Commuting - The future looks good

I noticed that my eighteen year old neighbor was always zipping in and out of his garage on a bicycle.

I found out that he bicycle commutes to work every day. He does so because; 1) He wants to protect the environment 2) He wants to stay in shape 3) He likes bicycling.

I noticed that he was riding a mountain bike which was way to small for his 6'2" body. I told him to go buy two cans of his favorite color automotive spray paint and bring it to me.

To my surprise, he brought me the paint that day without asking why.

To his surprise, two days later I gave him a completely rebuilt Le Tour repainted with the paint that he picked up for me.

The young fellow is thrilled. After schlorking around on a tiny mountain bike, he is not flying on a road bike.

It is neat to see the "almost twenty something" generation getting into bicycling as a form of transportation.

The kids in my neighborhood and even my own son proudly own road bikes. They feel that a road bike is the graduation from toy to adult machine. Well, I might have something to do with the local marketing of that idea. Sometimes they even come to my house and ask me if I want to join them on rides. That is neat.

I always fix all of the bikes in the neighborhood free-of-charge for the kids. I like to know that their bikes are in safe working condition. If I see that their bikes don't have reflectors, I put them on.

You're one of the good ones Mike. Others should follow your lead.

You're one of the good ones Mike. Others should follow your lead.

Thanks, Raiyn. For me, there are few joys so great as either getting people to use bicycles as transportation, or helping them stay on the road.

It is such a wonderful sight to see kids in the neighborhood flying around with joy and pride for their bikes. If I can help keep them riding and safe too, well, that is a real thrill for me.

Health, environment, freedom from traffic, efficiency, time savings... all the reasons why I like commuting by bike, and I'm 22.
Then again, try telling that to the truck load of teenagers that blew by me on the road yesterday in their SUV.

Good job Mike! Nice to hear some positive stuff on here!
By the way....could you take a look at my bike??? hee hee

Mike kicks ass.

Mike,

The services you perform for your neighborhood kids are exactly what I'd like to do for my neighborhood kids. Two problems for me: No real neighborhood around here, and no time. I'm working on both. :-)

My six year old son has a little diamondback bmx kids bike. I'm taking him riding with me more and more frequently. If he expresses enough interest in riding, he, too, will be getting a road bike in the future, so that we can take longer and longer rides.

Take care, and keep the faith.

We like Mike! We like Mike!

I noticed that my eighteen year old neighbor was always zipping in and out of his garage on a bicycle [that was way too small for him.]

...I told him to go buy two cans of his favorite color automotive spray paint and bring it to me.

To my surprise, he brought me the paint that day without asking why.

To his surprise, two days later I gave him a completely rebuilt Le Tour repainted with the paint that he picked up for me.

The young fellow is thrilled. After schlorking around on a tiny mountain bike, he is now flying on a road bike.

...I always fix all of the bikes in the neighborhood free-of-charge for the kids. I like to know that their bikes are in safe working condition. If I see that their bikes don't have reflectors, I put them on.
I was thinking entirely of you, Mike, when I got my Motobecane touring bike from the Decatur Yellow Bike program. $25 per bike, your pick. I couldn't have done much better spending $800 for a new bike.

Mike, you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.

It is neat to see the "almost twenty something" generation getting into bicycling as a form of transportation. And in this case, on a bike that's probably older than him! Cool.

And in this case, on a bike that's probably older than him! Cool.

Ya, no kidding 'eh! I hadn't thought of that, but the bike I gave this young man was definately older than he was.

He has been riding it like crazy since I gave it to him. I saw him just fly by my house yesterday afternoon. It was a cool sight.

The mountain bike generation is re-discovering the road bike via the rich supply of older road bikes at garage sales and thrift shops. There is a real boom going on in my neighborhood.

Wait till they try out some of the newer, lighter-weight road bikes with STI shifters and 120 psi tires. Maybe something new will show up on the Christmas wish list other than video games.

Health, environment, freedom from traffic, efficiency, time savings... all the reasons why I like commuting by bike, and I'm 22.
Then again, try telling that to the truck load of teenagers that blew by me on the road yesterday in their SUV.

There will always be some who will never be convinced, but hey, it's their loss. I'm waiting for fuel to hit $5/litre, then I can really laugh at them!

Nice work Mike. As Raiyn said, you are one of the good ones.

Mike,
I've said it before, and I'm sure I will say it in the future: You are an inspiration to us all. I feel blessed to have actually had the opportunity to meet and ride with you, and I hope to do it again sometime.
Regards,
Raymond

Mike,

WELL DONE.

Mike,

May you always have tailwinds and the glass avoid your tires.

Thanks, Friends. I know that you would do the same.

Mike,
I've said it before, and I'm sure I will say it in the future: You are an inspiration to us all. I feel blessed to have actually had the opportunity to meet and ride with you, and I hope to do it again sometime.
Regards,
Raymond

Hey, Raymond, same here. That was a neat and memorable trip to New Orleans.

By the way, we are still enjoying the chickory coffee which you gave to me. I serve it to guests as a neat treat which leads to a cool conversation of the time I met Raymond from BF.C and Mrs. Raymond and travelled around New Orleans on bicycles.

Up here, people marvel at the description of shotgun houses (like the disected one we saw with the back torn off). My friend's eyes get big when I tell them about visiting the old jazz clubs; dark and rich with American culture. They get to enjoy the verbal delights of descriptive New Orleans dining with the seafood and errr those pastry whatchamacallit doughnut things we had for breakfast and poh-boy sandwiches fit for a king.

My wife hears the adventure of riding with Raymond in New Orleans repeatedly during the many conversations with friends. It may be time for another trip to New Orleans just so she can have some new stories to hear.

That was really great, Raymond. Thanks again.

Wait till they try out some of the newer, lighter-weight road bikes with STI shifters and 120 psi tires. Maybe something new will show up on the Christmas wish list other than video games.

The last vedeo game machine I purchased was the Nintendo game boy. WHEN IT WAS IN MONOCHROME! I have not purchased a Vedeo game machine/games in 15 years! Yet, I know too many people that have collections of these games and spend all day playing them. Total shame.

Cool story... I'm 22, started commuting when I was 18, and have been encouraging a lot of others my age to do likewise!

Mike for President!

Mike, that was cool.

I wanna be like Mike! ;)

Koffee