bzzz, bzzzz, bzzzzzzz!

Yes we are busy little bee's today so I won't bore you with (nor dedicate an inordinate amount of time) meandering prattle.  Nor will I overwork your server with lingering log time caused by excessive video uploads!  No, just gonna give you the skinny on what we put out yesterday than continue on with our full schedule!  Put out four newbies yesterday, and have already sold one but you get to see what you missed anyway! 
TTFN!

THIS ONE SOLD FIRST THING!

SWEET BOYS BMX!!
ONLY $45.00!!

GORGEOUS CHROME SCHWINN STINGRAY!!!
ONLY $120.00!!!

EXCELLENT SHAPE SCHWINN RANGER!!
ONLY $90.00!!

OH GOD! It's SO Funny! But SOOOOOO WRONG!!!

Sometimes I am so thankful for the variety of entertainment easily accessible via the Internet!  Anyone who knows m realizes I have a sense of humor that heavily tips to the side of edgy and distasteful!  Honestly my heroes are Mel Brooks, The Farley Brothers Monty Python and Seth Macfarland.  This morning I stumbled upon the newest controversial bit of hefty guffaws worthy of a snippet on  Family Guy! (I would not be surprised if the writers of this hilarious gag aren't BIG fans of that show!)   Apparently many folks are in shock and disgust over this add promoting a famous American Institution in the most disturbing but realistic way!
Check it out below, you have been warned!

OK, OK Simmer down!  NO, it's not real!  Whether you are pro or con you gotta admit...you're gonna remember "Shark Week"!!
ANYWAY!
Yesterday was a day of repairs and only managed to put out one newbie, sadly.  Although it is a real sharp ladies Raleigh M 5.0 all decked out with NEW tires and such!  As far as today?  Well we have reached the end of the "easy" builds (that's anything under four hours worth of work) and now are going to dip back into "Bone Row" and find something fun to play with!  So keep an eye out for that!  See ya soon!

LADIES 26" RALEIGH M 5.0!!!
ONLY $110.00!!!

Share The Laughter!

As I'm sure you have all figured out by this point the Internet is littered with just about everything the human mind can concoct. My wife, bless her heart spends time each day hunting and pecking and occasionally comes across some snippets she likes to share with me.  As I close out this morn I want to share some of the cute "Fanboy" stuff with ya!
But first on to work!  Put out two real gems yesterday!  First is a 64cm "Big Boy" Fuji Road bike!  FULLY refurbed from a scrap pile!  Second is a an ABSOFREAKINLOOTLY gorgeous Bianchi Limited, fully tricked out with Campagnallo Veloce!!!  Thanks to Lee for bringing it in for us! Check these out as well!  Aside from that there isn't a hole lot to gab about ad I have  Cannondale and a Raleigh begging to be unleashed! 
So with that, see ya soon!!

CAMPY BIANCHI LIMITED!!
ONLY $310.00!!!!

BIG BOY FUJI!!
ONLY $140.00!!!!

SHARP 18" BEGINNER BMX!!
ONLY $40.00!!!

 

Rainy Day Watchings

It goes without saying a family of videophiles have...well...a lot of videos!  And as hard as it may be to believe the bulk of our collection remains on VHS tapes!  Remember those?  Quite frankly I was sad to see the demise of these as I feel in most respects they are far superior to the DVD.  We currently have over 1000 movies on tape (and no they re not copies but originals)  Much of that was amassed about a year after the introduction of DVD's as most pawn shops had a HUGE selection of tapes for an average of .50-$1.00 and we would buy boxes at a time.  I mean, lets face it, a DVD in a house with kids?  "ooooo! Pretty shiny Frisbee!"  And you have to handle the things as if they were made of precious metals, you get so much as a fingerprint on the bloody things and it's like watching a dub step!  And if you pause it to long you have to start it all over, seek out the scene selection and try and figure out where you were (also a crucial problem in a home where bottle runs, diaper changes and fist fights routinely break up "Movie Time") Also, the original appeal of the DVD was the "Special Features"  which nowadays, Special features seem to apply to previews and some boring "behind the magic, making of" that drones on about little of no interest!  OH NO!  you want the GOOD special features you have to buy the Blue Ray Special Editions!  No, I'm OK with VHS.  The only problem being the acquisition of VCR's that work.  We currently only have three left but are always on the lookout for more to stick away in the closet for future replacements. 
ANYWAY!
Went off on a tangent there!  Couple days ago went digging through the vault (AKA laundry room closet) for some new/old films for the shop and stumbled on a classic flick I haven't watched in a while and plugged it in yesterday.  Forgot how cool this one was.  It is definitely a testosterone filled guy flick!  But with a very poignant message of the evils of over zealous military in the face of the human need to just survive in peace.  I'm speaking of the 1998 flick "Soldier" starring Kurt Russell and Jason Scott Lee with Gary Busey.  Basic synopsis, in the not to distant future potential soldiers are chosen at birth and undergo rigorous life long training to become merciless killing machines in a world(s) blighted with war.  As the protagonist Todd 3465 (a very buffed up Kurt Russell) and his regiment are getting older they are met with a new breed of genetically engineered soldiers.  The ensuing "test" of endurance and fighting skills leaves Todd and two of his compatriots assumed dead and they are summarily dropped into a Disposal Ship and dumped onto a "Garbage Planet" where he is discovered by a group of survivors from a ship crash decades earlier eking out an existence on a planet of trash.  There he begins to discover  glimmer of his humanity and in turn becomes protector of the survivors as they are marked as "Combatants" by the ass in charge of the "new breed" of soldiers who seeks to wipe them out as part of a "training" mission.  It really is just top notch action and I've always been a Kurt Russell fan ever since "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" and in my opinion it is HE that should have played Nick Fury agent of S.H.I.E.L.D!  Seriously...check this out!

 

AS SOLDIER!

 

AND OBVIOUSLY THE COVER ARTIST HAD THE SAME IDEA!

But what do we get?

 

 

 

DAVID FREAKIN' HASSLEHOFF!?!?!

From the embarrassing made for TV movie also from 1998!  LORD!  What was Marvel thinking!?

And with all due respect to a fine actor Samuel L. Jackson who admittedly I do enjoy in the role I can't help but wonder what would be the reaction to a remake of Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" starring Chow-Yun-Fat in the title role?  Seriously politically correct and accommodating is one thing... but rewriting 50 years of history of one of the most pivotal of the Marvel Universe's characters is just wrong.

God Lord.  That was one heck of a swerving digression!

ANYWAY!  I think I have meandered enough for today and I'd better get back at it!  Did manage to put out two new beauties yesterday!  A sweet looking lightweight Schwinn MTB and a classic Schwinn Traveler Road bike!  And to the more observant of onlookers you may notice something missing on the road bike.  I was building it with one eye and watching Soldier with the other, and on top of that still a little tired from a late night with an insomniac 3 year old so it wasn't until I snapped the pic and put it online that Kaleb noticed the missing crucial piece!  No fear, I installed it this morning.

See if you can spot what's missing!

See ya soon!

 

 

SCHWINN ALUMINUM MTB
ONLY $95.00!!

 



GORGEOUS 54CM SCHWINN TRAVELER!!
ONLY $180.00!!



Pleasent Valley Sunday!

At least there aren't "Rows of houses that are all the same" !
Yes, a tad obscure a reference.  Google "Monkee lyrics: Pleasant Valley Sunday"
ANYWAY!
Twas a very nice Sunday with a Birthday to boot!  Little Miss Izabella turned three!  Lord she is getting so big!  Also little Miss Miranda is now standing on her own!  (OK, with a tad bit of help from handy nearby supports (see pic's below)) But she took a few tentative steps yesterday as well.  Clearly she is not bothering with crawling as she hasn't even shown interest in trying that! 
This Sunday was another lazy day in (or out in the Redneck Pool!  Momma actually joined us this time! Sporting as she put it, a two piece Redneck bathing suit!)  Spent the day playing video games, hide and go seek, Izzy cards (basically she makes up the rules as we go, and always wins (if you know what's good for you!)), Handy Mandy, origami, pro wrestling and Frisbee.  To name a few.  Then it was party time and got over full on ice cream cake!  Isn't odd how ones taste buds change as you get older and the things we would have killed for as a child we have to force down and barely finish as adults! 
All in all a very good day!
ANYWAY!
Would LOVE to thank all the folks for coming out on Saturday!  A PLETHORA of repairs coming in!  Thank you so much for the faith, referrals and kind words!  Also SOLD a PLETHORA....

(OK!  SO many astute readers may have recognized I enjoy using the word "Plethora"  That clips explains why!  One of my all time favorite "Cult Classic" Films!  "The Three Amigos!" )
of bicycles Saturday as well!  I think eight was the final tally!  And man alive!  Will some folks ever listen!? Had that GORGEOUS '83 (yes, I had it dated wrong, thanks to Lee one of our resident experts on bikes for pointing out the error in my interpretations of the bikes graphics) Peugeot road bike.  Emphasis on had!  The aforementioned Lee had waited a few days to give someone else a chance to snag it, but came in and snatched it!  Had several folks checking it out and heaven help me some folks are SO cute!  Some come in and spin the wheels, test the brakes, shift the gears and go over it with a fine tooth comb trying to find SOME flaw, and when they can't STILL try and talk us down!  I have no problem bargaining but our policy that has evolved over the last few years is we don't drop the price for the first 72 hours (sometimes longer on hard to get items...like road bikes) but so sure are they that the item will be waiting for them they leave with  a "We'll think about it" then call back a couple days later (like first thing this morning) and are dumbfounded that the item has already sold!  Had a return visit from a young lady and her son Saturday.  It took me a few moments to recognize her but as it turns out she had come into the old location about 6 months ago looking for two bikes but wanted one of them (for her son) to look brand new!  The other one was for a neighbors son, a "play date" partner to bang around on.  She bought him one of our $25.00 specials, a nice enough huffy we rebuilt from scratch, but decided instead to go to Toys R Us and spend $139.00 on a new 18" Razor.  Well.  Seems that from day one the pedals were sticky and would not properly rotate when pedaled.  The training wheels would not remain tight and kept loosening the rear wheel making the chain fall off.  The first time he went to use the hand brake it snapped clean off, and the head bolt had been stripped when assembled and the handle bars would not remain tight.  Needless to say, he rode it only a few times and it was resigned to the back of the garage and he proceeded to ride the "other" bike (our bike) every day.  When asked how it was holding up she reluctantly admitted they had had NO problems with it.  HENCE why she was coming back to us to get her son his own replacement bike!  And in trade, was the disaster from Toys are us.  Not so shockingly she was quite dismayed at the severely decreased value of her trade.   He fell in love with the green and black Huffy we had and the deal was sealed. So the morale of the story is....
"Newer isn't always better!"
SO we will see ya folks around the campfire!
Love Ya!

"HEY! HEY! LOOK AT ME! MA! MA!!! MOMMEEE!!!! LOOK AT ME!!!!

HAPPY THREE IZZY!!!!

UPDATES!

Yesterday was another great whirlwind of activity and we thank all who made it so!  Managed to put out three new goodies, pick up a few more and send a few home to new families!  The XR-200 went home to a grateful gent who loved the size and comfort and in exchange left us with two bits of raw material we were able to quickly whip back into shape.  The classic Huffy ladies bike will be seeing the trails under the care of a fine lady looking to get back out on a bike after many years of hiatus!  The ladies Iron Horse we just put out didn't last more then a couple of hours before  very discerning woman realized it's greatness!  Had a LOT of folks trying out the classic Peugeot road bike but the majority wanted to "think about it"!  Obviously they have not read any of my prior dire warnings of "waiting to long".  We got through all the repairs then went on to the building and below are the fruits of those labors.  We also have a classic Fuji road bike in the rack and acquired a good parts hybrid that will be adorning a sweet lightweight Cannondale frame we have been harboring or just such parts!
Well on to it then and we will be seeing you soon, I'm sure!

DUAL SHOCK W/FRONT DISC BRAKES!
ONLY $80.00!!

GORGEOUS MONGOOSE ESTES!
ONLY $90.00!!!

MEN'S 26" MTB
"DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!!"
ONLY $80.00!!!

"It's Wabbit Season! No DUCK Season! WABBIT! DUCK!

No.  It has absolutely nothing to do with this blog, but recently I discovered a site online for old Warner Brothers cartoons and have had that and several other familiar skits bouncing around in my head for the last few days.  Drove mamma crazy this morning as I was reciting the dialogue between Bugs Bunny and Gossamer in "Hair-Raising Hare" to Rozlynd.  Yes, I was in a particularly jaunty mood this morning!  But no fear, I am redirecting my energies to more productive pursuits!  As yesterday we put out three new goodies after finishing up the flood of repairs (Thanks so much for the faith!).  Found a home for the sweet French ladies touring bike we had, one of our new regulars and a very sweet lady with good advice for dealing with unruly teenagers, picked it up in lieu of repairing another one she had brought by to get up and running!  Now beyond that I have very little to add other then I was excited to read this morning that they have finally green lighted the sequel to Dumb and Dumber!!! YAY!  Now I say "the" sequel and some more astute filmologists may say "But wait!  There was a sequel "Dumb and Dumberer"!"  Well...that was a "PRE"quel and an incredibly, incredibly bad one!  So bad I did something I RARELY do and that was shut it off less then half way through and never looked back!  No this is  GENUINE sequel!  Written by the Farley brothers and Starring both Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels! 
Looking forward to it!
With that I'll leave you with pics of the goodies and get back to work!

24" DUAL SHOCK MTB
ONLY $60.00!!

MEN'S 26" MTB!!
"DAILY BANGER SPECIAL!!'
ONLY $65.00!!

 

CLASSIC IRON HORSE!!
ONLY $110.00!!!

ONE OF THE UNDER USED WARNER CHARACTERS!
GOSSAMER!

It Always Happens This Way!

So some of you may, after reading the following, think I came up with this little tale as entertaining filler and nothing like this could happen in such a fashion with such impeccable timing, but I assure you what you are bout to read happened!
 Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent!
The only thing I don't like about this vocation (actually hate it!) is having to impound someones bike.  Not sure if that's the right word, but basically when someone brings a bike in here for repairs we perform them on good faith.  99.9% of folks come in and pick up their rides in a respectable amount of time (some with more cajoling then others) but there is that .01%.  At times someone will bring in a bike with what we assume is good intentions, but for reason unknown to us they never return to retrieve it.  And regardless of phone calls or messages (sometime disconnected numbers) they don't return.  Well posted on our walls is spelled out our terms of service and one such term is any bike left after thirty days becomes our property.  Though in most cases if space allows we stretch that time.  About a month and a half ago a customer brought in an older bike for a bearing repack and two tubes.  The job was done later that afternoon but when I called I got an answering machine.  Three days later I called and was disheartened to receive a disconnected number message.  Now seeing as I myself have made the unfortunate mistake of forgetting to pay my cell bill on time I figured I 'd wait a few days and try again.  No luck.  Right up until yesterday I was still getting the same message, so with great reluctance as we were cleaning and reorganizing the "Pit" we decided to claim the left over.  Now as this particular bike was nothing special and in need of a lot more work to make it sellable, in order to recoup our repair expenses I opted to tear it down for parts.  If nothing else but to claim the parts we DID install.  So with minimal fanfare she was set in the rack and within a scant few minutes reduced to her composite components (at least the salvageable ones).  Now as our scrap guy Terry is off on vacation we have been storing our scrap in the outside bin so I stepped outside with  the semi picked clean carcass and tossed it on the pile then as I was stepping back into the shop who should be walking through the front door?  YEP!  You guessed it!  Fate and Cosmos with their extremely sardonic sense of irony had chosen to send her on THAT day at THAT time to come in and pick up her long since forgotten bicycle!
ARRRGH!
Of course at this point I had to simultaneously inform her of the unfortunate decision we were forced to make and reassure her that we would reassemble her bike for her.  Then incredulously was subjected to a diatribe of "Why did you's?" She apparently could not understand why we didn't get in touch with her not taking into consideration that when she had her previous phone disconnected she got a different phone with a different number and failed to inform us.
Sheesh!
ANYWAY!
Was a whirlwind of a hullaballo yesterday with a multitude of repairs (thank you very much!) and also managed to put out three new goodies!  And what gems!  Got in ANOTHER recumbent!  WOW!  This one is in TOP shape and complete with travel bags and a sweet shammy back rest!  ALSO picked up and promptly sold a 2011 Fuji Crosstown Hybrid!  That one lasted less then an hour!  So it's back to work today on even more sweets with a "DAILY BANGER SPECIAL"! half done and hanging in my rack!  So without further adieu we are back at it!  See ya soon!

SUN CYCLE EZ-1 RECUMBENT
ONLY $420.00!!!

BOYS 20"
ONLY $35.00!!!

Where To Post Blame?

"Hot enough for you?"
Yea, annoying.  But more and more this may become the standard greeting given to passerby's, ousting "Good Morning!"
Wherever you land on the "Global Warming" argument you gotta admit summers are getting longer and hotter and in some cases fatally so!  Ever since 1950 global temps have been on the rise.  Now I'm no scientist but I'm gonna speculate here.  highways started popping up in the states around the '20's, then we had the post war prosperity in manufacturing to name one source, which then lead to the baby boom, which lead to the creation of the suburbs, which bread more roads and highways which lead to more jobs, then more cars, and more highways.... you get my point.   Now the changes in our environment did not go unnoticed even in the later half of the 19th century but like so much in our human history we don't respond until we are looking down the barrel of a gun.  To coin an old therapist "reactive as opposed to proactive!" Now we fast forward to today and we have what we feel when we step outside our AC.   Our average temp has increase by 9.5 F.
(As a sign of the irony and hypocrisy we live under, I just took a pause to help a customer and as I was saying goodbye I happened to glance out the window as a big panel truck was passing the shop and emblazoned across its side was the company logo 'GREENERGY"...as it passed belching out blackish exhaust!)
Currently we average 650 deaths a year related to heat.  That's more then Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Lightning strikes and floods combined.  Last year in four states in a two week period 32 folks lost their lives due to heat.  That's 4 times the amount in previous records.  The CDC predicts that by 2050 our annual numbers will increase by 3000-5000 deaths.  And at current rates the global temp will increase a steady 9-10 F by the end of the century effecting some 100's of millions of people in ways ranging from displacement, loss of real estate and death. 
If asked what is the cost of progress, you're looking at it! 
And where are we making changes?  The government spouts figures of emission standards, both for cars and industry but imposes little to no effective penalties for not abiding by standards.  All growl and no teeth!  And what are YOU doing?  At the very real risk of sounding like I'm trying to use a tragedy of global proportions to sell bikes just imagine the impact we could make by everyone out there leaving their car home for just day!
Why Imagine when you can have fun with math!
Here's the equation!
There are an estimated 230,000,000.00 cars on the road today.
The average vehicle pumps out an average of 6.66 pounds of carbon dioxide a day (no...I didn't make up that number for the religiously astute folks out there!)
so....that's....
1,531,800,000 pounds a day.
WHEW!
I'll leave it to the climatologists to figure out that boondoggle but I can only imagine it would help! 
The point is, there are changes we can make individually and to inspire others but the next time you want to complain about the heat just remember, you're part of the reason why.
ANYWAY!
I want to thank all the folks out there for coming by to visit yesterday and all the wonderful compliments!  One in particular gave me a real smile.  Seems we had another referral come in yesterday and even though he didn't have a needed repair that day he just wanted to stop by and let us know he would DEFINITELY be in when he did!  A friend informed him that a few weeks ago he brought his ride into one of those "other" bikes shops for  needed repair and they charged him $70.00!  And it STILL didn't work right!  After a couple weeks he was getting frustrated and happened to be passing by our joint and thought he'd stop by and see what we could do.  Well 15 minutes and $8.00 later and the problem was fixed properly!  I do so much appreciate the kind gesture of coming in and giving us that special kudos! 
We also managed to put out two new gems yesterday, and as promised the SWEET '77 Peugeot Rod bike!  Check 'em out below and I'm gonna get at even more goodies today!

LADIES 26" MTB!
ONLY $75.00!!

CLASSIC '77 PEUGEOT ROAD BIKE!
ONLY $165.00!!

Check The "Fixed in My Ways" Watch!

Lord it's happening!
Apparently when you reach a certain age you become very set on how things are suppose to coexist in your daily routine.  Yesterday when I went to the Wrens nest for my coffee the two brothers who own the place weren't there and their mom was working.  She's a very sweet lady but for an Alzheimer's moment I stood confused at the unfamiliar face and forgot why I was there!
Sad.
Anyway!
A belated recognition of Fathers Day!  As I said, being set in my ways Angela reluctantly accepts that I never want a fuss made, so it was a simple ceremony, and Audrey and the grandson came by for the day to visit.  Which briefly set Miranda to tears as I was holding Aiden and when he went to cuddle with me she went absolutely Ape $#!+!  Was one of those parental moments when you laugh and cry at the same time to see the angry fit thrown because someone else was cuddling with her Daddy.  A regular occurrence whether it's with the grandson the other children our even Angela.  And for a surreal moment when Aiden and Miranda were playing on the floor having an angry tug-of-war with a talking book I had the sudden realization that there sat an Aunt and a Nephew who is 4 months older fighting over a toy! 
Sheesh!
We are those Redneck neighbors!
As I prefer the kids gave me a series of hand made gifts and Angela bestowed upon me the perfect gift!  Practical ones!  My favorite!  New socks and work shirts, with a hand made and autographed one hand drawn by Elijah and signed by the rest.  We had a big brunch, which unfortunately we ate a little late as the dinner made came only three hours later which very little was eaten.  But it'll keep!  Made a great stew the next day!  Then as the day wound down and the kiddos went to bed I set out to fulfill a lifetime goal1
I've always been a firm believer in setting and achieving goals.  Personal or professional, doesn't matter as long as you have something to drive you.  The only thing is, I am a simple man of simple desires and as (caution: getting sappy) the major goal in my life was achieved sometime ago in the way of my wife and children I have so little to drive me.  This goal in particular may seem trivial, but was one I have been planning on doing for years but for some reason just never got around to doing, But with the help of Elijah to document this feat of daring do (as Angela wanted nothing to do with this dangerous and potentially lethal stunt) this life long goal was achieved!

CAUTION: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO CONTAINS DISTURBING MATERIAL AND IMAGES AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER VIEWERS OR THOSE WITH WEAK CONSTITUTION!

I apologize to any and all who may have been offended by this life threatening feat!
ANYWAY!
Thanks to all for braving the heat yesterday and giving us a visit!  Found a home for the remaining recumbent to a very excited young woman and also gained a new customer in her boyfriend as he was quite astounded as to how little we charge for sales and service.  apparently he has been a long suffering victim of the local 'boutique' bike shops! And to the two gents who came in and snagged up a couple rides for local bar crawls!  Remember the cops WILL pull over cyclists and ticket and/or arrest them for operating under the influence.
Was so busy with repairs yesterday (thanks for the trust!) didn't get out anything new, but am in full force today to put out some goodies!  Got a classic Peugeot road bike just waiting to be unleashed!  So with that I bid you farewell and will see ya soon!

What To Do After ET Went Home?

Ah!  The stuff of youthful fantasy and dreams! 
Just further proof that the skill of innovation derived from childhood flights of fancy is alive and well!  Any of the over 40 crowd remember the unadulterated pleasure of sitting down with a good book?  You know, those odd bound paper things with words in it?   One of these from my youth provided me with hour upon hour of escape into a fantastic surrealescape.  Jan Wahl's "The Furious Flycycle"

 As the title hints, it's a bicycle that flies! 
Well apparently I was not the only child infused with the love of cycling and the freedom it offered and they DID get theirs off the ground! 
A recent article I read initially credits ET as the inspiration for the first flying bicycle, but towards the end of the article half heartily admits that it was indeed NOT the creators inspiration, but "a book no one has ever even heard of".  Obviously this author is some young snot nose who is limited to only those titles offered on his IBook!'  SHEESH!  I do so miss the heady days before the advancement in tech that breed these "readers".  Yes, they can be a handy alternative to accessing hard to locate reads, but what about the joy of digging through musty dusty bins and boxes at your local cluttered book shop?

ANYWAY!
A trio of Czech engineers have created a 6 prop flying bike operating off an electric motor.  The prototype shown hear

 took its first flight recently with the aid of a plastic dummy (operated by remote control) in Prague and has a limit of 5 Minuets flight time.  Hopefully they will find a way to extend it.  Unfortunately this is merely an attempt to fulfill a childhood fantasy and more then likely will not be showing up at your local bike shop.
Shame.
Speaking of creativity!  Sometimes my kids do things that surprise me.  in a good way!  The other day while Kaleb was separating parts he got a hold of a pile of scrap parts and came up with this...

Perhaps there is hope for some of this generation..
But it does beg the question, "will the IBook and I pad generation ever have the juice to utilize their imagination and creativity to fulfill their dreams  when technology all ready does that?"
MOVING ON!'
Speaking of "dream realizations!" have we got some dreams for you!!  Put out FIVE newbies yesterday, but before you start to drool over them the Trek Verve 3 we had sold in 7 minuets!  So sorry to all the folks calling last night about it, but shes gone.  And what a steal the buyer got to boot!  BUT we have the other four remaining!  So check 'em out below and I need to get at it!
It's Saturday!  Get on up here!

FINALLY A CRUISER!
ONLY $65.00!!



YEH. THIS DIDN'T LAST AT ALL!

ON CONSIGNMENT!
26" MTB
ONLY $85.00!!

CUSTOM BMX!
ONLY $95.00!!

SCRATCH BUILT SCRAP FIND!
CLASSIC MONGOOSE BMX!
ONLY $80.00!!!

Even In A World Of E-Bay Some Dream Still Come True!

OK, Anyone who has been reading this for a while knows I'm a bit of a Fandom Geek.  From Movies, to trek and beyond but it all started with a love affair of Comic Books.  As far back as I can remember (well OK, I can remember WAY back but for the sake of argument "as far back as I can remember having the ability to focus:) I have succumbed to the allure of unbridled fantasy, and after starting out on Richie Rich, Donald Duck, Chip and Dale I graduated to superheroes with a copy of Fantastic Four # 236 Purchased at Gerry's Market in Exeter NH from the mid section of one of those wobbly old wire comic racks that dotted the local markets of America.  Now this was not my first trip into the realm of Superheroes.  Oh nay, nay!  I was well aware of their existence but at the age of 14 my exposer was limited to the DC side of the universe, and surprisingly I gave it little notice.  No even at that age when others were interested in more advanced pursuits I was in the throes of teenage awkwardness and a less then illustrious presence in middle school verging on the terrifying realization of becoming a  freshman in High school.  Comic book inspired flights of fancy were my anchor.  But it was this book, this gaudily colored, character packed 20th anniversary triple wide volume that caught my eye as I dug through the pockets of the rack searching for my lesser popular choices so often eclipsed by the more prominent sellers.  It's odd the things we remember as being a pinnacle moment in our personal history only through the passage of time.  But it was at this moment that a very specific journey, my life's course as it were was sowed.  Intrigued by the many characters I was unfamiliar with blazoned across its cover and the promise of it being a good starting point for a new reader I felt the $1.00 investment (although quite a hefty sum for one book back in those days) was worth the risk.

I was not disappointed.
The engaging story and brilliant artwork aside it was a karmic leap into a world I was scantly aware existed.  And not just that of fantasy, but of a reality I was completely oblivious too at the time.  See, back then if you were a fanboy, you were a pariah.  You would be the constant but of all jokes, taunts and outright bullying.  No comics at that age were one of the closet (quite literally!  I hid mine in my closet so as not to be discovered by the occasional friendly visit to my room) never to be discussed, traded or dare I say READ in public!  I was unaware of anyone else my age that held any interest in them and it wasn't until that fateful afternoon back in '81 that I became aware that "I was not alone"/
As I sat quietly in my room with a fresh stack of my latest acquisitions I optimistically opened the cover of this tome and became instantly enthralled.  Then in reading I turned the page and almost instinctively bypassed the prerequisite advertising but paused as I read the banner.  In simple black text in a yellow rectangle set the name "Mile High Comics Mail Order".
Hunh?
What was this?
In a two page splash page set in simple type was column upon column of a variety of comic titles.  Some familiar and some not.  With a price listing adjacent.  I was perplexed.  Are these new titles or something else?  No  there were dates next to several identifying them as much earlier.  And as I read the term "Back Issues" it dawned on me!  "this is a BUSINESS that sells old comics!"  At the very bottom of the add was an address to send a SASE (that's "Self Addressed Stamped Envelope" to all you kids out there) to get a FREE catalogue!  Didn't have to tell me twice!
My journey began.
Through them I discovered that not only were there folks out there like me, but they were heavy in numbers as I discovered more and more and more companies that did the same thing.  And in order to keep them busy there just had to be a lot of folks spending there cash completing collections!  
This door lead to others, from mail order to braving the waters at school offering to buy up other kids old books, to searching antique shops and yard sales for those hidden treasures.  And this was before the Internet or e-bay when folks TRULY didn't know what they had.  Eventually it lead to a thirteen year career in Comic Book Retail back in the heyday of the 80's and 90's.  I had the pleasure of visiting and hanging with some of the greats of the field from lunch with Stan Lee, to dinner and drinks with Todd MacFarlane and his lovely wife.  Shared an elevator with Chris Claremont and a heated discussion about the virtues of She Hulk with John Byrne.  I've helped members of Aerosmith locate back issues and even had to endure the throngs of fans while members of the Back Street Boys perused some issues.  I even entertained Stephen King as his son searched through my stash looking for a missing issue in the Cat Woman limited series as he spoke of walking his dog in a rainstorm ate donuts and went to bed (yes he is as odd as you would expect). 
All this from a fateful trip to Gerry's! 
In my day I have owned and traded over and over again some of the most iconic of issues, from the first appearance of many milestone characters such as Spider man, the Fantastic Four, Justice League to even Wonder Woman and Archie.  But the one book escaping my grasp at all turns (although I did hold one ONCE) was the holy grail of finds.  The one that every fanboy dreams of finding in some secluded corner of America.  Digging through the bins at a yard sale, or the dusty corners of an attic.  And if you ask any fanboy what they would do if they could travel back in time they would go back to 1938 and  buy a truckload of these.
..

Yes, the Mother of all is the one that started it all!  The first appearance of Superman! 
It was while perusing my yahoo news this morning that I stumbled upon an article that began this whole awash of memories.  Apparently David Gonzalez while renovating a dilapidated home in Minnesota was removing old insulation and as was the practice back in the early to mid century folks would stuff the walls with newspapers and such for insulation.  Well guess what he found in tact within the walls?
yep.  you guessed it!
The Mother load!

By the looks of it a fair to poor copy but still an important enough find to fetch $175,000.00 at auction.  Granted a paltry sum considering a  mint copy fetched $2.16 Million recently.  And apparently David is still going as he located another early issue of Superman (as yet undisclosed) and still has some of the home to search! 
Lucky bastard!
ANYWAY!
Thanks for humoring me on this sojourn of reminiscence.  To quote Alan Moore's immortal "Watchmen"....
"Everyday the future looks a little bit darker.  But the past, even the grimy parts of it, well, it just keeps on getting brighter all the time."

Try, Fix, Rinse and Repeat

Believing the previous viruses vanquished I willfully allowed the next days child to access the school sanctioned Portal site to engage his mind during the summer months.
DUMB mistake!
This site is RIDDLED with hungry, vicious viruses ultimately immune to Norton Virus Protection!  As he blissfully went about the games we started to rack up the virus's to a count of 27!  The final one was a nasty fraudulent FBI warning that froze and locked out the computer while at the same time utilizing it's camera to take a picture of the child and post it in a very scary and official looking FBI bulletin stating that he was guilty of fraud and piracy and in order to free and unlock it we had to pay a $450.00 fine!!!
Once again thanks to Pat down at Zone Red who over the last couple of days and several attempts seems to have successfully purged it's systems of all viruses not to mention replacing that useless Norton with Spybot and Microsoft Protection (both FREE by the way!)
Needless to say a very loud and stern proclamation was made to all children that under NO circumstances would anyone be using the shop computer ever again!
ANYWAY!
As the summer months are here things have unfortunately slowed down a wee bit.  Not only selling but buying as well.  Most folks don't like to shed the protection of their AC during the day!  Although, for the record, coming in here is like coming into the Snow Monsters cave on Hoth!  I like it COLD!  So after having built up all the easy stuff we are now digging into the "WOW!  these bikes need a LOT of work better just stick it over here and forget about it" pile.  So our average of four bikes built a day has dwindled a bit.  Managed to finish only 1 and 3/4 yesterday, but boy is she a beaut!  A 1978 Schwinn Suburban 5 speed with the neat FF system (rear freewheel is fixed, and the freewheel is in the crank!) She is a real peach with new tires to boot!  Also have a classic Giant Cross almost done, and will be ready to go after I finish up the couple of repairs I did get in yesterday.  Also the day before built up a SHARP looking Mongoose XR-200 this one with new tread as well! (yea...been out of decent used tires for a few days now) So without any fanfare we do have quite a few choice rides in waiting.  Just eager to find a new home.  Please have pity on these cute little guys and come give them a new home today!  (to bad they didn't have pitifull little doe eyes to pull at your heartstrings!)
All right, now I best get back at it as I know you are all just waiting for the perfect day to bounce down here and buy us out!
Right?

LADIES 1978 SCHWINN SUBURBAN!
ONLY $135.00!!!

SHARP LOOKING MEN'S 26" XR-200!
ONLY $115.00!!!!

At the Risk of Being Cliche'..."The Dog Days of Summer!"

Yep, it's officially summer when you realize you have no justifiable excuse to send the kids to bed early and you have to debate the merits of a "shower" after dinner.
ARRGH!
Yes, a parents best friend is gone for the next two months and once again all over the nation parents are blessed to endure....er....enjoy the company of their children 24/7 (at least those who are not fortunate enough to be able to afford summer camp)
*heh*...I could imagine sending Owen to summer camp...
JASON would run away screaming!!
And the only potential downside to owning our own business is the fact that there isn't a boss restricting the access of the work place to employees children!  Oh now, around here the boss promotes bringing children to work..
fervently.
So as tradition mandates once summer hits each eligible child gets to join daddy at work.   As a result of which some of you may have noticed that over the last couple days I have not been on the blog updating you.  Well near as I can figure one such child who was granted access to the shop computer (after the prerequisite whining and badgering until dad broke down) access some site that unleashed a very malicious virus into the computer!  It was a redirection virus and I couldn't access anything except the odd advertisement site.  Thanks SO MUCH to Pat over at Zone Red for giving me a variety of apps that sought it out and terminated it! 
The rain of late has been keeping folks in but no fear, as firstly today appears to be a reprieve and we took full advantage of the slower pace and been banging out some goodies so please feel free to peruse them below, as for me I am going back at it and build up some more!
Hope to see ya soon!


GORGEOUS GIANT LADIES
ONLY $125.00!!!!

SWEET LADIES TOURING BIKE!
ONLY $115.00!!!

LADIES 26" DUAL SHOCK MTB
ONLY $80.00!!

LADIES 10 SPEED CLASSIC!
ONLY $85.00!

MENS 24" 21 SPEED MTB!
ONLY $65.00!!

Made Of Stronger Stuff!

Apparently folks from Illinois are just made of sterner stuff then us Floridians!  Shout out to the Mom and her kids who blissfully braved the near Tornado quality weather yesterday to come in and buy not one but FIVE rides!  And also much thanks that they were driving a mini van with ample payload.  All five went in the back, standing up without a problem!  I've seen cargo vans with less room!  NICE!  And we also do appreciate all the kind words and compliments paid to our little enterprise. 
OK, so maybe I'm not being totally fair, as there were some more natives who popped in throughout the day as the weather had NO clue what it wanted to do!  One moment Gail force winds and driving rain, next sunny with scattered clouds.  Pain in the butt really!
Enough about the weather.
So with that big movement we are once again hurting for rides, especially painful coming up o the weekend.  And as it is the first weekend of the summer (based on the kiddos being out of school....*shudder*...) have no idea which way it will go.  Could be dead or more then likely SWAMPED with unprepared parents who have quickly discovered bored kids shut up in house equals mass destruction.  Best to give them an outdoor activity!  And whats better and more conducive to early development, fine tuning motor skills, and fortifying independence and self reliance then riding a bike?
Too much?
Sorry.
But seriously, remember the feeling YOU had as a kid being able to explore your surroundings on your own power.  Meeting up with friends, charging and racing around the neighborhood with baseball card strapped to your spokes (whoops...dated myself there) gathering up neighborhood debris to fashion a crude ramp and attempt to achieve high velocity airborness culminating in spectacularly memorable "Indy" style crash enabling a trip to the emergency room to allow for a cast for all your friends to sign?  A true memento of a great summer!
Ahhhh....those were the days!
On second thought an afternoon in an air conditioned hallway smashing your SSP "Smash 'Em Up Derby" cars against the walls doesn't sound all that bad.
(sorry.  For the younger readers Google SSP.  Dated myself again)
And what about the Evil Knievel "Stunt Set"?
And Atari "Pong".
Forget Google!  We have the magic of youtube!

Ahhhhh.  Simpler times.
ANYWAY!
It goes without saying I have nothing new to show other then some of what sold yesterday.  Yea, I guess I'll post 'em just to prove that we did in fact "work" on something aside from all the repairs we have had come in!  Thanks so much for the faith and trust folks!
Alright, no back to work, breaks over!

"OH WAIT!  WE STILL HAVE THIS ONE!
20" BMX!
ONLY $45.00!!

GONE.

NICE LIGHTWEIGHT FUJI.
GONE!