Sorry 'bout the hijack guys... but what the heck...
I got into it when I was about 15, doing grunt work at a small ag aircraft factory in my home town. I loved building those planes - I ended up being lead man of the sheetmetal division. Just like building a bike, building a plane from scratch and seeing it fly was a real thrill to me. I still love the sound of radial engines more than any other. I got out of it in my late 20's because it didn't pay enough to support my family well, but I still missed the work. Most of the guys I worked with were sharp, and I guess I learned about committment to quality then. Later I when I was a small-time bureaucrat in my hometown, I was appointed airport manager (mostly to handle leases) and deal with the FAA. That was pretty cool, I got to mingle with guys who owned a bunch of war birds, a corsair, p-51's, P-40, king cobra... we also had about 3 ag air companies back then when aerial spray was not yet frowned upon, and my old company was still churning out their crop-duster, the Weatherly 201.
Simpler times, and I miss it. I guess like a lot of older guys I'm really feeling like a dinosaur nowadays, but that's the way it goes. Riding is still something I can relate to...simple, man and machine, no excuses, no bs.