Red Fender Bike Return to Timeline
This was the second bike of my own. My first experience in collecting. I was 6 years old and already had 2 bikes. (I just realized where this all started. It goes back quite a ways.)
The Red Fender Bike was given to me by a neighbor on Governors Island. I sold it for ten bucks on a dark summer night before we left for France. My parents said I could only take one bike to France, and I chose the Schwinn Stingray, which was my first bike. I have no profound or lasting regret, but it would occur to me one day to question my judgement. In middle school, when fender bikes, vintage type cruisers, came back into fashion, I harked back to memories of this bike.
Further, this was my first experience with n+1 thinking. Right from the start, in other words.
(For those who do not know the meaning of n + 1 in the cycling context, I cannot be the one to explain it. Could get me in hot water.)
The Red Fender Bike was given to me by a neighbor on Governors Island. I sold it for ten bucks on a dark summer night before we left for France. My parents said I could only take one bike to France, and I chose the Schwinn Stingray, which was my first bike. I have no profound or lasting regret, but it would occur to me one day to question my judgement. In middle school, when fender bikes, vintage type cruisers, came back into fashion, I harked back to memories of this bike.
Further, this was my first experience with n+1 thinking. Right from the start, in other words.
(For those who do not know the meaning of n + 1 in the cycling context, I cannot be the one to explain it. Could get me in hot water.)
I do not know the model or vintage of the Red Fender Bike. Just know it was red, had chrome fenders (not red), and was an upright sophisticated sort of bike. Even then, I thought it didn't express the adventurous side I hoped to experience...and display to the World. And I don't recall riding it all that much. So I left it in the New World when we embarked (on a PanAm 747 with free decks of cards!) for the Old World. Paris, Marseille, Deux Chevaux everywhere, foreign language, what the heck? Say, but the white cliffs, shimmering blue sea, winding roads, and deep green Mediterranean Pines were thrilling to behold. I was sold France. Couldn't wait to get my Stingray in the shipment.
Fate: sold for 10 bucks that I kept for years and, when I finally spent it, felt empty
Fate: sold for 10 bucks that I kept for years and, when I finally spent it, felt empty
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