A little Independence Day tale: Above is my bike, a vintage Schwinn Breeze, half of a matched his-hers set procured a few summers ago from the St. Anthony's Tag Sale shop on Bayshore Road. It is, as they say, a beaut -- great condition, no rust, made in Chicago decades ago for some girl whose parents probably bought the bikes from the Liberty Bell Bicycle shop on Frankford Avenue. (Both bikes have intact stickers from the shop.) I don't know the exact year of its manufacture, nor how the bikes made their way to the Villas and into my favorite junque shop.
What I did know is that my beloved ride had one major flaw, a bent spring in the saddle that made it feel like one of your cheeks was perpetually sliding off to the left. Easy enough to fix, so off to Target we go for a new seat (pictured). It's a fancy one, too, a nice cushy Schwinn with two pillows right under your butt bones for maximum Mom-ass comfort.
Made in China, of course.
Anyway, before I go all Lou Dobbs on you, go out and have a great holiday. Make it a Fourth of July worth of a bike parade.
Love,
Yr Mom
