Old Fools Journal: Happiness is a Tidy Shop

There is no one happier than a journeyman tinkerer with a tidy shop. This actually happened day before yesterday but lately I have found it hard to get motivated.As you can see the first new project is on the hook and is as finished as it is going to be for now. It needs a tear down and repaint but that can wait. This 94 cent rattle can paint I put on in 2004 has held up quite well. Sun Yellow it's called but I think I might go to Fire Red next. I am partially to red. This 1976 Chicago built Schwinn is my main ride and is mostly original. I have modified and remodified it until I love the way it looks and the way it rides. It fits me.
You can see the set back on the saddle that I made from a bar end. It was said (by internet experts on the Bicycle Forum) that it was unsafe and would break but after over 500 miles it is just fine. That and the handle bars that reach back a little further than stock was my attempt at "Dutchifying". It lowers the seat and puts my legs in front of me where they belong and I ride fully upright instead of in the ready to breed crouch. As it should be. At my speed streamlining is not important.
The saddle is worn out so I thought I would make a new cover from a piece of leather that I saved for just such an event but alas that leather tears like old paper after being stored for 30 years. Time fly's. Oh well I'll make another plan.Ready to go again and will probably go for the summer at least. I know the saddle looks uncomfortable but it's just fine after 20 miles which is about my limit. This is a 10 speed bike but I only use 3 sprockets on the rear and the only time I shift from the small ring on the front is just to make sure it still works. Works for me.
The original rims are steel Dunlap's made in England. The brakes are marginal but "I don't need no stinkin' brakes". They are good enough for what I do here.
Test run to the grocery store and packed on 40+ pounds of grocery's and other sundries. Smooth as silk. I've carried as much as 60 pounds but it starts to get squirrely above 40 pounds especially when I load the front. Since my bike path on the highway is only abut 18 inches wide I need it not to be squirrely.

I know that the way the bike is locked is not secure but this is not New York here. The only reason it's locked is so that some asshole doesn't push it over. It has happened.

This device is a cheap BELL Wal-Mart buy and what a waste of money. It wasn't much but anything is too much as it looks good and sounds right but after less than a year the hose rotted off. Even after fixing the hose it will not put air in a tire. I have two other BELL pumps floor pumps one works the other is missing some key parts. Junk. I really should have tested them sooner I guess. At least I didn't get this revelation on the road somewhere. Pissed would not have even started to describe it.

Guest bicycle. I bought this for five bucks a couple of years ago. It's a 24inch something or other. The rear fender is missing but it has hardly been ridden. It had a flat so I pulled the old tube out and found that I had patched it 6 times already. One of the patches (wal-mart the Chinese store) had torn. I put in another tube. Everyone loves this bike. My bride and first choice for a date (shewhomustbeobeyed) will even ride it and was glad to see it out and about. I like 24 inch bikes. They fit all us midgets.

I have 3 spring clean up bicycles to go. There are ten all total but the rest are OK. I really need to get rid of some.

It is supposed that I can fetch my Princess tomorrow. I won't be able to sleep tonight. She's only 10 years old but she is the most important woman(child) in my life. I do not want to disappoint her. All I have to do is figure out where to get a car.