Show and Tell: "My Lowrider Dream"

      Show and tell days were my favorite when i was in elementary school. They were they days i could show everyone a special item that no one else had, something that i treasured deeply.

     My lowrider bike is something I'd chose to "show and tell" about. It has a lot of work, spirit, love, tears, and stories put in to it. See my dad, Luis Villegas, has been a lowrider fanatic ever since his childhood. Living in the heart of downtown El Paso Texas and in the "Barrio" part of Juarez, Chihuahua he used to sit out side of his childhood home and watch the beautiful unique cars go by. He'd dream about one day owning his own lowrider to treasure. Something magnificent he could be proud of and have pride in. That one special thing that would influence the better part of his life. My uncle, Salvador Sandoval, Started my fathers dream. He help my dad put together a lowrider car, his own unique and special lowrider dream.

    

      My dad from then on has continued, the what you would call, "The Lowrider Lifestyle." He showed me how beautiful lowriders can actually be. The real meaning of being apart of the lowrider lifestyle. He showed me that owning a lowrider and being part of that kind of life style isn't about gangs, violence, or drugs. Its about the pride in having an amazing hobby. Its about enjoying life, having fun with friends, seeing the different designs and styles of cars and bikes. Its not about how many members you have or about representing a something ridiculous, its about showing off your "treasures" having pride in your creations and showing the world your natural ability of design.

      

       My lowrider dream started when i was only five years old. My dad had a lowrider car and was already apart of a car club named No Limit Car and Bike club. He was apart of No Limit for about two years until he moved on and created his own club, Suenos Unidos Car and Bike Club, in 2001. As soon as my dad became president of Suenos Unidos he started on my dream, my treasure, my lowrider bike, Lil Pimpin.

      

       My bike started of as a simple red little lowrider bike. I won many first place prizes for my bike. At the time i was just excited to be holding a trophy taller than i was. I didn't fully understand that my bike had beat over 70 entry's at a time. A couple years passed and i changed my outlook on my bike i wanted a fresh new design something a little more flashy then my first initial project. My bike was then painted a baby sky blue with dark blue accents and a new frame design. I then began to win more and more awards as time went on. I had the bike to beat, the envy of many car clubs. I soon realized that my ideas for my bike were something new ideas that no other clubs really thought about. I got together with my dad and my uncle and we created what is now my 1966 Schwinn lowrider bike. Its a green full custom lowrider bike with gold and silver designs. It has four beautiful murals, on one side it has a mural of Jesus's face and of Praying hands and on the other side it has murals of praying hands and the eagle from the Mexican flag. The murals on my bike have a major significance to my life. The mural of Jesus face and of the praying hands is a representation of my faith and the mural of the eagle from the Mexican flag represents the pride i have in my Mexican heritage. The parts of my bike are all custom made, by either my father or my uncle. It is one-hundred percent original and unique.

    

     To conclude, my lowrider bike is not just a hobby or something that wins awards, its actually so much more than that. Its a representation of a daughter and father bond. Something my family can enjoy while spend time together. It is a heart, a dream, a lifestyle, a project that can never be finished but most importantly its my special unforgettable childhood memory i will always have to treasure.