Great story, Mark.
You were at Hellyer just before me. I entered my first track race in 1979 and went to my first National Championship the following year, 1980, held at the velodrome in Balboa Park, in San Diego.
Sadly, both Don and Ed are gone now, but their vast contributions to the sport of track riding in San Jose will be remembered and appreciated for years to come. I didn't know Ed that well, but Don was my coach and mentor, and father figure for the handful of years I raced there. Jack Disney also helped me a lot. And good friends like Peter Bohl and Mike Blauuw, who were fixtures at Hellyer, made going to the track a joy.
Jan Johnson
Portola Valley, CA