FamiLee Life

Birthday and Bicycle

Today, like one year ago (gasp! shock!), is my birthday. According to the NYTimes On This Day, I was born on the exact day that...

Actress Sharon Tate and four other people were found murdered in Los Angeles; cult leader Charles Manson and a group of his followers were later convicted of the crime.

Hm...not a very happy thought. Let's see, it's also the anniversary of the publication of Walden by Henry David Thoreau, the nuclear bomb being dropped on Nagasaki, Richard Nixon's resignation, and famed developmental psychologist Jean Piaget's birth. So, it's a mixed bag of anniversaries.

On to some more pleasant news!

After my recent trip to Holland, I was even more inspired to buy an upright touring bicycle. My other two bicyles (Bridgestone MB-3 and XO-3) are great retrogrouch bikes but they require me to lean far over the handlebars. Frustratingly, I bruised my ribs about 4 months or so ago and it still hurts to lean over for a prolonged period (note - I'm definitely getting old because I am not healing fast anymore). So the Bridgestones have been quietly sitting in my garage and I had been searching for used bikes on Craigslist.

I came across a Schwinn bicycle for sale on Sunday and Holly and I went out to Plymouth to check it out. The guy who was selling it has a slew of bikes in his garage. He finds/buys old bikes, fixes them up, and sells them. Holly bought the bike as a birthday gift for the reasonable price of $60. Very sweet of her. Best gift for sure.

Here is a photo of my new/old 1966 (made in April based on the serial number) Schwinn Collegiate Tourist bicycle! The Schwinn is sweet. It's a 5-speed and rides smoothly, 40 years later. It has Weinmann cantilever brakes, a Mesinger seat, and a Sprint shifter and derailer. Plus, it's a great sky blue color with white trim. The white handlebar bag is a NOS (new old stock) from the 1970s. It's cute but not super functional because you can't put anything too heavy in it. It seems the bike is from the St Cloud area based on the bike registration decals that date back to 1967 when the bicycle was probably first purchased. I love this sort of history.

Funny enough, I searched online for info on the bicycle and found the original 1966 Schwinn bicycle catalog with photos and pricelist. In 1966, this bicycle cost $59.95! If you want to read the specs (why? who knows!), click here to view the image. Amazingly, it has retained it's exact sticker price.

Can't wait to get off work to ride around the lakes and about the city tonight for a late evening birthday ride.

Posted by richlee at August 9, 2006 09:22 AM