> 00:42:07,904 All these are SE. What is this? 758 00:42:07,939 --> 00:42:10,044 That's another SE racing right there. 759 00:42:10,631 --> 00:42:11,839 Oh, you got a Redline. 760 00:42:13,531 --> 00:42:14,739 And what is this bike? 761 00:42:16,464 --> 00:42:18,018 Oh, it's a Trek. 762 00:42:18,052 --> 00:42:19,606 That's a Trek with a... 763 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:20,917 With an interesting... 764 00:42:22,332 --> 00:42:24,403 frame, but not a Homestead. 765 00:42:24,438 --> 00:42:25,577 This is it, huh? 766 00:42:25,612 --> 00:42:26,923 That's all we have. 767 00:42:27,199 --> 00:42:28,822 Argh. 768 00:42:28,856 --> 00:42:31,549 Well, there might be one at the warehouse if you want to go check there. 769 00:42:32,791 --> 00:42:36,346 So here are where the bikes are. They're up there in the rafters. 770 00:42:36,381 --> 00:42:39,108 Oh, wouldn't it be awesome if there's just one. 771 00:42:39,142 --> 00:42:41,075 Even just one. Wouldn't that be awesome? 772 00:42:41,973 --> 00:42:42,905 This is it, huh? 773 00:42:42,939 --> 00:42:44,976 Yeah. This is all the bikes we have. 774 00:42:45,010 --> 00:42:46,909 Well, you had me going there. 775 00:42:46,943 --> 00:42:49,221 I thought we might find one back here. 776 00:42:49,256 --> 00:42:53,191 Man, it would have been awesome to find one, but it's still fun to come back here. 777 00:42:53,225 --> 00:42:54,951 Even the ones that are here bring back memories. 778 00:43:14,661 --> 00:43:16,835 Oh, yes! 779 00:43:22,116 --> 00:43:23,842 -Wow! 780 00:43:41,135 --> 00:43:42,654 -What's up, man? -Welcome, brother. 781 00:43:42,689 --> 00:43:44,932 -Oh, my. -How are you doing? 782 00:43:44,967 --> 00:43:46,451 Dude, I've been good. 783 00:43:46,485 --> 00:43:48,660 So how many years has it been? 784 00:43:48,695 --> 00:43:51,007 I was trying to think about, I think it's been 28. 785 00:43:51,042 --> 00:43:52,457 Oh, my gosh, 28? 786 00:43:52,491 --> 00:43:54,114 Well, since we met. 787 00:43:54,148 --> 00:43:57,324 -So would you... -The last time we rode, 788 00:43:57,358 --> 00:44:00,361 you had just gotten the bikes out of the shop. 789 00:44:00,396 --> 00:44:03,675 -You'd only got about half of what you were getting. -Yeah. 790 00:44:03,710 --> 00:44:06,057 But I think you were only about 25 in. 791 00:44:06,091 --> 00:44:07,610 Did I bring you the bike? 792 00:44:07,645 --> 00:44:10,268 -Do you remember? -You brought me one. 793 00:44:10,302 --> 00:44:13,927 And then you had the black one still in the trunk, 794 00:44:13,961 --> 00:44:17,137 and we dropped by DJ's house and DJ's like, "I want one, too." 795 00:44:18,379 --> 00:44:19,691 Whoo-hoo! 796 00:44:19,726 --> 00:44:20,796 Nice. 797 00:44:22,660 --> 00:44:25,145 Oh, man, I remember that color. 798 00:44:25,179 --> 00:44:26,905 There was only a couple of that color, man. 799 00:44:26,940 --> 00:44:28,389 You got a rare one. 800 00:44:28,424 --> 00:44:30,737 So what number is this one? 801 00:44:31,876 --> 00:44:32,842 Twenty-five. 802 00:44:32,877 --> 00:44:34,602 Twenty-five. 803 00:44:34,637 --> 00:44:37,053 Twenty five. Mark Wilson. 804 00:44:38,399 --> 00:44:40,470 Do you remember the first time you heard 805 00:44:40,505 --> 00:44:41,644 I was starting a bike company? 806 00:44:42,369 --> 00:44:43,957 -Yeah. Camp. -Yeah. 807 00:44:43,991 --> 00:44:46,442 We had talked, and 'course riding. 808 00:44:46,476 --> 00:44:49,100 And you talked about the Homestead Bicycle company 809 00:44:49,825 --> 00:44:50,929 -and your dream. -Yeah. 810 00:44:50,964 --> 00:44:53,932 And of course, we were proud and excited for you. 811 00:44:53,967 --> 00:44:55,831 What was it like owning a Homestead bicycle 812 00:44:55,865 --> 00:45:00,076 and actually riding it around every day, being on a unique bike? 813 00:45:00,111 --> 00:45:03,631 You're one of, at the time, was going to be 50... 814 00:45:03,666 --> 00:45:05,806 And everybody'd stop ya... 815 00:45:05,841 --> 00:45:08,222 Of course, that was the hardest part about riding 816 00:45:08,257 --> 00:45:09,499 because you didn't want to be stopped. 817 00:45:09,534 --> 00:45:11,156 You wanted to go ride. You wanted to go jump. 818 00:45:11,191 --> 00:45:12,537 You wanted to go have fun. 819 00:45:12,571 --> 00:45:14,746 Kids were always asking where they could get a Homestead, 820 00:45:14,781 --> 00:45:18,370 but I didn't want to divulge my information, you know? 821 00:45:18,405 --> 00:45:22,305 I had one... I was one of two guys in the town that had a Homestead. 822 00:45:22,340 --> 00:45:24,860 DJ and I still talk about Homestead, you know, 823 00:45:24,894 --> 00:45:27,414 'cause it was all part of our life. 824 00:45:27,448 --> 00:45:29,623 To think that something that I did mattered. 825 00:45:29,657 --> 00:45:31,970 That I assumed was a failure. 826 00:45:32,005 --> 00:45:34,386 It mattered to people back then 827 00:45:34,421 --> 00:45:36,734 is already empowering 828 00:45:36,768 --> 00:45:40,565 and extremely redemptive and fulfilling. 829 00:45:40,599 --> 00:45:43,741 I never thought I would be revisiting Homestead Bicycles. 830 00:45:45,121 --> 00:45:46,329 DJ. 831 00:45:46,364 --> 00:45:48,055 Hey, you still got your Homestead? 832 00:45:48,090 --> 00:45:49,125 Why don't you bring it by? 833 00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:50,540 I got a guy here interested in it. 834 00:45:50,955 --> 00:45:51,990 Dude. 835 00:45:53,543 --> 00:45:54,682 Number 11. 836 00:45:54,717 --> 00:45:56,719 Number 11! Awesome. 837 00:45:56,754 --> 00:45:57,824 You could be totally honest, 838 00:45:57,858 --> 00:46:01,241 but you felt that it was a little tighter out of the gate 839 00:46:01,275 --> 00:46:03,691 with the way that rear triangle was designed? 840 00:46:03,726 --> 00:46:06,936 I remember my Homestead got me through the gate 841 00:46:06,971 --> 00:46:09,594 and got me out in front of the pack. 842 00:46:09,628 --> 00:46:10,802 -Thanks for keeping it, man. -Oh. 843 00:46:10,837 --> 00:46:12,631 Thanks for keeping it in good shape. 844 00:46:12,666 --> 00:46:13,598 Right on. 845 00:46:19,638 --> 00:46:21,537 -Still rocking the vdub, man. -Yep. 846 00:46:21,571 --> 00:46:23,815 -I made an impression. Dude, Brad Hodges. -Hi, Alden. 847 00:46:23,850 --> 00:46:24,920 What's up, man? 848 00:46:24,954 --> 00:46:26,784 -How are you? -It's been a long time. I'm good. 849 00:46:26,818 --> 00:46:28,682 -Let's go into my shop. I'll show you around. -I can't believe 850 00:46:28,716 --> 00:46:30,822 you've got your own welding shop, man. 851 00:46:30,857 --> 00:46:32,237 So you do still have the Homestead? 852 00:46:32,272 --> 00:46:33,687 -- Yes, I do. -- Nice. 853 00:46:33,721 --> 00:46:35,068 Part of my BMX collection. 854 00:46:35,102 --> 00:46:39,037 And I posted a photo of it to BMX Museum a couple of years back, 855 00:46:39,658 --> 00:46:40,970 and somebody contacted me 856 00:46:41,005 --> 00:46:42,834 and offered me a ton of money for it. 857 00:46:42,869 --> 00:46:45,630 -No way. -Strictly over the factory Foster paint. 858 00:46:45,664 --> 00:46:48,184 And then he said that it's a very rare CycleCraft item. 859 00:46:48,219 --> 00:46:50,635 And I guess that some of the CycleCraft owners 860 00:46:50,669 --> 00:46:53,258 remember your production run of those bikes. 861 00:46:53,293 --> 00:46:55,329 And so they're a sought after CycleCraft product 862 00:46:55,364 --> 00:46:58,505 as well as a very rare BMX product alone. 863 00:46:58,539 --> 00:47:02,854 You're telling me that online with BMX Museum, 864 00:47:02,889 --> 00:47:06,030 there's this whole community that knows 865 00:47:06,064 --> 00:47:09,136 that CycleCraft welded Homesteads 866 00:47:09,171 --> 00:47:12,795 and that they're valuable as like a weird CycleCraft offshoot or something? 867 00:47:12,830 --> 00:47:14,245 Exactly. 868 00:47:14,279 --> 00:47:16,868 I questioned myself so much back then 869 00:47:16,903 --> 00:47:19,767 and now I realize you know what? My instincts weren't crazy. 870 00:47:19,802 --> 00:47:23,357 I created a cool product that a certain, not everybody, 871 00:47:23,392 --> 00:47:25,739 but the people that liked it really liked it. 872 00:47:28,052 --> 00:47:30,019 -- It's in good company. -- Well. 873 00:47:31,262 --> 00:47:32,884 Whoo-hoo. 874 00:47:32,919 --> 00:47:35,473 Oh, I forgot it had a basket on it. Nice. 875 00:47:36,370 --> 00:47:38,821 I totally forgot... Oh, yeah, of course. 876 00:47:39,615 --> 00:47:40,719 Wow, dude. 877 00:47:40,754 --> 00:47:42,031 Nice job, Brad. 878 00:47:42,411 --> 00:47:43,515 Nice job. 879 00:47:43,550 --> 00:47:46,277 Look at that original factory Foster paint job. 880 00:47:46,311 --> 00:47:47,450 Brian Foster. 881 00:47:48,279 --> 00:47:50,108 Number 16. Oh. 882 00:47:50,143 --> 00:47:53,215 Most of the people say that, you know, they like the twin tubes 883 00:47:53,249 --> 00:47:55,458 'cause they stabilized the rear end for racing. 884 00:47:55,493 --> 00:47:56,977 But why did you like the frame? 885 00:47:57,012 --> 00:47:58,910 So it supported the rear end for the bash card. 886 00:48:00,601 --> 00:48:02,534 Nice. And, hey, I don't care why. 887 00:48:02,569 --> 00:48:03,881 Well... And just be honest. 888 00:48:03,915 --> 00:48:07,056 Tell me why you liked the frame when you were riding it? 889 00:48:07,091 --> 00:48:10,335 I wanted something that felt like a race bike that I could also ride 890 00:48:10,370 --> 00:48:13,718 as a street bike and the Homestead met all those criteria. 891 00:48:13,752 --> 00:48:16,065 Why have you kept the Homestead all these years? 892 00:48:16,100 --> 00:48:17,860 Well, it's a weird green bike. 893 00:48:17,895 --> 00:48:19,482 It's limited production. 894 00:48:19,517 --> 00:48:20,794 That's sort of sought after. 895 00:48:20,828 --> 00:48:23,452 And I just remember that it being a good time in my life 896 00:48:23,486 --> 00:48:26,248 and it having a lot of good memories and sort of like, 897 00:48:26,282 --> 00:48:29,527 if you will, that was the bike that was like the end of my innocence. 898 00:48:29,561 --> 00:48:32,116 What I created with Homestead Bicycles 899 00:48:32,150 --> 00:48:35,464 was a unique vibe 900 00:48:35,498 --> 00:48:38,950 and feeling about an inanimate object. 901 00:48:38,985 --> 00:48:42,057 I think I created something more than I realized at the time. 902 00:48:48,339 --> 00:48:49,685 This was an epic trip, 903 00:48:49,719 --> 00:48:53,275 and reconnecting with these old friends was amazing. 904 00:48:53,309 --> 00:48:57,003 But the truth was I was running out of funds and, hey, I had to face it. 905 00:48:57,693 --> 00:48:58,936 I needed a job. 906 00:49:01,869 --> 00:49:02,905 Good news. 907 00:49:04,044 --> 00:49:05,356 I'm going to be selling water. 908 00:49:05,390 --> 00:49:08,600 It's a refillable water bottle, kind of starting at the bottom. 909 00:49:08,635 --> 00:49:10,948 But I think it's a good opportunity. 910 00:49:10,982 --> 00:49:14,503 Best part about it, off the couch. 911 00:49:14,537 --> 00:49:17,161 I got a cool apartment and things are looking up. 912 00:49:26,860 --> 00:49:27,965 No. 913 00:49:45,327 --> 00:49:48,157 Another job, just a means to an end. 914 00:49:49,020 --> 00:49:50,504 But I was happy to have it. 915 00:49:50,539 --> 00:49:53,991 Glad to do some work and come home at the end of the day tired. 916 00:49:54,025 --> 00:49:56,959 I think it was because I finally had a clear purpose again. 917 00:49:56,994 --> 00:49:59,099 Figuring out what kind of person I was at 19, 918 00:49:59,134 --> 00:50:02,171 and what I created was addictive. 919 00:50:02,206 --> 00:50:06,210 But what I really wondered was, "Would I find any more bikes?" 920 00:50:11,077 --> 00:50:14,873 I'm about to call Joe Martino of CycleCraft in Tennessee. 921 00:50:14,908 --> 00:50:16,392 I'm actually pretty nervous. 922 00:50:16,427 --> 00:50:17,945 Enough time has passed. 923 00:50:17,980 --> 00:50:21,466 I'm hoping that Joe will let me know, "What really happened, man? 924 00:50:21,501 --> 00:50:23,054 "What happened to my bikes? 925 00:50:23,089 --> 00:50:26,057 "Why'd you let me down for that final batch of bikes that I paid for?" 926 00:50:26,092 --> 00:50:29,923 I actually found my receipt for 50 bikes that I paid, 927 00:50:29,957 --> 00:50:31,373 and it's got a phone number here. 928 00:50:33,651 --> 00:50:34,824 Let's do it. 929 00:50:43,212 --> 00:50:44,800 You have reached a number 930 00:50:44,834 --> 00:50:47,078 that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. 931 00:50:47,113 --> 00:50:50,012 I have a sneaking suspicion that there's 20 more bikes, 932 00:50:50,047 --> 00:50:51,565 and they're hidden in eastern Tennessee. 933 00:50:58,296 --> 00:50:59,608 I learned from a local bike shop 934 00:50:59,642 --> 00:51:02,231 that some of the '80s BMX riders I grew up following 935 00:51:02,266 --> 00:51:05,717 still rode down at Huntington Beach, doing tricks and hanging out. 936 00:51:06,925 --> 00:51:08,617 Eddie, the King, Fiola. 937 00:51:10,067 --> 00:51:11,344 And Martin Aparijo. 938 00:51:11,378 --> 00:51:13,035 They called him "the Chairman." 939 00:51:13,070 --> 00:51:16,728 I couldn't believe I found these guys, and they're still doing it. 940 00:51:16,763 --> 00:51:18,937 They were plastered all over my walls, 941 00:51:18,972 --> 00:51:22,148 on the pages ofBMX Plus andBMX Action. 942 00:51:22,182 --> 00:51:25,565 And of course, they rode inRAD the best movie ever about BMX. 943 00:51:27,049 --> 00:51:30,294 I had to pinch myself when I saw them on bikes I used to ride, 944 00:51:31,191 --> 00:51:32,813 doing tricks I used to do. 945 00:51:35,575 --> 00:51:37,818 So you guys still come out here and ride? 946 00:51:37,853 --> 00:51:40,269 Yeah. You know, we used to come out here, 947 00:51:40,304 --> 00:51:42,720 underneath that pier, back in 1985, 948 00:51:42,754 --> 00:51:47,069 and throw on a hat, make some money, and we just had fun doing it. 949 00:51:47,104 --> 00:51:49,278 Now we're out here, you know, at50-ish. 950 00:51:50,141 --> 00:51:51,970 Kind of like that movieTag 951 00:51:52,005 --> 00:51:55,215 where we didn't end the game. We're still playing it. 952 00:51:55,250 --> 00:51:57,079 And we're not getting old, so. 953 00:51:57,114 --> 00:51:58,770 Nice. My name is Alden. 954 00:51:58,805 --> 00:52:01,221 -Eddie Fiola. -Eddie Fiola. Nice to meet you. 955 00:52:02,912 --> 00:52:04,224 Wow. 956 00:52:04,259 --> 00:52:07,469 It's a prototype, so it's got no name on it right now. 957 00:52:07,503 --> 00:52:10,230 -So how did you invent? 958 00:52:10,265 --> 00:52:11,507 How many tricks did you invent? 959 00:52:11,542 --> 00:52:14,200 -Like, 27 or something? -Uh, yeah, probably more than that. 960 00:52:14,234 --> 00:52:17,030 But there was, like, 13 initial tricks, 961 00:52:17,064 --> 00:52:19,688 like Cherry Picker, the Lawn Mower, the Backwards Long Slider 962 00:52:19,722 --> 00:52:23,070 and all those tricks, those tricks that led to variations of those tricks. 963 00:52:23,105 --> 00:52:25,728 -Right. -So, yeah, all the foundational tricks back in day. 964 00:52:25,763 --> 00:52:28,869 I have to the tricks that only you invented? 965 00:52:28,904 --> 00:52:30,250 -Lawn Mower! -Lawn Mower! 966 00:52:33,288 --> 00:52:35,738 I guess I wanted to see if I still had it. 967 00:52:35,773 --> 00:52:38,431 If I still fit into this world I'd walked away from. 968 00:52:40,226 --> 00:52:44,471 All of a sudden the swarm of wheelie bikers showed up at the pier took over. 969 00:52:44,506 --> 00:52:49,752 This was too much. Martin and Eddie and now Todd and the SE guys. 970 00:52:49,787 --> 00:52:53,342 This journey was pulling me deeper into BMX than I ever could have imagined. 971 00:53:10,187 --> 00:53:14,260 After months of trying, I finally nailed down freestyle guru Bob Haro. 972 00:53:15,364 --> 00:53:17,608 Would he remember me or the letter? 973 00:53:18,816 --> 00:53:21,163 Or our conversation about CycleCraft? 974 00:53:22,716 --> 00:53:26,272 I was just stoked to finally meet my mentor and graphic design hero. 975 00:53:28,998 --> 00:53:31,173 -What's happening? -Wow. Alden. 976 00:53:31,208 --> 00:53:32,278 Bob Haro. 977 00:53:32,312 --> 00:53:34,659 -Hey, buddy. Nice to meet you. -Oh, my goodness. 978 00:53:34,694 --> 00:53:37,041 Just after all these years, 979 00:53:37,075 --> 00:53:41,390 so many logos, so many designs and pictures and photos and... 980 00:53:41,425 --> 00:53:44,221 Yeah, I'm just, um... I'm spinning a little bit. 981 00:53:44,255 --> 00:53:48,777 All right, Well, yeah, I kind of can't believe things I've saved in my life. 982 00:53:48,811 --> 00:53:53,644 But apparently, I did save this letter that you wrote back to me. 983 00:53:53,678 --> 00:53:54,955 I don't know if you remember that. 984 00:53:54,990 --> 00:53:59,201 To go back and look at this and, uh... 985 00:53:59,236 --> 00:54:01,307 this is my writing and all of my typos 986 00:54:01,341 --> 00:54:05,034 because, like I told you, I'm good at putting typos in everything. 987 00:54:05,069 --> 00:54:08,210 But, um, yeah, it's cool that you saved this, 988 00:54:08,245 --> 00:54:10,281 and I'm flattered. Thank you very much. 989 00:54:10,316 --> 00:54:11,765 I was thinking about dropping out. 990 00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:14,527 I wasn't sure what to do about a bike company, 991 00:54:14,561 --> 00:54:17,530 but I thought, if there's one place I know where to start, 992 00:54:17,564 --> 00:54:21,465 it's my BMX hero and that's Bob Haro. 993 00:54:21,499 --> 00:54:26,677 A lot of what I did, and I continue to do that, is to try to help other people 994 00:54:26,711 --> 00:54:29,542 because when I was young, people helped me. 995 00:54:29,576 --> 00:54:33,270 Well, since this did start with a conversation in a letter, 996 00:54:33,304 --> 00:54:35,858 it's kind of cool to see what came from it. 997 00:54:35,893 --> 00:54:37,929 And that is my frame. 998 00:54:37,964 --> 00:54:41,001 I remember seeing them. I don't remember seeing one in real life. 999 00:54:41,036 --> 00:54:42,865 Right. Well, there were only 30. 1000 00:54:42,900 --> 00:54:44,626 -So. -What number is this one? 1001 00:54:44,660 --> 00:54:46,352 This is number one. 1002 00:54:46,386 --> 00:54:49,976 So tell me your logic behind these stabilizers. 1003 00:54:50,010 --> 00:54:51,633 I don't know if there's a placebo in my mind, 1004 00:54:51,667 --> 00:54:53,359 but it felt stiffer for a racing frame, 1005 00:54:53,393 --> 00:54:55,430 this definitely did the trick. 1006 00:54:55,464 --> 00:55:00,469 If I decide to dive back into Homestead Bicycles and relaunch this company, 1007 00:55:01,436 --> 00:55:03,714 is there any advice you can give me? 1008 00:55:03,748 --> 00:55:07,165 If it's something you want to do and you've got the energy and... You could do it. 1009 00:55:07,200 --> 00:55:10,548 You don't have to-- it doesn't have to be 500 bikes. 1010 00:55:10,583 --> 00:55:14,138 It can be a small quantity. And you get that to market. 1011 00:55:14,172 --> 00:55:18,487 And maybe that closes a chapter in one of your aspirations. 1012 00:55:19,902 --> 00:55:22,042 Okay, that was crazy. 1013 00:55:22,077 --> 00:55:26,357 I was dying for some time to chew on Bob's words, and I was about to get it. 1014 00:55:26,392 --> 00:55:28,359 No sooner had I got back from meeting Bob, 1015 00:55:28,394 --> 00:55:30,603 that I got laid off from the bottled water job. 1016 00:55:33,468 --> 00:55:35,332 I didn't have time to get bummed out, though, 1017 00:55:35,366 --> 00:55:39,819 because a BMX collector in the Bay Area had just confirmed he had a Homestead. 1018 00:55:48,966 --> 00:55:51,071 -Wow, Darren? -Hey, Alden. 1019 00:55:51,106 --> 00:55:53,142 -What's up, man? -Nice to meet you after all those texts. 1020 00:55:53,177 --> 00:55:55,041 I know. Texts and... 1021 00:55:55,075 --> 00:55:57,595 And after giving all the excuses why I couldn't dig out your frame. 1022 00:55:59,286 --> 00:56:04,602 I put it together, and I wanted to get the NorCal flavor with the boss and the VG. 1023 00:56:04,637 --> 00:56:07,778 And look at this VG. I have not seen these for so long. 1024 00:56:07,812 --> 00:56:12,438 -Dude, I was started thinking I wasn't going to find any more. Really. 1025 00:56:12,472 --> 00:56:17,615 There's nothing like the true old-school stuff made in the '90s or '80s. 1026 00:56:17,650 --> 00:56:21,378 You can always copy the older designs and stuff, but, you know, 1027 00:56:21,412 --> 00:56:23,449 it's not the real original thing, 1028 00:56:23,483 --> 00:56:25,105 just like this frame right here. 1029 00:56:25,140 --> 00:56:27,038 All right. Well, Darren, you're in the book, man. 1030 00:56:27,073 --> 00:56:29,524 -Okay, thanks, man. -021, Darren Chan. 1031 00:56:29,558 --> 00:56:34,391 Those dropouts look familiar. Like CycleCraft dropouts. But that's not a CycleCraft. 1032 00:56:34,425 --> 00:56:39,257 No, that's not a CycleCraft. That's actually a-a block frame. 1033 00:56:39,292 --> 00:56:41,501 Um, there's a guy by the name of Rich Bartlett. 1034 00:56:41,536 --> 00:56:45,609 He had some frames made. It had that wishbone design. 1035 00:56:45,643 --> 00:56:49,336 That name Rich Bartlett does sound familiar from the late '80s, early '90s. 1036 00:56:49,716 --> 00:56:52,374 B93. 1037 00:56:52,409 --> 00:56:56,965 -Yeah, I heard there were only like a hundred of those. -Wow, XLX. Yeah. 1038 00:56:56,999 --> 00:57:00,278 That does-- You know what? That does sound familiar. Block. 1039 00:57:11,669 --> 00:57:15,984 Rich and I both had bikes welded by CycleCraft, both in the early '90s. 1040 00:57:17,917 --> 00:57:21,230 Maybe Rich could shed some light on what happened with Joe Martino. 1041 00:57:22,784 --> 00:57:25,476 Maybe even lead me to the missing 20 bikes. 1042 00:57:31,171 --> 00:57:32,379 Wow, Rich. 1043 00:57:33,139 --> 00:57:34,416 Man. 1044 00:57:34,451 --> 00:57:35,866 Dude, after all these years. 1045 00:57:35,900 --> 00:57:37,143 -Good to see you. -How you doing, man? 1046 00:57:37,177 --> 00:57:38,316 Great. Awesome. 1047 00:57:38,351 --> 00:57:40,595 Sheesh. This is-- What an awesome property you got. 1048 00:57:40,629 --> 00:57:43,390 -Yeah, I lucked out. -You got jumps front and back, looks like. 1049 00:57:43,425 --> 00:57:45,185 Yeah, the lifestyle. 1050 00:57:45,220 --> 00:57:49,155 When I left the Martinos, I was done with CycleCraft, like I'd-- 1051 00:57:49,189 --> 00:57:51,364 when I moved out of the house, I was no longer wearing 1052 00:57:51,398 --> 00:57:53,539 CycleCraft stuff from that point on. 1053 00:57:53,573 --> 00:57:57,612 CycleCraft was their hobby. It had nothing to with making money. 1054 00:57:57,646 --> 00:58:00,304 Betty was kind of over it. They'd been doing over a decade 1055 00:58:00,338 --> 00:58:02,651 of being number one team and that kind of thing. 1056 00:58:02,686 --> 00:58:05,654 Terry Shaughnessy from Florida assumed the brand. 1057 00:58:05,689 --> 00:58:08,346 'Cause he been on the team since as long as it was. 1058 00:58:08,381 --> 00:58:11,798 And he took all of CycleCraft down to Florida. 1059 00:58:11,833 --> 00:58:13,731 So while I'm waiting for more frames, 1060 00:58:13,766 --> 00:58:16,562 wondering what I'm going to do, I'm driving around the western U.S., 1061 00:58:16,596 --> 00:58:19,530 going to be ABA races. I had a sponsored rider. A kid. 1062 00:58:19,565 --> 00:58:21,912 -The company, meanwhile, moved to Daytona Beach. -Yeah. 1063 00:58:21,946 --> 00:58:24,673 I never knew about it, and then I call him two years later. 1064 00:58:24,708 --> 00:58:26,917 No wonder they didn't know what I was talking about with 20 extra frames. 1065 00:58:26,951 --> 00:58:30,748 And he wouldn't have assumed your liability. 1066 00:58:30,783 --> 00:58:32,405 So Terry's gotta know more, though. 1067 00:58:32,439 --> 00:58:35,546 -He's gotta know at least what he bought... -Yeah. 1068 00:58:35,581 --> 00:58:38,791 ...all these years. The past is different than I thought. 1069 00:58:38,825 --> 00:58:40,862 Man, that's bizarre. 1070 00:58:40,896 --> 00:58:46,384 I guess it's clear I gotta go to Daytona Beach, find Shag. 1071 00:58:46,419 --> 00:58:50,561 I had to finish this journey. So I packed up and headed to Daytona Beach 1072 00:58:50,596 --> 00:58:53,668 to track down Shag and get to the bottom of this once and for all. 1073 00:59:03,988 --> 00:59:08,924 But first, I had one last bike lead to follow up on just outside of Oklahoma City. 1074 00:59:10,754 --> 00:59:15,310 I'm tracking down this mystery bike that I never thought I'd find. 1075 00:59:15,344 --> 00:59:19,590 This is the first bike that was posted on this BMX foreign website 1076 00:59:19,625 --> 00:59:21,212 that got this whole movie started. 1077 00:59:21,247 --> 00:59:24,388 This whole project of tracking down these bikes. 1078 00:59:24,422 --> 00:59:25,976 This guy's name is Derek. 1079 00:59:26,010 --> 00:59:29,393 It looks like a Homestead, but there's no serial number. 1080 00:59:30,601 --> 00:59:31,844 -Derek. -Nice to meet you. 1081 00:59:31,878 --> 00:59:33,915 -Hey, nice to meet you. -This is Harper. 1082 00:59:33,949 --> 00:59:36,469 Hi, Harper. How you doing? Nice to meet you. 1083 00:59:36,503 --> 00:59:37,574 Meet the camera. 1084 00:59:38,160 --> 00:59:39,368 -Say hi! -Hi! 1085 00:59:40,784 --> 00:59:42,509 This is truly a treasure hunt. 1086 00:59:43,856 --> 00:59:45,512 Oh, my gosh. 1087 00:59:47,653 --> 00:59:49,309 No way! 1088 00:59:50,794 --> 00:59:52,589 I mean, look at this. 1089 00:59:53,624 --> 00:59:56,420 This is what got me on the BMX website. 1090 00:59:56,454 --> 00:59:59,147 These, I think, are pretty much are CycleCraft dropouts. 1091 00:59:59,181 --> 01:00:03,047 This is bizarre, dude. You have, like, the most rare Homestead 1092 01:00:03,082 --> 01:00:05,532 aside of not having a Brian Foster paint job. 1093 01:00:06,637 --> 01:00:09,191 That mystery frame was truly bizarre. 1094 01:00:09,226 --> 01:00:11,331 What exactly it was, I still didn't know. 1095 01:00:12,505 --> 01:00:14,576 It was a two-day drive to Daytona Beach. 1096 01:00:14,611 --> 01:00:17,890 Plenty of time for me to digest everything I'd learned on this journey. 1097 01:00:17,924 --> 01:00:19,650 Who I'd met and the bikes I'd found. 1098 01:00:20,893 --> 01:00:22,826 I was hoping Shag would have some answers. 1099 01:00:25,449 --> 01:00:27,693 -Terry? 1100 01:00:27,727 --> 01:00:29,384 -Wow. -Yeah, Terry Shaugnessy. 1101 01:00:29,418 --> 01:00:31,662 -Shag, I guess so. -Shag. Yeah. Just call me Shag. 1102 01:00:32,352 --> 01:00:34,907 CycleCraft has moved to Florida. 1103 01:00:34,941 --> 01:00:38,669 I mean, this is basically like, Alden thinks his bikes are in Tennessee 1104 01:00:38,704 --> 01:00:41,154 -and CycleCraft is moving to Florida. 1105 01:00:41,189 --> 01:00:43,570 And we got the proof. We got the proof right here. 1106 01:00:43,605 --> 01:00:49,024 I came to Florida in '91, in September, '91. End of September. 1107 01:00:49,059 --> 01:00:51,371 So your timeline must've been close. 1108 01:00:51,406 --> 01:00:56,756 You must've just built them right before I went over and took over, I guess. 1109 01:00:56,791 --> 01:01:01,071 So Joe never mentioned anything about, "Hey, you're buying CycleCraft 1110 01:01:01,105 --> 01:01:04,937 "and by the way, we got this guy in California, we got to make some frames for?" 1111 01:01:04,971 --> 01:01:08,009 I never heard about us making your bikes, 1112 01:01:08,043 --> 01:01:10,632 or, you know, carrying it over. 'Cause we would've made 'em. 1113 01:01:10,667 --> 01:01:12,358 So I didn't think nothing about it. 1114 01:01:12,392 --> 01:01:18,571 And now that you only got 30 of your 50, I'm like, "Wow, that could be Joe." 1115 01:01:18,605 --> 01:01:21,954 -Yeah, that was when I folded Homestead Bicycles. 1116 01:01:21,988 --> 01:01:25,578 And all this time I assumed it was something I did wrong. 1117 01:01:25,612 --> 01:01:28,236 Or I failed or I didn't do a business plan or-- 1118 01:01:28,270 --> 01:01:31,688 Now it seems like I just got the shaft. 1119 01:01:31,722 --> 01:01:36,382 So why did Joe not just tell me, "Hey, give Shag a call." 1120 01:01:36,416 --> 01:01:40,351 I don't know. That's something you're going to have to find out from Joe. 1121 01:01:40,386 --> 01:01:42,733 And I don't know what I would say to him, honestly. 1122 01:01:42,768 --> 01:01:48,049 At the time, I was just so disappointed that I felt like here's another thing in my life 1123 01:01:48,083 --> 01:01:51,811 that I put effort towards, and here we go again. 1124 01:01:51,846 --> 01:01:54,987 It's just not going to quite work out. I'm not going to quite be normal. 1125 01:01:55,021 --> 01:01:57,265 I'm not going to quite have a normal bike company. 1126 01:01:57,299 --> 01:02:00,509 And I had a shot, man. People liked my bikes. 1127 01:02:00,544 --> 01:02:03,789 Do you have Joe's number? 1128 01:02:03,823 --> 01:02:06,757 Like, does he live in the same-- I don't know, in the same house? 1129 01:02:06,792 --> 01:02:09,726 As far as I know, still in Kingsport, Tennessee. 1130 01:02:30,470 --> 01:02:33,335 I don't really know if I'm going to see Joe 1131 01:02:33,370 --> 01:02:37,201 or if I'm going to see what that 19-year-old kid was thinking. 1132 01:02:37,236 --> 01:02:42,068 But maybe I'm wondering what I'll find when I go back to my past. 1133 01:02:53,528 --> 01:02:54,529 Hello? 1134 01:03:11,442 --> 01:03:15,550 Tell you one thing. that's not the house that I stayed at 25 years ago. 1135 01:03:15,584 --> 01:03:21,038 So I might have to do some searching around Kingsport and see if I can find Joe. 1136 01:03:24,524 --> 01:03:27,665 Even though I know CycleCraft isn't welded here, 1137 01:03:27,700 --> 01:03:31,324 I think we should start at the old factory. 1138 01:03:31,359 --> 01:03:34,362 So this is Shipley Ferry Road, Kingsport, Tennessee. 1139 01:03:35,259 --> 01:03:37,641 Yeah. This is it. This is the address. 1140 01:03:37,675 --> 01:03:40,644 This is where CycleCraft frames were welded. 1141 01:03:40,678 --> 01:03:43,612 I guess, until-- What did Terry say? '91? 1142 01:03:43,647 --> 01:03:45,718 And Homestead Bicycles were made right here. 1143 01:03:45,752 --> 01:03:48,065 We gotta try to find Joe. Someone's got to know where the heck he is. 1144 01:03:50,447 --> 01:03:53,622 I drove around Kingsport trying to remember what Joe's house looked like 1145 01:03:53,657 --> 01:03:55,348 but it was impossible. 1146 01:03:55,383 --> 01:03:57,523 Out of total desperation, I saw these ladies 1147 01:03:57,557 --> 01:04:00,802 sipping lemonade on their front porch, and I took a chance. 1148 01:04:01,907 --> 01:04:02,873 Hello. 1149 01:04:04,461 --> 01:04:07,360 Um, this might be kind of weird, but... 1150 01:04:07,395 --> 01:04:09,880 I wanted to know if I could ask you a couple questions 1151 01:04:09,915 --> 01:04:11,502 about someone in your neighborhood. 1152 01:04:11,537 --> 01:04:14,954 - Sure. - And the name is Joe Martino. 1153 01:04:14,989 --> 01:04:16,645 Does that name sound familiar? Do you-- 1154 01:04:18,509 --> 01:04:19,856 It does? No way. 1155 01:04:24,688 --> 01:04:28,588 I see two ladies sipping lemonade on the porch in East Tennessee, 1156 01:04:28,623 --> 01:04:33,076 and they know right where the Martinos lived. 1157 01:04:33,110 --> 01:04:34,215 Hello? 1158 01:04:34,249 --> 01:04:35,941 Hello? Is this Joe Martino? 1159 01:04:35,975 --> 01:04:37,666 You're looking for my dad, I think. 1160 01:04:37,701 --> 01:04:41,532 I'm just wondering if I can talk to Joe. Yeah, Joe Sr. I guess. 1161 01:04:41,567 --> 01:04:44,535 I'm outside at your gate. Do you mind if I come in and say hi? 1162 01:04:44,570 --> 01:04:45,847 Yeah, hang on a second. 1163 01:04:45,882 --> 01:04:48,436 Dude, we got it. All this way. 1164 01:04:48,470 --> 01:04:53,165 And I found it 3,800 miles all across the country, 1165 01:04:53,199 --> 01:04:55,926 and Joe's son is coming out to open the gate for us. 1166 01:04:55,961 --> 01:04:58,135 He might not live here, but we got him. 1167 01:04:58,964 --> 01:05:00,310 You up for some company? 1168 01:05:02,415 --> 01:05:04,383 No, are you up for some company? 1169 01:05:05,625 --> 01:05:09,767 Okay, um, be just about two or three minutes. 1170 01:05:14,634 --> 01:05:16,360 - Hey, Joe. - Hey. 1171 01:05:16,395 --> 01:05:17,741 How you doing, man? 1172 01:05:17,775 --> 01:05:19,743 -I'm good. -You remember me? 1173 01:05:19,777 --> 01:05:21,987 -Not really. -Alden Olmsted. 1174 01:05:22,021 --> 01:05:23,505 I remember the last name. 1175 01:05:23,540 --> 01:05:25,266 -That's good. -You from the West Coast? 1176 01:05:25,300 --> 01:05:26,750 Remember these frames that... 1177 01:05:26,784 --> 01:05:29,339 -Yeah. -...you made back 30 years ago? 1178 01:05:29,649 --> 01:05:31,203 How many? 1179 01:05:31,237 --> 01:05:35,069 -30 years ago, 28 years ago. -Wow. 1180 01:05:35,103 --> 01:05:37,795 -You didn't ride it much, did you? -Not that one. 1181 01:05:37,830 --> 01:05:40,384 I rode the other ones. Yeah, I got the other one on my car. 1182 01:05:40,419 --> 01:05:44,630 So I finally just decided to tell the story of this little bike company. 1183 01:05:44,664 --> 01:05:48,289 And I've been tracking down as many of the bikes as I can. 1184 01:05:48,323 --> 01:05:49,946 And I've tracked down nine of them. 1185 01:05:49,980 --> 01:05:52,431 -Really? -One of them in Oklahoma City on the way out here. 1186 01:05:52,465 --> 01:05:54,709 Well, they've been after CycleCraft like that, too. 1187 01:05:54,743 --> 01:05:57,539 Yeah, and I just came from Shag in Daytona Beach. 1188 01:05:57,574 --> 01:05:58,989 -You're kidding. -Yesterday? 1189 01:05:59,024 --> 01:06:00,853 Just came from seeing Shag yesterday. 1190 01:06:00,887 --> 01:06:03,649 Weren't you from Washington state or... 1191 01:06:03,683 --> 01:06:05,685 -Northern California. -Northern California. 1192 01:06:05,720 --> 01:06:07,998 -And you've come all this way... -To see you. 1193 01:06:08,033 --> 01:06:09,172 Shit. 1194 01:06:10,656 --> 01:06:13,900 What was happening at CycleCraft right before I came along? 1195 01:06:13,935 --> 01:06:16,903 So this is the middle of 1990. 1196 01:06:16,938 --> 01:06:18,905 We were in a growth spurt. 1197 01:06:18,940 --> 01:06:22,012 We were doing production for other companies. 1198 01:06:22,047 --> 01:06:25,947 I don't know where you got our name, but when you called, 1199 01:06:25,982 --> 01:06:30,020 I felt like, here's a young kid that wants to fulfill a dream, 1200 01:06:30,055 --> 01:06:33,920 and I invited you to come, and you came enthusiastically. 1201 01:06:33,955 --> 01:06:38,787 Not many 19-year-olds. In fact, you're the only 19-year-old I knew that... 1202 01:06:38,822 --> 01:06:40,997 came and asked to have something made. 1203 01:06:41,031 --> 01:06:43,827 I had other 19-year-olds. But their daddies backed 'em. 1204 01:06:45,277 --> 01:06:48,280 I think the timing was right for you. 1205 01:06:48,314 --> 01:06:50,868 But it was wrong for us 1206 01:06:50,903 --> 01:06:53,837 because of us getting out of the business, regrettably, 1207 01:06:53,871 --> 01:06:57,047 and that might've hindered you some. I don't know. 1208 01:06:57,082 --> 01:07:01,189 So when Shag bought the company, were there any other commitments 1209 01:07:01,224 --> 01:07:04,434 or bike companies that he was responsible for? 1210 01:07:04,468 --> 01:07:09,577 He bought CycleCraft lock, stock and barrel. Except for my machinery. 1211 01:07:09,611 --> 01:07:13,753 I know that you were just getting started about the time Shag bought us out. 1212 01:07:13,788 --> 01:07:17,171 I don't know whether he chose not to... 1213 01:07:17,205 --> 01:07:21,934 make your stuff or not because he was getting somebody else to make it. 1214 01:07:21,968 --> 01:07:23,970 I've been pretty hard on myself 1215 01:07:24,005 --> 01:07:26,594 about when the company didn't work out. 1216 01:07:26,628 --> 01:07:28,837 Why would you be hard on yourself? 1217 01:07:28,872 --> 01:07:33,083 I guess because, you know, when your dad leaves when you're a year old, 1218 01:07:33,118 --> 01:07:37,915 you put a lot of burden on yourself, even if there's no reason for it. 1219 01:07:37,950 --> 01:07:42,334 How many of them were brave enough to take first steps? You did it. 1220 01:07:42,368 --> 01:07:44,508 I think you might be beating yourself up a little bit. 1221 01:07:44,543 --> 01:07:48,581 I don't know if you are, but on your-on your bike production, manufacturing. 1222 01:07:48,616 --> 01:07:52,620 But you did a dream. Very few ever do. 1223 01:07:52,654 --> 01:07:57,763 If you've planted a seed for someone by having a unique bike, 1224 01:07:57,797 --> 01:07:59,972 you did what your intended purpose was. 1225 01:08:00,006 --> 01:08:01,629 I mean, you had a success. 1226 01:08:06,289 --> 01:08:08,636 Yeah, maybe that's the first step for me to move on 1227 01:08:08,670 --> 01:08:12,605 is to stop thinking of it as a failure and realize it was a success. 1228 01:08:12,640 --> 01:08:15,125 -Well, yeah, it's a learning experience, for one. -Yeah. 1229 01:08:15,953 --> 01:08:17,921 In fact... 1230 01:08:17,955 --> 01:08:23,029 there's some tubing, I think, still down there, that was yours. 1231 01:08:23,064 --> 01:08:25,584 -You're serious? -I'm serious. Never sold it. 1232 01:08:25,618 --> 01:08:29,553 Never shipped it to you because it's 20-foot lengths 1233 01:08:29,588 --> 01:08:33,143 and the cost of shipping would have been more than what the tubing was worth. 1234 01:08:33,178 --> 01:08:36,802 -And where's the tubing now? -It's down in my old barn. 1235 01:08:36,836 --> 01:08:37,837 Yeah. 1236 01:08:46,087 --> 01:08:52,128 Top shelf, second shelf a little on the third shelf. 1237 01:08:52,162 --> 01:08:56,166 -That might be my 20 bikes right there. -It could be. 1238 01:08:56,201 --> 01:09:00,791 It could be. You can walk over here and look a little closer if you want. 1239 01:09:00,826 --> 01:09:06,521 That tubing up there is the beginning of Homestead bike frames. 1240 01:09:07,660 --> 01:09:10,076 This is not where I thought I'd find my 20 bikes. 1241 01:09:26,300 --> 01:09:29,820 I could not believe the 20 bikes had been there all along, 1242 01:09:29,855 --> 01:09:33,445 just sitting, as raw steel tubes in a barn in Eastern Tennessee. 1243 01:09:36,379 --> 01:09:40,245 But now I had some bigger questions. What was I going to do? 1244 01:09:40,279 --> 01:09:42,005 I said I wanted my life to change, 1245 01:09:42,039 --> 01:09:44,283 and I did feel a huge weight had been lifted. 1246 01:09:44,318 --> 01:09:45,698 But what was I supposed to do with that? 1247 01:09:48,770 --> 01:09:50,600 Maybe this was just about the journey. 1248 01:09:51,394 --> 01:09:53,327 About finding myself. 1249 01:09:53,361 --> 01:09:56,571 About forgiving that 19-year-old kid I was so hard on. 1250 01:10:09,066 --> 01:10:12,104 I took a chance and called Brad, the welder up in Sacramento 1251 01:10:12,138 --> 01:10:14,486 and asked him if I could meet at his shop the next Saturday. 1252 01:10:16,764 --> 01:10:18,283 Do you have time to build me a bike? 1253 01:10:18,317 --> 01:10:19,560 -Always. Come on in. -All right. 1254 01:10:21,872 --> 01:10:25,048 You know, my entire life changed after I met you... 1255 01:10:25,082 --> 01:10:28,638 because you came to my life at a very pivotable time. 1256 01:10:28,672 --> 01:10:32,124 I was a young, impressionable 15-and-a-half-year-old kid 1257 01:10:32,158 --> 01:10:34,851 who just wanted to build bikes and, like, you did it. 1258 01:10:34,885 --> 01:10:38,924 You were the guy that started the bike company and made it happen. 1259 01:10:38,958 --> 01:10:41,271 And much like you talked about writing the letter to Bob Haro 1260 01:10:41,306 --> 01:10:45,171 and like, that kind of changing your existence and your path, I saw you do it. 1261 01:10:45,206 --> 01:10:47,622 And so at that point in time, everything changed for me. 1262 01:10:50,176 --> 01:10:52,972 Watching the bike come together was surreal. 1263 01:10:53,007 --> 01:10:55,665 It was the past. But it was now. 1264 01:10:55,699 --> 01:10:57,943 It was another step deeper into this world. 1265 01:10:59,116 --> 01:11:01,291 What I did know is that I just wanted to ride. 1266 01:11:04,846 --> 01:11:08,919 I wanted a new old style Homestead that I could ride with pride. 1267 01:11:08,954 --> 01:11:11,543 I didn't care if I got back in the business. 1268 01:11:11,577 --> 01:11:13,165 I didn't care about the future. 1269 01:11:14,097 --> 01:11:15,650 I felt like a customer. 1270 01:11:15,685 --> 01:11:19,275 I wanted the bike that all these people were talking about so positively. 1271 01:11:20,103 --> 01:11:21,380 I wanted one for me. 1272 01:11:55,069 --> 01:11:57,589 I was shocked at how quickly I felt at home again. 1273 01:11:57,623 --> 01:11:59,142 This was my community. 1274 01:11:59,970 --> 01:12:01,731 They didn't go anywhere. I did. 1275 01:12:04,078 --> 01:12:07,323 These were my people, but they were more than that. 1276 01:12:08,116 --> 01:12:09,186 They were family. 1277 01:12:12,120 --> 01:12:15,503 And to think the strangest meeting of all was meeting myself, 1278 01:12:16,401 --> 01:12:18,023 my 19-year-old self. 1279 01:12:19,749 --> 01:12:22,717 I'm no Freudian scholar, but after what I just went through, 1280 01:12:22,752 --> 01:12:26,859 I'd say it's pretty important once in a while to check in with that dude. 1281 01:12:26,894 --> 01:12:30,484 That person you were. That kid who didn't even blink at risk. 1282 01:12:30,518 --> 01:12:32,693 Who laughed at failure. 1283 01:12:32,727 --> 01:12:39,113 That kid was confident, enthusiastic, creative, relentless. 1284 01:12:39,147 --> 01:12:43,082 And going forward wherever this life takes me, I have to remember... 1285 01:12:43,980 --> 01:12:45,671 that kid was me. 1286 01:13:01,687 --> 01:13:06,796 off of the rack 1287 01:13:10,075 --> 01:13:15,563 ride around in cul-de-sacs 1288 01:13:18,739 --> 01:13:22,777 start growing long 1289 01:13:34,030 --> 01:13:37,861 it's going to be 1290 01:14:00,228 --> 01:14:03,853 all these silly dreams 1291 01:14:03,887 --> 01:14:08,961 and another time 1292 01:14:12,102 --> 01:14:17,142 back on the rack 1293 01:14:22,734 --> 01:14:26,185 there's no take backs 1294 01:14:29,154 --> 01:14:33,330 begin to fall 1295 01:14:37,714 --> 01:14:41,960 he still recalls 1296 01:14:43,996 --> 01:14:48,104 it's going to be 1297 01:15:00,944 --> 01:15:05,397 I hate these dirty jeans 1298 01:15:06,398 --> 01:15:10,644 these broken dreams 1299 01:15:10,678 --> 01:15:16,581 like my wheels keep spinning 1300 01:15:34,978 --> 01:15:39,086 you'll never know 1301 01:15:48,544 --> 01:15:53,341 And it's all been done 1302 01:15:59,762 --> 01:16:02,661 you'll never see 1303 01:16:07,666 --> 01:16:12,498 And it's all been done 1304 01:16:16,226 --> 01:16:21,231 back off of the rack 1305 01:16:24,787 --> 01:16:28,238 still ride 1306 01:16:35,867 --> 01:16:38,628 Dink! I can't remember that part. I'm sorry. I'll figure it out.