Time To Terrify Tots!!

Fits and starts.
That's this time of the year, in a nutshell.
Things started with busy, yesterday, but quickly petered out towards the late morning.  Perhaps folks are getting ready for the holiday?  Not sure.  Elijah did point out the other day that out of all the houses in our neighborhood, ours was one of only three that has any decorations up in the spirit of the season!  Funny side note on that one...while putting up the trimmings a couple weeks ago, after having watched "The Blair Witch" the night before, Elijah constructed a rather large Pentagram out of twigs and grasses for string, and in the center, he hung a plastic skull with ominous looking red symbols painted on it.  Now, while the image made my mild religious sympathies cringe a bit, I let it go with minimum mention, in lieu of the Holiday.  The humorous effect being, that a few days later, as I sat on the porch, readying myself for work, we were paid another visit by some of the local "Jehovah Witnesses"!
AH-HA!  Hilarity ensued as they stepped from their vehicle, bibles in hand, only to be taken somewhat aback by the large symbol, and upon recovering, tentatively approached, merely to pass me a copy of the Watchtower, and beat a hasty retreat!
But, with the absence of others joining in the revelry, I really don't know how many folks are in the spirit this year.
If today is any indication, though, I'd say we are all still suffering from a "lack of consumer confidence" as the financial pundits would say!
But, in hopes of some action this weekend, I am continuing to furiously work on rides!  Put out that ladies Mongoose "commuter" and she is a peach!  Took some doing though!  I've got the ladies Trek in the rack, but just picked up another two ladies rides, one being another really nice "Old School", "pre-Walmart" Mongoose hybrid, that are "easy-outs", having need of very little re-hab! 
We like those kind of bikes!
SO, with that (and a couple repairs to bang out) I'd best get my tail in a twist, and get a movin'!
See ya soon!!  

The Clock Is Ticking....

Oy!
What a weird day!!
I guess my body is really adjusting to the night life.  Got home Thursday morning from work, and could not for the life of me, get tired!  Ended up being almost seven Am, and my eyes were still wide open, so I ended up getting the kids up for school, only then realuzing, in my morning absense, the routine had shifted dramatically, and I was out of step.  Round peg amongst a lot of square holes!  The kids did not hesitate to inform me "that's NOT how wr do it!"
Sheesh!  Work with me, okay!
But, with Elijahs help, we got them off in time.  Apparently, dealing with my kids for an hour was more than enough to make me exhausted, and i unceremoniously passed out...to be awaken at 2PM!?!?
ARRGH!!!!
I had stuff to do at the shop!!
As it turns out, i had little time, and was only able to do a couple of assesments before turning around and heading to the next job!
BUT...tomorrow starts my weekend, and I'm excited to have a bunch of newbies there to bang on.  Angi picked up a sweet old school, pre walmart ladies Mongoose, that, with a nice set of road tread, is going to make a SAH-WEET commuter!  We also have a bevy of stuff out back i am DESPERATE to clear cut!  Several will surely be fodder for parts, but who knows what potential lurks back there!
Speaking of lurking...Saturday is HALLOWEEN!!  YAY!! Best holiday EVER!!
Can't wait to see what costumes angi is going to cook up!  She acquired a bunch of trimmings recently, so it's anyones guess what the kids will be going as.
Me?  No, i have very little to do with ANY preperations, dressings or make up, i just show up, and walk around the neighborhood, showing off the kids and pilfering their candy stock for Recees peanut butter cups!
Did i mention?  BEST HOLIDAY EVER!!!
And we'll NEED the revelry, as Sunday is Kalebs dead line.  He was given thirty days to find a job, enroll in Ptech or sign up for the military.  Hes done NOTHING all month long but blow and go with his friends and cause SERIOUS stress at the house.  He did FINALLY go to the school this morning, but left with nothing definitive.  He really has only tomorrow to REALLY make something happen.  Unfortunately, he's backed me into a corner.  I can NOT go back on my ultimatum, or risk appear waffeling to the other kuds, who I. KNOW are watching!  Angi and I won't survive another defiant, entitled kid, so we HAVE to lay down the law and final judgment.  I just hope for his sake, he makes something happen tomorrow!!
Not to mention for eliminating my inevitable guilt!
Gawd!  Sometimes i really wish I WAS the heartless prick they think I am, then it wouldn't hurt so much!
Anyway, enough of that, refocus energy, think good thoughts and breathe....
Just breathe.
Hope to see y'all tomorrow!

a prayer then a rousing righteous rant

Upon arriving at work today, shooing away the boys and sitting down with Angi, we had our morning coffee and "catch up "time.  We went through the work for the day, a couple sweet new acquisitions she picked up, the recent trials and teenage tribulations, then she told me of an incident that happened Tuesday afternoon that sent chills down my spine.  In the afternoon rain, just in front of Dodges Country Store, right next to us, her quite was pierced by the loud squealing of tires, and desperate screams.
A little girl was struck by a van while riding her bike across the street.
My heart sank, almost to tears.  A parents worse nightmare, and regardless of the fact it was not my child, i still feel the icy sting.
I don't know the poor girls fate, nor the circumstances beyond what I was told, however, the driver was released from the scene.  Where the girl was crossing has no crosswalk, just a section of the road, and were she not paying attentuon?  It would not be the drivers fault.  That being said, PLEASE say a prayer for the young girl, her family who undoubtedly are going through hell, but also say a prayer for the driver.  I can only imagine what that poor soul must be enduring.  To know you may have killed an innocent by merely going about your daily routine?  I cannot fathom how painful THAT must be!
God bless.
Before i get to maudlin, though, on to a topical healthy release of negative energy!!
If you're online or listening to the news you'll know all about ANOTHER case of "police brutality " in South Carolina  in regards to a campus cop and a high school kid. Okay folks, hold on to your jibes here till I'm through....
I'm with the cop.
Yea, i know i can feel the boos and hisses as i type!  Got REAL cold all of a sudden!
Let me 'splain!
Once again, youtube junkies have YET AGAIN snipped the footage down to the very height of the confrontation, when violence ensues, thereby making it appear as if the officer just walked in and yanked her out of her seat for no good reason, and of course go NO further than that.  Of course, in comes all the rhetoric about police brutailty, weaponized police state, facism...etc, etc,
Sheesh!
You really need to WATCH the whole thing.  Check it out and you'll see the girl jerk her hands away from the officer.  Lets check the facts!  This kid was in class texting on her phone.  The teacher told her to put it away. She "bruskly" refused.  An administer than came in, told her to put it away and leave the class she STILL refused...RUDELY.  then the officer was called in, ASKED HER, "give me your hands "repeatedly, she REFUSED, than, well you see the video.  He lost his temper, and frankly...I don't blame him.
See, the problem is, as I've said in the past, we have given kids WAY to much power.  And NOW, there's talk that they may launch a civil rights case!?
Come on!  He didnt march in with a white robe and hood shouting hate spewing racial epithets, he was just doing his JOB by trying to remove a disruptive little foul mouthed punk!
Most "politically correct" folks out there are going to raise a stink, but I'll tell you what, BEFIRE you chastise me, I DARE you to take a day, go down to your local juvinille court, bring a lunch, because its the BUSIEST docket in your town and just LISTEN to the charges!  Arson, rape, breaking and entering, attempted murder,  possession of firearms (yes...thats plural)and LOTS of drug possession with intent to distribute.  That was on the ticket one day i was there viewing.   The youngest defendant that day was eight, and the oldest was fourteen.
This is due to the increasing emphasis on giving children all the control, greatly limiting and controlling a schools rights and parental  rights all for people not yet mature enough to make sound choices, still caught in the sway of the "all about ME" Phase of growing up.  Than, the courts of course give them a tap on the wrist and send them home with mommy and daddy?
BULL$#!+!!!
I say, bring corporal punishment back to schools, and furthermore...institute publuc CANING!!
I'll tell you, if they hadn't made such a big stink about it, those othet kids in the class, after seeing het dragged out bodily, may have thought twice about wising off and disrespecting the teacher!!  Now, they're probably hoping it happens to them so they can sue!
I'll tell you a story.
When I was in seventh grade, i had to go to summer school.  There were about thirty kids in the class.  Lets just say, they weren't honor roll students.  Our teacher was mister Parks.  Mister parks was a body builder.  A BIG body builder!  Think Arnold....on steroids...HORSE. steroids!  Now, when i went to school, we all sat in the desks with the chairs attached.  On the first day, he layed down the law.  One rule was, ""NO talking unless called on".  Simple enough, but one unruly smartass two seats up from me just didn't get it.  About twenty minutes into the day, this punk starts talking to his friend sitting next to him.  Mr Parks calmly got up from his desk, strode purposefully down the isle and effortlessly picked the boy AND the desk up to waist height, stared at the startled thug than SLAMMED him down.  Getting his face two inches away he snarled "I said NO talking!"
For the remaindr of the summer class it was the BEST behaved class i have EVER been in!
There are boundaries and sometimes some  kids HAVE to be taught there is a line NOT to cross!
I had this discussion earlier and was chastised for my view point, and snidely questioned "what if this happened to YOUR child?"
Easy answer;  if the circumstances were the same I'd just look at them and say "you should have put away your f@$#ing cell phone when they asked you the FIRST time!!!"
Case.....cah-losed!

"oh yes! England does swing like a pendulum do!"

Okaaaaaaay!
Let's talk about our cousins from over the big pond!
And I thought AMERICANS were materialistic!!
Woof!
This comes straight from the Britts mouth, y'all!
Had a few visitors from merry ol' England today. Seems "status" mandates whatever they ride needs to be shiny and new!  Than WHAT are you doing in a "Used" bike  shop?
I don't want to sound derivative...but sheesh!  Had a very sweet lady come in with a rich accent, looking at the Bickerton folding bike we have. She rode it, loved the feel, but because there wad a small dent in the aluminum fender...no go.  Ever try and remove a dent from a soft metal?  You just make it worse!
The other couple wanted identical bike.  Cure...but...used?  Unlikely! And they wanted new at used prices?  Um....dors it work that way over there?  If so...I'm packing now!
I don't mean to slam our European customers. TRULY.  Just that i find differences compelling....and confounding.
Anywho...
Angi did a dilligent job trying to fullfill their needs as I fought valuantly to get through four stubborn repairs before i needed to head out.
  We had a surprising amount of folks visiting for a raint Tuesday
 I'll let you know! As always, thanks for SO much trust! Two were "do whatever it needs!"  An open ended recipe for a HIGH repair bill....everywhere else!  Not with us though!
I'm a HUGE follower of karma mandates!
No newbies today, though, sadly, as I SO wanted to work on the new Trek we got in!  Maybe tommorow!
We had a good morning, until the rain came back...and even though tomorrow may suck as well...the rest of the week is supposed to be gorgeous!  Here's hoping!
Alrighty...off to the shower!
See ya soon!

even the immortal bard couldn't come up with this!

VERY excited to see new faces, and many returning ones today!
And the down side being, Shakespearean tragic comedies!
Anywho, starting from the beginning...
Today marked the first week I am no longer doing the bakery. Oh, they're good people, but the level of time commitment they were looking for just proved impossible, especially with the shop creeping ever more quickly to normalacy.  Cutting corners there proved counter productive, as the owner had a keener eye than me, and giving up the ghost, i admitted I just couldn't give them all they wanted, and still uphold my commitment to our own business.  So like my dad once told me "if you can't do something right, get the f@$# out of the way and let someone who can!"
So, as Angi had another appointment with Miranda today, (no, no worries, she isn't sick, we're just enrolling her in pre-k...but it's a PROCESS!)i headed into the shop, first thing, Suzanne in tow, to mind the fort, AND build up four newbies, as well as five repairs (thank you all so much for your trust!) (And it's funny how surprised folks get when they tell you "do whatever it needs", and they DON'T get screwed!  Either that, or i got a real trusty face!) all done before 3 PM mind you!  At that point...things got tight.  I have to leave no later than 3.30 if I'm going to make it on time to work, and by 3.25 Angi hadn't made it in. Reluctantly, i put a "back in 10 min" sign in the door and headed out, only to meet a very winded honey bombing down Patricia on her 10 pound Trek.  Seems the cab company dropped her call, TWICE and it took forever for her and a very irritated Miranda to get back.  As we were exchanging brief kisses and apologies for not having time, a gent who had bought one of the 24" mtbs we had, 20 mins earlier, came up, and revealed that the left pedal had fell off!  WHOOPS!  With no time, i regretfully told him I would take care of it first thing.  He followed Angi back to the shop, where she ended up just upgrading him to a better ride at no additional cost for the inconvenience.  Yes, that's my wife, the true matriarch of RE-Cycle!
I made it to work with four minutes to spare, thankfully.  A real feat, considering both the lights AND the wind were against me the WHOLE BLOODY TIME!  Exactly...how DOES the wind shift directions each time you take a freaking turn!?
Oh well...
Karma was smiling on Angi's generous "customer service" as shortly thereafter, she got real busy, and even sent the sweet Trek 820 to a new home!  Nice!
She even acquired a few more repairs for me to tinker with in the AM!
So, with that in mind, and as i am covered in glass beads from a poorly sealed sandblaster I I  desperately need a shower!
See y'all tomorrow!

why we don't focus on other things while building bikes!

Well, yesterday was almost a wash, very sad for a Friday, but THAT'S why I stay to the last minute!  Had a couple repairs come through the door in the last ten minutes that made the day!
The day was not a waste though, as after banging out a couple repairs waiting for pick up, in the AM, went on to another rebuild. Boy, golly Bob Howdy this one was a bear!  They seldom are as simple as you hope!  This one is a 29er MTB, so as we don't get many of those, i really needed to take care of her.  Though I'll tell you, more work than i would usually invest in what otherwise be a parts bike! The end result, though, was worth it.  Even more surprising, was being in the charitable mood of "saving at all costs" i approached the next project, a simple 24" MTB, with the same gusto.  Befire i knew it, this $45.00 bike had its wheels, crank, bottom bracket, shifters, cables and headset replaced!  WHAT WAS I THINKING?!"
OH Well!  Someone is going to get a great deal.
Today, once I put the finishing touches on the underpriced ride, i'm going to go on to a somewhat rough looking "banger" road bike.  Full mechanical rebuild, but no paint.  We're gonna give someone a good starter road ride.
After that, time permitting, gonna dig through the back and see what there is to see!
Allright, so back at it!
See y'all soon!

Someone Get This Monkey Off My. Back!

Oy vey!
So...ugh of a week. Not business mind you, that's been getting steadily better.  No, it's the traditional annual ickies that the kids bring home. Laid momma out, but she still pushed, persevered and kept the shop running.  Of course, i haven't learned not to give Angi sympathy kisses and caught the bug myself. Yuck.  Was fighting it for four days, then wendsday around two pm it hit me like a Mack truck!  Regrettably, i had to csll out at the plant, and go home and sleep for...well, a long bloody time!  But, i hauled my carcass in to the shop Thursday anyway, as i REALLY wanted to put out that SWEET Bianchi road bike. Although, being somewhat out of it I had to wrap the bars NOT twice but THREE times!  First time I forgot to put the bloody brake levers on...second time I didn't pay attention to the fact they we bottom feeds!  ARRGH!!
Oh...angi got an earful of DADDY. language before putting her earbuds in and drowning me out!  LOL!
But, in the end, the ride was SO worth it!  Check out the pics of this throw away rebuuld!  Yea, someone actually chucked this beauty in the trash!  Thank Heavens one of our scrappers got to ot before the city!  Oh, and while we're on the subject, all our prayers go out to John, who is recovering from a stroke, but still out scouring for scrap.  Just take it easy, my friend, we want you around for a long time!
So, we have added a total of four GORGEOUS newbies to the line up this week, with more to come!  Angi is out for the morning tomorrow, taking Miranda to an appointment, so I'll be in first thing (in about six hours)  and right to work on more!
Oh, and check out the fine looking Schwinn hybrid another regular brought in.  This one is CHERRY!
Allright, i best get a shower and some sack time, as 8 am will be rolling around right quick!
Come visit me tomorrow, I'll be there all day!
Don't forget to tip your waiter!

Simply put; "What a GREAT Freakin' Weekend!"

Please forgive my delay in the Monday post, but this weekend was a hullaballoo, and didn't end until late Sunday night, than right back into the thick of things come Monday. Monday is my busiest day, i work all three jobs so that's 8 AM to 2.30 AM and blissfully, i was to busy at my scant few hours at the shop to sit at the 'puter!  Angi had six repairs lined up, and she got in a slew of donated newbies in on Sunday, so I had my work cut out for me. Kaleb already had most tore down and ready, and we also picked up a soon to be SAH-WEET Bianchi road bike, today as well!
So, things are picking up!  Seeing more of our beloved snowbirds swinging in to say hello, and check out the wares, and Angi sent the mens Fuji home with one on Sunday. Uea, Sunday is becoming a regular thing, and as soon as Angi and I have a spare few minutes to actually talk, wr need to revamp the posted hours.  Saturday was no slouch either! Sent home to grown ups and three kids!  Not to mention a whole DAY of repairs!  Oh...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TRUST!
Sunday has become my unofficial day off. Angi and Elijah run the show, and I do the house thing.  Normally, mow the yard, clean, and pick up the house.  This Sunday though...was different!  All the boys had gone to the shop with mom, so it was me and the girls in the day. After getting the lawn done, i surprised them by stating "we're going out for ice cream!"
You'd think I declared a holiday!
We ended up at the old plaza, grabbed a few things for the house, and ended up further treating them each to a special toy. I wad definitely the hero of the day!  Once we got home, the little girls played in the plastic pool I got on sale for 2 bucks, and had a blast.
One of the boys friends, Cowboy, was doing some yard work for Ango (he reportedly thinks Abgi is a "sexy mom") as she had plans to some re-cycled materials to build a fire pit for the encroaching winter months. And she did a BEAUTIFUL job!!!
Now, Sunday night, was even more AWESOME!!  Another friend of the boys (a now adopted son! LOL!) told us of an abandoned village just off the Pinellas trail in Ozona.  I was intrigued, and mentioned I'd like to see it.  Well, Sunday was the day we did a little adventurous "tresspassing".  We took off around four, and about a half an hour ride away, sure brought, RIGHT off the trail was an abandoned development of about a dozen houses, storage sheds, and a huge garage.  The place us surreal!  Some of them are partially furnished, with clothes still on the hangers but CLEARLY. haven't been lived in for years!!  It was really a unique feeling after dark!  Ride out of some apocalyptic novel!
Once we got hungry wr took off for Subway at the Causrway, then headed home.  And tgats where the REAL fun started!  These young men found out what happens when Daddies endorphins kick in!  We started racing each other from Palm Harbor down the trail, and by downtown Dunedin, they were getting...fatigued.  Once we hit Patricia,,,i could barely see their lights behind me!  They took three short cuts to cut me off and get ahead, only to find i was already ahead of them!  HA, HA!  They passed out shortly after getting home, but i stayed up ro enjoy the awesome new fire pit with Angi.  Very relaxing!
Well, thats it for now, best get some rest.
Angi caught the creping crud from the schoolagers, so I'm goung to TRY and get up in the AM and do the school, openning the shop thing.
We'll see...
Love ya all!

The Ten Minutes Are BACK!!!

Boy howdy, I'll tell you, we SO love compliments like this! Had a wonderful lady come in the other day and exclaim; "I FINALLY FOUND YOU!"  Turns out, she was an original customer from the garage days, had bought a couple rides from us, had even come into the old shop a few times for service, than left the state for a couple years.  Upon returning a few months back, was left a Schwinn mtb by her son and wanted it serviced so as to keep for company.  Who's the first people she thought of?  You guessed it!  Thing was, she was having a hard time locating us.  As it happens, a few nights back she went bowling across the street, got out of her car and happened to look over and see the sign, and rushing over, peeked in and KNEW it was us by the family photo on the wall!  By her joy you'd think she found Nirvana (no...the real place, not the band).
And not just that, but the several other folks who have been coming in with praise, good wishes and freebies!  Yea, we've accumulated a LOT of gimmies from great folks who "want to make SURE we stick around!"
Wow!  We are a blush with humility.  Yes, we're still plugging, and not willing to give up the dream!  Granted, angi has had to get REAL creative with Ramen noodles, but, the kids like it!
The hopeful news is, we have already seen a few regular snowbirds come in, making their annual trek to our doors plus some new referrals landing on our shores.  It's what we have been waiting for!
Of course...still in the dark!  Even after paying what has been paid, had it down to just under a hundred, and excitedly we made that and then some yesterday.  I called the power mongers last night to get a final dollar figure, only to find out we have to pay a honking big deposit....AGAIN...before the lights will be back on!
Sigh.
BACK TO FORMULA!!!
oh well...at least i have plenty to build!
Speaking of new builds!  Check out the SWEET Fuji three speed we picked up the other day! Don't see many of these anymore!
Last night was supposed to be family movie night, but instead we were dealing with the latest struggle in young adult male defiance.  Angi and i, while wanting the same outcome, don't quite agree on tactics. Surprisingly we seem to have switched roles. I use to be the "soft touch" and she was "stand firm", now..I've become "zero tolerance ".  After reaching a datante, we relaxed and enjoyed the night air. The only trouble was, the mosquitoes were making a feast of Angi (they NEVER bite me) so we made a smudge pot out of an old planter and some tinder and seed pods.  Those seed pods REALLY smoke!  Upon waking this morning we could both barely breath!
Oh yea!  Its been so long, but yesterday...we had a TEN MINUTE RULE!!
Had a couple people come in and check out things, settle their attention on the Sun cycle cruiser, test ride it and LOVE it, but then talk themselves into "thinking about it "  After the last gent left, i turned to Angi and said "this one is selling today!"  You cant begrudge her incredulity when she grinned a "yea...right!"  Given how slow bike have been to sell the last few months, but sure enough, no more than ten minutes later, a gent rode up, and with no preamble asked; "how much in trade for this one for that one?" pointing to the Sun.
Nice!  Thank you sir!
We need more impulses like that today!
Ok, now i gotta git and build you folks some more rudes!
See ya!

Caveat Emptor...As Mr. Brady Would Say

OKAY!
So yea, touched on it briefly yesterday, and I understand my advice might seem somewhat jaded, suspect and self serving but I have to stress that a deal is NOT always a deal!  Unfortunately, we have had two separate examples today alone!  Both Schwinn's as a matter of point.  The first one was bad enough! Bought at a local Pawn Shop, for $80.00, compared to the price of a new one (about 150.00)  seemed like a good deal...until you take into consideration the rear derailleur was bent beyond repair, the frame mount was bent, the rear wheel needed to be replaced as it was too far out of whack AND the axel was broken in two!  All total $60.00 to fix (anywhere else, that would have been triple!) so....$140.00 into a 5 year old Ranger!?  Folks....these places DO NOT service their bikes, and in most cases have a "No Return" policy with NO Warranty!!
The next one was by FAR worse!  Bought at a thrift store, they paid $69.99 for a 24" "Bottom of the rung" Wal-Mart Schwinn.  Now this one sold New for about $99.00.  Sad thing is, we hear far too often, that folks didn't find out the true scope of damage the bike they bought had, as many places, several bike shops included, DO NOT allow you to test ride them!? WHAT!?!  How are you going to know if the bike works or feels right?  Anywho.  They got it home, took it out for a ride and in the first ten minuets the rear wheel started popping spokes.  Badly corroded, they just didn't hold up!  Initially, that's what she brought it in for, but by the time we did the full assessment she requested, we found that not only did she need the rear wheel replaced, but the front as well, as it had the same signs of erosion, as well as a bent and fused rear AND front derailleur, The chain had nine fused links, the shifters didn't work at all, the rear brake pads were down to metal, the front forks were bent, and the rear tire was separated from the bead seat in three places.  SHEESH!!!  She was looking at $104.00 to fix it all which we STRONGLY urged her NOT to do!  We told her she could buy TWO new ones for the total investment!
So, here's a few tips for buying a used bike, ESPECIALLY when they won't let you ride it, and for the sake of time, I'm just covering the costly fixes!
WHEELS;  Lift the bike, front and back, and spin.  Any wobble left to right or more importantly up and down...gonna need replacing if it's bent up or down.  Then wiggle the wheels, any play?  Bad bearings.
CRANK ASSEMBLY;  Grab a hold of a pedal arm and give it a wiggle.  Any play?  Bad bearings, which could lead to bottom bracket assembly replacement. 
SHIFTERS:  Make sure the derailleurs go into each change smooth, with no clicking or grinding or clunk.  You hear anything bad...it could mean SEVERAL bad things!
BRAKES:  Make sure they grab evenly when engaged, and open evenly when released, and they have good rubber!
Hope that helps keep you from getting shtupt!
OKEY DOKEY!
Now I've done my civil service bit...back to work!

Monday Morning Update!

Okey dokey!  It's another Monday, which, regardless of how one day just rolls into the next, we're here, with bells on, hoping for a fresh great start to the week!
Oy...my teeth hurt being that upbeat! Ah-waka-waka!
Last week was a head scratcher.  Syeady on repairs, but only sent a total of four to nee homes, all....week....long?  VERY perplexing!  Oh, we definitely thank all the folks seeking us out for their repairs, always ready to help!  But, it's like folks have just given up on riding!  SHUDDER!
Well...maybe it's that money is so tight for a lot of folks, but they're still snagging "deals" off craigslist.  Trouble is...the few that have come in here for a look over, have been anything BUT deals.  Even at our low repair prices, the collection of defects on them, surpassed the cost of buying a new one!  If you get the opportunity to pick up a "bargain" we offer a free service, just bring the bike in, we'll inspect it, and let you know if it really is a good deal!  Save yourself a possible loss, and we'd love to help!
As i said on Saturday, we banged out two sweet BMX'ERS then....ran out of stuff to do!  So, just sat and got my butt whooped repeatedly at Mafic by Logan.  Sheesh! I created a monster when i taught him hiw to play!
Anywho!  We gots LOADS of rides ledt, so ifn yer lookin ta ride?
Come see us!

SO....how does he keep finding a sawed off shotgun?

"It's the last of the V8 Interceptors!"
Yea, they should have found a way to incorporate that famous catch phrase in the new edition of the Mad Max franchise!
Last night was "Family Movie Night" and after the wee ones were treated to the latest Lego Movie (which I didn't get to see much of, as Miranda had curled up next to me on the couch, prompting us to almost immediately fall asleep!) then they were carried off to bed and we popped in the latest intense car chase into the Blue Ray and treat us older kids to two hours of mayhem. 
So, Okay....I'm a Road Warrior traditionalist, having devoured the originals many times over (although not all that impressed with "Beyond Thunderdome") but this one was not all that bad an addition.  Not a huge  Tom Hardy fan, he was a somewhat suitable descendent to be the brooding countenance of Mad Max.  At least he got the crazy, quiet part right.  Although, I don't know what constitutes crazy in a world literally gone insane!  The driving scenes (which takes up about 93% of the movie) are no doubt, EPIC, not to mention the depiction of ecological disaster resultant of the Nuclear holocaust (remember WAY back when, when the driving force of almost EVERY post apocalyptic movie was due to Nuclear war?  Odd...how we don't even think about that reality anymore!) The massive dust storm and fiery dust devils are quite impressive.  The plot, well, what little there is, is not far removed from it's predecessors.  Mad Max, reluctantly, helping to save some group of hapless refugees trying to make it safely to some imagined paradise.  Although Charlize Theron's character is anything BUT hapless!  Well, now that you mention it, the female characters are not at all depicted as week and helpless, quite the contrary, the "Mothers" really kicked some butt!  But in the end, you really don't watch the movies for the complexity of the characters and the cohesion of the plot.  No, you're pretty much there for the carnage and chaos!  And that was ah PLENTY!!  And the scope of vehicles were eye candy delight for those of us with a fetish for such creative use of scrap!  (OH...some day I have GOT to build a Road Warrior bike!) The double decker "Monster Truck" 57 Cadillac was my FAVE!!
The "After Party" was fun, though.  That's where we go out to the porch and debate over the merits of what we just watched, and it was funny to listen to the comparative debate between the older boys over how much they "ripped off" from movies such as "Fast and the Furious" and "Need for Speed" and the like.  I couldn't help but chuckle, than chime in and inform them that "Mad Max" did it all FIRST!  Long before there was CGI, Mel Gibson donned the riding leathers and ripped a path through the Australian wastes, and all the intense action, destruction and fast passed mayhem was done with real vehicles and real stunt men.  Odd thing is...they have never even SEEN the originals!
BOY!  Have I been derelict in my duties!!!  I think if Angi is willing, I'll pop a copy of Road Warrior in tonight (the best of the three!) and show them that creativity extends beyond the computer imagery!
OKAY, so on to work!  It's still a promising sign that we are getting in repairs each day, as folks are clearly readying themselves for what will HOPEFULLY be a quickly approaching riding season!  I am SOOOOO looking forward to the end of humidity, heat and rain!!!  GAWD!  SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO READY!!!
The weird thing is, aside from one kiddo bike a couple days ago, we haven't sent any new rides to new homes in quite sometime!  And we are definitely stocked!  With so many donations, and leftovers we have amassed quite a selection of choice rides...but to no avail.  We REALLY don't understand it!  *Sad Face*!
Today, Kaleb and I are banging out two SAH-WEET BMX'ers!  An old school Mongoose and a really sharp looking "Dave Mera" Haro!  They'll be ready soon, so keep an eye on Craigslist for those!  Also, I'll update the blog here in a second to show off all we have!
All right, with that, going to "keep positive" and "Build it, so they may come"
See ya soon!

Bill....what hath thou wrought?

Well...I've been there, where the heck is everyone else!?
So, the last couple mornings I've been schlepping in earlier and earlier to get stuff done around the hip joint (quoting a customers assessment of our little spot) but I'll tell you, a corpse has more life in it!  SHEESH!  I was even there to open This morning, with Suzanne in tow (she's starting to get pudgy like her old man) and set about going through some donations Angi picked up the day before. She had to take izabella to the doctor AGAIN, to get one more bloody shot that the school forgot to ask for as she was sent home from the school the day before, not to return until it was done!  Poor thing was SO upset for missing two days, she was in tears,  and when that little angel cries...breaks your heart!  So, anywho, i got the bay and shop in order, then went about tearing down a 24" Jeep MTB that is really sharp looking!  Will have it done and out in the AM.  We also got in a couple nice looking classic BMX frames that'll be a hoot!  But aside from a couple looky loos and two minor repairs, the place was like a bloody ghost town.  At this point all conjecture has gone out the window!  We've had three days of GORGEOUS weather, but I've seen nary a bike on the road.  What gives!?  I know gas is cheap but C'MON!  Riding a bike ain't all about cheap transportation, ya know?  It's a lifestyle not to be swayed by the manipulative machinations of the oil tycoons!  Just cause you'll only save $10.00 as opposed to $30.00?  It's still freaking ten bucks!  AND...you get to see the world from a totally different angle!
Allright.....allright, I'll stop preaching.

While I'm on the subject of preaching though...i want to chime in on an ongoing controversy ripping up the headlines of tabloids across the world...
Bill Cosby.
Yea...touchy subject.
Ok...so....heres the deal...
I am a FIRM believer in the old addage; "where there's smoke...there's fire".  This belief has served me VERY well as a parent and i cling to it each time we're trying to find out "who done it?".  Now, if we were talkinf about a sports figure...I'd say yea...i can believe it.  I have no love for jocks and if it's depraved...they probably did it.  Politicians for that matter....equally guilty...no doubt.  Anyone invested in the accumulation of power....nothing is taboo!  But....Bill freakin' Cosby!?
So....yea...im jaded AND bias!   I SOOOO DO NOT want to believe it!  Not a day if my life has passed for the last thirty odd years when i havent woven in at least one quote from that mans standup routines into a conversation!  And ever since I became a parent his assesment of children's "brain damage " has not resounded in my head, and repeated fire than a thousand times!  But to think he could be capable of the heinous acts?  Wekl, this possibility has forced me to shove my VHS copy of "Bill Cosbt;Himself" into the back of my video cabinet, unsure if i should ever enjoy it again.  It was surreal though...the other day the kids popped in a copy of the live action movie "Fat Albert"  and I couldn't help but think, during the scene where Albert visits Bill at his Philly mansion...wS THAT the sofa the most recent allegation took place on!?
Oy...
It's all just SO demoralizing!  Anyone of my generation was in some way touched or shaped by this man, not to mention brudging the gap between races and bringing a small taste of the "black experience " into suburban white middle class living rooms every Thursday night.  I'm not ashamed to say, it curbed some of my own false impressions!  To think that a hideous monster lurked behind the fatherly guise of the home spun, practical thinking "fatherly" figure?  Well...."shattered" is not a word suitable to describe the ponderings I've been going through!
The skeptical side of me has to wonder though...after all this time...why are all these women coming out know?  The realization that more than a few of them have secured book deals forces me to question; "pay day?"  Color me synical, but he was already the victim of one extortion attempt....i'm just sayin'!
Yes, I'm bias, and i dont want decadez of fond memories destroyed, but...if he did it, then judge, don't hold back!
Okey dokey!
Now, Mongo need shower...
See y'all soon!

Fluffanuttah!

So, okay, y'all missed our Sunday morning sidewalk sale! Yea...our fault we didn't mention it before.  Truth is, with that hurricane swirling around, the weather was WHACKED!  One minute clear and cool, sun shiny, than torrential rain.  We managed to get to meet a slew of folk though, out trying and capture some enjoyment out of the blessed milder weather.
We did manage to bang out several more repr, though and we thank you all so very much for your trust!
Sunday though, was not without injury, though!  Proof positive i'm just getting to old to horse around.  Angi and i were messing about in the hallway leading to our bedroom, and upon bum rushing her, slipped on wet tile and sent us both crashing to the hard floor, me on top.  Needless to say, she's a tad sore and in no shortage of pain.  I still haven't stopped apologizing!
Saturday started out strong, filling me with hope, as a young family came in and grabbed the FS ELITE ladies bike, and i got to have an interesting conversation with a wee lad of three who described, in great detail, about the planet he owns and the helicopter he uses to get there.  So bloody cute! Angi stuck home and put the kiddos to work with her giving the house it's traditional top to bottom scrub down.  About the only time she has to do it, more than it's nightly "fluff and stuff"!
We put out a total of five more goodies this weekend amidst the repairs, one of them a FAT TIRE 20" 7 speed BMX!  SAH-WEEET!!
Check them out below!
Today has already been swimming in repairs, so a continuation of good signs that folks are slowly coming back out, relieved from the heat in anticipation for the new riding season.  Odd, that we haven't sent a lot of rides to new homes.  But
But, at least folks ARE getting out and riding!  And as long as they come here to keep them rolling?  We're good with that! Angi has been telling me, on the plus side, that we have had several happy folks giving us some seriously great compliments, so we are thrilled with that!  Personally, i think its her shiny countenance bringing them about.  But I'm bias!
Ok, so now, gonna get back on a customer refurb Kaleb has roughed out for ne,  trying to get that done before i gotta head to my next port of call!
We hope ta see ya soon!

Cats and Dogs....BIG cats and dogs!

OKay!!
Not unlike so many other compromises we must endure to live in Florida, this morning we were treated to a blessed break in the heat and humidity upon awaking, with a pleasant temp of 72 and the most glorious of breezes to enjoy our morning coffee...however... by the time Suzanne and I were headed to the shop, the puffy clouds with gray underbellies snuck in!  So, all my fellow Veloists...PRAY they just drift on by so we can enjoy what could be one of the BEST riding weekends we have been given in over five bloody months! 
And we KNOW you have been wishing for it as well!  The last couple days of this past week were FILLED with folks coming in for tune-ups, make readies and repairs as many of you are tenaciously striving to just "get out and ride!" (and we are so thankful to all our regulars who have been coming in and keeping is crawling along, not to mention several new faces giving us a shot at taking care of their "pretties"!)   Oh I am SOOOOOO with you on that!  Yea, we ride every day, rain or shine, but are only inspired to do so as far as we need to get to work.  The thought of taking time to head out on a leisure trek to points unknown is always trumped by the exclamation..."IT'S TOO FREAKIN HOT!!!" (accentuated by a pronounced whine on the word "hot"!) Hopefully...not this weekend!  Oh, I have woken each morning with an anticipation of that first heady breath of fall air!  Yes, it's a smell not unlike that you will get while taking a walk through the woods of New England as the leaves change.  Can't give it a name, but you know it when you smell it!  Not as of yet...but I am so looking forward to that affirmation that this Gawd Awful summer will be coming to a close!
And yes, it has been a few days since we last updated our stock list to the left of this column...I'll be taking care of that briefly!   It has been a busy week, well, with more the rudimentary survival necessities than anything else, but soon...hopefully very soon...we will busy with the demands of a busy, busy biking season!  We are eeking closer and closer to being all the way caught up with everything, and hope we can keep the forward momentum!
We've managed to put out at least one new ride each day.  Kaleb is now on staff permanently, until he finds a full time job of his own.  Next Monday he is going into the Plant and applying there.  I talked with the boss there, and they happen to be looking for an entry level sheet metal laborer.  It's a great company to seek a future with, and if he applies himself he should eventually be making some good money.  Oddly enough, Elijah has also expressed interest in applying for something there, possibly welding.  That would be...interesting, all I can say is...thank Heavens my department is as far away from the welding equipment as possible! 
Today, we are going to bust through the last few remaining goodies we have out back and process through the parts we have been stripping off and absent mindedly throwing into a "we'll get to it later" bucket!  WAY to many of those tripping about! 
OH!  Spooky story time!  Last week, on the way home from work, I was on the stretch of Sunset Point Road between Hercules and Keene, headed West, at around 2.40 AM.  Now, I've told a story of two about Florida's predators, and our run in with a coyote, but as I was riding the barren, quite road, I ride in front of a heavily wooded area of about a block, with thick underbrush, and in the quite of the wee hours, as I approached the beginning of the short stretch of thick woods, I heard a "heavy" rustling in the underbrush.  Now, I don't ride all that fast, especially after 18 hours of working, but that sound put some "giddy Up" in my go, and I started to increase my speed.  As I did so...that heavy rustle became the crunching foot falls of something matching my progression under the concealment of the underbrush, keeping up pace with me.  I'd almost reach the end of the forest, and once breaking free of it, I heard that same heavy crouch and crunch at the end of the woods...and nothing happened!  What the HELL was that!  I exclaimed as I shot through the intersection, all the while looking back to make sure I was not being followed!
SHEESH!
Okay...now...gotta get going!
Hope to see y'all soon!