@David Jones - I enjoyed reading your post. Hearing another facet of perspectives of your thoughts on " A College Clem". Very well written I must say.
Thank-you. Kim Hetzel Yelm, WA. On Friday, August 18, 2023 at 10:20:07 AM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: > Hi David, > > Thank you for asking about Dad. Dad was a darling, the kind of man you > love to love. He died too young, only 62. > > Dad taught me many things, but this is a lesson he never meant to teach… > > Dad took meticulous care of his things. He collected historical books and > had each one jacketed at our local library. He never used soap in the > whirlpool, believing it would wreck it. He put a tablecloth over their > Amish-made dining room table, fearing that the wood would be scratched. He > was gentle and careful and he tried to keep his things looking new. He > always said when he retired he would buy two things: a new pickup and a new > boat. > > He got a ding in the prop of that new boat and agonized over it. He > planned to replace the propeller so it would look new again. He hesitated > to trailer the boat to my brother’s house across the state, fearing some > sort of cosmetic damage would befall it. (Mom forced his hand because she > wanted to take the grandkids boating.) He got his new truck but mostly > drove his old one, wanting to “keep the miles off” the new one. The > beautiful, expensive new truck sat, parked in the driveway. > > He died suddenly, soon after retiring. The truck was the first thing we > sold. > > Dad taught me a lot of things, but his final, unintended lesson taught me > not to sit on my treasures, but to use them and enjoy them. > > Thanks again, > Leah > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Aug 18, 2023, at 12:37 PM, David Jones <dajo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Well, Leah, you sure opened up a thread that everyone seems to want to > weigh in on, and a thread that seems to be enjoying a longevity that few > can match. > > One thought I had that hasn't been covered by anyone, yet, is: "What > would your father's wishes be for this bike? Which of the different > actions you are considering would honor his memory to the fullest degree > possible?" > > My original, brief, response was to keep it home during college to protect > it from being stolen. My thinking was that "it's a long life" and your son > will have a better chance of staying connected to his grandfather by having > decades to enjoy riding the bike. But if your father was a person who was > a "pin your ears back" risk taker who approached life as if there were no > guarantees of tomorrow or appreciated a certain detachment to "things," > then by all means "seize the day" and send the bike with your son to > college, fully recognizing the inherent risks involved and, hopefully, > having made peace with the possibility of him graduating from college > without the bike in his possession. > > David Jones > > On Wed, Aug 16, 2023 at 12:52 PM Davey Two Shoes <dgold...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> Send Grandpa's Clem! >> >> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 6:29:17 PM UTC-4 Will wrote: >> >>> Oh yes.... it might help a bit if the bike didn't look so new. With a >>> few duct tape patches that can be easily solved without hurting the frame. >>> >>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 5:24:24 PM UTC-5 Will wrote: >>> >>>> When I was in college I had a Raleigh Competition and a Raleigh RRA >>>> (French metric Raleigh bike). It was a small campus in Williamsburg, VA. I >>>> had no problems with either bike. Yes, I locked them. Yes, I didn't leave >>>> them out at night and so on, but my point is... with a good U lock and >>>> maybe some wheel theft clamps, I think you'll be fine. No one is looking >>>> for a classic steel bike these days. Now they want carbon and disc >>>> brakes. >>>> And there are plenty of those bikes to steal. I'd give him the Clem. >>>> >>>> Will >>>> >>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 4:05:31 PM UTC-5 mmille...@gmail.com >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I've been thinking about this situation a lot. (And thinking back >>>>> about 20 years to my time in college.) I was from a small town, and went >>>>> to >>>>> a large public school. I learned a lot, and a lot of learning is through >>>>> mistakes. I did lots of dumb stuff, and minus the time I went flying over >>>>> the handlebars and got an ambulance ride, I was lucky to escape without >>>>> life-altering implications. My grandpa died when I was in college, and I >>>>> still treasure a few small items I have from him. Ultimately, things are >>>>> things, but some things mean more than others. It will be up to your >>>>> family >>>>> to decide the best route. I'm not sure it's been mentioned before, but >>>>> any >>>>> thought to taking an entirely different bike first semester/first year >>>>> with >>>>> the plan to revisit taking the Clem second semester/sophomore year? >>>>> >>>>> Good luck with your decision. >>>>> Matt in STL >>>>> >>>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 2:56:34 PM UTC-5 Doug H. wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Great story Mackenzy! I think many of us started on BMX bikes. I was >>>>>> an 80s kid and the group of guys in my neighborhood all had BMX bikes. >>>>>> In >>>>>> college I rode a Trek mountain bike (low end) but also had a car so the >>>>>> bike was primarily for exercise. I tried single speed a few years ago >>>>>> and >>>>>> really enjoy the simplicity of it even with the limitations. >>>>>> Doug >>>>>> >>>>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 3:31:13 PM UTC-4 Mackenzy Albright >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Admittedly, I had almost the exact opposite issue as a college >>>>>>> student. I grew up without cyclists in my family, and think it's so rad >>>>>>> that there are parents like Leah to give a good starting point of >>>>>>> living a >>>>>>> happily car free college life. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I was messy messy messy in my hyperfocus niche interests (bikes). As >>>>>>> an adolescent I got into bmx bikes. I had a very high end BMX I kept in >>>>>>> my >>>>>>> dorm room under my bunk for the first two years. I worked at a >>>>>>> skatepark >>>>>>> and rode with many professional friends. Eventually, a visiting friend >>>>>>> "from the city" brought his IRO fixed gear. I was absolutely smitten. >>>>>>> He >>>>>>> taught me about fixed gear conversions - so I went to one on one bike >>>>>>> studios in Minneapolis and Gene helped me pick out a beat Schwinn >>>>>>> Letour in >>>>>>> my size and parts I needed to convert it to fixed. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Within the next few months - I befriended a local bike shop worker >>>>>>> who talked me into buying a 54cm Surly steam roller frame (I am 6' 2" >>>>>>> mind >>>>>>> you) for nearly wholesale as it'd been sitting for ever a year. My IRO >>>>>>> friend came back and took me down the biggest hill in town >>>>>>> (sanfrancisco >>>>>>> style) on that brakeless steamroller. Literally probably the stupidest >>>>>>> day >>>>>>> of my life. We continued on a 40+K ride in the country side to a >>>>>>> waterfall >>>>>>> and it blew my mind. My friend with the IRO was also into racing on a >>>>>>> geared bike - and informed me on the magic of "geared bikes" >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I sold the steamroller and dropped all my savings on a Long haul >>>>>>> Trucker. Except - except they all fit weird and I didn't like the >>>>>>> loooong >>>>>>> top tube after a short period. So I traded it for Cross check. I >>>>>>> despised >>>>>>> the cross check frame even more - but somebody offered to trade a >>>>>>> geared >>>>>>> Karate Monkey for my Cross check. I rode the Karate Monkey for a while, >>>>>>> but >>>>>>> fell back in love with single speeds, so converted it to single speed >>>>>>> and >>>>>>> rode that a long time. To my detriment "Ride the Divide" came out. Mark >>>>>>> Remier's first Generation Salsa Fargo was on display - dirt and all at >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> premier. Within the week I rode to Angry Catfish and picked up a Fargo >>>>>>> in >>>>>>> my size. I loved that bike. That concluded my undergrad....I wont even >>>>>>> start on my bikes during my "Grad school years" >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I was quite..."promiscuous" in my bike building because "college" is >>>>>>> for experimenting right? (I never drank or did drugs - most of my bike >>>>>>> dealings were trade/second hand based being in QBP land) There was just >>>>>>> so >>>>>>> much to learn and try out - I couldn't get enough. There were >>>>>>> definitely >>>>>>> other bikes and builds in there I am forgetting like a shogun touring >>>>>>> bike >>>>>>> etc. and lots of BMX bikes. That was just my undergrad...20 years >>>>>>> later. >>>>>>> Oof - not going to think too hard about it. But the enthusiasm hasn't >>>>>>> stopped. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I think it's super cool to have an option for such a versatile bike >>>>>>> from the get go and supportive parents for a *much* better starting >>>>>>> point. >>>>>>> I absolutely believe that Leah's kid is in good hands. Who knows >>>>>>> what'll >>>>>>> happen, but he's got a great bike to work with and obviously a lot of >>>>>>> love >>>>>>> and support which is super great. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 11:46:56 AM UTC-7 Joe Bernard wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> This is going great you guys. I think it was clear after many days >>>>>>>> and many posts that the question is "what bike?", not does the kid >>>>>>>> even >>>>>>>> want one. It'd be super if we could stick with that. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 11:38:13 AM UTC-7 Patrick Moore >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sorry, I have to agree with both Johns; the question seemed to be >>>>>>>>> serious and without condescension. The triple question marks indicate >>>>>>>>> reserve in asking the question and not exasperation or putdown; >>>>>>>>> "Perhaps >>>>>>>>> you might consider ...?" >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 12:02 PM Doug H. <dhansf...@gmail.com> >>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> John, >>>>>>>>>> I took the question exactly as Leah interpreted it. The triple >>>>>>>>>> question mark at the end of the question was pretty emphatic. Take a >>>>>>>>>> breath? Really man? >>>>>>>>>> Doug >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 1:57:37 PM UTC-4 John Phillips >>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Leah, please take a breath and count to 10. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> John's question wasn't rude, and was a fair question in that the >>>>>>>>>>> *strength >>>>>>>>>>> of his desire *for a bike at college *could* correlate to the >>>>>>>>>>> amount of attention he would give to keeping the bike secure. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> You did ask for people's opinions, so please just ignore those >>>>>>>>>>> you don't like. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> John >>>>>>>>>>> On Tuesday, August 15, 2023 at 2:22:12 AM UTC-7 Bicycle Belle >>>>>>>>>>> Ding Ding! wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> John, >>>>>>>>>>>> Text makes it hard to tell sometimes, so I suppose I’ll ask. >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> 1. Is your question asked because you have the perfect bike >>>>>>>>>>>> waiting for him that you would like to gift him? >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> 2. Is your question being asked because you are genuinely >>>>>>>>>>>> confused about the topic of the conversation? >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> 3. Or is your question posed so as to look down on me, as if I >>>>>>>>>>>> was imposing my choices on my son? >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ea081c6e-3f30-47ac-abde-6db7d4b2d79en%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ea081c6e-3f30-47ac-abde-6db7d4b2d79en%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/rlzGS4r3P9E/unsubscribe > . > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CANKeWaE7zhaGDhPksC%2BrrV%2BvWQ0a4Yf6ugoTFm-%2BP%2B%2BZg2rbOQ%40mail.gmail.com > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CANKeWaE7zhaGDhPksC%2BrrV%2BvWQ0a4Yf6ugoTFm-%2BP%2B%2BZg2rbOQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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