My Walmart bike across America adventure continues. It is Day 6. Freezing cold here in Seligman AZ. Off to Flagstaff today, short one.
I stopped in Kingman yesterday after an incredible descent from classic Oatman and it's donkeys. Brakes failed. Two flats, limped into town. Fortunately, even lovers like me get lucky sometimes!
Bike shop closed on Monday but got the bike in to The Spokesmann Eddie, 10am the next day. Wow. Incredible bike artist, mechanic! He got me heavy duty 6mm tube's, latexed them, fixed the brakes. I was set! A beautiful bike guy, plying a dying trade. His dog Yuki was adorable. Find him on FB. My angel.
https://www.facebook.com/TheSpokesMann
I love people like Eddie, passionate about his trade, you could see the twinkle in his eye as he told me so many trade secrets about the intricacies of a bike. His customers coming through, showing the same appreciation of this man and his deep knowledge. It is a dying thing, those like Eddie putting quality first and insisting on true craftsmanship not just “good enough”. We have become a good enough culture and I reject that.
Eddie is from Maine. As a youngster had a dream to master a trade - shipbuilding. But sees bike building as a similar path. He apprenticed in a bike shop in Kingman before opening his own fantastic business. He rides too!
Eddie. Today's beautiful person.
Beautiful afternoon on route 66, Navajo country. Views of the Grand Canyon. Got into town in the dark 1pm to 8pm 95mi.
It is cold here but the sun is relentless, I truly now have "red skin". God bless these moments riding in the beautiful world of nature, timeless it is. If you ever want a challenge the US desert SW is it
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