Father & Son Balance Bikes

Tonight while I was in one of my classes for massage therapy school, I checked my email on a break and received this picture from Andy.

A father & son balance bike outing while Mommy is at school. With all the beautiful sunny weather we've had today, my two guys were playing around outside in the evening after I left the house to go to class. While Alton was drawing on the driveway with chalk, Andy was installing wheels on Big Red.
What's going on with "Big Red," you ask? This bike started out life as a diamond-frame mountain bike about twenty years ago, and although Andy "xtracycled" it, gave it a few new items like cables, chain, and brake pads, good 'ol Big Red still needed a little TLC, and while we're at it, a little sprucing up. High on Andy's wish list after the tax refund arrived was a paint job for this bike that would allow it to really live up to its name. A trip out to Clackamas County to an industrial powdercoating garage later, Big Red looks brand-new. Andy hung a heavy-duty hook from our garage ceiling to act as a makeshift bike stand, and has been spending weekend mornings and occasional afternoons adding a new bottom bracket, re-installing the handlebars and saddle, and today adding the wheels.

After Andy had his new wheels and tires ready and spinning on Big Red this evening, he cruised up and down the sidewalk a little, using his feet to paddle the bike along since it does not yet have cranks, pedals, a chain, or gears...it was essentially a giant balance bike! Realizing this, Andy asked Alton if he'd like to hop aboard his Skuut balance bike for a trip around the block to our little neighborhood park. So they were striding along together, aww!