# Help me with detective work. The Pedal Pusher Newport Beach, CA



## Capt Nemo (Nov 22, 2013)

Hello all CABE'rs,

I have a bike I am trying to gather some history on and I am hoping some of you folks might be able to help.

First some backlground...

I used to work for a west coast bike shop specializing in vintage bikes in the 1970s. The place was called "The Pedal Pusher" located on Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach, CA. The place was owned by Gertrude Vorgang. She was very well networked in the field at the time and she sold me one of her bikes from her stock.

The bike is a 1941 ACE DX with some distinguishing marks on the bottom bracket shell as well as the seat tube.

The BB shell is stamped "LACO D" and has an "L" with a small "B" nested in the "L".

Could anyone confirm if this means: 
•"LACO" = Los Angeles County.
•"D" = April
•"L" with the small nested "B" = Bike License








Also there is a partial label on the seatube that is from the place that sold the bike. Kind of a cool label and I am wondering if anyone recognizes it.


----------



## Capt Nemo (Nov 23, 2013)

*Looks derivative of an Indy 500 logo.*

The bike shop logo looks derivative of an Indy 500 logo.
Would love to know the shop.


----------



## bike (Nov 23, 2013)

*I think Larry had the shop*

when I saw a dx with a double duty in there c 1987


----------



## DaveP (May 8, 2018)

Just happened to pick up an 81 Schwinn beach cruiser, it looked like the shop decal said Pedel Pusher, at least I’m thinking that’s what it said because the stickers is in bad shape. Anyways, I’ve been looking all over to try and see if it indeed came from Newport Beach California. So just for a long shot I thought I would ask you since you used to work there. Any info would be greatly appreciated, I’m glad I stumbled across your forum. 

QUOTE="Capt Nemo, post: 292122, member: 49652"]Hello all CABE'rs,

I have a bike I am trying to gather some history on and I am hoping some of you folks might be able to help.

First some backlground...

I used to work for a west coast bike shop specializing in vintage bikes in the 1970s. The place was called "The Pedal Pusher" located on Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach, CA. The place was owned by Gertrude Vorgang. She was very well networked in the field at the time and she sold me one of her bikes from her stock.

The bike is a 1941 ACE DX with some distinguishing marks on the bottom bracket shell as well as the seat tube.

The BB shell is stamped "LACO D" and has an "L" with a small "B" nested in the "L".

Could anyone confirm if this means:
•"LACO" = Los Angeles County.
•"D" = April
•"L" with the small nested "B" = Bike License







Also there is a partial label on the seatube that is from the place that sold the bike. Kind of a cool label and I am wondering if anyone recognizes it.





[/QUOTE]


----------



## GTs58 (May 8, 2018)

Been a while since Nemo was here.
Capt Nemo was last seen:
2y 13w ago


----------



## bike (May 9, 2018)

More info on pedal pusher would be good...


----------



## tripple3 (May 9, 2018)

bike said:


> More info on pedal pusher would be good...



There are local bike collectors that frequented Pedal Pusher in Newport.
@cyclingday @markivpedalpusher for sure would know more.....


----------



## cyclingday (May 9, 2018)




----------



## DaveP (May 9, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> Been a while since Nemo was here.
> Capt Nemo was last seen:
> 2y 13w ago



He was the only person I was able to track down, so I figured I’d throw something out there and see if somebody else responded. You guys are awesome, you really helped me solve this problem that’s been driving me crazy. I’ve literally spent hours searching to find this logo.


----------



## DaveP (May 9, 2018)

cyclingday said:


> View attachment 803921



Thank you so much for providing me a picture of this logo. It really means a lot to me, I’ve been searching for it for a couple weeks.


----------



## DaveP (May 9, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> Been a while since Nemo was here.
> Capt Nemo was last seen:
> 2y 13w ago





cyclingday said:


> View attachment 803921





Does anybody by chance, know when this shop closed down? I found online that it closed down in 2000 but then reopened? I’m wondering if they sold the shop and somebody else took over.


----------



## cyclingday (May 9, 2018)

There were at least three different locations that I am aware of.
The last incarnation was on Pacific Coast Highway next to Cappy's Cafe.
That was only there for a short time while the remaining stock was being liquidated.


----------



## markivpedalpusher (May 9, 2018)

A few more PP photos for reference just for fun...


----------



## mr.cycleplane (Jun 24, 2018)

I think they were on 22nd or 23rd street when I discovered them. the bike you have may be one of the many they rented out to the tourists. they also did restorations and sold tons of vintage parts. they were the pulse of the hobby back in the early 1980's. it was the happening place. they did sell the shop and it was run by a fella but can't remember his name. they had the coolest t-shirts-I always bought a few every time I visited.


----------



## DaveTheWave (Jul 12, 2018)

mr.cycleplane said:


> I think they were on 22nd or 23rd street when I discovered them. the bike you have may be one of the many they rented out to the tourists. they also did restorations and sold tons of vintage parts. they were the pulse of the hobby back in the early 1980's. it was the happening place. they did sell the shop and it was run by a fella but can't remember his name. they had the coolest t-shirts-I always bought a few every time I visited.




Hi, do you happen to have any of those t-shirts that you are willing to sell?  I'm Gertrude Vorgang's son and I would love to get a hold of a shirt.

Thanks,
Dave


----------



## mr.cycleplane (Jul 12, 2018)

hummmmm…..I like them. I have worn some till they were rags and chucked them out. I have one or two-un-worn that maybe I will take another long look at and get back to you. they still fit my wife and she likes them too-lots of good memories of pedal pusher's-Gertrude and Henry.


----------



## DaveTheWave (Jul 12, 2018)

Thanks for the quick response.  I totally understand.  

My mom passed away a couple of years ago.  I went down to Oceanside and picked up a lot of my parents stuff from a storage unit.  Not one t-shirt.  I did find a trove of pictures from our times in Balboa.  Thanks for considering it.


----------



## mr.cycleplane (Jul 12, 2018)

hi dave-i just got off the phone with a guy that was very good friends with your mom. when you said you were the son-we all knew mike but I had never heard of you-this guy did know you existed-wasn't sure of your name. so I went with my wife and we went thru our t-shirts(collectable) and we only have 1 each. although I understand the sentimental request part I am also sentimental about mine too. I was really fond of your mom and your dad was a hoot! my wife still cracks up when she thinks of him. its a good vibe.  so I am going to keep mine. it would be very easy to put a 'wanted' ad here on the cabe for one-seems to me I saw a couple go for sale here. and I think I saw one on ebay one time-it was a rag and went for about a $100! good luck with your quest. (doesn't mike have a couple laying around?) bet you could re-run them and sell them like hotcakes! best wishes -tyler


----------



## DaveTheWave (Jul 12, 2018)

Yeah, no problem.  Mike and I had a bit of a falling out.  The yellow one in this thread was really a classic, first one we produced.  I think Charlie designed it.  I bummed that I missed it.  I think he sold it for $40 with another t-shirt.  The green one was the new style but also a classic.  If your ever interested in some old parts that I inherited let me know.  I did just sell a 1939 Colson tandem which was awesome since it steered from the rear.  If you ever change your mind or if you see one, I'd appreciate you letting me know.  Your right, my folks were awesome and I had a fantastic childhood.  Take care.


----------



## bobcycles (Jul 12, 2018)

Gertrudes son Mike is still around, he contacted me out of the blue last year and still had some 'smalls' from the
shop and was doing well.  I was fortunate to shop at all the locations including the first shop in Newport Beach. Amazing how chocked
full of goodies it was.  The only thing that came close was the early Memory Lane Perrysburg location before the inventory
went to 90% reproduction stuff.  I clearly remember what was hot and 'trendy' in these parts back then,  lots of people wanting
straight bar or DX Schwinns usually powder coated bright red or yellow or some other bright color, often no fenders or accessories, just truss
rods etc.  I can remember riding my plain jane Straight bar Hornet, rusty maroon original paint on the "strand" our beach
bike path here in LA, and people would flip out on that simple plane jane bike.  They just stood out from everything
rolling down the bike paths back then in an era of ten speeds and eventually the new Schwinn Cruisers.  Now thanks to Retro-hell
as I call it,  no one really notices the vintage ballooners around here as the vintage / retro look saturated the bike industry
with tons of variations of the balloon tank bikes looking 'old'..  I can remember clearly when literally a crowd would gather when
you rode your original ballooner down at the beach.
Sadly the last owner of the Pedal Pusher chain Larry Kiel was killed tragically a year or so ago in an automobile accident. 
Charlie Churchill is doing well and living in So Cal also.  Ahhh The good ol' days of swap meets in the late 70s in So Cal where most of what showed up
was NOS original inventory stuff from shops around the area and US.  Whizz-in, Balloonaitc, and Gary H's Huntington beach Main St. mega swaps!


----------



## DaveTheWave (Jul 13, 2018)

bobcycles said:


> Sadly the last owner of the Pedal Pusher chain Larry Kiel was killed tragically a year or so ago in an automobile accident.
> Charlie Churchill is doing well and living in So Cal also.



Thanks for the update.  I don't remember Larry, probably never met him since I wasn't really involved in the business.  Charlie is a great guy.
I saw Mike a year and a half ago.  Mike is one of the kindest guys out there, almost to a fault.  

Do recall the name of one of the older guys that worked there in the 70's?  He was really good and fast at truing wheels.

Thanks again.


----------



## cyclingday (Jul 15, 2018)

DaveTheWave said:


> Hi, do you happen to have any of those t-shirts that you are willing to sell?  I'm Gertrude Vorgang's son and I would love to get a hold of a shirt.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dave




I never knew that Mike had a brother, or Gertrude had another son.
Back then, I tended to just put together beach cruisers out of parts, and since Mike and I were about the same age, I tended to gravitate towards him when ever I came by the shop to dig through the the parts barrels.
Gertrude was always helping multiple people and spinning in different directions, so I would just tell Mike what I was looking for, and he would point me in the right direction, and I would start digging around until I found something compatible.
When Tony Parry was closing up the Chicago Bike shop last year, 



He gave me his Pedal Pusher employee shirt he wore while he worked there.
I have since given it to a friend, to see if he can get some copies made for nostalgic sake.
I'm not sure yet, if any shirts will actually be made.
Tony's shirt was pretty well worn, grease stains and all, so it may not be the best example to replicate.
I liked that particular shirt, just because it was well used and an employee version, worn by the mechanic.


----------



## Bicycleguy111 (Jul 27, 2018)

Hey guys, my name is Cole. The last owner of the pedal pusher bike shop, Larry, was a great friend of mine for the last 10 years of his life. I have heard many, many old stories about the shop and even own some of the bikes that were once Larry's that came from the shop. Larry was a great friend of mine who treated me like family and is someone I think of every day. If any of you knew Larry feel free to message me, I would love to learn more about his time at the shop.


----------



## dla (Jul 27, 2018)

I was just looking for that same photo of Larry's beloved DX...


----------



## dla (Jul 27, 2018)

Styled my '47 to look similar to his back in the day and it's still my go to favorite rider!


----------



## dla (Jul 27, 2018)

Spent a lot of time hanging at the shop on Newport Blvd and 31st while Larry owned it. I had not heard that he passed... RIP Larry.


----------



## markivpedalpusher (Jul 27, 2018)

Great photo @cyclingday - that will be a historical reference of Tony and his Chicago Bike Shop some day...


----------



## markivpedalpusher (Sep 23, 2018)

Another t-shirt sighting today at the Long Beach Veterans swap meet compliments of one of the Hinkle brothers.


----------



## mr.cycleplane (Sep 23, 2018)

pretty cool-i'd love to get a few of these if they remake them!


----------



## mr.cycleplane (Sep 23, 2018)

adding to the bicycle t-shirt interest-mementos of famous bike shops or meets here in california...here are some I have saved through the years. of course the famous Pedal Pusher shirt from the shop in Newport run by Gertrude Vorgang. next is the Recycled Cycles shop of Newport run by Larry McNeilly(his dad Don was one of the original whizz-in organizers with Sterling Pope and Ron Keowitz(sp? sorry Ron). next is the Old Glory bike meet in el Segundo run by Paul Popp(Paul still around?) this was a fantastic shirt with print on the front(aerial view of 1936 autocycle) and the back with the 1936 autocycle and there was even a logo on the sleeve! next is the Simonian Farms version of the Mid-valley Whizz-in originally started years before by Joey Cude and Ed Golden









































it is believed that Joey was the first guy to do over 60mph on a whizzer-insane! last shirt is from the Mountain Bike Historical Museum in Fairfax-these are still available(by mail also!). happy collecting!


----------



## cyclingday (Sep 23, 2018)

The T shirt drawer.
The one I wore to rags that I wish I still had, was from the Schwinn History Museum in Chicago.
I loved that shirt!


----------



## cyclingday (Sep 24, 2018)

DaveTheWave said:


> Do recall the name of one of the older guys that worked there in the 70's?  He was really good and fast at truing wheels.
> 
> Thanks again.








Here is a picture of Charley ( not to be confused with Charlie Churchill) on his green Shelby.
He was one of the older guys who helped out around the shop, and built/trued wheels for Gertrude.
Unfortunately, he passed away a couple of years ago, and when we had a memorial Pedal Out for him down in Balboa, some of the veterans from the old shop came out for it.
Sadly, that was the last time any of us saw Larry Kiel, because the car accident that took his life was just a few weeks after Charley's memorial.


----------



## 39zep (Sep 25, 2018)

Thank you very much for the post. These guys were the pioneers to the rebirth of balloon tire bikes/whizzers in Huntington Beach during the late 70's, early 80's. I wanted to add a couple names who were a big part of the original whizzins. The idea was born in Bob Anderson's garage. Bob, Don, Sterling, Ron and my dad, Bud Guyer would routinely gather, drink beer and build whizzers. It was Bob's yard where the whizzins were held. It was very much a family affair with Marlene Anderson, Beverly Pope, Barbara Guyer manning food and beer booths making sure everyone had a great time. At its height, there would be 60 plus running whizzers entered into the show. For a number of the whizzins my Dad would bring his running prototype D, E and F whizzers. Attached is the original whizzin banner. Thanks! I just wanted to pay my respect to these pioneers.


----------



## TWBikesnstripes (Oct 2, 2018)

Great subject in SoCal old bicycle/Whizzer 
history. I got involved in the hobby in the early 1980's while I was scrounging for old car parts at swap meets. In addition to the people & places mentioned above, the Pomona Swap Meet rows 15-17 was the place to be if you were looking vintage bike parts as well as the great iindependent meets like the HB Whiz-ins, Doc Gibson's, Pedal Pusher and others back in the 80's & 90's. Most of the t-shirts i had from events and stores I wore into shop rags. I did salvage this Whiz-in 88 shirt. In addition to the Whizzer Ride on Saturday, Sunday's show & swap was crammed with old bike parts & related stuff.


----------



## Bicycleguy111 (Dec 21, 2018)

cyclingday said:


> View attachment 873463
> 
> Here is a picture of Charley ( not to be confused with Charlie Churchill) on his green Shelby.
> He was one of the older guys who helped out around the shop, and built/trued wheels for Gertrude.
> ...



I heard alot of stories about this man and and how cool he was from Larry. I have this picture from Larry at his memorial, I was not there but Larry had sent it to me before he passed away


----------



## cyclingday (Dec 22, 2018)

Thanks, for posting that picture.
Those three, green Boardwalk Roadsters were the stars of the day.
Larry on the left, I'm not familiar with the guy in the middle, and Dave Marchese on the right.
Dave is still the mechanic down at the old Sea Schwinn shop on 17th St. In Costa Mesa, Ca.
That shop has been there since day one, and has out lasted them all.
It's now know as, Two Wheels One Planet, but I'll always call it, the old Sea Schwinn Shop.
Great picture!
That was a memorable day in the life.


----------



## old hotrod (Dec 22, 2018)

Guy in the middle looks like caber #Jon Marinello

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## Kevinpedal (Jul 18, 2019)

DaveTheWave said:


> Hi, do you happen to have any of those t-shirts that you are willing to sell?  I'm Gertrude Vorgang's son and I would love to get a hold of a shirt.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dave



Hi Dave,

I worked at Pedal Pusher in the early 80s. I loved Gertie, Henry, and Mike.  I was brought aboard by Charlie Churchill. Working there is still one of the happiest times of my life. Your family rocked. 

Kevin 

Kevin


----------



## DonChristie (Jul 18, 2019)

Such a great thread! When we were about 14 (40 yrs ago) and into vintage bikes, we would ride from garden grove to see Gertrude and marvel at her shop! Of course none of us were buying just oogling! Gertrude gave us all a sticker that day. Whenever i met an old bike enthusiast after that, i could gage how long they had been into it if they went to her shop. Here are some pics of Charlies memorial and inside of Walts shop, notice his Terraplane truck.


----------



## OC_Rolling_Art (Aug 29, 2019)

This is such a cool thread for me and many others I'm sure. While I don't have a solution for the OP, I will briefly share my memories here about Gertrude, Henry and Mike.

I grew up in Orange County, CA – and in the summer of 1978 I turned 14 and spent the summers with my best friend who had moved full time to Newport Beach. It was the summer that both my friend and I started building and riding vintage beach cruisers. We went 3-4 days a week for a long time to The Pedal Pusher. Gertrude Vorgang was a joy to be around, a wealth of knowledge and always found time to talk bicycles even when she was busy. She was always busy. Half of her business was beach cruiser rentals and the other half was for buying and selling vintage bicycles. She had vintage parts, decals, literature and of course vintage bicycles for sale. Her influence on the vintage bicycle market was immense; while on a family vacation in Montana in 1979, I happened upon a stunning, original 1936 Schwinn Excelsior hanging in the front window of a little bicycle shop in Bozeman, which then was a town of about 30,000. I asked the owner about the bike and he said it came out of a barn locally – and he said that in Newport Beach, CA this bike would bring about $1,000. I knew he was talking about Gertrude and the Pedal Pusher.

I acquired what I could on my modest $35-$40/month paper route salary. I began to focus on prewar Schwinns and made 2 key purchases in 1979; an NOS prewar Schwinn straight-bar tank (blue with cream pin striping) for $37.50 from Recycled Cycles on the Newport Pier, and a beautiful, unmolested prewar Schwinn locking springer with two Arnold Schwinn keys for $40.00 from Gertrude. That Springer is on my daily rider today.

By 1980 I was a fixture at The Pedal Pusher and had a trophy winning show bike I cobbled together which I entered in the once common antique bicycle show/swap meets in Orange County. It was then that I saw this bicycle being placed in the window of The Pedal Pusher along-side other vintage rides for sale. (picture taken August 2019)






The price tag said $700. I was now making $135/week pumping gas but could not afford this one; a restored 1933 Schwinn B10E. I talked up the virtues of the bike to another friend who lived next door, who felt compelled to buy the bike. Mike Vorgang, Gertrude’s son helped with the sale just days before the July 4th weekend, 1980.

My friend who owned the bike for 28 years, called me in 2008 asking me for advice on how much to ask for it if he were to sell it. I gave him my best estimate and a day or two later I called him up and said I’ll be his buyer. I wasn’t going to let this one get away twice.  Around that time I had become friends with one of Gertrude’s early shop employees, Charlie Churchill, and later asked him what he knew about the bike. He was able to share the following:

- Tank and fenders are NOS right out of Chicago Cycle Supply in 1970’s.
- Fenders are period with the flat fender braces/hot rivets but the fluted stainless fenders are the proper fenders for the B10E.
- Bike was meticulously painted and striped by John Wheater in 1980.
- The Pedal Pusher built and sold about 5-6 of these B10E’s from what I could learn, as NOS parts were just a phone call away at Chicago Cycle Supply – NOS prewar parts were only 40+ years old in the 1970’s.

All parts and paint are original to the build, and rides like a dream, perfectly balanced.
The Pedal Pusher was later consigned by Warner Bros to build the classic postwar Schwinn DX (about 13 of them) for Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure (1985).

Henry would come and help Gertrude out during the busy season, and he loved to talk about his passions (he collected old masters), and was really interesting to talk to. I believe they lived right on the boardwalk in Newport at the time. They did build a lot of bikes with their signature look, usually a DX or Straightbar with no fenders, brick tread, truss rods and the hairpin seat, all chrome work done and they used what was then called electrostatic paint, or powder coat for a nice scallop paint job.

I have another bike I am finally starting to build now, a Schwinn Model C, I have a house-painted frame, NOS maroon tank and front fender, and the rear fender - all purchased from Gertrude when I was 16 years old in1980. At the time she told me it was a rare bike, and the only other one she had ever seen was hers, which had been stolen. She allowed me to put parts on layaway, I paid her $80.00 for the frame and $85.00 for the tank. This bike should be a rider within 90 days I hope, after 39 years of wishing. 

Here are a couple of close-ups of the B10E today.


----------



## mr.cycleplane (Aug 29, 2019)

Thanks for the great memories-those definitely were the glory days for the Pedal Pusher shop in the 80's. Mike-Charlie-John are still around! the Pedal Pusher shop was the definite pulse of the hobby at the time. The other great shop was Recycled Cycle run by Larry McNealy. Long before reproduction decals there was fantastic paintwork by John Weider. He did several bikes on top of running a Schwinn Bike shop. Can you imagine painting the spokes on the motorbike wing decal? John's work was phenomenal! Charlie Churchill was and is still the nicest guy you could know-always helped people get great deals at the shop. Mike is still in the area-doing jewelry I heard. And Gertrude and Henry will forever be remembered fondly by anyone who ever met them. As mentioned previously in this thread-the ever famous Pedal Pusher t-shirts. Those need to be reproduced-maybe someone could get ahold of Mike and get permission. I think I literally wore a dozen to the point of being tattered rags. Thanks Mike for keeping the memory of the Pedal Pusher alive!


----------



## OC_Rolling_Art (Aug 29, 2019)

"Long before reproduction decals there was fantastic paintwork by John Weider" 

Thanks for the clarification, it was John Weider who painted my bike, not Wheater. I volunteer to re-create the artwork for a return of the The Pedal Pusher t-shirts, I just don't know how to get ahold of Mike V. for permission. I will dig a little.


----------



## mrg (Aug 29, 2019)

Wow, this is bringing back some great memories, a few years after High school in the late 70's moved down to 11th & Orange HB and our routine soon became Surf in the morning, hang at a few surf shops, W & S, Gordie, Robert August and end up at Georges Surf shop to eat at Jan's Health food Bar ( in the back of the shop ) for a surf shop special then back to the garage to grab a bike and head to Pedal pusher ( thru all 3 locations ) to see what new and interesting stuff Gertrude had dug out ( decorated a few houses with those nos paint 1/2 DX tanks & still have a few! ) so we could build our Klunkers to cruise the pier looking for girls and waiting for glass off, if it didn't we would ride over to Recycle Cycle to check out the latest California Cruiser Larry had created. man those were the days, even tho I moved around from Hawaii, Mammoth, Tahoe & Utah surfing, skiing dirt biking was always drawn back to the surf/skate/bike life in socal !, also have great memories of Gertrude, Henry, Larry and all !


----------



## indian cruiser (May 1, 2020)

wow, i just did a google search for the Pedal Pusher in Newport and found this forum. Pretty amazing. i lived in HB when they would have the bike swap meet downtown, then Pedal Pusher would sponsor a bike ride to their shop in Newport. i think they did this a couple times a year. I remember Larry and he helped me out sourcing parts for my Schwinn. Sorry to hear the news of his death (RIP). I had snapped some group pics on the way down to the shop when we did a photo op near the Santa Ana River. I spent alot of time riding from HB and Newport back then. i'll have to get one of those new PP T-shirts.  Thanks for allowing me to join. i'll have to find those old pics.


----------



## cyclingday (May 1, 2020)

Welcome to the Cabe!


----------



## OC_Rolling_Art (May 1, 2020)

indian cruiser said:


> wow, i just did a google search for the Pedal Pusher in Newport and found this forum. Pretty amazing. i lived in HB when they would have the bike swap meet... I spent alot of time riding from HB and Newport back then. i'll have to get one of those new PP T-shirts. Thanks for allowing me to join. i'll have to find those old pics.




PM Sent!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Jamesmc (May 3, 2020)

I looked one day and saw this tag. I would have liked to have visited their shops. They did incredible work.  I stayed up in Balboa in 1995 and my then 10 year old daughter and I biked everywhere. Now I'm biking more with my 11 year old granddaughter.


----------



## cyclingday (Aug 10, 2022)

One of my builds this year, was this 1948 Schwinn DX, Pedal Pusher Tribute Bike.















Thanks for the memories!


----------



## Joaquin Suave (Aug 14, 2022)

This is Charlie Grayson (RIP), a true mentor and dear friend of mine! Probably the biggest influence on the paths I taken in my life. In the 70's through the 80's he would ride that cruiser (dressed just like that) from Newport Beach to San Bernardino  twice a month visit his elderly mother until she passed. There are a lot of people that claim that he started the "strand" culture (myself being one of them).

In the early 90's when my business really started to take off, I moved myself and my business up to Arroyo Grande. Shortly after getting settled up here, I went down and rode one of my cruisers from Laguna to the peninsula to hunted him down. I found him living in a BEAUTIFUL 20 VW bus in the parking structure under the Fun Zone and made him this offer... "Come up and live on my property for the rest of your live and I'll cover all your experiences."

Well, he smiled and gave me a big hug then declined. Saying that the peninsula was all he knew... And was happy with it staying that way!

Rest in peace Charlie! You are one of the best people I have ever known in my life!


----------



## tripple3 (Nov 19, 2022)

Bump it with News paper articles,
saved by Bruce of Huntington Beach,
for 30+ years!
Marty @cyclingday said he would keep them for the next 30+ years.🤩









and a pic of Tony Parry of Chicago Bikes, Newport Beach.



"I sold him That" Tony, _Classic!🥰_


----------



## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 19, 2022)

Joaquin Suave said:


> the "strand" culture



What does the Strand culture refer to?


----------



## HEMI426 (Nov 19, 2022)

When I lived in Ocean Beach in 1972 there was a Strand theater by the beach where after midnight they would lock the door, show a movie and let the movie goers smoke pot while watching the movie. Pretty sure that was illegal in 72. But it was a hippie culture 50 years ago. Maybe that is still a culture in S. California. I don't remember if the Strand Theater was a chain of theaters through out California.


----------



## cyclingday (Nov 19, 2022)

The Ocean Front sidewalk/bike path that runs from Newport Beach to Huntington Beach is often referred to as the Strand.
Not so much anymore, mostly older folks still call it that.
It was also called the Boardwalk, even though it is made of poured concrete.
It may have actually been built out of old railroad ties at one time, but never in my memory.
It has always been a concrete bike path, that is still referred to as the Boardwalk, or the Strand.
Strand Culture was just the Beach Culture. Surfers and Sunbathers, hanging out at the beach.
The Strand/Boardwalk, was just the way we got around and ran into eachother.
No Internet or Cell Phones, back in those days.
You had a 47 Schwinn DX, if you wanted to go see somebody.
Usually to get some Surfboard Wax or a Thai Stick.


----------



## Thee (Nov 19, 2022)

cyclingday said:


> The Ocean Front sidewalk/bike path that runs from Newport Beach to Huntington Beach is often referred to as the Strand.
> Not so much anymore, mostly older folks still call it that.
> It was also called the Boardwalk, even though it is made of poured concrete.
> It may have actually been built out of old railroad ties at one time, but never in my memory.
> ...



Yup “let’s go cruise the strand” ours was Torrance beach through redondo , Hermosa (the street addresses are 100… “the strand”),  Manhattan beach, and all the way to elsugundo - bike path , called it the same cruising cars along the same routes & Thai Sticks , humbolt skunk, yes no doubt 💨💨💨 ✌🏻☮️


----------



## Joaquin Suave (Nov 19, 2022)

> What does the Strand culture refer to?




When I was pre-teen to just before I took off to Central America when I turned 18...

It meant.... *The best life a teenage boy could ever dream of!!!*

Leaving CDM on the cruisers , dropping down onto Balboa Island. We'd (Bro's, partners in crime) would stop at that 60 or seventy year old bakery on the Island, eat a pastry and mill about with morning gathering of locals before taking the ferry over to the peninsula.

If there was a swell, we would ride out to the Wedge then swim out for some "barrel rides".
Afterward, we would spend HOURS riding the strand!!! Talking to "inland" girls, sharing J's, crashing parties. etc.

It makes perfect sense that it turned into a "culture".... And I feel VERY BLESSED to have experienced it first hand!


----------



## mrg (Dec 8, 2022)

Well always been kinda a horder😏 and diggin stuff out today found some more history, 1990 LA Times, View/OC Life section, some stuff about Gertrude's, Whizzin and the Vintage bike seen 30+ yrs ago!


----------

