My Life Long Friend, John O'Conner !

Well , where do I start? In the photo is me and my life long friend John O'Conner also shown with the first bike I built with John almost 32 years ago. This bike was also built for John , which he has enjoyed for many years! Even though I was rewelding and putting together my version of mountain bikes back at Tamalpais High School with old Schwinns, Roll Fast, Elgin, etc, in 1967 in my machine shop class, this is the first bike I built from scratch with John, so it is really the first of the Steve Potts Bikes of many more to come and hopefully many more in the future. I was the youngest in my big family and lost my Mom at the age of 8 years old, and the O'conner family helped take care of me and helped form me into the person I am now. I grew up with John and Cela's boys , Boone and Ed, worked for John doing sheet metal work starting at 12 years old with his sons also. John taught me how to layout complicated sheet metal shapes , solder , hang gutter, install heating and air conditioning units, do intricate copper and stainless work, and basically have a hard working ethic. I have a mountain of great family memories with John and Cela, from all the work , diving, falling off of ladders, learning about life and loyal wonderful friendships. John's wife , Cela, also helped deliver both of my son's ,Daniel and Brennan. I'm sure I could write a book about all of the great memories I have with the O'Conner family, but for now I will Just say that I am happy and very fortunate to have such a great friend as John and it is really fitting that he has the first Steve Potts Bike! Thanks John! Your friend always, Steve.