We all started somwhere. We’ve crossed paths drawing more parallels than intersections. Some have wandered a nomadic journey while others stay close to home in hopes of meeting again. Two wheels have gotten us there more often than four. I’m told I rode the training wheels off my bike… never looking back. I’ve looked back but only to encourage you to keep up. It’s been an easy decision. I know you believe you understand what it is you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what I said is not what I meant. It was printed on a poster in the basement of my old house. I think it was Nixon or maybe Reagan? My Mom would know. Parents know things like that. Politics appeared to be more important back then. Maybe important isn’t the right word. I guess it’s what you make of it. My dad never talked politics which is why I’m not interested. Nailing plywood into a spare log was the name of the game. DIY at it’s finest. Each ramp transcending a smaller previous structure. We pushed the neighborhood envelope until the neighbor kid broke his face. Back then it was ok. Nowadays you’d have a lawsuit on your hands. Whatever happened to face to face man to man confrontation? That’s what my father was about. Louis L’Amore or was it Remo Williams? Who cares as long as it was settled. I remember the day we changed a flat with a screwdriver. I know, for years I steered customers away from this but back then it’s how we did things. The nearest bike shop was an hour away… close considering our remoteness. I don’t think my mom like that place due to the naked lady poster hanging in the shop. It was one of those French things. Tour de Butt or something. It was tasteful enough and I recogized that at a young age. That shop spoiled us. For a while we didn’t know what we were looking at but we knew it was quality compared to the hareware store bike down the street. I ended up with a low end Trek at one point. Marko struck gold a couple years later. Maybe 92? He convinced my parents of a specialized stumpjumper for some random event. A $900 fully rigid LX equipped Specialized. It was a spectacular bike which I later converted to a single speed before selling on ebay. I’m still not sure where I’m going with this. Rambling I suppose. Creating a parallel between you and I. Taking the long route to how we both got here. We all started somewhere and our love of bikes got us here together. Just an observation.