Harold (Pete) Allen
Finally riding a big boys bike
I haven't been on a bicycle since the late 70's, early 80's. I am going onto 77 years old. This past summer I found a well preserved 1929 Hawthorne that belonged to my wife's 89 year old cousin. He gave it to me and I brought it home. In the mid 40's he had remodeled it with new 26" wheels, and fenders. He also painted it blue. I have been working on it off and on for the past 4 months or so. My plan is to restore it to nearly new condition and make a rider out of it. I have found most of the parts and pieces from various CABE members (and I thank you). About a week ago I put on the 28" tires I had bought and aired them up.
It was time to test ride it. I didn't want to get far from the house with it so I went to the end of the driveway and turned around and came back to the garage. That's one trip! I went to the end of the drive again and the rear tire went flat. I got off and looked at it. It was flat! I pushed it back to the garage and found that the stem had pulled out of the tire, so I went back to WTB and was looking for 28" chain tread tires.....low and behold, there were 2 listed for sale (NOS) and I bought them. They have not arrived yet.
Today, in Fort Scott, Ks. the temperature was 75 degrees and my bike has a flat, non fixable tire and I wanted to go for a ride. (I'm getting the fever)! The answer was to put the 26" tire back on and go for a ride. As you can see I did and I rode about a mile, for my first ride in 35 years or so.
It was time to test ride it. I didn't want to get far from the house with it so I went to the end of the driveway and turned around and came back to the garage. That's one trip! I went to the end of the drive again and the rear tire went flat. I got off and looked at it. It was flat! I pushed it back to the garage and found that the stem had pulled out of the tire, so I went back to WTB and was looking for 28" chain tread tires.....low and behold, there were 2 listed for sale (NOS) and I bought them. They have not arrived yet.
Today, in Fort Scott, Ks. the temperature was 75 degrees and my bike has a flat, non fixable tire and I wanted to go for a ride. (I'm getting the fever)! The answer was to put the 26" tire back on and go for a ride. As you can see I did and I rode about a mile, for my first ride in 35 years or so.
