This week’s Friday Photo Flashback is brought about by my wife. The kids both have bikes with training wheels on them. We’ve had them outside a few times on them and Andrew seems to get how to pedal, but Ella needs a bit of help.

My wife is what I would call a “Tik Tok-er.” Between that and Pinterest, she always seems to be coming up with creative things for the kids and projects for me. She video called me this week and said, “The kids want to show you something.” She turned the phone around and there were my two kids on their bikes – in out living room!

The bike’s training wheels were each lodged inside a tennis shoe. This does two things 1) the bike doesn’t move and 2) it raises the back tire up a bit so it spins while they pedal. Brilliance! They will be pedaling in no time outside!!

It made me think to when I first learned how to ride a bike. I remember being terrified when my dad took off the training wheels! Today’s photo shows a very proud Keith on his first ride without falling!

This historic event took place at the first home I lived in. Isn’t it amazing that I can remember the entire address and phone number from this house and have trouble remembering where I left my wallet on most days!?

At the time our house was the last one on the block. There was a field next to our house. There was a pond that we’d catch tadpoles at in the summer, and play on the ice in the winter. They have since built a bunch of homes where the field was. about 10-15 years ago, I DJ’d a wedding out that way and had to take a drive by the old house. I was really surprised at how much had changed.

I know that I am riding toward our driveway in the picture. I probably fell off that bike countless times and fell on our neighbor’s lawn while trying to figure out how to balance. I don’t remember much about the bike except that it was black and had big fenders over the tires. I also notice from this photo that it would seem to be a girl’s bike – URGH!

My folks must have known I would fall and scrape my knees, so they picked an extremely ugly pair of plaid pants for me to wear for the occasion. Brown shoes, plaid pants and a mustard colored shirt – I am a style ICON here, huh? It appears that I am either holding something in my left hand OR that just might be that Rrraw Power thing that made the motorcycle noise. I honestly don’t remember. I think it would be weird for me to try to ride my bike for the first time while holding onto something, though.

I don’t really remember much from the neighborhood, but I remember that big white rock at the corner across the street from me. I want to say that the owner used to edge his lawn with a really wide edger. My bike tire got caught in it once and I fell against that rock. FYI for all the adults reading – kids on bikes HATE lawns that are edged!!

It’s kind of fun to see that old blue and white Suburban in that driveway. I wish I had more pictures of the many old cars my folks drove. One thing you can barely notice (and this is where I wish old photos were clearer) is what looks like a Big Wheel on the sidewalk between the parent on the sidewalk on the kid on the bike in the street. I could be dead wrong, but it sure looks like those 1970’s yellow Big Wheel handlebars to me.

We moved from this house in the winter of 1976. I truly wish I had more pictures of the outside and inside of that house. I’ve often thought about going to the house and explaining that I used to live there and asking to have a look around. In today’s society, I highly doubt anyone would let that happen!