Better Late Than Never

Another one of those clichés that actually rings true. Certainly for me today. Consider:

 

I’ve come to this spot on Lake Michigan for 50 years now. 50 years!! Sometime in the last 35, my brother-in-law brought two thin-tired bikes here and that’s what my wife and I have used for decades riding through the lovely back-country of this lake-speckled district. We’re less-than-thrilled with either of the bikes but have put up with them all these years. In this last ten years or so, we’ve rented bikes in town for one day of riding on the rails-to-trails path, the last five with the grandkids. We’ve had guests come stay who would have enjoyed riding with us, but with just two bikes, we usually just let it go. 

 

So after taking one bike ride around Upper Herring Lake as we often do, finally the thought struck— “We should buy another bike.” After all, we can afford it and with an unexpected tax return of almost $300, it seemed like a great use of the money. Plus my daughter Talia’s boyfriend Matt knows a lot about bikes, so he could help me pick one out. 

 

And so today, we went to the bike rental place in hopes that they had some for sale. Inside the store, there were two, both around $1600. Outside the store were two more— one for $100 and one for $75! Both bikes with hybrid tires, easily adjustable seats (unlike the ones we had been riding), gears on the handlebars rather than on the crosspiece down low, one with high handlebars and a big seat. Matt and I rode them around the block and they seemed great. 

For just a brief minute, I was trying to decide which to buy when the thought struck— at this price, I can buy both! And still come $125 under the $300 I was willing to spend for one. What a deal! And close to what we spent when we rented bikes once a year for everyone!

 

And so I bought them, Matt and Talia rode them the five miles back to the cottage and we now have four bicycles to choose from. Only took me 50 years to figure it out. But as the saying goes, “Better late than never!”

 

Now can we please do the same for finally, finally, putting the Orange Criminal behind bars where he belongs? I’d even donate a bike for the exercise yard.