2007 Kickoff Shabang

Good New Year to you. Good Entire Year to you. May we all live this year like there is no tomorrow year.....

When I was, I dunno, around 13 years old, to the coaxing and guidance of my parents, I rustled up some summertime odd jobs around the neighborhood, mostly yard mowing and watering when folks would go off on vacation. I saved up some money to by a Western Flyer sold at Western Auto. If I remember correctly, I spent about 36 dollars and some change to get that bike out from behind the window glass and out on the streets. $36.00 was a lot of money back in the early 60's, so I feel like I got on heck of a great bike. It was beautiful with it's cowling attached to the top tube to make it look like it had some real body to it. The fenders were metal and painted and shiny just as was the chain guard. The handlebar was bent with a sleek look.
So what does a 13 year old do who is living in the new suburbs in a new house with a new bike? he takes all those aesthetic parts off the bike. he turns the handlebars upside down to gain a more aerodynamic look. Or is it just to look cool? I don't know which. At any rate the bicycle was customized by the rider. It's sad now that I look back that the concept of customization merely meant stripping the machine down to its necessary components that makes it a functioning vehicle.
When I think back on that, I think I left the kickstand on the bike. Now a days, people kind of look at me funny when they see that I have a kickstand on my commuter, but dorky or not, I like what a kickstand does.