Built for Two

California Laura had a fantastic wedding present idea for Pennsylvania Karen -- a vintage Schwinn tandem bicycle from Goodwill.com, in Indiana -- and invited me, in Illinois, to be a part of this multistate mission.

Illinois Shawna and I picked up the bike in Indianapolis while Pennsylvania Karen was in town and staying at our house.  It added an extra bit of fun to know that we were rolling the bike right by her under the cover of night.

 

Illinois Eric came over and offered diagnostic advice to Califoria Laura via Google Video chat.  For as much as was wrong with bike -- I was relieved.  Repair was possible.  I hoped it was clean up decently.

The next day, Illinois Shawna and I sanded into the night getting the sloppy white coat of paint off.  Then Illinois Dan paid a visit to CUT the wheel with bent axle free from the bike.  The next day, the bike got a wipe down in the shower, then had it's newly shined chrome taped up.

And then for painting.  The first coat shone like the sun.  I was so excited.  I gave is plenty of time to dry.  Then I applied the second coat.  Shiny and luxurious.  And then, the weather changed, and the coat began to crackle as the humidity rose.  Fast-forward -- two days later, the day before I need to leave for the wedding.  The bike has dried, been sanded, been wiped clean, and is ready to once again be painted while I kicked myself over the whole ordeal.

California Laura and Diane flew in to Ohio with bike tools, new tires, ribbons, and handcut decals to give the bike a Katamari theme.   Nothing goes as planned, and the California troops labored over the bike until just before the ceremony.

The wedding service ended and the officiant asked that everyone join Karen and Adam in front of the house, where their getaway vehicle was revealed to them.