it is a long story how it happenedthat story... well that story is not as important as what happened
what happened?
well...
I found a home for one of the last remaining bikes from the bike swap I hosted this fall
the bike swap is a bicycle yard sale
my bike swap happened on a cold rainy day
yard sales are not so popular on cold rainy days
which had some remaining bikes
which is part of the process
there are usually bikes brought to the bike swap and bikes brought home from the bike swap
lots of bikes were brought home from the bike swap
bikes were left in the alley
lots and lots of bikes were dropped off at Lamont Park in Mount Pleasant
I gave a bike to my older son's teacher
I offered a bike to my younger son's teacher
that bike... a women's specific Shogun with after market riser bars remained
there is a woman I do not really know
I just know her from seeing her at pick up and drop off
sometimes her son is on a bike
a conversation with her about her son's box store bike having a front fork on backwards ended up with a discussion about me having a bike that would fit her
she was excited
the hand off was not smooth
I had the bike there the next day but did not see her for a week
each of us had thought that we would never see the other again
then... I caught her
passed off the bike
the smile... oh... the way she smiled when she was given the bike
like a kid seeing the bike they wanted under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning
she was smiling
the brakes and gears work
but it needs new tires
definitely needs a new front tire
I showed her the markings of 24X1 and warned her of the unusual size and the need for a shop to special order it
funny...
here she is with her son at the same school as my kids
an immigrant from Poland... the same area of Poland that my family is from
imagine that
UPDATE: saw this woman this morning
in this woman's search for a replacement tire she found a bicycle on Craig's List for essentially the price of replacing the tire and tube on the women specific Shogun
although I am a bit let down
she has a friend that can use the bike and is excited about receiving it
big picture... her rational... not mine
the bicycle served its purpose... THE PASSING OFF OF THIS BICYCLE HAS INSPIRED THIS WOMAN TO RIDE A BIKE!
her words... not mine
it has been 10 years since she has owned a bicycle
now she owns a bicycle and is going to start riding with her children
so... although I did not give her the bicycle she is going to be riding
I did get her on the bicycle
another BIKE SWAP SUCCESS STORY!