Recycling

(As I write this it's 82F and 70% humidity. FYI. Just thought I'd start a new feature on the blog.)
We got spoiled when we were in that bicycle Mecca that was Davis. Not only were bikes plentiful, but bike parts as well, and certainly junker bikes were there for the picking every June and September as leases expired. When we scoped out Carolina from California, we were encouraged to find that Carrboro had a bike plan and was located ON the Carolina bike trail that runs from mountains to coast, and it was one more reason to pick this town.
Last winter, while getting organized to take advantage of public transportation options, Mike decided he needed an old junker bike to get around on--it turned out to be quite a quest. I Craigs-listed for 5 months hoping for a used but valiant Rocinante, but none listed under $100--and all were snatched up within hours of posting! I found one pink BMX horror at a local Play It Again and before Mike could see it, it had been bought--for $70. I scanned message boards and classifieds. We dumpster dived in finest Davis fashion.
Finally, a month ago, a strike! A tall blue Schwinn about my age in front of the food co-op with a cardboard for sale sign. We were on it illico presto, and for $40, Mike rode it home. Since that day, a new scavenger hunt consisted of scanning the carcasses of bikes abandoned at campus racks in search of parts. Yesterday, on a very slothful Sunday, we got around to overhauling the "World Tourist" and it is back in shiny ship-shape. A 7-month quest brought to completion.
This morning, ironically, on the steed's maiden race to the Duke campus via the bus network, Mike and his mount encountered a vintage black Schwinn that sat forlorn by the trash can awaiting adoption, making eyes at them. So the waif has found its way to our garage, awaiting her own makeover. Some karmic magnetic principle? In any case, the garage is looking more and more like a Davis den than ever now.