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Inland Vans Berdoo
In my search for pictures of lowered vans I came across this site. Its dedicated to a group of guys who in the early 70's formed a van club. Although the site looks like it was designed for angelfire, it holds a treasure trove of images from their days of raising hell and driving vans. Looks like a group of people who really knew how to enjoy life. Here is a little history from their site.
It began with a dream of some Highland, California teens, to form a Van Club like San Bernardino had never seen. It started out as "United Vans Berdoo". The club rapidly grew and in 1972 split and formed "Inland Vans Berdoo".
Yes, they called themselves "Inland Vans Berdoo", all wearing club jackets of blue. Gang or club it continued to grow and the common "bond" was only a van. But, nobody knew of the lifetime brotherhood that would grow, and even grow stronger as the years passed and we went through.
No matter if it was Steve with Ripped Van Ripple, Gernux, Pete, George, Roni, Shannon D, Ernie, Spanky, Jones, Wisinger, Juan, Cook, Brian, Ray, Slick, Mark, Rick, Dennis, Jeff, Shannon L, Tim, Debi, Rodger, Mike, Chris, or Cleo and others. Almost 70 strong, all in a line, as they cruised "E" Street or any other town.
Drinking Beer, fighting, and raising hell wherever they went, they called themselves "Inland Vans Berdoo"....A dream of a Van Club and much more had finally come true. Always watching each others backs and always holding up the Clubs name they vowed.
The years have passed like minutes, over 3 decades have now gone bye. Looking back on memories we still all laugh and tell stories of our wild adventures, and then cry some too....and knowing we would all love to do it again.
From the hard and wild lifestyles, we have lost some forever. Brothers like Norm Gernux, Shannon DeRosie, Mike Wilson, Brian West, Pat Ecale, Cliff Brown, Ron Wright, and Mike Navol now, all looking down from above. We think of them often in "Brotherhood and Love" which we'll always remember.
They still get together as often as they can, recalling the memories of a roaring Harley or a Van. When it comes to a party, they all pull together and still party like it was their last.
Through the "Love, Blood, and Beer" lives were changed forever before they were through, the Boys known through out the land as "Inland Vans Berdoo".
Great to see this post. I'm from Berdoo and was a kid during this era. Those pictures captures the whole essence of this 1970s, So Cal vibe. My older brother was the embodiment of this. Vans, Striped tank tops, longboards, etcetera. Remember, too, that San Bernardino is where the Hells Angels started - my elementary school was across the street from the main house for those guys - packed with chopped Harleys and dirtbags. It was a dangerous, dirty but exciting town and time.
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