History Of Fullerton Loop

[dirtsnack]

I was reading the Chumba Racing Blog and they were talking about the owner Ted Tanouye. Here is a quote from that blog:

"After college, he went on to open one of Southern California's premier high-end bicycle shops, the Bike Beat, in Fullerton, California. He carried some of the most innovative bikes of the time, including Mantis bikes - which were produced locally by Mountain Bike Action Editor Richard Cunningham.Ted continued to ride the Fullerton Loop - a trail network put together by MBA's editor and rode every Thursday evening by Ted and crew until this very day."

So what do you guys/gals know about the history of Fully loop?

 

[Sailor Ripley]

Along with Richard, there were a few other guys that were part of the Fully loop scene in the early 80's:

Dave Evans, Bob Nicholson, Steve & Bill Boehmke, Billy Broadfoot... I'm sure that I'm missing somebody#-o

Oh yeah! Bob Bacin...

 

[Pain Freak]

We rode parts of it on horseback back in the late 60's. Some of what was rode is now housing.

 

[ericfoltz]

We used to ride trails from over near CSUF to Laguna Lake on beach cruisers and BMX bikes back in the late 70s. The horse trails have been around forever.

 

[Chewyeti]

isnt part of it EX railroad right of way?

 

[mantaman]

I rode there with the group 1 time in the late 80's or early 90's before I bought my Mantis and we went to some area of the loop and Richard had us do a "miss and out" race. I think that Margaret Day, and another fast girl named Pat (Factory Mantis Racer) who later married Bob Hadley used to go, also Toby Henderson. I was 18 or 19 at the time and much younger and slower than all of them, but they were always very cool to me. Richard used to wait for me at the intersections in Chino Hills when they would go there. Imagine how cool that was to have the ride leader and semi-famous bike builder wait for you and make you feel welcome.

 

[Sailor Ripley]

That was Pat Nolte... very strong rider. The miss and out races were fun, huh? There were a couple of banked turns that could just be railed! I was out there on the Chino Hills rides quite a bit (I also worked at Mantis).

I rode there with the group 1 time in the late 80's or early 90's before I bought my Mantis and we went to some area of the loop and Richard had us do a "miss and out" race. I think that Margaret Day, and another fast girl named Pat (Factory Mantis Racer) who later married Bob Hadley used to go, also Toby Henderson. I was 18 or 19 at the time and much younger and slower than all of them, but they were always very cool to me. Richard used to wait for me at the intersections in Chino Hills when they would go there. Imagine how cool that was to have the ride leader and semi-famous bike builder wait for you and make you feel welcome.

 

[mantaman]

I only remember Eddie that worked there, but I was not in the inner circle as much as the rest. I had a good friend I would go with named Bill Jarem, he had a grey Yeti, and really wish I could find him again. I also remember a few other guys but can't remember names.

 

[crazysue]

I only remember Eddie that worked there, but I was not in the inner circle as much as the rest. I had a good friend I would go with named Bill Jarem, he had a grey Yeti, and really wish I could find him again. I also remember a few other guys but can't remember names.

psst.... Sailor Ripley AKA Eddie

 

[mantaman]

Oops

I can't believe he didn't bust me on my STR nickname which I totally stole from the RC himself. I remember Eddie being a very nice guy, even to a newcomer like myself. Eddie do you know what happen to all those guys and girls? especially Bill Jarem (spelling) with the grey Yeti and blue 70's Chevy Nova?

 

[CPATCRASH]

I rode the loop a ton with Jay, the original owner of the Bike Beat and Jeff back in the late 80's too.

I also rode a Mantis which I should have never sold.

Along with Richard, there were a few other guys that were part of the Fully loop scene in the early 80's:

Dave Evans, Bob Nicholson, Steve & Bill Boehmke, Billy Broadfoot... I'm sure that I'm missing somebody#-o

Oh yeah! Bob Bacin...

 

[Sailor Ripley]

If I can hide behind one of my favorite movie characters, then you can certainly hide behind one of your favorite bike brands:wave:

I'm up in the high desert, should you ever want to hook up for a ride.

I used to be nice, but now I'm a bit af a jackass... Crazysue can assure you of that.

Here's the status as I know it of the old gang:

Bill Jorem: I don't know, I'll ask Billy Broadfoot if he knows.
Billy Broadfoot: lives in Prescott
Richard Cunningham: I still ride with him frequently, and he's the same nice guy that you remember.
Pat Hadley: Lives in Yorba Linda... From what Richard tells me she is very active and coaches cross country running
Margaret & Jeff Day: Not too sure, but I believe they are still on South OC
Bike Beat founder-Jay (thanks Pat for the reminder): He's in Texas

Pat... that's the most famous Valkyrie ever:bang: Such a beautiful bike.

I can't believe he didn't bust me on my STR nickname which I totally stole from the RC himself. I remember Eddie being a very nice guy, even to a newcomer like myself. Eddie do you know what happen to all those guys and girls? especially Bill Jarem (spelling) with the grey Yeti and blue 70's Chevy Nova?

 

[Pain Freak]

I seen this bike but with an AMP fork on it on the Backbone trail about 3 years ago. I fell in love with it but it was sized way to large for me..

 

[CPATCRASH]

Are you sure it was this bike? I sold it to First Flight Bicycles and it's in his museum. I don't think it's ridden much if at all anymore.

I seen this bike but with an AMP fork on it on the Backbone trail about 3 years ago. I fell in love with it but it was sized way to large for me..

 

[Pain Freak]

Doubt it was the same exact bike but it did have the ano cranks and an AMP fork. The guy who was riding it said he bought it out of the Pennysaver years before.

 

[mantaman]

How do I post a pic on this thread of my Mantis. I still have thumb shifters on it and a rigid fork.

 

[genusmtbkr5]

How do I post a pic on this thread of my Mantis. I still have thumb shifters on it and a rigid fork.

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_vb3_attachments

 

[OTHRIDER]

I don't know any of the folks mentioned in the posts and I've only heard of Cunningham in MBA but thanks to all. :clap:

I think years ago we had a bunch of Sunset Lane~Parks~Sunny Hills locals (2wheel lee) chime in about the REAL early days. We used to ride the horse trails ALL the time. My shortcut to CSUF on the ten-speed ran the reverse loop towards the courthouse where I'd cut off and take surface streets like Dorothy to school.

There were only homes up to the Sunset Lane / Rosecrans area. Gus Grissom was a new park. Parks Jr. High was just being built. All of the oil fields heading toward Imperial / Beach were open game for us kids. Cutting across on our Sting Rays was the easiest way to Laguna Lake.

Even better was the area now known as the McColl dump site which is across the street from the fire station on Rosecrans. There were only a few homes on that side of the street back in the 70's. We'd pedal from home and ride the dangerously fast fire trail that bordered the Los Coyotes C.C. You'd have to spend at least 1/2 hour playing on the jumps built up around the tar pits (HAZ MAT heaven...) In the summer, we'd ride into the pits to watch our bikes slowly start to sink.

When we were feeling epic, we'd tie a ride together from the old Bastanchury Water plant tucked in behind Hughes Aircraft (Pioneer Ave. wasn't paved back then but a dirt road gave us access to all of Hughes' fields - even the radar truck test track), over to Laguna Lake, cross the fields to the tar pits, down the fire trail and jump the huge terraced hillsides just northwest of the Gilbert / Malvern intersection.

A few times we'd explore the dam area and watch the rich kids ride their Honda 70's back in the old moto course behind the hospital.

I take absolutely NO credit for Fully but I sure wish my kids had been able to grow up in such a cool & wild area without the fear of creepers at every park.

 

[Deadweight]

I think that Margaret Day, and another fast girl named Pat (Factory Mantis Racer) who later married Bob Hadley used to go,

Is that the same Bob Hadley that used to work for GT and NORBA back in the 90's?

 

[Old and in the Way]

That must have been me the rich kid riding my Honda SL 70 at the Mini Bike Park. <-- This was City ran and funded .This is now Fullerton Sports Complex. Also used to ride at the McCall dump area on a weekly basis. Back in the good old days when you could ride a dirt bike in town without a hassle.