Latest thrift shop find. Popping a bike.
Go into Goodwill.
I hate it when my little voice insists.
Walking across the parking lot, I was on a mission to Dollar Tree. Five pairs of reading glasses for five dollars.
Then I got the insistent nudge to turn into Goodwill. I’ve been on the lookout for a small dining room set for a friend. So I thought my voice was telling me the perfect table was there waiting.
Got into Goodwill. Nope.
No small table and chairs. A quick glance at the skirts and I was heading to the door when I saw the bikes.
Someone stole my nine year old’s bike. I hadn’t wanted to replace it because we don’t have a garage and a new bike would just sit outside and rust.
Standing in a rack was a 20-inch boy’s bike with $8.99 on the seat.
Nine dollars for a bike. Macklemore was prepared to drop $20 on clothes.
Sold. The back tire seemed low but for nine dollars, how could I go wrong?
When I got home, a cut tire and inner tube was how things could go wrong.
But this was going to work. It was destined. The bike had called to me in the parking lot.
I asked my son, “maybe I should ask Rob Jones to come and help?” My son sort of freaked that I would ask for help but I’ve learned which neighbors are handy and which neighbors are like me. Not so much.
Rob came and laughed that my tool box was a zip-lock plastic gallon bag. I didn’t let that deter me. I was just happy I knew where my plastic zip-lock toolbox was.
And in no time flat, he got that tire off my bike.
He agreed that there was lots of wear left this in this spectacular $9 bike. But it was obvious that there would be no more wearing on it till I got a new tire and inner tube.
So that is what I did today.
This is how they sell tires now. Rolled up like a like rubber armadillo.
This wrapped around a rim? I had my doubts.
The dreaded inner tube. I have wrestled with these bad boys and my road bike.
As I started to put the armadillo and the inner tube together, my faith wavered.
Where is that Rob fellow now? Work?
Why is he at work when I need him to fix my tire?
But guess what?
I figured the darn thing out.
And got the wheel back on the frame.
Nine dollars for bike. Seventeen for tire and nine dollars for tube.
Thirty five dollars and my son has a bike this summer. A bike that I don’t have to cringe is outside every time a thunderstorm hits.
I am WOMAN. Hear me roar.
I might trade my plastic bag for a tool box.
A small decorative one.
Meow.
How about you? Any trash to treasures?
