Every time I pass a young girl learning to master the art of riding a bike, when I'm riding my own bike, I wave or shout a compliment ("I like your bike!" "Cool helmet!" "You're so fast!"). I sometimes do it for the boys, but always do it for the girls. Before June, when on this bike, I used to ring the teapot-shaped bell that Mary and Jane gave me.
I want to encourage them. I didn't learn how to ride a bike until second or third grade, and I never was athletic. I want them to feel as happy riding their bikes as I feel riding my bike.
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| Which bike is whose? |
This little red bike was locked up next to mine at the grocery store on Friday. As I loaded my bags on my bike, a little girl and her mom came out of the store and unlocked the bike. The girl and I talked about our bikes. It was a highlight of the afternoon.
So, the teapot bell got knocked off this bike when it was loaded on a semi on the way to the MS150. I believe the event that wrecked my bell is also the event that broke my left shifter. Decision point: Am I still keeping this bike? Am I replacing both shifters, or just the broken one? Am I doing anything else while the cables are detached, rim tape is removed, and derailleurs are getting messed with? Yes; yes, both; uhm, yes, finally.
Using this bike as my backup on Sunday when the other bike was disassembled and all of its innards were drying out, and riding it today (with a pannier on the rack) to A Very Nice Happy Hour on the lovely WA Frost patio while the other bike was still(!) disassembled with its new rim tape and hopefully appropriately-tightened seat post makes me really appreciative to have this old thing around. Whoa, that was a long sentence.
I'll get the other one put together and cross my fingers that the seat post clamp is adjusted appropriately before next week's 5-day ride, and then drop this bike off for repairs when I'm traveling for work. The parts are on order now. But maybe I should also get a new bell.
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