garage sales and tropical storms

well, if it's saturday and we are in key west, it means we get up early and head out to the garage sales. beats the retail experience hands down. farmer and hunters. anyhow, we load up on coffee and hop on the bikes, hopelfully come back laden with treasure.

how to wear: waterfront market

here's a perfect little number for a grocery run to waterfront market.

this is no reason to gloat

but it is a good reason to giggle....

s.u.v.market plunges
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/business/13auto.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin

 

this is the classic view from a conch cruiser. notice the chain and combo lock and the sailing magazine. here we are rolling down southard street.

conch cruisers

with all this talk out there about the wonderful european bike style, I thought we'd chime in with a report from down here in key west. key west is a small island with a long tradition of using bikes to get around. you won't find many fancy road bikes or tricked out mountain bikes. what you'll find is conch cruzers. they just might be the closest thing on this side of the pond to a dutch bike. here's some hints to help identify them.

• more than ten years old

• less than forty bucks: probably an old rental bike

• baskets: front,plastic flowers and beer cozy. back, fishing rod holder

• high rise handle bars. key west is like never never land. and how better to get that stingray feeling than a nice set of ape hangers.

• big fat seat. sit up right and look around. you need a big cheeky seat to hold all that weight.

• flashlight that takes c batteries bolted on the handle bars. or they'll get ya!

• kick stand: with a tennis ball on the end so in works in sand.

• chain guard: doubtful, who wears long pants, ever.

view from a pedicab