If wishes were bikes, beggars would ride.

"1000 miles since I bought the bike," says Gobbler, riding just ahead of me on the Beer Can Scramble.  "So it's down to a dollar a mile."

I start to mention my beach cruiser.  But just then Gobbler takes the opportunity of Turkey Creek's root-laden blue loop (and his superior technical skills) to motor away from me off the front.  Oh well.  In a couple minutes, I'm too busy sucking wind to chat.

It's not the same, anyway.  I practically stole the old used beach cruiser from our friend Jason at Village Cycle Shoppe.  And basically, he let me.  The deviation from my usual taste in high end mountain bikes probably took him by surprise.  That, and he needed the space.  

I shrewdly took advantage - grabbing the old red cruiser and getting out quick.  Popeye followed me out of the shop, shaking his head.

So Red, the old Sun cruiser, was $20 instead of $40.  And $20 is cheaper than a one day bike rental at most any beach around.  I figured, if Old Red survives one ride, he's paid for himself, right?

I don't measure my time spent on Red in miles, though.  And certainly not in money.  

When on the beach, it's all about the wind and the tide.  Low tide here, the beach is a 60 foot wide highway - with no cars. 

 

Satellite Beach 

 

 

Cocoa Beach Pier

Paging through my ride notebook, I count 48 rides on Red since I got him a year ago on July 28.  Let's just say a quick average of 15 miles per ride, nets ole Red about 720 miles so far. 

Or, about 3 cents per mile.

So there.  Sometimes I can be thrifty.

Just don't ask about the new Santa Cruz. 

Yet. 

But I'm working on it.