Though we won’t dwell on it, I have to mention a significant loss to our traveling “family”.
Friday morning Tim got off the boat glowing after his 6 days of sailing. After a big hug, he went back to the boat, unloaded and quickly showered. Once he’d cleaned up, he went to grab his bike which was locked to the harbor bike rack outside of San Juan Sailing’s offices.
The Jamis wasn’t there.
After 5 years and 5,000 miles, Tim’s bike is gone. We’d decided to lock it up for the week, since it’s very difficult to manage two bikes alone on top of Frank. Tuesday night someone came through Bellingham Port, stealing bike wheels. They cut our lock and took Tim’s bike too.
Tim sadly filed a police report, submitted a claim with insurance and began looking at options. On Craigslist we found a short term solution. For Sale: Single Speed 1980’s Flame Orange Kona – $175.00. Perfect.
Though Tim planned to buy a new bike soon anyway, this wasn’t the way we wanted to retire the Jamis. We can only hope that a kid buys it at some Seattle pawn shop and get 5 more years of good riding out of it.
That night we sat at the Bellingham Brewery, eating delicious fried oysters and talking about possible improvements to the Kona. The waiter came to the table and asked Tim what he was drinking. “Somebody wants to buy you a drink.” When we looked perplexed the waiter answered, “He wanted to tell you ‘Not all of Bellingham is bad.'”
Though we weren’t positive who was so generous, it had to be one of the dozen of folks who helped us through the day dealing with police reports and bike replacement. And they were right. As we finished our last oyster we had to agree, as much as it really really stinks to lose the bike, life is still good.
Dad & Lisa
August 23, 2010 at 12:22 am
soooo sad to hear this news…….at least that “someone” who sent the drink helped remind you that, as with the bad….so comes the good! xoxoxo