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"Ah but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now"
Byrds-1967 (written by Bob Dylan)


Hola,

Do you remember your first bike?

Of course you doI

Mine was a Schwinn that my parents paid a whopping $29.95 at Odens Cyclery on fourth street near downtown Reno.
Everyone in the neighborhood came out to see the shiny new bikes that my parents had surprised my brother and I with.
"We thought we were millionaires this afternoon and went out and bought the kids bikes"

I loved riding my new bike with playing cards flapping in the spokes. I often times cruised the neighborhood with a frog in my pocket that I caught in the Ore Ditch.
I wore Keds sneakers (you know "Keds, Kids, Keds" or perhaps you don't) and rode through empty lots often times getting a flat tire. A sagebrush sticker would be the culprit.
My bike also served as my "office" as I used it to deliver the Nevada State Journal Newspaper early in the morning. My paperboy job netted enough money to buy a new Fred Bear re curve bow. So Cool!!

Almost fifty years have now passed. Where'd they go? Fifty years I don't know I sit and I wonder sometimes Where they've gone

I have just received another new bike and took it for a test ride. Instead of Keds, I now wear Shimano specialty shoes with clips that fit in the pedals. The bike came without pedals and I purchased a pair of Crank Brothers Mallet C for five times the amount my parents paid for my first bike.
It is a super lightweight, high performance, engineering marvel equipped with all XTR components. The tires are tubeless. This bike is the equivalent of a Lexus with all options.

We live modestly and do not drive fancy cars. At first I was a bit uncomfortable having such a fancy bike. It retails for over $5000. Can you believe it? A bicycle for $5000!
I paid considerably less for it (at cost) thanks to my boss, Brian at Arizona Outback Adventures. But still......on my guide and REI salary it seemed like I was being extravagant.