56 Vette
Wore out three sets of tires already!
This is about my 12th year going to the Memory Lane spring swap. The anticipation leading up to the swap is everything anyone else has said is true! I didn't bring a lot to sell, just projects that never took off, and some parts left over. After setting up Wednesday, I took a stroll around, said hi to many friends and see what's out there. On the way back to my spot I saw a sad, oxidized, rusty, flat tire, missing seat Lemon peeler sitting at Brian's "Top Hat" spot. I walked away back to my spot, and after about 15 minutes, I walked back and bought it, it was about a 1/3 of the price of the going rate of Krates, and I can't justify the price these things are going for. I then started looking for a seat, after not finding one I happened to go past Steve "light weight, mountain bike" asked if he had a lemon peeler seat, and he said actually I do, dumb luck, but we made a deal for a beautiful seat. Thursday morning after setting up, I put the lemon on the stand and started tearing it apart to clean, derust, polish and make presentable again. Once the front wheel was cleaned, regreased, polished and a new tube put in, I cleaned the rust off the springer. The frame was next, a quick clean and then a polish and wax of the paint and chain guard. The front fender was pretty beat, so I looked around the swap for a replacement, I'll be damned my dad spotted a double dimple 69 only front fender in near perfect condition. Friday came and I brought my 8 year old son with me, he loves the swaps and as expected he wanted to cruise around the swap looking for deals! He found a mint OCC chopper the Bicycle Museum of America brought and with some advice from Dad he made a deal all by himself and was the proud new owner! Back at our spot I continued working on the Lemon peeler, getting the front end put on with fresh grease, cleaned the rear rim, installed a new repo rear slick, cleaned and installed the sissy bar, and once together I showed him how to adjust the derailleur. The seat came next, adjusted the brakes, and it was time to get it off the stand. The whole time I working on the bike, Jaxson found every puddle from the previous night's rain on his new OCC chopper. There were also a few times I rode around with him, and he even conned a few other guys to ride a lap around with him, they were super cool to my boy and I appreciate it! So now that the peeler is done, I put on some correct yellow glitter flag valve caps and topped it off with a old stingray checkered flag mirror I came across a while back. After a quick ride to shake it down, I realized my 200 pound butt don't agree with the sissy bar shocks. I lowered the seat, pulled the bars a little bit, and Jax was about pissing his pants with excitement to ride the Lemon. Well that was it, at that moment I lost my bike and he became the proud new rider of a neat old 69 Lemon Peeler! I bet he rode it around for almost 2 hours, and with me following him on my red 5 speed stingray, I couldn't have had a bigger smile on face! Of the guys who were left at the swap, he got so many thumbs up, and a few of the guys have said they never saw a kid riding a Krate! Watching Jax ride that bike reminds me of the ads for the Krates in the old magazines. Sorry so long, but just wanted to tell my swap story, and what these stupid old bikes mean to me and son. Also, to anyone thinking of attending spring Memory Lane just do it, you won't regret it, a couple days of like minded people sharing a passion, friendship, and love of bicycles!
