The Bicycle Story

K8 has recently been talking about getting a better bike. The one he inherited was junk even before we got it. So I took him to a nice bike shop in the big city to check out sizes and prices. The salesman took him to the kid sizes - not real interested.

Then we moved on to the small adult sizes where he became more interested. But once I saw the prices, I wasn't too excited. You want a bike, okay, lets talk about you saving your money - lots of money.

On our way home I explained that he had other options like buying a nice used bike for a lot less money than that new bike, or maybe talking to his big brother K2 and see if he would give K8 his 20 year old Mongoose mountain bike, which is way too small for K2, but still in decent shape. We stopped at a local feed store where they have one of the best prices on the planet for an ice cold can of Crush Grape soda - .30 cents! Hum...maybe you can get something great without going into debt.

Sure enough, K2 gave K8 his old bike. K8 became obsessed cleaning and fixing it. After putting several patches on the old inter tube without success, I had to drive him to Walmart - immediately - so he could buy new tubes.

Later, we returned to Walmart and bought new rubber grips for the handlebars (he made sure he got a pair manufactured in Free China - Taiwan - instead of Communist Red China), and a carry rack that he mounted over the rear tire. He also got a small white LED light for the front bar and a small red LED light for the rear of bike for night riding. His "new" bike looks great and is fully road worthy. And it did not cost "us" $500! He talked me into paying for the pieces because he reminded me he now owns 3 baby ewes which will bring a large tidy sum in the future. I kept all the receipts, but they only add up to $50! I didn't charge him for the "Goop" he used to wash all the grease off his hands. The next day he gave his old bike to a fellow Scout and helped him do some minor repairs. Don't be surprised if K8 opens a Bike Repair shop soon.