the lessons of youth . . .

it's an interesting and occasionally amusing process, the acquisition of knowledge and experience that all kids go through as they rush through early life.

many things simply must be learned first-hand, and no amount of hinting, nudging, or telling will suffice. one must see it with their own eyes, or it just doesn't make sense; it doesn't seem real.

on the other hand, though, the road to wisdom CAN be paved by someone else. one can only hope that the person or persons paving that shortcut has some idea what they are doing.

well, rest assured this little girl has already been pushed, pulled, and pedalled down roads that have had a variety of surfaces: blacktop, concrete, grass, gravel, mud, street, county road, state highway, trail, b-road, what-have-you. helmet? what? but that first decision, one's first bike, that "randy ride" we always remember, THAT has been taken care of, and for THIS child, it's not going to be some over-geared, hootchie gootchie hi-tech piece of exotica.

nope. today, i got this girl her first fixed gear bike. no brakes. pedal forward, go forward. pedal backwards, go backwards. [just like uncle d-bax.]

and she's already crashed twice. got up, brushed off her knees, and got back on. both times, no whimpering. [lucky for her!] but she cried when she had to go inside for dinner. gotta dig the instinct for the saddle.

photos of the bike will be posted later.